2015 Ford Focus
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 1,030 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 7th highest complaint count among 19 Focus model years with reports.
Of the 2015 reports, 32 involved a crash and 4 involved a fire. 29 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Power train, manual transmissionJun 9, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Focus and 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 18V169 and 18V845. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will inspect Focus vehicles and replace the clutch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S43. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6,2026.
Campaign 26V376000 on NHTSA.gov
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
Equipment, electrical, engine block heaterJan 15, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.
Campaign 26V011000 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, 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
Power train, manual transmissionMar 12, 2018
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Fusion vehicles equipped with a 1.6L GTDI engine and 6-speed manual transmission and 2015-2016 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with a 1.0L GTDI engine and 6-speed manual transmission. Also included are four 2017 Ford Focus vehicles that had clutch replacements with potentially affected parts. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Focus vehicles with software that detects and prevents prolonged clutch slip, and will replace the clutch, as necessary, free of charge. Owners of Fusion vehicles will have their clutch assembly replaced free of charge. The recall began August 3, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S07.
Campaign 18V169000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, hatchback/liftgate, lockSep 28, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Ford Focus hatchback vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to August 26, 2016 and equipped with a manual transmission. The hatchback of the affected vehicles may be unlatched with a single press of the interior latch release button. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."
With only a single press needed, the driver may accidently unlatch the hatchback, increasing the risk of injury to any unsecured passengers in the back.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Body Control Module with updated software, free of charge. The recall began February 10, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C13.
Campaign 16V698000 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
Electrical system, ignitionJul 8, 2015
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured April 1, 2014, to June 12, 2015, Ford Focus vehicles manufactured June 17, 2014, to June 12, 2015, and Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured April 22, 2014, to June 12, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the engine may continue to run after the key or the START/STOP engine button is turned to off. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
If the engine does not turn off as expected, someone could move the transmission shifter out of park and the vehicle may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. The recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C06.
Campaign 15V436000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
182 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine, Mar 18, 2024
The engine failed while driving on a state highway. No one was hurt and the driver was able to get the car off the road. The only indication was the check engine light came on and the car lost all power. My local mechanic confirmed the issue being the oil pump drive belt tensioner arm broke and as a result the engine would need replacing. The engine was replaced with with a Ford remanufactured engine and the faulty engine returned to Ford for the core fee. Ford Focus' built between March 24, 2015 - May 4, 2018 are covered under NHTSA Recall No. : 23V-905, Manufacturer Recall No. : 23S64. The bulletin states 1.0L engines paired with 6F15 automatic transmissions. My car was built on March 19, 2015 with a standard transmission. It has the same engine as in the NHTSA and had the same issue with the 1.0L engines had.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The contact stated that there were metal fragments in the oil. The contact stated that the drive belt was disintegrating, and there were fibers in the engine. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that there was no warranty coverage for the repair. No additional assistance was provided. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was unknown.
Power train, Engine, Jan 31, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speed and attempting to accelerate, the RMP would rise, but the vehicle would not move. The check engine warning light illuminated with the following messages: Transmission friction element B performance/stuck in off position - control module of transmission (TCM); Apply time range/ performance of transmission friction element B- control module of transmission (TCM); and Control module communication Buss 'A' off instrument control panel module. The contact stated, when the engine failed there was a message that stated transmission fault, service now. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and a diagnostic was performed. The dealer stated that the clutch was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 107,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 25, 2024
The contact’s daughter owned a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while his wife was driving the vehicle 55 MPH on the highway, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact’s wife pulled off the roadway and the oil warning light illuminated. The vehicle was unable to restart and was towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the engine failed due to the failure of the internal oil pump belt. The vehicle was not repaired, and was instead traded in. The contact stated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 106,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the engine made an abnormally loud sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The low oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that upon inspecting the oil level, she noticed that there were metal shavings in the oil. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the oil pump drive belt had fractured, causing the engine to seize. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 68,362.
