2018 FORD FOCUS

What owners reported to NHTSA, ranked by how often and how seriously.

This is complaint data, not a random sample.

It only includes owners who chose to file a federal complaint, so it over-represents dramatic and safety-related problems and under-represents minor issues an owner just had fixed without reporting. Read this as what NHTSA complainants report most, not as this vehicle's true failure rate. Full methodology.

Component ranking

  1. #1

    transmission automatic

    13 stranded, 100 unsafe

    113
    incidents
    Typical range: 37,000–88,000 mi

    Median 61,000 mi, based on 159 reports (38% had no usable mileage)

    • "WE BOUGHT THE CAR ON JULY 13 2019WITH ONLY 7 MILE ON THE ODOMETER. WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF HAVING THE CAR IT BREAKS DOWN WHILE DRIVING IT AND HAD TO GET A FORD TO TOW IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY HAD IT 2 DAYS AND REPLACED THE SOMETHING IN THE TRANSMISSION AT THE TIME…"~553 mi, complaint #1597234
    • "AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SURGES WHILE DRIVING LIKE IT IS SEARCHING FOR PROPER GEAR. PUT IN PARK ON HILL SOMETIMES CAR WILL START TO ROLL THEN TRANSMISSION CATCHES AND HOLDS IN PLACE. WHEN GO TO BACK IN TO PARK TAKE STOP TAKE OUT OF DRIVE TO NEUTRAL THEN TO REV…"~30,000 mi, complaint #1631144
    • "The contact called on behalf of her daughter who owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that her daughter attempted to start the vehicle, but the engine failed to turn over. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it w…"~50,000 mi, complaint #1839051
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into reverse. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the purge valve and coola…"~63,691 mi, complaint #1910993
    • "The automatic transmission shudders starting from a stop. Not so much when cold but when it warms up it can be very bad. It was a recall for my year and previous years but not my vehicle. It is also a known issue by Ford Motors for Ford Focuses. It actually w…"~123,247 mi, complaint #1977626
  2. #2

    engine stall or no start

    16 stranded, 80 unsafe

    96
    incidents
    Typical range: 21,500–72,500 mi

    Median 52,500 mi, based on 76 reports (65% had no usable mileage)

    • "MY [REDACTED ADDRESS] IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES AS THE CURRENT CAMPAIGN 18V735. ON OCCASION THE VEHICLE DIPS DOWN ON RPMS AS IF ITS GOING TO STALL ON START UP. ITS NOT RECORDED AS CURRENT RECALL ON MY VIN BUT I BELIEVE THE SAME ISSUE IS OCCURRING."~650 mi, complaint #1521619
    • "TAKATA RECALL. MY CAR IS ONLY 8 MONTHS OLD AND ALREADY HAS HAD THE CLUTCH REPLACED. IT IS SHOWING SIGNS THAT MY 2014 DID FOR IT'S RECALL. IT IS ACTING LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL AND ACTUALLY STALLED ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY 17 JUST SOUTH OF MAYSVILLE…"~18,000 mi, complaint #1594414
    • "AFTER YOU COME TO A FULL STOP AND THEN YOU LET YOU FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND PRESS THE ACCELERATOR TO GO FORWARD, THE CAR SHAKES/TREMBLES. IT HAPPENS VERY OFTEN. DIDN'T PAY TOO MUCH MIND TO IT AT FIRST, BUT IT KEEPS HAPPENING."~52,500 mi, complaint #1711016
    • "I APPROACHED A STOP SIGN, AND LOST COMPLETE POWER, COULDN'T EVEN MOVE IT OUT OF GEAR, TRIED TO JUMP IT AND NOTHING. I COULD'VE WRECKED BECAUSE OF THIS"~70,000 mi, complaint #1624109
    • "I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK ON 8/25/2020 ABOUT A MILE AWAY THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON SO I TURN AROUND TO LEAVE IT HOME THEN MY VEHICLE STALLED ALL OF THE SUDDEN WITH NO WARNING OTHER THAN THE ENGINE AND OIL LIGHTS CAMING ON, I TOWED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ADIAGN…"~130,000 mi, complaint #1687513
  3. #3

    transmission manual clutch

    1 stranded, 56 unsafe, 2 broken

    59
    incidents
    Typical range: 16,500–63,000 mi

    Median 38,500 mi, based on 30 reports (64% had no usable mileage)

