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, Apr 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to shudder, displaying symptoms consistent with the transmission slipping. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the clutch. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 19N08. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 40,000.
Power train, Engine, Apr 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal before jolting forward without warning. The vehicle had been taken to a dealer where a software update was performed; however, the failure persisted. Recently, the contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle began to hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal followed by a loud cracking sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer, Laird Noller Ford of Lawrence (935 W 23rd St, Lawrence, KS 66046) and it was discovered that the engine mount had cracked due to the excessive slippage of the clutch. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
Steering, Power train, Electrical system, Apr 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 50-55 MPH, the steering wheel locked inadvertently. The message "Transmission Failure" was displayed. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned on the hazard lights. The contact stated that the vehicle continuously lost and regained electrical power independently. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that the transmission was malfunctioning, and the contact was referred to the dealer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the TCM was replaced. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under Ford Campaign Number: 19N08. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 97,069.
Power train, Apr 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while accelerating from a complete stop, the vehicle was shuddering. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the failure could not be duplicated. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under Ford Campaign Number: 19N08. The manufacturer referred the contact to the dealer and to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
Power train, Mar 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that upon start of the vehicle, the vehicle failed to accelerate upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact's husband drove the vehicle at slow speeds to the nearest dealer. A diagnostic test was performed on the vehicle and the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and stated that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in dealer possession. The failure mileage was 60,000.
Power train, Mar 18, 2024
The automatic transmission lurches when shifting in any forward gear, most times will not shift at all past 15 mph (engine rpm will red-line), and will not engage the reverse gear at all. When attempting to drive the vehicle, a dashboard warning indicates that the transmission is overheating and the vehicle should be pulled over. The Transmission Control Module was replaced at a Ford dealership in 2020 due to inconsistent shifting of the transmission. Based on the build date of my vehicle, Ford is telling me that it is not covered under their current Customer Satisfaction Program 14M02 - Supplement #7. This program describes the very problem my vehicle is experiencing, as the dealership told me their diagnostics indicates the need to replace the TCM (again)!
Power train, Mar 14, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, the transmission suddenly malfunctioned and the vehicle would not accelerate forward. During the failure the "Transmission" and "Check Engine" warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that transmission module and transmission clutch were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 103,000.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 14, 2024
UNKNOWN. I believe this vehicle's engine is also impacted by the recall campaign number 18V735000, even though the engine is a 2.0L L4. The same issues that are mentioned in the recall campaign occurred with this vehicle around the 60k milage and 120k milage mark. These issues seems to happen every 60k miles. I did report this same issue with this system with this vehicle when this happened when the milage hit around 60k. The engine check light did show up each time this happened and the vehicle would stall immediately, even while driving at interstate speeds of around 70mph.
Power train, Mar 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated the vehicle failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was previously repaired under an unknown recall for the dual clutch in the transmission. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where a diagnostic test was performed. The mechanic believed that the failure was related to the Transmission Control Module; however, the mechanic was unable to verify the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 128,056.
Power train, Mar 11, 2024
Customer Satisfaction Program 14M02. DPS6 Automatic Transmission. Ford customer service recommended I contact you as my vehicle barely falls outside of the rebiuld date requirement of this program but is experiencing the same problems. They said you could add this VIN number to the program to get repaired under this program.
Power train, Mar 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his niece was driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle began to shudder, prompting her to reduce speeds. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who performed a shudder test and determined that the vehicle had a clutch shudder at 3100 RPM and recommended a replacement clutch. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train), 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 109,000.
Power train, Mar 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to shift gears as intended. The failure occurred on several occasions. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was previously repaired under an unknown recall for the dual-clutch in the transmission; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated the vehicle was no longer under warranty and was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
Power train, Feb 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and vibrated abnormally while accelerating from a stop and the vehicle was moving from left to right. Additionally, while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the clutch assembly was repaired four times in the past; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and suggested that the contact seek assistance from the dealer. The contact was also referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 87,820.
Power train, Feb 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal failed to function as intended. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond, and the vehicle stalled. Additionally, the service transmission warning light was illuminated. The contact was advised that the failure could not be diagnosed without the check engine warning light being illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.
Power train, Feb 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle hesitated, and jolted while responding. The message "Service Transmission” was displayed. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at slow speeds, the transmission was slipping out of gear, and the vehicle made an abnormal grinding sound. A relative, who was a mechanic, diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist because the VIN was not included in a recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
Power train, Feb 20, 2024
The transmission has a problem with shifting shaking, slipping, grinding
Power train, Feb 20, 2024
Driving down the Highway, a Warning Message came up that my Transmission had a failure. My Steering wheel started to shake, and then my car shut off. In the middle of the Highway. Not Safe.
Power train, Feb 14, 2024
My 2016 Ford Focus has encountered repeated transmission and clutch problems associated with the DPS6 recall. My car has experienced sudden losses of power, inability to randomly start the car, and even though my car can be put into reverse, it will not back up. Going down the highway, my car will have reluctance to shift and when it does, it shudders severely. These issues have caused myself to feel uncomfortable being on any public roads due to fears the car or clutch will completely fail. Especially when I have my child with me. My car has now officially given out and had to be towed to Ford for evaluation. During evaluation they reported the clutch has gone bad. Even though I had the entire clutch system replaced in 2019. Meaning the transmission has caused two full clutch replacements in 7 years. During inspections and replacements under previous warranties, Ford refuses to address the transmission portion of the problem and will and would only correct the by-product which was the clutch itself. My car has the DPS6 transmission from the Michigan plant, but my manufacture date was a few weeks after the deadline. The car had the check engine light come on when experiencing power issues. It has been through two complete evaluations through Ford, who only will charge me for clutch replacements. The TCM also had to be recalibrated in 2019 when the clutch was replaced, but they did not replace the TCM itself.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 13, 2024
My ford focus had experienced a clutch slipping and is stuck in 2 gear. The car also had antifreeze leak during this event. This occurred on January 31,2023. My Ford dealership is quoted a $3,240 repair cost for clutch system on an automatic transmission. Ford case number CXH01481389.
Power train, Feb 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that after several attempts, the vehicle was started; however, after the vehicle started, the vehicle was shifted into reverse but failed to respond. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.
Power train, Feb 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle briefly hesitated and shuddered before returning to normal functionality. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission control module. 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 110,000.
Power train, Feb 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was slipping. Additionally, the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of transmission fluid. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed clutch kit. The contact was informed that the clutch kit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Power train, Feb 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes failed to function as intended. The contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle stalled. Additionally, the contact stated that when the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with a failed clutch pack and that the clutch pack needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the failure was not eligible to be covered under warranty because the failure was not severe. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that if the repair was paid for out of pocket, to keep the receipt to be eligible for reimbursement later. 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 80,000.
Power train, Feb 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle started shuddering and hesitated to respond. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact exited the highway and drove to a relative's residence. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond when shifting into reverse (R). The contact also stated that while attempting to drive from a complete stop, the vehicle was significantly sluggish. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch had failed. The dealer determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,000.
Power train, Feb 4, 2024
Vehicle shudders or jerks when accelerating from a stopped position. Issue seems to be gradually getting worse over the past year or so. Car had well under 50,000 miles when issue commenced and is well maintained and responsibly driven. Ford dealer advises that clutch assembly is likely failing but represents that issue is not under warranty, recall or safety advisory, or customer satisfaction program. I am concerned that the clutch will fail when accelerating from a stopped position in traffic or while shifting at a high speed and cause an accident. There are no warning or other message lights. Thank you.