Engine, Jan 13, 2024
My 2015 Ford Focus was operating without issue until one day in December the engine power significantly decreased. At that time, the oil pressure light came on as well as the check engine light. I stopped driving the car immediately and had it towed to a local Ford Dealership for inspection. Upon inspection, they found metal debris in the oil suspecting internal pump belt fracture causing internal damage to the engine. They advised a new engine and turbocharger replacement of the EcoBoost engine at a cost of $7,800 +tax. After research, it appears a recall for this issue may be forthcoming and would like to report the 2015 model year as a candidate for the recall with cost of engine replacement to be covered. This car is in otherwise great shape with only 110k miles.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Dec 4, 2023
1. MY car shuts off while driving and I don't understand why because my battery is new and all other components don't seem to be the issue i.e.: battery, starter, alternator. 2. My safety and the safety of my passengers were at risk because the car shuts off with no warning while driving. 3 I currently have the vehicle being inspected by my local Ford dealership but the problem has happened several times before taking the car to the dealership. 4. The problem is currently being inspected by the Ford dealership. 5. There were no warning's before the car shut off.
Power train, Engine, Nov 21, 2023
2015 Ford Focus - Car has less than 50k miles has 3 transmission codes showing: P07A5, P090C, and P07A5pd. Car will not go into reverse. Car has not been looked at by a technician yet. However, with less than 50K miles the fact that I am having transmission issues is unacceptable. Ford really needs to recall for these issues. After researching these codes that are showing, seems like there are thousands of people complaining about the same thing on different sites.
Engine, Nov 16, 2023
Car shudders while driving and now will not go into reverse. I have under 50,000 miles on the car. I have not had this seen by a mechanic yet.
Power train, Engine, Oct 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate immediately. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated intermittently. The contact also stated that the transmission failed to shift into reverse(R) several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact about an unknown warranty coverage on the PCM; however, the dealer informed the contact that while inspecting the vehicle, it became noticeable that the clutch was damaged due to the faulty PCM. The dealer stated that the contact had to pay for the clutch repair out of pocket. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin Number: 14N02 (Extended Warranty Coverage for PCM). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 19, 2023
We are experiencing the fuel tank evaporate issue where car shuts off while driving. We were not recalled specifically but now have car in shop waiting on the recall to be reopened as the conditions match the issue under the recall. We have had 3 incidents that could have ended up in a collision as car abruptly shuts down. This is related to the evap fuel tank and sensor issues reported in the original recall. Our vehicle apparently had the programming updated during a past service visit but obviously has not corrected this issue. This vehicle has also had the transmission recall done shortly after purchase and transmission still acts up on occasion. Not happy with the current issue as it is a potential death trap when car shuts off for no reason.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Sep 5, 2023
Transmission had randomly started to jerk and then stopped accelerating. Left me stranded on the side of the road on a 5 hour trip and when I turned it off and back on it would move very little and I could hear grinding noise from the gears. I had to get a tow truck which cost me 1.5 k to tow back to my house
Power train, Engine, Aug 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH on the highway, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with clutch failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the transmission and clutch had previously been replaced twice by the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 31, 2023
Service engine soon light came on, repair shop said I needed a tune up and could still drive ok. Broke down. Got that done and still engine light on so transmission fluid changed too. Now repair shop says it’s the transmission and clutch assembly that the dealer recalled and fixed a few years ago. I’m stuck with payments still and no way to get the $5000 the dealer days it will cost to fix this. Car value is the same. Everyone I’ve talked to has said this is a bad year’s model and will continue to break down even after fixing. Can you offer any advice? Thank you!