    • "CLUTCH PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR INTERMITTENTLY (2X IN 1600 MILES)"~1,600 mi, complaint #1487666
    • "MANUAL TRANSMISSION- WHEN I PUSH CLUTCH IN ENGINE RPMS INCREASE BY 3000. WHEN LETTING OFF CLUTCH ENGINE STAY INCREASED AND CAR JUMPS THIS HAPPENS GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND PARKED UNKNOWN CAUSE"~11,500 mi, complaint #1638014
    • "THIS IS THE 2ND TIME I AM HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THEY REPLACED THE CLUTCHES. I DROVE THE CAR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND AM HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH SURGING/LUGGING. NOW, IT IS HAPPENING IN LOWER GEARS AND WHEN I ACCELERATE TO HIGHER GEARS. IT IS NOW HAPPENING WH…"~36,000 mi, complaint #1632853
    • "WHILE SITTING AND MOVING SLOWING IN TRAFFIC, AT TIMES, THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY SURGE OR LURCH FORWARD , VERY JERKY ACELERATION FROM A STOP, THE CLUTCH WAS ALREADY REPLACED ONCE AND THIS VEHICLE HAS ONLY 61000 MILES! I HAD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER EXTENDED WARRAN…"~60,000 mi, complaint #1597421
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to reverse out of a parking spot while the transmission was shifted in reverse (R). The contact turned off the vehicle and the vehicle failed to restart. AAA arrived on the scene an…"~143,365 mi, complaint #2063567
  4. #4

    engine internal

    13 stranded, 36 unsafe

    49
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=16, median 68,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken…"~43,000 mi, complaint #2019005
    • "A FULL TANK IS 160 MILES. AND HAS A SMELL WHEN THE A/C ON. ENGINE LIGHT ON BUT CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM."~50,652 mi, complaint #1672664
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started to jerk. The contact was able to park at a nearby gas station and the check engine warning light turned off. The ve…"~60,000 mi, complaint #1920099
    • "The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while his daughter was driving 70 MPH, the low oil pressure and check engine warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle started shuddering and then lost motive power. The contact's daughter was…"~70,318 mi, complaint #1931484
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the oil pressure and check engine warning lights illuminated.…"~89,000 mi, complaint #2175399
  5. #5

    evap system

    1 stranded, 44 unsafe, 3 annoyance

    48
    incidents
    Typical range: 42,000–64,000 mi

    Median 50,500 mi, based on 56 reports (33% had no usable mileage)

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact continued to drive. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the emission sys…"~25,509 mi, complaint #1806812
    • "SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT INDICATED EVAP,VERY SMALL LEAK. RESET CODE AND A DIFFERENT CODE CAME UP FOR A VACUUM IN THE FUEL TANK. UNABLE TO EFFECT REPAIRS MY SELF AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT CARDINAL FORD DEALERSHIP. [REDACTED ADDRESS]. STL, 63033. ATTACHED DOCUMENTS…"~42,646 mi, complaint #1701628
    • "MY CAR IS DOING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS THE OTHER RECALLS ARE HAVING. PROBLEMS WITH THE EVAP SYSTEM AND THE TRANSMISSION STALLING I PUT IT IN GEAR AND IT WONT GO"~50,492 mi, complaint #1675558
    • "I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A OBD READING AND IT CAME BACK A FAULTY PURGE VALVE OR UNABLE TO BLEED UP FUEL TANK VACUUM. TAKE IT TO FORD AND THEY SAID THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY CAR. WHEN LOOKING UP MY VIN THERE IS NON RIGHT NOW, I CLEARL…"~56,000 mi, complaint #1622818
    • "Engine light came on while after car hassertated withe code p144A engine detected running the PCM and obstruction in the EVAP SYSTEM PURGE VAPOR LINE IS BLOCKED AND TO REPLACE EMISSIONS SYSTEM PURGE VAPOR CANISTER PURGE CONTROL VALVE "~556,999 mi, complaint #2021110
  6. #6

    fuel tank and lines

    2 stranded, 26 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    29
    incidents
    Typical range: 44,500–80,500 mi

