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: power train
677 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Aug 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact heard an abnormal grinding sound coming from under the floorboard. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended and was jerking and vibrating abnormally. The contact stated that the failure was more pronounced after the initial failure. The contact stated that later, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was difficult to start. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was orange. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the clutch actuators needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to a problem with the dual clutch transmission installed in the vehicle. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.
Power train, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Aug 9, 2025
The car failed to start, it did not recognize it was in park. After trying to start my car with the keys it failed. My safety is put at risk, my car failing to recognize which gear shift it is in causes malfunctions while I am on the road, especially since I drive long distances at high speeds. I had a Master Technician review and preform a diagnostic on my vehicle and the codes formed for this test matched hand in hand with TCM issues under the TSB. After this, I went to the dealership to discuss this issue and the only thing that came of it was informing me that I was not eligible for a recall due to my VIN, even if I have all the symptoms under the TSB for my Ford Focus 2016. Since my car failed to start I was not able to bring it to Ford and have it tested, especially after asking if it is eligible and they insisted that it was not. No warning signs from the dashboard appeared on my vehicle to inform me of this issue. I travelled to meet with family and did not end up using my vehicle for a few days and when I tried to start my car, it would not engage. The only warning sounds I would consider a correlation before the problem would be a clicking from the starter pre-firing when I opened the door, and while the car was off.
Power train, Engine, Aug 7, 2025
It is my transmission problem, there is an engine light on and the shifting is very rough and it also jumps gears, i know ford had a recall for this problem i believe it should be under warranty it is the TCM
Power train, Aug 6, 2025
The contact's son owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while at a stop, the vehicle shuddered while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that while his son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Transmission Hot - Wait 5 Mins" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact's son followed the instruction; however, the warning light returned soon after restart the vehicle. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.
Power train, Aug 5, 2025
Transmission Control Module failed and i had that replaced. Now the clutch pack failed and had that replaced. Now it says transmission hot and to pull over. All of this has been recalled on 2012 to 2016 but for some reason my car is not and its the same powershift transmission. Im over 4000 dollars into these repairs and still having problems.
Power train, Jul 30, 2025
Additional information related to a case I opened earlier today Vehicle: 2016 Ford Focus SE Component: PowerTrain – Transmission My 2016 Ford Focus has experienced three failed clutch packs with the Ford DPS6 PowerShift transmission. The first clutch was replaced at ~22,000 miles, the second at ~27,500 miles, and it now requires a third replacement at 80,000 miles. This is a known and dangerous defect that was part of a class-action lawsuit. Despite multiple replacements and low mileage, Ford is requiring me to pay over $4,000 for a third repair. This transmission causes slipping, hesitation, and safety issues when pulling into traffic or hills. I am requesting that NHTSA re-investigate or expand the scope of past complaints on this vehicle to include continued post-settlement failures.
Power train, Jul 30, 2025
The transmission is slipping. Research shows it's a known issue. Ford has acknowledged the issue and extended support. My local ford dealership is refusing to fix the issue even though I fall within the extended service mileage. I called 2 transmission shops who refused to work on this specific model due to the dual clutch design and known problems. Attached is a letter I am disseminating requesting proper assistance with this issue.
Power train, Jul 22, 2025
I am writing you today because my ford focus with transmission DPS6,7SPDCT has all the same problems the older models have. Ford has stopped there 10 year 150000 mile warranty on there transmission on all models built after November 5 2015. Mine is January 1 2016 with all same transmission components. And all my warranty is ran out and still having transmission problems.
Power train, Jun 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the transmission was slipping, the vehicle exceeded 3,000 RPM and suddenly lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact was able to resume driving; however, the failure recurred while at a complete stop at a four-way intersection. The contact was able to drive approximately 2 MPH to his son's residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuel pressure regulator had failed, and a fuel line was rusted. The dealer replaced the parts. Additionally, the dealer diagnosed that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 179,000.
Power train, Jun 23, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while idling at a stop sign and attempting to accelerate, the transmission failed to shift into gear and the vehicle failed to respond. The contact shifted to park until the transmission shifted to drive. The message that the transmission was overheating was displayed and informed the contact to park the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the traction control module and clutch had failed. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 18V845000 (Power Train) and 18V169000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.
Power train, Jun 19, 2025
Purchased 2016 Ford Focus SE with 132,000 Mi on Wednesday June 11, 2025. Drove with no problem when I took it for a long test drive. Drove it Thursday June 12, 2025 with no problem. On Friday June 13, 2025 I thought I felt a little slippage going from 1st to 2nd gear. On Friday June 14, 2025 my 17yr old daughter drove it to the beach and while driving back home she got a msg "Transmission Overheating". She pulled over and called me. I was able to put the key 2 clicks into the starting position and switch to neutral where I got a msg " Transmission now Ready". I then put my scanner on it and was it read Shift Error PO7A3, Clutch "A" Disengagement P286F, Clutch "B" Stuck Engaged P287A. I took it to the dealer I bought it from but it was a As Is Purchase. Now I am stck even though Ford and the dealer knew about these problems.
