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
1,030 reports, newest first.
Air bags, Jun 7, 2024, crash
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that upon entering an intersection with a green light, the contact crashed into another oncoming vehicle at approximately 30 MPH. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. No medical attention was rendered at the scene of the accident. The contact later sought medical attention from a doctor and received an MRI scan for both shoulders. The contact received cortisone shots for pain in both shoulders and sought physical therapy treatment for both shoulders. The other driver did not report any injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was initially towed to an independent mechanic where it was later placed in the possession of the contact's insurance company. Both the dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure; the contact was given a case number by the manufacturer. The vehicle was destroyed as a result of the accident. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Power train, May 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle and shifting to drive(D), the vehicle jerked and vibrated. Eventually, the transmission failed, and the vehicle would not drive forward. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission clutch was faulty and needed to be replaced. The transmission clutch was replaced but the vehicle continued to jerk and vibrate while driving. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed and it was determined that the transmission clutch was failing again. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000.
Other or unspecified, May 22, 2024
Unknown
Power train, Fuel/propulsion system, May 18, 2024
What happened? I purchased a 2015 Ford Focus from Carvana in November 2022 with about 70,000 miles on it. Since then, the vehicle has experienced numerous and severe mechanical failures. The engine mount and transmission mount have both failed and required replacement. Additionally, the rotors, Transmission Control Module (TCM), and clutch have all needed to be replaced, with the clutch failing five times throughout the car's history. Despite extensive repairs costing upwards of $7,000, the issues persist. Most Recently,The vehicle was subsequently towed to a Ford dealership after replacing the clutch for the 6th time in vehicle history. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The components that failed include the engine mount, transmission mount, rotors, Transmission Control Module (TCM), clutch, and evap purge system. These components are available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The frequent mechanical failures and replacements, particularly of critical components like the TCM and clutch, have compromised the reliability and safety of the vehicle, posing a significant risk during operation. The vehicle's tendency to stall while driving or idling increases the risk of accidents, potentially leading to rear-end or T-bone collisions. Yes, the problems have been confirmed and addressed by both a dealer and independent service centers. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has been inspected by independent service centers and possibly by the dealer. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, there were no check engine lights or warning lights prior to the failures. The issues began appearing shortly after the purchase in November 2022.
Power train, Fuel system, Gasoline, May 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the transmission unintendedly shifted in to neutral(N). The check engine warning was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed transmission clutch failure and the fuel pressure sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 94,946.
Other or unspecified, May 15, 2024
Unknown
Power train, May 9, 2024
When accelerating through 10-15 mph the vehicle shudders more than normal
Power train, May 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at 75 MPH with the cruise control engaged, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who was unable to assist. The vehicle was towed to another independent mechanic who stated that the transmission belt had caused of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.
Fuel system, Gasoline, May 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The battery and low oil pressure warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the canister purge valve. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 92,000.
Power train, May 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 20-25 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that no defect was found; however, the failure recurred increasingly. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, Mace Ford (4501 S US Hwy 41, Terre Haute, IN 47802), where the TCM was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with transmission clutch shudder and determined that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under Ford Campaign Number: 19N08 because the campaign had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
Power train, May 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking, and the transmission shuddered. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent at first but had become a persistent failure. In addition, the contact stated that the internal transmission clutch was replaced eight years ago; however, the failure had reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed internal transmission clutch and that the internal transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 49,242.
Power train, Apr 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle decelerated and shuddered. The contact also stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 17 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutches and transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired as the clutch was not included in a warranty program. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the module and transmission was covered under the warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000. The VIN was not available.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 18, 2024
Stopped to get gas. Turned off engine. After filling up gas tank, car would not start, or crank/turn over. No check engine light has been on, no warning lights. Disconnected battery for about fifteen min. Car started up. Took it to shop, they changed out the evap Purge system. It failed when they tested it so they changed that out. Car did not stall when they test drove it. Car stalled two more times. Once when accelerating from a red light, and second time when just sitting in idle. Car just shuts itself off but the radio stays on. This is such a safety hazard because of the fact that not only does it stall in the middle of me driving But I’m very lucky I didn’t get rear ended or T boned because of this. So I thought this issue was fixed but obviously not. After the last time it stalled after getting it fixed, I then had it towed to a Ford dealership. I know this has been a recall on other Ford focuses. For some reason not mine which is a 2015 Focus. Last year I had to have the TCM fixed which was a recall so that was free however then they tell me that my clutch went bad at 60k miles? I shelled out almost $3k for that nonsense. Now This stalling it constantly Day after day at 75k miles? Thanks a lot FORD. Take your piece of [XXX] back and issue this a recall. Either way it’s Ford’s fault and should pay for this safety issue for free. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Air bags, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 18, 2024
It’s a 2015 ford focus 1.0 eco boost 6 speed manual. It studders and shakes and stalls at random while driving. It only has 78000 miles on it and I just bought this car from some punk kid. Shakes the car violently as well.
