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
1,192 reports, newest first.
Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 19, 2024
Cannister Purge Valve is stuck, causing stalls at any speed. There are thousands of Ford Focus vehicles with a recall for this issue, but not this one as per VIN
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while her mother was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The driver was not able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, and the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the oil pump drive belt tensioner, resulting in damages to the engine and requiring the engine to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnostic result. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 79,000.
Other or unspecified, Apr 10, 2024
A week after purchasing a pre-owned 2016 Ford Focus SE Hatchback, the Malfunction Indicator Light came on with Primary Code P144A (EVAP Emission System Purge Vapor Line Restricted/Blocked). I paid $671.39 to have the canister purge valve replaced but subsequently learned that the part was part of NHTSA Recall 18V-735. However, because the prior owner had the recall repair completed on March 6, 2019, Ford Motor Company told me that I could not receive a refund. On September 15, 2023, NHTSA opened Investigation #RQ23006. The purpose of that investigation is to "assess the scope and remedy of Recall 18V-735." Since Ford Motor Company will not remedy the situation by refunding me, I am writing today to add myself to growing number of complaints that may have been received since the investigation was opened.
Engine, Apr 10, 2024
I have a 2016 ford focus titanium, the transmission shudders and sometimes hesitant to excellerate on the highway. at times the transmission shifts into neutral when backing up into my driveway a home. Car has this common transmission issues and started to get worse this week.
Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 10, 2024
Collapsed fuel tank . Car stalls out.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 9, 2024
Vehicle engine consistently stalls while driving resulting in dangerous or deadly situations. 4/8/24 was the 5th engine stalling incident.
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.
Engine, Apr 3, 2024
On March 29 2024, vehicle had rough idle on start, problem remedied with restart. All fluids appeared to be within normal levels with coolant reservoir indicating just below half-full. On March 30 2024, vehicle idled rough on starting. Attempted restarts led to multiple stalls with failure to start after third attempt. Inspection of engine bay found coolant reservoir to be empty. Upon towing to dealership, service department denied NHTSA #23V905 as cause of failure, stating that the engine was showing coolant intrusion into cylinders and needed a full replacement at 57,771 miles. This is similar to NHTSA Complaint # 11570577. The engine showed no driver-visible warning indicators of imminent failure. This is a cause for concern as engine failure while driving will lead to loss of power steering and brake assist systems. These are safety critical systems and can cause an accident if rendered inoperable while in motion.
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, he observed low-frequency rumbles emanating from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken home. The next day when the vehicle was started, the contact observed the rumbling noise again and then the vehicle began shaking. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the hydraulic engine mount leaked and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 58,600.
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.
Engine, Mar 28, 2024
Purchased car end of 2022. After 3 weeks of driving the vehicle, the engine began to fail and the vehicle would stop driving/rpm would crash to 0 while driving. After seen by 3 auto shops, it resulted in the engine being destroyed due to the placement of a belt in oil within the engine and had to pay over 7000 out of pocket for a used engine and a new belt just for the car to run. Despite issues between the end of 2022 to now (March 2024) with starting the car or driving for a long amount of time, we were told the belt needed to be replaced after 50,000. The fix for the belt is over 2000 out of pocket which is absolutely ridiculous. It is March 28th today, on March 22nd my engine failed and the vehicle is liable to stop while driving, therefore unsafe to use. I have not driven the car 50,000 miles since the new belt was put in. It won’t start right away, but when it starts the entire car shakes vigorously anywhere from 3-6 minutes and the rpm bounces from 0 to 1.5 the entirety of it shaking. The engine makes a terrible sound throughout this process. After it “warming up” the rpm bobbles the whole drive time. My vehicle was driving “okay”, never “good” prior to this, it when I was out running errands- arrived to my destination, hopped back in the vehicle and it happened and my engine light has been on ever since. There is no fix to this recall yet. I have 1 vehicle, a full time job, and am in no financial position to pay a mechanic that we have already given thousands of dollars to in repair for an issue beyond our control. We should not have had to spend that amount of money on an issue this recall presented NOR should I have to spend another dime to repair a poor manufactured issue. Not including the fact that there should be full or partial reimbursement on the reality of how expensive the outcome of this issue truly is. Very disappointed with a recall & need an unavailable fix. . ***the 137000mi is subject to the previous engine- newer had 52000 when put in car.
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,085. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil pressure warning light illuminated on the instrument panel, prompting the driver to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the failure persisted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the fuel pump belt, resulting in damages to the engine, requiring the engine to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 78,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost all motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the oil pump, resulting in damage to the engine and requiring a replacement engine. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 139,000.
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)!
Fuel system, Gasoline, Mar 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to jerk and hesitate, after which the vehicle lost significant motive power and was unable to accelerate above 60 MPH. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the fuel sensor. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who was unable to diagnose the failure. 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 110,000.
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.
Seat belts, Engine, Mar 14, 2024
The coolant/antifreeze tank melts upon the returning coolant/antifreeze where the return line meets the tank due to the high temperature of the coolant/antifreeze and causes the coolant/antifreeze to spill onto the engine. This led to a high engine temperature increase warning and immediately made the vehicle to stall to prevent overheating of the engine. I already replaced the old tank with a new one. Also, the rear passenger seat belt began to fray and it makes it almost impossible to buckle up.
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.
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed uphill, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and stalled. The oil pressure and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The failure nearly caused a collision. The vehicle was coasted to the side of the road and then was towed to the residence. The contact's husband, an independent mechanic, diagnosed that the engine oil pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
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.
Engine, Mar 8, 2024
My car is having transmission issues that have been recalled many times before. The car does not move forward when I apply the gas, it violently shakes on acceleration, the engine doesn't always turn over, and will rev but not move forward at a green light. This is incredibly dangerous, especially when trying to enter the flow of traffic. It's been a known issue for years, I don't know why they canceled the recall.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 6, 2024
PURGE CANISTER VALVE SYSTEM FAILURE. CAR SPUTTERS AND WONT START WHEN GAS IS PUT INTO THE CAR. CAR JERKS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Mar 6, 2024
The contact’s son owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while refueling the vehicle at the gas station, the contact had to wait for approximately 2-30 minutes before the vehicle would start-up. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the RPM revved and fluctuated from high to low. The contact also stated that while driving from a stop light, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed canister purge valve. The vehicle was not repaired due the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated a previous recall was cleared due to the vehicle passing the canister purge valve test and the power train control module was updated. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.