    Median 60,000 mi, based on 57 reports (37% had no usable mileage)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING, THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED TO PROVIDE AN ACCURATE READING. OCCASIONALLY, THE VEHICLE ALSO FAILED TO START. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR…"~14,333 mi, complaint #1512862
    • "ISSUE WITH THE FUEL PURGE VALVE. AFTER GETTING GAS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND VEHICLE WILL NOT START. ALSO, PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCH. VEHICLE STUTTERS AND STALLS, AS WELL AS LEAPS WHILE IN GEAR."~40,000 mi, complaint #1721744
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after refueling, he attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to restart immediately. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the fuel tank…"~58,000 mi, complaint #1925464
    • "The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving 35-40 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jerked and hesitated to respond. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driv…"~79,000 mi, complaint #2030463
    • "previous recall 18V735000 that covered the fuel system was inadequate. my 2018 se is constantly displaying incorrect fuel levels, and it has multiple warnings regarding the fuel system. "~120,471 mi, complaint #1976926
  7. #7

    engine oil consumption

    13 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    14
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE VEHICLE FAILS TO ACHIEVE MORE THAN 25 MPG ON A FULL 12 GALLON FUEL TANK WITH 100% GASOLINE. THERE IS A GASOLINE ODOR AT TIMES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF AFTER BEING DRIVEN FOR MULTIPLE HOURS. THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A 1 LITER ECOBOOST MOTOR THAT WAS…"~4,100 mi, complaint #1509557
  8. #8

    acceleration loss or hesitation

    12 unsafe

    12
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=20, median 16,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "THE CAR SKIPS WHEN PICKING UP SPEED. *TR"~1,800 mi, complaint #1662158
    • "2018 FORD FOCUS SE SEDAN RECALLS. I RECENTLY GOT A 2018 FORD FOCUS SE SEDAN IN NOVEMBER OF 2018. IT PERIODICALLY HESITATES WHEN I ACCELERATE AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING THE OTHER DAY ON MY WAY HOME AND NOT ONLY DID IT HESITATE WHEN I BEGAN TO ACCELERAT…"~7,600 mi, complaint #1553857
    • "WHEN MY CAR IS RUNNING AND SITTING IDLE AT AN INTERSECTION, IT STUTTERS ANS HESITATES TO ACCELERATE. WHEN I AM DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND I BEED TO SLIW DOWN OR SPEED UP; MY CAR STUTTERS AND HESITATES."~10,000 mi, complaint #1734361
    • "WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AFTER DECREASING SPEED IT SHOOTS UP IN RPM AND WILL BARELY MOVE UNTIL I LET GO OF GAS AND ALLOW IT SOME TIME. IT'S AS IF I'M REVVING MY ENGINE WITH THE THE BRAKE APPLIED. ITS SLOWLY GETTING WORSE. I'M UP TO DATE ON ALL MY MAINTENANCE…"~17,500 mi, complaint #1560166
    • "VEHICLE IS SLOW ACCELERATING ON THE HIGHWAY GETTING ON AND OFF RAMPS. IT JERKS AND LAGS WHEN PROCEEDING AFTER A STOP. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASE. SERVICED MULTIPLE TIMES. PROBLEM ADDRESSED FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND THE JERKING ALWAYS RETURNS."~32,000 mi, complaint #1711898
  9. #9

    engine cooling

    10 unsafe

    10
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=7)