Power train, Apr 17, 2024
Purchased this car used from a family friend about 4 years ago. The car currently has 59,000 miles on it. I recently noticed a shuddering in the transmission when I accelerate the car (mostly in the lowest starting gear). The car was taken to the Ford dealer for diagnosis. The dealer states that the issue is with the transmission clutch and the price to repair the issue is approximately $4,300. The Ford service technician described this transmission as a manual transmission automatically shifted. The prior owner confirmed he had the same issue with the car early in his ownership and had the transmission clutch replaced then. I confirmed with the dealer that the transmission clutch was replaced at 10,178 miles. This is the same exact issue again. The Ford dealership said the transmission clutch issue had caused Ford to extend the warranty to 7 years and 100,000 miles, whichever occurred first. The car is now 8 1/2 years since original purchase, but way under the warranty limit of 100,000 miles. Ford will not honor any warranty or remedy the situation. I believe a $4,300 clutch assembly replacement at least every 50,000 miles or less is horrendous.
Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 17, 2024
The EVAP system has failed and has resulted in drivability issues. It is available for inspection if needed. The problem has been confirmed by an independent service provider with a full diagnostic exam. There is a P0420 and P1450 code on the car. There have been issues with the distance to empty on the car. Sometimes it says I have 290 miles to empty or 400 miles to empty when I fully fill up my car with gas. *There is a Ford Focus recall (Recall #[XXX]) which covers the exact issues I’m having with this car, but the car is not included in this recall. It is even from the same manufacture plant in Michigan.* INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Apr 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that when the failure occurred, the contact turned off and restarted the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure continued for approximately eight months. Additionally, recently the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed clutch fork and the clutch fork needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 60,000.
Power train, Engine, Apr 15, 2024
Studdering, won’t shift, stalls out , recall repaired still does the same thing, transmission doesn’t shift right and stalls out in traffic.
Power train, Apr 14, 2024
Transmission plate failed at 70k miles
Power train, Apr 11, 2024
Car has a transmission stutter when pulling out into traffic or at low speeds. Apparently it is a known issue from Ford and the vehicle is outside their 7yr warranty, but only has 67k miles on it so it is not covered.
Power train, Mar 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission malfunctioned causing the vehicle to erroneously downshift and lose motive power. Additionally, the vehicle would not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission clutch disk and transmission actuators were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 72,000.
Power train, Mar 23, 2024
2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and attempting to hold speed, accelerate, the RPM's increased rapidly however, the vehicle failed to respond. The "Transmission Overheating - Please Wait 5 minutes" was displayed. Waited in the middle of the highway for that period and then pulled to shoulder of the roadway, and the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. Vehicle needs to be reported under Campaign Number: 18V169000 (Power Train). Manufacturer needs to be informed of the danger this imposes and recall must be imposed. This is a very terrifying scenario to be subjecting customers, to knowing how many vehicles are failing. Owner can’t afford the bill the manufacturer quoted of $7000 for Transmission. Unacceptable for a car under 100,000 miles to be in this condition when the manufacture maintenance states a higher mileage capability.
Power train, Mar 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving the vehicle, the vehicle shuddered while accelerating. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact referenced Technical Service Bulletin: 16-0109 as a possible solution however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 64,293.
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.
Power train, Mar 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and shifting into drive(D), the vehicle was hesitating slightly and while shifting into the next gear, the vehicle was jerking. The contact stated that once the vehicle had been driven for more than 20 minutes, the vehicle stopped jerking into gear. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was constant. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission control module (TCM) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact had researched online and related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Programs: 14M02- Transmission control module extended warranty coverage (Power Train) and Customer Satisfaction Program: 19N08 - Transmission clutch shudder - transmission clutch warranty extension (Power Train). The failure mileage was 61,000.