2012 Ford Focus
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 3,801 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 19 Focus model years with reports.
Of the 2012 reports, 108 involved a crash and 15 involved a fire. 88 people were injured and 5 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, evaporative emissions, canisterJun 9, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Focus vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 18V735. The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, causing the engine to stall unexpectedly while driving.
An engine that stalls while driving increases the risk of a crash.
Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S40. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6,2026.
Campaign 26V369000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, doors, latchJun 8, 2020
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.
Campaign 20V331000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storageJul 5, 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 and 2017 Focus vehicles equipped with 2.0L GDI gasoline engines and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles equipped with 2.0L GTDI engines, previously recalled under 18V-735. The affected vehicles did not have the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) updated as intended. Therefore, the Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system.
The excessive vacuum may result in an engine stall while driving, without warning and without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module. Dealers will also check for fault codes and replace the CPV as needed. If the CPV is replaced, dealers will inspect and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall began July 29, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S22.
Campaign 19V515000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storageOct 22, 2018
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Ford Focus vehicles with a 2.0L GDI or 2.0L GTDI engine. The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in fuel vapor management system.
The excessive vaccuum may result in an engine stall while driving, without warning and without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module. Dealers will also check for fault codes and replace the CPV as needed. If the CPV is replaced, dealers will inspect and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall began August 19, 2019. Owners may contact Ford Customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S32. Note: Until the vehicle is serviced for this concern, owners are advised to keep the fuel tank at least halfway full.
Campaign 18V735000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, doors, latchSep 6, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S30.
Campaign 16V643000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lightingAug 1, 2013
Ford is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Focus BEV vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured September 15, 2011, through May 6, 2013; and model year 2013 Focus ST vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured February 16, 2012, through May 7, 2013. Due to a wiring incompatability, the front side marker lamps may not function. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Without the proper illumination of the side maker lamps, the vehicle may be less visible in night time conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will modify the headlamp assembly wiring, free of charge. The recall began on August 16, 2013. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13C04.
Campaign 13V335000 on NHTSA.gov
EquipmentOct 2, 2012
This recall involves aftermarket parts sold by Yakima Products, Inc. for use on model year 2012 and 2013 Ford Focus vehicles. This recall is being conducted by Yakima, not by Ford. Certain combined Q-Tower and Q128 Clip rooftop rack systems, part numbers 8000124 and 8000728, do not fully contact the door frame.
Without proper contact of the rooftop rack clip to the door frame, there is insufficient clamping pressure and friction. The system may slide off the vehicle when loaded with accessories, possibly becoming a road hazard to other vehicles or causing injury to pedestrians.
Yakima will notify owners, and Yakima or a Yakima dealer will refund the purchase of the Q-Tower and Q-128 Clip system. There is no replacement system available for the 2012-2013 model year Ford Focus. The safety recall began on October 15, 2012. Only vehicles equipped with the vehicle rack system are affected. This recall is being conducted by Yakima, not Ford. Owners may contact Yakima at 1-888-925-4621.
Campaign 12E035000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, windshield wiper/washer, switch/wiringApr 5, 2012
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 FOCUS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1, 2010, THROUGH OCTOBER 18, 2011. A SEAL IN THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR TO THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER MOTOR MAY BE MISSING.
WATER OR OTHER CONTAMINANTS MAY ACCUMULATE IN THE CONNECTOR, RESULTING IN AN INTERMITTENT OR INOPERATIVE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER MOTOR, REDUCING VISIBILITY AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND AS NECESSARY, CLEAN AND PROPERLY SEAL THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER MOTOR CONNECTOR. ANY INOPERATIVE WIPER MOTORS WILL BE REPLACED. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 21, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.
Campaign 12V149000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: steering
933 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Nov 14, 2011
POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING NEW FORD FOCUS SE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER THE CAR. FAILURE OF STEERING WAS ACCOMPANIED BY "STEERING ASSIST FAULT - SERVICE REQUIRED" MESSAGE IN DASH AND WARNING CHIME. ON RESTART OF CAR, STEERING RETURNS TO NORMAL OPERATION AND FAULT MESSAGE NO LONGER DISPLAYS. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE AT RANDOM TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE OF CAR. *TR