    • "MY CAR STARTED HAVING A CLUTCH SHUDDER BEFORE IT WAS A YEAR OLD. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THE FIRST TIME AND THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE ADAPTIVE LEARN FEATURE, AND RESET THE COMPUTER. IT WAS STILL DOINF IT AND I TOOK IT BACK WITHIN A WEEK. I WAS TOLD ITS A FOR…"~25,600 mi, complaint #1593295
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the engine was replaced under a warranty; however, approximately 2 months later the engine was overheating and burning anti-freeze causing an abnormal odor to enter through the exhaust system. The con…"~62,000 mi, complaint #1857725
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The driver was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be resta…"~94,000 mi, complaint #1966167
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. A warning light was illuminated which displayed that the vehicle was overheating. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehic…"~105,000 mi, complaint #1980511
  10. #10

    engine head gasket

    2 stranded, 8 unsafe

    10
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "My car was serviced for the works oil change on 12-5-21 @ Quicklane-ford. Car has 72k miles, on 12-31-21 heading home from work early morning my car at light started to shake. No warning lights or nothing. I went to gas station to get gas so I wouldn’t have to…"complaint #1786019
    • "I brought my 2018 Ford focus in July 22 2021 . I took it in because it had taken over an hour to crank and when it did crank it get really bad had it brought to Green Ford in Greensboro North Carolina. They said they fixed it. I end up having to bring it back…"complaint #1914057
    • "My head gasket blew and there was no unjust stress put on my engine. One day my check engine light came on and then my vehicle overheated and started to have vapor leak out of the exhaust "complaint #1957268
    • "I was driving home from my doctors appointment when I noticed the oil light on then I heard like air coming from up under the hood and the car started losing compression like gas power so I pulled over and check the oil. The oil was still full and then I remem…"complaint #1984499
    • "I was driving and my check engine light came on. Immediately after the light hits vapors started coming out of my tail pipes and my car heating gauge goes to hot. I pull over turn the car off and wait for it to cool down and then I add some anti freeze 50/50…"complaint #1992186
  11. #11

    other

    5 unsafe, 5 annoyance

    10
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=9)

    • "ON DECEMBER 12TH, 2019, I WAS INVOLVED IN A THREE-CAR FENDER BENDER ON FAIRFAX COUNTY PARKWAY IN VIRGINIA. I WAS TRAVELING IN SLOW-MOVING TRAFFIC AT 7:20AM, CLOSE TO RESTON HOSPITAL, WHEN THE TWO CARS IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES UNEXPECTEDLY AND I U…"~31,000 mi, complaint #1631829
    • "CAR BEEN DEFECTIVE SINCE PURCHASED SEPTEMBER 2019. HAVEN'T DID CAR FAX ON VEHICLE SINCE THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME AT THE DEALERSHIP. *TR"~35,000 mi, complaint #1663400
  12. #12

    control module

    1 stranded, 8 unsafe

    9
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "The contact’s mother owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle started shaking abnormally while coming to a stop. The vehicle also experienced the abnormal shaking while moving off from a co…"~83,000 mi, complaint #1779068
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, and while driving at various speeds, messages that the brake fluid level was low, and to shift into park were displayed. The contact stated that other unknown messages were…"~106,000 mi, complaint #2099643
  13. #13

    steering rack mechanical

    9 unsafe

    9
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT TURN. VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO ALL GEARS AND COULD BE DRIVEN FORWARD AND BACKWARD. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVE AT THE TIME. FORD DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY."~3,138 mi, complaint #1539283
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND CRASH INTO A DITCH. DURING THE…"~21,043 mi, complaint #1587230
    • "I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING GARAGE WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED UP ON THE VEHICLE. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO DRIVE THE CAR. THERE WAS NO MESSAGE OR ALERT ON THE VEHICLE DASH. I HAD TO WRESTLE THE STEERING WHEEL WITH GREAT…"~27,680 mi, complaint #1739277
    • "DROVE THE CAR FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, THEN STOPPED AT A GAS STATION. WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED AGAIN, THE POWER STEERING FAILURE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, AND POWER STEERING ASSIST WAS NONOPERATIONAL. EVEN AFTER COOLING DOWN THE ENGINE, THE POWER STEERING STILL DID NOT…"~47,500 mi, complaint #1669590
    • "THE STEERING STARTED MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE BECAME HARD TO STEER. AFTER PARKING THE CAR AND COMING BACK TO IT AFTER A MEETING IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO STEER THE CAR AND IT WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THE CAR ONLY HAD 55248 MILES ON IT.…"~55,248 mi, complaint #1514266
  14. #14

