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: power train
562 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Dec 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while at a stop, the vehicle shuddered. The vehicle failed to move forward when in third or fourth gear. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the clutch and transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who informed him there was no warranty coverage on the vehicle and referred him to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 69,759.
Power train, Dec 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact also stated that while the vehicle was accelerating, she heard an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a scheduled recall repair and the vehicle was diagnosed with a failed transmission clutch and failed motor mounts. The contact was informed that the transmission clutch and the motor mounts needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000.
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.
Power train, Nov 16, 2023
The contact's niece owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his niece was driving from a complete stop, the vehicle shuddered. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch assembly had failed. The dealer determined that the clutch assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle had exceeded the 7-year warranty. There was no assistance provided. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
Power train, Nov 13, 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 jerked and failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with a failed transmission clutch assembly. The transmission clutch assembly needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Power train, Nov 3, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. While the contact's mother was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shook excessively. The contact's mother stated that when she depressed the accelerator pedal the vehicle started shaking excessively. The contact stated that he contacted the dealer to inform them of the failure. The contact stated that the transmission clutch assembly had been replaced three times under an unstated recall repair. The dealer informed the contact that the repair would not be covered under the recall because the recall had expired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.
Power train, Oct 31, 2023
My car has shuddered and stalled significantly since I purchased it brand new from Serramonte Ford on September 6, 2015. The car will lose acceleration quickly when I am on the highway and driving on hills. I have had the clutch replaced by Serramonte Ford three times over the last 7 years and I have been informed that it needs to be replaced again. I have only once, on 10/27/2023 had a warning displayed on my dashboard immediately after a shuttering and stalling incident. I was driving up a hill when the car began jerking and shuttering. I pulled the vehicle perpendicular to the hillside and received the message, "transmission fault, service now". The car would not go into reverse to allow me to back up and safely park the vehicle. I immediately had the car towed to Serramonte Ford, per the service waring, and have been told that the clutch needs to be repaired again. This car is a ticking time bomb, I have been fortunate not to have had this stalling and shuttering cause a serious accident where myself or others could be seriously or fatally harmed.
Power train, Oct 29, 2023
6 speed automatic transmission shudder's, shakes, downshifts and lurks vehicle. This is an automatic transmission with a manual clutch, part of Ford's "Powershift" transmission program. This vehicle is unsafe to drive as it causes driver hesitation, unpredictable behavior at stop lights causing the vehicle to lurch forward and unresponsive to driver input due to shuddering shaking and downshifting. The vehicle has been brought in twice to ford to have the clutch replaced at roughly 35,000 and 65,000 miles. Documents to prove, the clutch goes out every 35,000 miles even though it is automatically controlled. The vehicle is at roughly 100,000 miles and the same issue is happening again.
Power train, Oct 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that when she shifted the vehicle into drive (D) and depressed the accelerator pedal the vehicle would shudder and not gain forward momentum. The contact stated that the vehicle would eventually slip into gear and gain momentum. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the issue had occurred in the past and was covered under manufacturer Customer Satisfaction Bulletin Number: 19N08 Transmission Clutch Shudder (Power Train) for repairs. The contact had another failure of the transmission and drove the vehicle to a dealer who diagnosed the failure as transmission clutch shudder and that she was no longer under warranty for the repairs. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.
Power train, Oct 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated and jerked before accelerating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the failure was related to TSB Numbers: 10237441 (Power Train) and 10164603 (Power Train) which covered a PCM repair and a clutch repair. The contact was informed that the PCM and clutch needed to be replaced. The PCM was replaced; however, due to the Extended Warranty Coverage the clutch was not replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 9, 2023
I just bought this car 2 months ago after saving for a whole year. I’ve been having problems week into the purchase due to the transmission. My car has been overheating with the transmission (almost every 4 miles), going on limp mode (when pressing the gas), jerking (while driving), not reversing and not starting right away. Im trying my hardest to get on my feet after a being in a domestic abuse relationship that affected my and my daughters life. I just want to get my baby back and fourth from school. So I BEG you to approve the transmission recall for Ford Focus. PLEASE!!!
Power train, Oct 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the accelerator pedal was depressed, the RPM increased to high however, the vehicle failed to move. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated the vehicle had signs of transmission issues. The contact was informed that the transmission was slipping, and that the clutch needed to be replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000. The VIN was not available.
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.
Power train, Sep 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that he received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 181V169000 (Power Train). The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the recall repair was completed; however, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started jerking. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the clutch had failed, and the clutch assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised not to take the vehicle back to the same dealer. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Power train, Sep 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was slipping. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the clutch assembly needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 14,500.
Power train, Sep 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled and remained in the same gear. The vehicle also shuddered independently. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed by a dealer. The contact was informed that the first-gear clutch was the cause of the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the vehicle was not under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.
Power train, Sep 25, 2023
Clutch shudder has been an issue with my car since I bought it but I was told that it was going to "adjust" itself after I drove it for awhile. Over the past few years I've seen my RPM randomly jump up and the clutch shudder issues have worsened over the years. Ford knew about this defect in the 2015 Ford Focus and was even part of a class action lawsuit. But I was never notified about the Customer Satisfaction Program that extended the warranty for repairs of the specific problems. Not even the dealership ever provided me with information on recalls or customer satisfaction programs that applied to me. I can't afford to get it fixed now that I am a year late and am stuck driving unsafely because Ford refuses to grant an exception for the repairs. They continue to sell the same makes and models that were part of this lawsuit and don't seem to care about the customer's safety long term
Power train, Sep 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and attempting to accelerate from a stationary position, the vehicle hesitated, rumbled, and the transmission was slipping. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the transmission clutch was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 40,000.
Power train, Electrical system, Sep 20, 2023
Spark Plugs/Ignition Coils. Car was not shifting into gear while driving, jerking. Revs up in between 5-7 Rpms. Car has stalled while driving. Car got spark plugs and ignition coils changed and problem got worse. No. Engine light was on for codes that read spark plug and ignition coil. Fixed problem. Engine light still on problem worse and still the same. Reading same codes.
Power train, Sep 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the service engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was jerking. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed with a failed clutch assembly. The contact was informed that the clutch assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,653.
Power train, Sep 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while attempting to shift the vehicle into reverse, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact was able to shift into drive however, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle decelerated unintendedly. The contact then stated that while shifted into drive, the vehicle performed as if the transmission had shifted into neutral, making it difficult to make left and right turns. No warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the TCM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the TCM had failed, and the dealer needed to take the transmission apart to determine the exact cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the Extended Warranty had expired. There was no further assistance provided. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
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, Aug 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer to be serviced prior to a road trip; however, upon picking up the vehicle from the dealer, she noticed that the vehicle was leaking an unknown fluid. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated days later. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission clutch shudder, and the dealer determined that the failure was related to Ford Campaign Number: 19N08; however, the campaign had expired. The dealer charged a repair fee. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V169000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 103,230.
Power train, Aug 30, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle hesitated while attempting to accelerate and then stalled and lost motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The contact replaced the battery and drove back to the residence; however, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic determined that the TCM needed to be replaced; however, the following day the contact was notified by the dealer that the clutch plate bearing and not the TCM that needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 96,731.
Power train, Aug 29, 2023
The contact's daughter owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact's daughter received notification of Customer Satisfaction Program: 19N08 (Transmission Clutch Shudder/Transmission Clutch Warranty Extension); however, the dealer declined to perform the repair. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was vibrating and failed to accelerate as needed. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the clutch needed to be replaced. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that the Customer Satisfaction Program had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.