2016 Ford Focus
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 1,192 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 19 Focus model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 27 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 24 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 2016-2018 Focus, 2019 Explorer, and 2024 Explorer vehicles. 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 blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed February 13, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in October 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026. This recall expands previous recall number 25V685.
Campaign 26V012000 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
Engine and engine cooling, engine, oil/lubrication, pumpDec 22, 2023
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure.
A loss of oil pressure can result in an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the oil pump tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt, free of charge. If engine failure occurs due to a damaged oil pump belt and/or oil pump belt tensioner, Ford has authorized dealers to replace the engine assembly as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S64.
Campaign 23V905000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, manual transmissionNov 28, 2018
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with a 1.0L Fox GTDI engine and a 6-speed manual transmission. 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 vehicles with software that detects and prevents prolonged clutch slip, and will replace the clutch, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S07. Note: This recall is an expansion of Recall 18V-169.
Campaign 18V845000 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
Structure, bodyJan 24, 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Focus and C-Max vehicles. The floor pan may have improperly welded left-hand apron joints.
Improperly welded apron joints may reduce the front-end structural integrity of the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the apron joints, repairing the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S03.
Campaign 17V052000 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
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
85 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Mar 8, 2018
WIPER BLADES STOPPING IN LINE OF SIGHT DURING RAIN AND SNOW CONDITIONS CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES AND NOT BEING FIXED. HAS REPLACED WINDSHIELD AND MOTORS AND STILL OCCURRING. VIDEO SHOWING PROBLEM NOT BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND TIRED OF RICART NOT FIXING
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Feb 27, 2018
SOMETIME WHILE ACCELERATING THE CAR WILL RANDOMLY GO FROM 2K RPM TO OVER 6K RPM BUT YOU CANT HERE THE ENGINE AND IT LOSES POWER AND STARTS TO JERK VIOLENTLY. ONCE YOU RELEASE GAS AND THE RPM'S GO BACK DOWN TO 2K THEN YOU CAN TRY TO ACCELERATE AGAIN. I THOUGHT THIS ISSUE WAS JUST BECAUSE IT WAS COLD THE 1ST TIME IT HAPPENED BUT NOW IT IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. I'VE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR LITTLE UNDER A YEAR AND IT HAS LESS THEN 20K MILES ON IT.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Nov 27, 2017
FROM A STOP, WHEN PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL THE TRANSMISSION STARTS SHUDDERING AND EXCESSIVE VIBRATION THAT SHAKES THE WHOLE CAR, ALSO WILL NOT PICKUP SPEED SO PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC IS DANGEROUS , THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. MY WIFE REFUSES TO DRIVE THIS CAR. 2016 FORD FOCUS SE WITH ONLY15000 MILES ON IT.....PLEASE HELP
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Oct 20, 2017