    timing belt or chain

    5 stranded, 4 unsafe

    9
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • " I was driving on interstate at 75 mph when my vehicle oil light came on. Before I could react, I lost cruise control and my engine began to stall. A loud noise came from my engine and it shut off while still driving. I was able to pull over without being invo…"complaint #1853275
    • "Car was hesitant to start, then shut off. Tried to start ignition and received warning on dash of engine failure. Was towed to dealership, engine needed to be replaced due to timing chain being dislodged and destroying lower part of engine. 54,000 miles"complaint #1910111
    • "Timing broke with 71k on engine. Cut off and will not start back "complaint #1973163
    • "My oil light came on while driving, it was flashing. I pulled over, checked my oil level and it was full. I had it towed to the nearby Firestone that I always use to check what was going on, I was afraid to keep driving it. The mechanic called me a day later a…"complaint #2004116
    • "I was going 60mph down the highway when my timing belt snapped and I lost all power. I see ford has a recall for the same engine, the 1.0 3 cylinder ecoboost, same problem, but the recall is only for cars with automatic transmissions. Mine is a manual. It went…"complaint #2076846
  15. #15

    airbag system

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "I'M UNSURE IF MY VEHICLE HAS THE DEFECTIVE TAKATA INFLATORS: MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, UNDER POWER AND TRAVELING GREATER THEN [REDACTED ADDRESS] ONTO A CITY STREET. WHILE TURNING LEFT, I EITHER TURNED TO WIDE OR THE OTHER VEHICLE TURNED TO CLOSE AND MY DRIVER…"~4,197 mi, complaint #1494022
    • "A DRIVER RAN A RED LIGHT AND THE NOSE OF MY CAR DIRECTLY IMPACTED THEIR SIDE AT APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH AND MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS A 2018 HONDA CIVIC AND THEIR SIDE BAGS DEPLOYED. EVEN THE POLICE OFFICERS WERE SHOCKED MINE DID NOT DEP…"~6,600 mi, complaint #1558370
    • "OUR FOCUS WAS HIT BY A CAR. THE VEHICLE HIT THE FOCUS PRIMARILY IN THE AREA OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. THE DOOR WAS PUSHED IN/CRUMPLED APPROXIMATELY 18-20 INCHES OVERALL, INTRUDING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE WINDOW SHATTERED. THE DAMAGE TO THE FENDER…"~16,000 mi, complaint #1657410
    • "MY DAUGHTER DRIVING HER 2018 FORD FOCUS HATCHBACK WAS INVOLVED IN A HIGH IMPACT FRONT END COLLISON AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AT IMPACT. THE FOCUS HIT A SUV WHO SUDDENLY MADE A COMPLETE STOP FOR NO REASON ON [REDACTED ADDRESS]. THE IMPACT WAS A DIRECT HIT TO THE…"~30,500 mi, complaint #1685955
  16. #16

    brake hydraulics

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2018 FORD FOCUS FROM ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE LOST BRAKING ABILITY AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOO…"~3,000 mi, complaint #1477612
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, and the brake pedal became firm. The check oil warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was no…"~65,000 mi, complaint #1930378
  17. #17

    steering electric assist

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=10, median 55,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the power steering malfunctioned causing the steering wheel to become difficult to turn in either direction. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local deal…"~30,000 mi, complaint #1752299
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING RIGHT TURN, HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL SOUND AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE TO HIS DAUGHTER'S RESIDENCE W…"~50,100 mi, complaint #1727835
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was determined to be a…"~55,000 mi, complaint #1873285
  18. #18

    transmission cvt

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "TRANSMISSION VIBRATION INVOLVING DOUBLE CLUTCH @ SPEEDS 13 -18 MPH IN MOTION."~2,198 mi, complaint #1587153
  19. #19