Fuel system, Gasoline, Engine, Jul 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle eventually resumed normal operation and was driven to the residence. The contact informed the dealer of the failure by phone and informed the dealer that NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) recall repair had not been performed. The dealer researched and confirmed that the recall repair was not completed. The dealer stated the vehicle was only inspected. The dealer advised the contact to contact the manufacturer for approval to reopen the recall on the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to see if there could be an investigation. The failure mileage was approximately 163,000.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 29, 2023
The power train control module & transmission control module has failed since I bought the Focus 2016 at 660 m on it. I’ve had this serviced 8 times @ Ford. Check engine light is on. Code P060A Was shown @ Ford. Mileage now is 72000. TCM & PCM were recall several times. Ford is charging me to fix it. Please tell me how this is NOT covered 10 yr. 150 k mile warranty OR by the 8th time being “serviced” & UNRESOLVED?
Engine, Jul 28, 2023
Transmission control module causing jerking, vibrating, and stalling out.
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 25, 2023
2015 Ford Focus, 67,000 miles would jerk , shudder & shut off completely , it would not accelerate or reverse half of the time. Stops in the middle of no wear.. the engine light would come on for a few days then go off and come up again.. the music stopped working& the RPM’s would go pass the 6,7 or 8 at only 10-15 miles & jerk while goin forward .. a safety problem would pop up “ transmission overheating stop safety “ my air would blow hot some days and it would smell like something burning.. confirmed by dealership it’s the clutch .. no warnings for these problems besides jerking / not accelerating at a reasonable speed and safety problem stating to “ stop safely transmission overheating “ &a burning smell & 2 safety recalls for the clutch & TCM with extended warranty. Warranty would not cover for the clutch problem they stated.
Engine, Jul 19, 2023
While accelerating from a stop at a red light, engine shuddered and almost died out in the middle of the intersection. Check engine light came on. Drove carefully for a few more minutes to work. While trying to accelerate, RPMs go really high like it doesn’t want to shift gears. Got to work where I always back into my parking spot, vehicle would not go into reverse.
Engine, Jul 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle was shaking and made an abnormal sound after refueling. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the canister purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact was advised to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 72,700.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Jul 13, 2023
My car stopped working on the freeway due to a recall. Multiple Ford dealerships have refused to fix it.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 30, 2023
When driving in stop and go traffic 0=5 mph for about 30 mins the car began to act as if was slipping and revenge up without moving and engine light came on and would sometimes slam into gear. I placed vehicle in sport mode and it idled irratically to the point I felt it was going to shut down. Upon arrival home I realized that now reverse had went out when attempting to put car in driveway. I will be taking it into Ford today for the 1 recall on the fuel canister software but I feel that it is not related and hope they will make some discovery and fix it accordingly.
Engine, Jun 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle decelerated, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over on the side of the road. The contact turned off the vehicle and after the vehicle cooled down the contact was able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle operated normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but no cause for the failure was found. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 97,000.
Engine, Jun 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH in traffic, the air condition vents started to blow hot air inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the engine overheated, and the “Pull Over Safely” message was displayed. The contact stated that the temperature gauge rose to the HOT level. The contact was able to park the vehicle safely and waited approximately 15 minutes before being able to drive to her destination. A dealer was not contacted. The contact stated on June 26, 2023, she became aware that the vents were not blowing any air when the vehicle was started. The contact stated that within 30 minutes the failure recurred. The contact had experienced the failure four times. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the cooling fan was not functioning properly. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with Manufacturer Recall Number: 21N01; however, the VIN nor the year, make, or model was included. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.
Electrical system, Engine, Jun 22, 2023
Radio and speakers have not worked for over a year- making loud popping and screeching sounds. Automotive center #1 stated it was a computer system fail and they could not fix it because they did not have the proper software. Then I went to get a new fuse for the cigarette lighter and was told something is leaking. Took it to Firestone automotive center to be told nothing is leaking and I should go to Ford because it is most likely a sensor issue. Car says it is overheating when it is in idle. And no one I go to seems to care to help me get things fix. Ford can't help for 2 weeks due to availability. This has been the worst experience with a car I have encountered with trying to figure out the problem.