JUST FILLED MY GAS TANK UP THEN AS I LEFT THE GAS STATION GOT ABOUT 1 MILE UP THE ROAD THEN WHILE SITTING AT A STOPLIGHT I TURNED THE AC ON AND IDLE DIPPED, CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE(WHICH IT DID) THEN AS I TRIED TO RE-START, CEL CAME ON AND CAR WOULD NOT START. ABOUT 2 MORE TIMES AND IT FIRED UP ALONG WITH A SERVICE ENGINE SOON MESSAGE ... LUCKILY FOR ME I WAS A BLOCK AWAY FROM FUTURE FORD LINCOLN WHERE I ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. 3 DAYS LATER I GOT A CALL SAYING MY VEHICLE WAS READY FOR PICK UP. I GET THERE AND THEY TELL ME THAT THE REASON WAS DUE TO I HAD A AFTERMARKET POWER WIRE ROUTED OVER ENGINE ASSEMBLY CAUSING ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE. SO THEY DISCONNECTED WHAT I PAYED A LOCAL PROFESSIONAL AUDIO SHOP $140 TO INSTALL 2 DAYS AFTER I GOT THE CAR. SO, LONG STORY SHORT, I GET IN THE VEHICLE ONLY TO SEE THAT MY FILL UP @ THE GAS STATION WAS GONE... THEY USED [XXX] NEAR 3/4 OF MY TANK OF GAS PUT OVER 100 MILES ON MY CAR AND I GET 2 BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE DEALER AND AT THE SAME LIGHT..... **** HAPPENS AGAIN!!!! TOOK IT RIGHT BACK TO THE DEALER. JUST GOT MY CAR BACK AFTER 13 DAYS IN THE SHOP AND I COULDN'T BE MORE PISSED! 4TH TIME I HAVE GONE TO PICK IT UP AFTER HEARING THAT THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM ONLY TO GET IN THE CAR, DRIVE IT, AND HAVE IT HAPPEN YET ANOTHER TIME! THEY EVEN TRIED TO TELL ME IT WAS MY RIGHT FRONT AXLE CAUSING THE PROBLEM THIS TIME AROUND. ( I JUST HAD THE LEFT FRONT AXLE REPLACED 2 MONTHS BACK AT ANOTHER DEALER) THROWING GREASE ON A CRANK SENSOR CAUSING MY CEL WITH DTC "P0106, P0236, P0340, P0344,P0365, P051B, P0532, P06A7, P08A9, P08B9" ...BLA BLA BLA... THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BUT THEY KEEP WANTING TO TELL ME THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM! WHAT A WAIST OF BOTH OUR TIME. NOW THE CAR IS IN MY DRIVEWAY, WONT START, THROWING ABOUT 8 TO 12 CODES AND IM WAITING TO HEAR FROM FORD CUSTOMER CARE. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Electrical system, Engine, Sep 18, 2017
OUR FORD FOCUS STALLED AND COULD NOT RESTART. THE CAR WAS ABLE TO START UP WITH NO PROBLEM, RUN FOR A FEW MINUTES BUT STALLED WHEN DRIVING. THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE CAR. CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN THE DAY BEFORE FOR WELL OVER AN HOUR WITHOUT ISSUE. NO ERROR CODE IS RETURNED TO THE TECHNICIAN WHEN RUNS A DIAGNOSTIC ON THE VEHICLE.
Electrical system, Jun 5, 2017
RODENTS ATE THROUGH WIRING EFFECTING EMISSION CABLE (LOCATED AT REAR OF VEHICLE--JUST BELOW GAS TANK)--THIS HAD TO BE REPLACED COSTING APPROX $500.--PARTS TOTALED ONLY $15. LABOR COSTS TOTALLY RIDICULOUS--
Power train, Electrical system, May 9, 2017
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION SHUTTER RELATING TO SERVICE BULLETIN 16-0109. PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORST AND I AM SCARED IT WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. TOOK VEHICLE IN 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME ISSUE. ALSO ISSUES WITH DISPLAY AND PHONE UNABLE TO HANG UP DURING CALLS WHILE USING DISPLAYS BUTTON AND STEERING BUTTON.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Mar 2, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE DID NOT ILLUMINATE BRIGHT ENOUGH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT REMEDY THE HEADLIGHT FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 188. UPDATED 06/28/17*LJ *CN
Electrical system, Feb 7, 2017
RODENTS CHEWED THROUGH WIRING BECAUSE THE WIRE IS MADE FROM SOYBEANS. POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. MAKES CAR INOPERABLE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS PRIOR TO 2016. MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE FIXED THIS PROBLEM BY SUBSTITUTING WIRING THAT DOES NOT ATTRACT RODENTS. MANUFACTURER (FORD) SHOULD MAKE THIS RIGHT. THE COST OF REPAIRS SHOULD NOT BE BORNE BY CUSTOMERS.
Power train, Electrical system, Visibility/wiper, Jul 18, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED LUNGING, THE RPM WENT ABNORMALLY HIGH, AND THE WINDSHIELD SHATTERED AFTER AN INSECT FLEW INTO A WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FELT ABNORMAL AS THOUGH IT WAS LACKING POWER DURING TURNS AND THROUGH NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS FRACTURED, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED FOR THE OTHER FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 13,646. UPDATED 09/08/16*LJ *CN