    throttle and pedal

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "THE ISSUE HAPPENS OFF AND ON WHEN YOU USE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE THROTTLE KEEPS ACCELERATING UP TO SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER YOU COMPLETELY TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF IT. I FIRST NOTICED THE ISSUE A MONTH AFT BUYING THE CAR BRAND NEW AND IT'S BEEN CONSISTENTLY HAPPENIN…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1628411
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS AND SHIFTING GEARS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD BECOME STUCK. ALSO, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STUCK AND THE ENGINE REVVED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS IL…"~9,500 mi, complaint #1516791
  20. #20

    wheel or rim

    1 broken, 3 annoyance

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "With a Flat Tire on the side of the road Wheel Lugs can not be removed with supplied wrench because the wheel lug nuts nave a soft metal cap that does not allow the supplied wrench fit the lugs after the tires have been rotated by dealer or any one because the…"complaint #1757730
    • "FOR 2 OF MY FORD FOCUSES I have had to buy 20 lug nuts every time I want to rotate my tires."complaint #1794657
    • "took to discount tire and they could not take tire off due to lug nuts. they said it was a common problem with fords and we should take to a vehicle repair shop,"complaint #1856419
    • "JUST CAME FROM DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME i NEEDED NEW LUG NUTS BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN THEY SWELL AND CANNOT BE TAKEN OF EASILY AND MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $150"complaint #1885327
  21. #21

    backup camera

    1 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated she had experienced a failure with the rear-view camera since she purchased the vehicle. The contact stated that whenever the vehicle was shifted into reverse(R), the rear-view camera appeared blurry. The…"~25,000 mi, complaint #1837935
  22. #22

    battery and charging

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "EVERYTIME I GO TO GET GAS AND TRY TO RESTART MY CAR, CHECK BATTERY LIGHT POPS UP AND MY CAR WON'T FULLY START, AND EVER SINCE THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON, TODAY I HAD TO CALL SOMEONE GET A JUMP AT THE GAS STATION."~49,600 mi, complaint #1705088
  23. #23

    sunroof

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "EXPLODING SUNROOF - TRAVELING SOUTH ON I-5 AT A SPEED OF 60MPH IN TACOMA TODAY (7/5/2018) IN MY BRAND NEW 6 MONTH OLD 2018 FOCUS RS AND JUST PASSED 56TH STREET EXIT. SUDDENLY WITH WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHOT, THE SUNROOF EXPLODED AND I WAS COVERED WITH GLASS…"~4,384 mi, complaint #1480689
    • "AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, I HEARD A LOUD POP. NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE AROUND AT THE TIME. I OPENED THE SUNROOF COVER AND NOTICED IT WAS SHATTERED. I PULLED INTO THE GAS STATION TO SEE THAT THERE WAS A LARGE HOLE IN MY SUNROOF."~45,700 mi, complaint #1660645
  24. #24

    suspension struts shocks

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATION OF 5MPH THE STEERING WHEEL WILL SHAKE THE GAS PEDAL SHAKES AS WELL AS THE CAR. IT HAPPENS DURING ACCELERATION FROM STOPLIGHTS AND WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY LIMITS AND TURNING"~3,500 mi, complaint #1660450
    • "WHILE SITTING AT A LIGHT OR CORNER AFTER A STOP THE CAR SHAKES & BOUNCES UNTIL I MOVE AGAIN, ONLY 15000 MILES ON IT. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER."~15,000 mi, complaint #1605471
  25. #25

    brake pads and rotors

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "I BOUGHT MY 2018 FORD FOCUS HATCHBACK ON 06/23/2018 AND ON 09/03/20 I HAD TO HAVE MY FRONT AND REAR ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS REPLACED. THE ROTOR WAS CRACKED AND THEY WERE REALLY RUSTED. MAKING MY CAR UNDRIVABLE. THIS MAKES ME SICK THAT FORD USES SUCH CHEAP PARTS…"~32,875 mi, complaint #1703860
  26. #26