Power train, Jun 17, 2025
There are known issues with the 2016 ford focus transmission dual clutch transmission shudder. My vehicle is the se and seems to have this but there is no safety recall for the se or my vehicle specifically. There was even a law suit for the 2016 ford focus se with this issue. My car has under 77,000 miles. When I asked ford about this issue previously they said there was nothing g they could do
Power train, Jun 14, 2025
The transmission is awful, delayed acceleration, rough shifting and lack of power. Delayed acceleration is the main issue due to it “ lagging “ in the middle of intersections and at green lights, etc. may fall under the ford focus lawsuit but when I look up my vin on this website, no recalls pop up but all the signs of the other models recalled are shown and present in my model of the Focus.
Power train, Jun 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated and then jerked into the next gear. The contact stated that the hesitation occurred at various speeds. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while slowing down, the vehicle hesitated, and then the transmission downshifted, and the vehicle jerked. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 131,206.
Power train, Jun 2, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle briefly began to jump and jolted before returning to normal functionality. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the clutch, determining that the transmission friction element B was stuck on. The contact was informed that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
Power train, May 2, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly jolted and hesitated before returning to normal functionality. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the clutch motor. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V479000 (Power Train); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 134,000.
Power train, Engine, May 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle jerked until shifting into gear. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was advised that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.
Power train, Apr 29, 2025
The transmission (powertrain) on my 2016 Ford Focus SE (VIN: [XXX] ) has had persistent issues since shortly after I purchased the car in April 2022. It has not completely failed yet, but the symptoms — including shuddering, slipping, jerking, and hesitation when accelerating or shifting — have worsened over time. It uses a dual-clutch transmission with no dipstick, making it difficult to properly monitor or service. The vehicle is in my possession and available for inspection upon request. Due to the unpredictable and unsafe driving behavior, I have stopped driving the vehicle altogether and have not driven it in over a month. The car hesitates when shifting, especially at stop signs or when merging into traffic, creating serious safety concerns for myself and others. The issue has been reproduced multiple times and addressed at the CarMax dealership in Tinley Park, IL, where I bought the car. However, their repairs were only temporary, and the problem returned. Because the car is now outside of their warranty period, they refuse to inspect it without charging a diagnostic fee. I also contacted Ford Customer Service, but was told that since there is no current recall, I would need to pay out of pocket and that no assistance could be offered. There were no warning lights or messages at the start of the issue, which began within 60–90 days of ownership. The transmission symptoms have been present ever since, and have progressively worsened. This is clearly part of a wider transmission issue with the 2016 Focus, as supported by numerous consumer complaints and lawsuits. I urge NHTSA to investigate and take appropriate action, including consideration of a recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Apr 28, 2025
The vehicle shutters and fails to engage while taking off from a stop. The transmission feels like the clutch slips (Automatic transmission). This 2016 Ford Focus is having the exact same issues as mentioned in the Ford customer satisfaction program 14M02 -Supplement #7. In this memo Ford outlines that 2012-2016 Ford Focus models with the DPS6 automatic transmission built between August 1st 2010 - November 5th 2015 in Michigan can get repairs made. I contacted Ford and they are saying they will not honor repairing the vehicle since it isn't showing the recall attached to it specifically even though they acknowledge the issues exist in my vehicle. On the 14M02 recall supplemental #7 the Fords with that transmission have received additional extended warranties to 10yrs 150,000 miles. My car has 132,000 miles and is 9 years old. I had this same issue fixed prior while the vehicle was still under the original factory warranty. I need assistance since Ford is failing to make the appropriate repairs to a vehicle they have acknowledged has problems from a bad designed transmission. These 2012-2016 cars are LEMONS!! PLEASE HELP!
Power train, Apr 25, 2025
The contact's daughter owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked and hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with a defective clutch module. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair and was later referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Power train, Engine, Apr 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into second gear while driving. The contact stated there was an abnormal grinding sound while turning the steering wheel. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10-50 MPH, the vehicle began to slow down and kick back. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission control module, purge valve, and power control module failure, and a software reprogramming was needed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, who replaced the transmission. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the clutch needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 15,060.
Power train, Apr 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and accelerating, the vehicle shuddered and jerked before shifting into gear. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to TSB Number: 16-0129. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
Power train, Apr 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving on an Interstate at 50 MPH, the “Transmission Fault Service Now" message was displayed and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and DTC: P07A3 and P2872 were retrieved. The contact was advised that the clutch, transmission, and the passenger’s side engine mount were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 222,440.
Power train, Apr 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and accelerating, the vehicle shuddered and jerked before shifting into gear. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle with transmission failure. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was confirmed that the failure was with the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to TSB Number: 19N08. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.
Power train, Apr 7, 2025
Transmission shuddering, slipping