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, Aug 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started jerking. The contact then stated that on several occasions the vehicle failed to shift into reverse(R). The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it remained and was diagnosed and determined that the clutch had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not yet been repaired. The contact was informed by the dealer of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V169000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall and informed the contact there would be a fee for the repair. No further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Power train, Aug 24, 2023
The transmission is known to be defective on this type of car, causing the clutch and TCM to need to be replaced every couple of years. Just this past week my clutch went out while I was merging onto a crazy highway, 485, in NC and I was unable to accelerate for a long time. I was able to get home but the clutch slipped another two times within a 10 minute period.
Power train, Aug 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly shifted from 1st gear to neutral(N) and stalled. The check engine warning light illuminated, and the message "Transmission Service Required" was displayed. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact stated that she shifted into park(P), and then shifted into drive (D), and the vehicle responded as needed. The contact was able to continue driving. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission friction clutch pack and module had failed, and that the failure was related to an unknown Customer Satisfaction Program that had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
Power train, Aug 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while at a red traffic light and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle inadvertently rolled backwards. The contact stated that she was able to bring the vehicle to a complete stop by releasing and depressing the brake pedal. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the clutch assembly. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 86,000.
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.
Power train, Aug 11, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while the vehicle was stopped, the contact attempted to accelerate, and the vehicle jerked before lunging forward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the transmission needed the be replaced. The contact notified that the Extended Warranty related to the failure had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 37,050.
Power train, Aug 10, 2023
The transmission bucks, jerks, jumps forward when breaking, and stalls out. The car stalled out and left my 16yr old with no way to steer or brake which could have been extremely dangerous in certain situations. It has not been inspected but I have done extensive research on this auto and it seems like this type of issue comes pretty standard on the 2015 Ford Focus. When the auto stalled out all the dash lights were lit up. My child had just left the driveway when the car stalled and had no use of the steering or brakes. This poses a huge risk.
Power train, Aug 10, 2023
Vehicle hesitates and jerks a lot during stop & go. Feels very unsafe when yielding to incoming traffic to make left turn and vehicle hesitates and jerks as I’m beginning to accelerate during turn. Transmission dash light recently appeared stating “Transmissions Hot.”
Power train, Aug 6, 2023
Check engine light came on & my car just stopped , I couldn’t proceed to drive while gear was in drive and I couldn’t reverse when gear put in reverse , when I was driving the gears wasn’t changing correctly it was as if I was pressing on the gas pedal and the hand would max to 5 . I went to auto zone it was said it was the power train code had came up. There is a recall on my car and it’s not listed . Ford needs to fix this I havnt had my car for two weeks.
Power train, Aug 5, 2023
My 2015 Ford focus is dangerous to drive the transmission slips badly and looses power while in traffic most times it won't go into 2nd gear it has almost caused 3 accidents already I'm scared something bad will happen it's my only transportation to work
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?
Power train, Jul 18, 2023
Car goes high rpm when switching gears. Has trouble changing from drive to reverse and neutral.
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, Jul 13, 2023
Power train in the car. Yes the car is available for inspection if requested. 1) The car shakes, jerks, and shudders. It will randomly cut off/stall. First and Second gear upon take off makes a winding up noise then gives a big/quick jerk. When I drive down the highway there have been numerous times these issues have occurred while driving my car on the interstate at interstate speed. 2) The car was purchased from Autonation in Sanford, FL in 2017 as a used vehicle. After purchasing the car the the above mentioned issues began to occur. Upon returning back to Autonation several times with concerns regarding the issues above there was an attempt each time to correct the issue by replacing parts. Invoice is available upone request, such as sensors, and the transmission clutch. Your prompt attention to this matter and issuing a recall for the 2015 Ford Focus with the above mentioned VIN number, is necessary and should not be delayed due to safety concerns. Respectfully, Cathy Herrera (407) 715-3288
Power train, Jul 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her boyfriend was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently shifted gear and the RPM's quickly increased. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle seemed to return to normal functionality. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V169000 (Power Train) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.
Power train, Jul 11, 2023
I have a customer satisfaction program 19N08 for Transmission clutch shudder -transmission clutch warranty extension,I have 96000 miles and was told I have to pay for a new clutch
Power train, Jul 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the dealer had previously replaced the clutch; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the clutch needed to be replaced a second time. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 82,000. The VIN was unavailable.
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.
Power train, Jun 19, 2023
The engine light is on. The car shakes a lot, jerks and acceleration is slow. I don’t feel safe driving it.
Power train, Jun 19, 2023
As I was driving and slowing down to come to a stop my car completely quit moving. I was informed my TCM has gone out. I've had issues previous with my Focus not wanting to reverse
Power train, Jun 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to shift into reverse(R), the transmission failed to respond as needed. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shuddering. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
Power train, Electrical system, Visibility/wiper, Jun 9, 2023
I am having issues with the company Ford in regards to my vehicle. It has been at Dowling Ford, in Cheshire, Connecticut for 5 weeks. I believe I am one of the unlucky 2015 Ford Focus owners who was sold a one of the cars that has a faulty transmission. After doing some research, I discovered that Ford has a lawsuit against them for unloading Ford Focus' with faulty transmissions. I will attach the link to the article stating this information. Ford is trying to charge me $5900.00 to fix the car that wasn't even brought in for the reasons that they are trying to charge me with. I bought the car for just under 7,000. It is only a 2015 and has 106,000 miles on it and should not be running into these problems. I have contacted the corporate office of Ford multiple times and they refuse to offer any help what so ever. I have only had the car for two years. My car was only brought in because the wipers weren't working properly and it was overheating while only in idle. It was diagnosed that the transmission module needed to be replaced which was covered under the warranty. Well, the bad news began there when I had to wait 2 weeks for that part to come in because it was "back ordered". Once that was replaced, they tried to tell me now that something else needs to be replaced which was the clutches on the transmission and it would cost $3200. Then once they fixed that which took 4 more days, they now are saying something else is wrong which is the transmission case and would be an additional $2700. My car was not brought in for any of these issues and now all of a sudden, my car needs them all replaced. Ford, hasn't even offered me a loaner during the last 5 weeks. I don't feel safe in this vehicle, and I know that I am driving an unsafe vehicle that shouldn't have even been sold to anyone.
Power train, Jun 8, 2023
The transmission on the 2015 Ford focus has given us issue from day one. We have replaced the transmission on two occasions the latest being done in 2021. The car has very low mileage and is now requiring a third transmission. The car has always been service and repaired by a Ford dealer - when we took the car in for a scheduled oil change, we informed them once again of the transmission slipping. They told us that we were approximately four weeks beyond the warranty and that the car is requiring a third transmission. This is an unfortunate situation as this car has been diligently cared for. The car has 49,000 miles on it and we have never replace a transmission in a car before let alone for a third time. I am looking for some sort of resolution with Ford motor company to replace the transmission at their cost.
Power train, Jun 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the clutch was slipping. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V169000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was contacted and provided a case, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
Power train, Jun 6, 2023
We are having the same transmission slipping issues as the 3 previous years focus and fusion. Ford hasn't recalled the 2015 Focus. Every other gear goes out. The transmission has problems shifting up or down to the next gear. This is dangerous on the expressway and even highway. They obviously haven't fixed the root cause. I've spoken several mechanics and been on several forums where plenty others are having the same issues. They need to fix root cause and include the 2015 Focus in the recall.