    engine turbo supercharger

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I was driving on a 40mph road, went to pass someone and touched the gas to do so and the car shuddered, lost power, and made a whining noise anytime the turbo would engage. The turbocharger had to be replaced. Luckily this occurred on a road that wasn't busy…"complaint #2157782
    • "Recall 23s64 was completed and immediately was smelling and losing oil. Took back to dealer twice and second time they said it was fixed. A few thousand miles later I had sudden turbo failure. Lost all power and a huge amount of smoke making it impossible fo…"complaint #2186062
  27. #27

    fuel pump

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The fuel pump keeps burning out even though the tank is clean and there are no other obvious issues. "complaint #1834615
    • "The fuel pump has failed and causes my car to loose power after the car has started. This is able to occur while operating the vehicle and results in immediate loss of power. This component has been inspected by an auto mechanic and will be looked at by the Fo…"complaint #2144533
  28. #28

    infotainment head unit

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=7)

    • "THE LCD SCREEN IS TOTALLY BLACK. NO VISIBLE CONTROLS WITHOUT SCREEN."~37,150 mi, complaint #1694468
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware that the center display was not functioning, preventing the use of the backup camera, and compromising the backover prevention system. No warnin…"~54,000 mi, complaint #1967091
  29. #29

    lighting exterior

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the passenger’s side headlight was inoperable. The headlamp failure message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who informed the contact that there was condensation in the headlig…"~75,366 mi, complaint #1928051
  30. #30

    power steering hydraulic

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT'S WIFE OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE POWER STEERING CEASED WITH THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GARY YEOMANS FORD LINCOLN ([REDACTED ADDRE…"complaint #1673621
    • "The power steering went out when I was 50 miles from home. It was very difficult to steer and presented a safety hazard since the handling was compromised and it was nearly impossible to steer the car."complaint #1995388
  31. #31

    wiring harness

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the "Transmission Failure, Service Immediately" message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer where she was informed that the ele…"~15,000 mi, complaint #1832049
    • "HEAD LAMP SERVICE FAULT . YOU LOSE ALL POWER TO THE HEADLIGHTS AND YOUR KEY FOB DOES NOT REGISTER. MEANING YOU CAN JUST HOP IN THE CAR WITH NO KEYS AND DRIVE. ALSO THE CAR TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING"~19,000 mi, complaint #1634621
  32. #32

    alignment and pull

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN EVEN MILD WIND OR TURBULENT AIR FROM TRAFFIC THE CAR HAS A LOSS OF STABILITY. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED IN WINTER AND AS SOON AS CONDITIONS IMPROVED FOR HIGHWAY SPEED TO RESUME WE FOUND OUT.WE DO NOT FEEL THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE US…"~1,500 mi, complaint #1468829
  33. #33

    catalytic converter

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The canister purge valve (which ford currently has a recall on just not for my vin) got stuck open and ruined the front manifold catalytic converter. Called ford to explain that this part is impacting other models"complaint #1915112
  34. #34

    door latch and hinge

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. While the contact’s spouse was driving approximately 15 MPH, the rear passenger’s side door was unable to close properly. The instrument panel displayed a message that the door was ajar. The vehicle was taken to the dealer w…"~32,800 mi, complaint #1988528
  35. #35

    emissions aftertreatment

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "First the car engine light came on. Auto put on computer said it's was a emissions thing ..Now Everytime I put gas in it the car stalls and it is hard to keep it going. Also when pulling out it will jerk like the transmission is falling out"complaint #1749900
  36. #36

    exhaust system

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a Good Year Service Center to be diagnosed. The mechanic retrieved DTC code: P1405 (EGR Valve). The c…"~111,000 mi, complaint #1884857
  37. #37

    fluid leak unspecified

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER WAS LEAKING INTO THE TRUNK AND ONTO THE FLOOR IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE REAR SEAT BELT BOLTS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE…"~1,930 mi, complaint #1478238
  38. #38

    fuel injector

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I'm pretty sure my car is having the problem with the fuel something because EVERY TIME I put fuel into my car it wants to choke up and die. It's very annoying now. It's been doing it for a couple weeks now but my car is not on the recall list and my car also…"complaint #1820047
  39. #39

    hv battery and range

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "While driving the vehicle at 60 mph in traffic, all propulsion was lost and the car displayed "stop safely now." Fortunately, I had enough momentum to drift to the side of the road, but this was a very unsafe situation. The vehicle was towed to a dealership…"complaint #2103651
  40. #40

