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.
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.
Engine, Apr 24, 2025
Notes from the Ford dealer: Oil pump belt tensioner failed causing oil pump belt to slip and starve engine for oil. Turbo was also starved of oil. Long block and turbo were replaced. This seems to be the same issue that is included in a current recall but it does not extend to all affected vehicles. Reference NHTSA# 23V905. Ford recall 23S64.
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.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 18, 2025
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 unavailable. The dealer was contacted. The dealer confirmed that parts were 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 contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
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.
Steering, Apr 14, 2025
The contact called on behalf of his girlfriend, who owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the contact became aware that the steering wheel was extremely loose. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 154,000.
Power train, Apr 7, 2025
Transmission shuddering, slipping
Power train, Apr 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her husband was driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the message "Transmission Overheating" was displayed. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and then towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with internal clutch failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Power train, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 4, 2025
I’m having a very difficult time with ford dealership there is a lot of information about this 2016 ford focus automatic transmission that has problems with either its dry clutch or the tcm transmission control module. It is revving high when you stop it doesn’t shift gears properly it jerks hard it won’t go into higher gears it will start reversing out of no were that’s a very very terrifying situation especially that me and my fiancé have a little boy in this vehicle. We were so happy to buy this vehicle and ended up having huge problems for only having 100k miles on the odometer. This is are only vehicle spent are taxes on this vehicle to get us around for a few years go on vacations all that. To call ford and be told basically if this vehicle wasn’t involved in the lawsuit against ford about this certain situation then it wouldn’t be included in the recall. I think I should file a lawsuit against ford for this why would they have on the web that every 2016 ford focus has a recall for the tcm transmission control module one time free replacement until June 2025 it says. I want something done this is not right and illegal. Organization at its finest.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the contact heard a loud noise coming from the engine and heard metal parts from the engine detach from the vehicle and fall onto the road. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road and the vehicle lost braking power and the vehicle came to a complete stop. The contact exited the vehicle to inspect the vehicle and saw oil on the ground coming from the engine. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed back to the residence. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact to call NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 68,000.
Electrical system, Apr 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The driver was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the Remote Function Actuator (RFA) module. The vehicle was not repaired due to a lack of available parts. 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 90,000.
Power train, Apr 1, 2025
Several clutch repairs have been needed and ford is refusing to fix it.
Power train, Mar 27, 2025
Transmision gets hot and i have to pull over right away, otherwise I might cause an accident. Once is get hot it won't move at all. Obd code p2872 and p2872dp. Clutch A stack engaged. My car only has 75400 miles. I took it to ford liner. And they told me the car has no recalls at all. They charge 196 dollars to inspect the car. They also told me that they need to change the couch A because is stuck but want to charge me 4,650$
Power train, Mar 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while accelerating, the vehicle shuddered and jerked for 2 seconds before shifting into gear. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated, with the message “Transmission Overheating - Pull Over for Safety” displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the clutch was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the clutch had been replaced three times. The vehiclehad previously been repaired under Customer Satisfaction Program: 19N08. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.
Power train, Mar 22, 2025
Battery was disconnected in order to install new radio. After installation, car started just fine but could not go faster than 20mph and would "stall" (even though it is auto transmission) once getting up to that speed. Ford dealership diagnosed as needing a new transmission control module. I was also told this problem would have occurred whenever the battery died, so it was no fault on the radio installation. There is a recall on these parts but for some reason my vehicle is not included in any warranties or recalls. I do not have any written communication with the Ford dealership yet as all contact has been via phone calls.
Power train, Mar 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 35-40 MPH, the transmission was slipping. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the contact was informed that the vehicle had performed as designed. The vehicle later failed to reverse while the transmission was shifted to reverse(R). The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was unknown.
Power train, Mar 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power; however, the RPM continued to increase, prompting the contact to immediately turn off the vehicle. After restarting the vehicle, 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 diagnosed a failure with the transmission control module, resulting in damages to the transmission. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02. 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 51,000.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 20, 2025
I am dealing with a dual clutch going bad the car is stalling hesitating and loosing power very dangerous to drive. Also i just replaced transmission without finding any help from ford even there was a recall now my dual clutch is going on and there was a recall i never got to be apart of when i first got the car in 2015. I need help please point in the direction i feel like ford should fixed this buy the car back
Power train, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 18, 2025
My clutch and or transmission is malfunctioning. When I drive up hill the car shudders and I lose power, it's a risk when another vehicle or pedestrian is behind me. When I accelerate from a full stop, same symptoms. If in an emergency I have to move I would be at risk because then the vehicle would hesitate. The issue was confirmed with the manufacturer's dealership service center. No warning lamps, no messages just a sudden appearance of the symptoms that were progressively getting worse. I looked up two separate customer satisfaction programs which I believe I should be eligible but bought the vehicle after their expiration and even though I think the vehicle satisfies the programs' terms, the manufacturer did not include my vehicle's vin.
Engine, Mar 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The failure had occurred on several occasions. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer had made the contact aware of an undisclosed recall; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Power train, Mar 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while accelerating from a complete stop, the front-end shuddered and vibrated significantly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the dealer had picked up the vehicle for the repair of Ford Campaign Number: 24N07; however, upon diagnosing the vehicle, the dealer informed the contact that the failure was not related to the Service Campaign, but instead to the transmission dual dry clutch. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the failure was related to the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered because the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 85,500.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Mar 11, 2025
My vehicle started having issues with the transmission, like shifting issues while starting to accelerate , not going into gear while I am accelerating as well as going in and out of gear in current speed levels with the flow of traffic. It would go from a drive engagement to neutral and would cause me to be in dangerous situations while having passengers in my car as well as my children. I do Lyft an Uber as a current profession, and the last 10 rides that I have given people have been put in positions of compromise or danger due to the shifting issues. After googling issues online, I discovered my Transmission has had various online complaints of Same danger issues. I had 2 Mechanics also verify the issues as well. I contacted ford customer service and they have denied any issues or any recalls attached to my vin. After speaking with ford they said my vehicle was made after the cut off. My transmission DPS6 is the same model that was given extended warranty or repair or Replacement. The documents I found state that the DPS6 automatic transmission was covered under these manufacture dates: August 1, 2010 through November 5, 2015. After speaking with the Ford customer service agent she had mentioned that my car was built December 23, 2015. Which includes the same transmission as stated previously. The program where I found this information is on your website specifically. Program 14M02. Please add all transmissions affected by this situation to the timeline of the warranty extension. My vehicle would fall within the warranty extension of what is listed on the form below of up to 10 years and 150,000 miles considering it is only nine years old with 125,000 miles. Due to it being the same exact transmission, I feel that it is very unfair that it was not included in the extension of this warranty coverage. Please reconsider in adding that coverage to my VIN number. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Feb 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check transmission warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was shaking abnormally, and the transmission was shifting hard. The contact stated that the failure was recurring. Additionally, the contact stated that the transmission was difficult to shift into reverse(R). The contact stated that the transmission was also slipping out of gear. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the shift actuator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 111,700.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 17, 2025
I was driving the speed limit at 65 MPH down a steep hill, I felt something "drop" and then the oil lamp and "Engine Fault Error" displayed. I was unable to drive faster than 30 mph. I was fortunate that no one was following close behind. I had to put on my hazards and drive half a mile more to find a safe place to pull off the road. I had to have my vehicle towed 60 miles to the nearest mechanic. I was informed that the problem was related to a known recall, but there are no parts to fix the problem and it will be months until they do. My vehicle cannot be driven and is sitting at the dealership until it can be repaired and they cannot tell me when that will be.