Steering, Nov 2, 2011
INADEQUATE CLEARANCE BETWEEN STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED CONTROLS FOR CRUISE CONTROL AND SYNC AND STALK MOUNTED CONTROLS FOR SIGNALS AND WIPERS RESULT IN FINGERS GETTING CAUGHT BETWEEN WHEEL AND STALKS. DURING A TEST DRIVE, THIS CAUSED ACCIDENTAL FLASHING OF BRIGHT LIGHTS AND WIPER ACTIVATION. IN A WORST CASE SCENARIO, THIS COULD PREVENT TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AT A CRITICAL MOMENT AND CAUSE A CRASH WITH INJURIES OR FATALITIES. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS DESIGN PROBLEM AND CONSIDER MANDATORY RECALL AND REDESIGN OF ALL VEHICLES SO EQUIPPED. *TR
Steering, Power train, Oct 21, 2011
I PURCHASED A 2012 FORD FOCUS HATCH. AS SOON AS WE DROVE THE CAR WE NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE SALES MAN SAID HE DIDN'T FEEL IT AND THAT THE CAR HAD TO LEARN OUR DRIVING HABITS. DON'T THINK A CAR LEARNS 2 DIFFERENT DRIVING HABITS AS THERE ARE 2 OF US DRIVING IT. BUT AT LOW SPEEDS EITHER ACCELERATING OR DECELERATING THE CAR SHUTTERS AND SHIMMIES WAY TOO MUCH FOR OUR COMFORT. IT SEEMS THIS IS AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM BUT WE THOUGHT WE'D BRING IT IN TO HAVE A TRAINED TECH LOOK AT IT. THE FIRST ATTEMPT WAS A NEW MODULE AND THAT SHOULD FIX IT.... IT DIDN'T... SO IN A SECOND TIME FOR A REMAPPING OF THE COMPUTER...DIDN'T HELP. ....IN FOR A THIRD TIME AND THE TECH SAYS FORD IS NOT ALLOWING ANY FIXES ON THIS CAR... WE HAVE TO WAIT! REALLY? WAIT? I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW $21,000 CAR...... AN AUTOMATIC CAR! I BEEN TOLD IT HAS TO LEARN HOW I DRIVE... I'VE BEEN TOLD IT NEEDS BROKE IN...IT HAS 5000 MILES ON IT NOW HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BREAK IN? I'M TOLD THAT IT'S AS IF I AM DRIVING A MANUAL AND THIS IS NORMAL.........HELLO!!!!! NOT A MANUAL. I'M TOLD THIS IS JUST HOW THIS TRANSMISSION REACTS... AND ALONG WITH THE SHUTTERING IS THE HESITATION UPON ACCELERATING THAT COULD COST ME MY LIFE ON A BUSY HIGHWAY............... THE REMOTE KEY LOCK HAS CONFUSION ISSUES. IT DOESN'T ALWAYS RECOGNIZE THE SIGNAL AND IT HAS TO BE OPENED OR LOCKED MANUALLY. ALL I WANT IS A FIX AND IF THERE IS NO FIX I WANT TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE LEMON LAW ON THIS CAR........ I EXPECTED MORE FROM FORD FOR MY 30 PLUS YEARS OF LOYALTY. AFTER ALL ISN'T THAT WHAT HAS KEPT FORD GOING? ALL OF US LOYAL CUSTOMERS THAT STAYED WITH THEM THRU THE HARD TIMES? MY FAMILY HAS BOUGHT OVER $100,000 IN NEW FORD CARS AND TRUCKS AND PLENTY OF USED ONES AS WELL. I REALLY AM SAD THAT FORD HASN'T STEPPED UP ON THIS ONE AND I AM SO SURE I AM NOT ALONE. LISTEN FORD EXECS..... WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION!!! THANK YOU! *TR
Steering, Oct 18, 2011
I JUST BOUGHT MY BRAND NEW 2012 FORD FOCUS LESS THAN 2 WEEKS AGO. THE FIRST TIME I DROVE IT ON HWY IN SPEEDS EXCESS OF 60MPH, I NOTICED IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE CAR DRIVING STRAIGHT WITHOUT CONSTANT ADJUSTMENT TO THE STEERING WHEEL. SINCE IT WAS STORMING THAT NIGHT, I ASSUMED IT WAS THE WIND KNOCKING MY LITTLE CAR AROUND. I WAS VERY WRONG. IT HAPPENED EVERY TIME AFTER THAT...EVEN ON CLEAR, SUNNY DAYS. SEVERAL TIMES I ALMOST SIDE-SWIPED CARS IN OTHER LANES TRYING TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF MY CAR. THIS IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND I'M HOPING A RECALL HAS BEEN MADE ON THE STEERING ISSUE. I'M TAKING THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY WITH PRINTOUTS OF NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. *TR
Steering, Oct 5, 2011
THE POWER STEERING FAILED AS I MADE A TURN AT LOW SPEED. THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INDICATING A POWER STEERING FAILURE. I WAS ABLE, WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY, TO STEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE IS BRAND NEW. *TR
Steering, Aug 25, 2011
IN MY BRAND NEW 2012 FORD FOCUS WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50MPH IT IS INCREDIBLY HARD TO KEEP THE CAR IN IT'S LANE WITHOUT CONSTANT ADJUSTMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. IT FEELS LIKE YOU'RE BEING BUFFETED BY STRONG WINDS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE FASTER THAN 60MPH DUE TO THE FACT THE VEHICLE ACTS LIKE A SNAKE GOING BACK AND FORTH SO MUCH. I'M NOT ALONE IN THIS, THE ONLINE FORD FOCUS COMMUNITY "FOCUSFANATICS.COM" HAS REPORTED MANY CASES OF THIS OCCURRING. THE THREAD OF COMPLAINTS IS HERE HTTP://WWW.FOCUSFANATICS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=261200 THE SOLUTION APPEARS TO BE HAVING THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING RACK REPLACED. I'M WORRIED A PROBLEM SUCH AS THIS COULD CAUSE A SEVERE ACCIDENT IF SOMEONE ISN'T EXPECTING TO FIGHT WITH THEIR STEERING WHEEL. I ALMOST HIT A CAR ADJACENT TO ME BECAUSE OF THIS. IF HE HADN'T BEEN PAYING ATTENTION THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN BAD. I REALIZE YOU ARE VERY BUSY BUT I SINCERELY HOPE YOU TAKE THE TIME TO REVIEW THIS ISSUE AND THE THREAD I POSTED IN ORDER TO PREVENT POSSIBLE INJURY'S OR DEATHS IN THE FUTURE. IT WOULD BE TO THE BENEFIT OF MANY IF FORD WERE TO RECALL AND FIX AFFECTED MODELS. *TR
Steering, Jul 24, 2011
WILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH THE STEERING WENT TO MANUAL, WARNING DISPLAY READ "STEERING MALFUNCTION STOP SAFELY" CONTACT AUTHORIZED DEALER. THIS HAS ONLY HAPPEN ONCE AND STILL NOT SURE WHAT FIXES IT. STILL AT DEALER. *TR
Steering, Jul 18, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT AND SHE WOULD HAVE TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE TO CONTINUE STEERING STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS INTENDED, AND THERE WAS NO REMEDY AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75.