    hv system fault reduced power

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Ford Focus went into automatic limp mode after a dead battery with no reverse. I've heard it's an ongoing issues with these cars. And Ford has a program to fix these issues unfortunately my car year falls outside their current criteria. Took the car to the mec…"complaint #1922429
  41. #41

    key fob and immobilizer

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE HORN GOES OFF AFTER THE CAR IS LOCKED WITH THE KEY FOB. NO KNOWN WAY TO STOP IT."complaint #1528713
  42. #42

    power windows and locks

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "BOTH OF THE REAR SIDE WINDOWS HAD MOULDING THAT WAS LOOSE, THE FIRST TECH AT SCHICKER FORD SAID THAT THEY WERE ALL LIKE THAT, THE NEXT DAY I WENT BACK AND TALKED TO ANOTHER TECH WHO GAVE ME THE SAME ANSWER. I SENT PHOTOS OF THE LOOSE MOLDING, THEN THE TECH SA…"complaint #1470974
  43. #43

    seat mechanism

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "ONE OF THE 2 REAR BOLTS THAT BOLT THE REAR OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO CAR FLOOR IS MISSING. I NOTICED THIS WHEN I WAS VACUUMING THE CAR OUT. THE SEAT IS ONLY BOLTED A 3 POINTS AND IS A MAJOR SECURITY ISSUE. *TR"complaint #1669588
  44. #44

    seatbelt and pretensioner

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "I HAVE TESTED THIS MANY TIMES, AND YIELDED THE SAME RESULT. WHEN THE DRIVERS SEATBELT IS UNBUCKLED WHILST IN MOTION, THERE IS NO LIGHT OR AUDIBLE ALARM UNTIL YOU COME TO A FULL AND COMPLETE STOP."~37,200 mi, complaint #1600968
  45. #45

    starter

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Jan 16, 2024 Our vehicle turned of while I was driving I almost crashed into another vehicle the vehicle jurked and swirved to the side it caused the car to move to the other lane and a sound of a bang occured my car turned off 4 days prior I had to get my ca…"complaint #1958635
  46. #46

    tire failure

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "ALL FOUR ORIGINAL TIRES REPLACED, BALANCED AND FRONT END ALIGNMENT COMPLETED 11/23/20 AT PEP BOYS. THE NEW PASSENGER FRONT AND REAR TIRES DEVELOPED SIDEWALL 2 INCH "BUBBLES" OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS AND I HAVE REPLACED THE FRONT PASSENGER AT MY EXPENSE. TH…"complaint #1763159
  47. #47

    torque converter

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 30-35 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal ticking sound. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, where the vehicle failed to respond while in reverse(R). The contact drove to the resid…"~130,000 mi, complaint #2035551
  48. #48

    unintended acceleration

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "THE 2018 FORD FOCUS TI STARTED TO GIVE ME PROBLEMS WHEN BRAKING AND ACCELERATING, THE FIST WAS WHEN TAKING OFF AT A STOP LIGHT, THE FOCUS ACCELERATED MORE WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND BRAKING TO A CAR IN FRONT OF ME, IT WAS LIKE I WAS HITTING GAS PEDAL AND BRAKE AT T…"~23,200 mi, complaint #1533198
  49. #49

    unknown

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "SEE ATTACHED LETTER. I HAVE COPIES OF ALL RECEIPTS, IF YOU NEED TO SEE THEM"~12,919 mi, complaint #1593072

Recall-sized clusters

These are large batches of near-identical complaints (recall notifications, service campaigns), kept separate from the ranking above so they don't drown out individually-reported problems.

Not matched to any cluster below: every campaign NHTSA has on file for this exact make/model/year is 18V735000, 18V845000, 23V905000, 26V011000, 26V012000, 26V369000, 26V376000. This is a vehicle-wide list, not an attribution - see below for which clusters have a real, complainant-cited match.

NHTSA investigations

Search NHTSA's own recall and complaint database for FORD FOCUS directly.