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, Dec 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact attempted to shift the gear shifter into reverse; however, the transmission failed to engage, and the vehicle shuddered. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch assembly needed to be replaced. The dealer made the contact aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 96,421.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Dec 8, 2024
The car is shuddering on acceleration. RPM currently rises and falls in an unnatural manner. Loss of power and gas mileage. This appears to be the same issue that other 2016 ford focuses are covered by.
Engine, Dec 4, 2024
Engine is misfiring, lack of power, stallign out, barely made it home could of been a really bad accident.now engine is still running terrible, throwing multiple codes and blowing white smoke which we all know is a head gasket issue.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud bagging sound that became worse while the brake pedal was depressed. In addition, the contact stated that white smoke was coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with water pump and serpentine belt failure. The contact was informed that the serpentine belt and the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.
Power train, Nov 22, 2024
I was waiting at a redlight for it to turn green. The light turned green and I pressed on the accelerator pedal, the vehicle started rolling backwards while the vehicle was in drive. I had to turn the vehicle off in the roadway, I cranked the vehicle back and was able to move it before it told me “transmission overheat”. The dealer said that it was the clutch that went out.
Power train, Engine, Nov 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was shifting rough. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. While restarting the vehicle, the check engine and several other unknown warning lights illuminated. The "Transmission Overheating, Stop Safely" message was displayed while driving. The contact pulled over again and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle failed to restart immediately and was started on the third attempt. The contact drove the vehicle to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02 (Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage); however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.
Power train, Nov 14, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal as the RPMs would rev to a high level. The contact also stated that the vehicle would fail to start due to the gear shifter not recognizing the vehicle in park(P). The contact would move the gear shifter back and forth until the vehicle was recognized in park(P). The contact stated that both the check engine and transmission hot warning messages had appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it remained in their possession. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.
Power train, Nov 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle downshifted with the check engine warning illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch actuator had failed and needed to be repaired to verify if the transmission might have failed. The contact stated that the dealer provided the contact with the following error DTC codes: P0704, P2701, and P0805 after the vehicle had been diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 114,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Gasoline, Power train, Nov 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and the vehicle was coasted to the side of the road, and then towed to a certified mechanic. The contact believed that the mechanic had diagnosed a failure within the transmission and had completed a repair to the transmission; however, the contact was unaware of what parts were replaced. The contact stated that after the vehicle was repaired, the vehicle started hesitating and there was an abnormal revving noise coming from the engine compartment while accelerating. The contact would depress the accelerator a second time to accelerate as intended. The failure was intermittent. The message that the engine was overheating was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined that the fuel pump had failed. The contact was informed that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The recall repair was completed, and the fuel pump was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed a failure with the water pump and the water pump was replaced. The mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the transmission failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer had referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 47,000.
Power train, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 5, 2024
Check engine light P1450 fuel system vacuum. So many complaints of the same issue of the vehicle stalling and shuddering. The dealership refuses to even look at my vehicle. This is a serious safety concern. Someone needs to intervene because there are too many of us now driving dangerous vehicles because their parts don’t work properly and the dealerships are telling us there’s nothing they can do. UNACCEPTABLE Additionally, my clutch assembly WAS recalled but the dealership must have reported my vehicle fixed because the recall is no longer showing up. THIS IS FALSE! They NEVER FIXED IT! It has never actually been fixed even though I have taken it in easily 10 times.
Power train, Electrical system, Nov 5, 2024
Faulty dual clutch. I only have 34000 miles on it. I shouldn't have this problem . Started 2 weeks ago .very rough shifting. Sometimes it won't shift at all.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 4, 2024
I am experiencing two significant issues with my 2016 Ford Focus, both of which closely match known recall problems documented for this model and year. However, my vehicle’s VIN does not currently show an active recall, and Ford has not covered the repairs. Canister Purge Valve (Error Code P1450): The canister purge valve in my vehicle is malfunctioning, leading to rough idling, poor fuel economy, and difficulties starting the engine. This issue also triggered the check engine light. My research shows that similar problems were included in a Ford recall for the 2016 Ford Focus, where a defective purge valve could cause stalling and inaccurate fuel readings. Despite these similarities, my VIN is not covered under this recall. Transmission Control Module (TCM) Issues: My vehicle also has transmission performance problems linked to the Transmission Control Module (TCM), causing hard shifting, irregular transmission behavior, and occasional failure to engage properly. The TCM issues are well-documented among 2016 Ford Focus vehicles, some of which were included in recalls and extended warranty programs, but my vehicle is excluded from this coverage. Given that these issues directly impact the vehicle's drivability and safety, I am requesting an investigation into why vehicles with similar symptoms are not covered by these recalls. These issues pose potential safety risks, including sudden stalling and compromised transmission performance. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Power train, Nov 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed transmission control module. The contact was informed that the transmission control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact referenced Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02 as a possible cause for the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,275.
Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 1, 2024
The malfunction light came on in my car I had a mechanic check the code that came up and he said it was the canister purge valve! Then I noticed whenever I put fuel in my car it was hard to start it would sputter and almost die !
Power train, Nov 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop, the vehicle began to jerk upon acceleration. The jerking persisted over time. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there was no warranty or recall coverage on the vehicle. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.
Power train, Nov 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate and shuddered while turning. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
Power train, Oct 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle began jerking and stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. There was an unknown red symbol displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the transmission had failed. The contact called the local dealer and was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that there was no recall coverage for the repair and opened a case and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Power train, Oct 18, 2024
Failed tcm. Shaking and jerking car. Under 80k miles. Breaks stopped working in drive. Won't reverse. Same make,model,year and problem as recall warranty but for some reason my vin isn't included.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 18, 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 while at a complete stop, the vehicle failed to accelerate upon depression of the accelerator pedal. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the failure was related to the recall. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and 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 failure mileage was approximately 93,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 18, 2024
i know there is already a recall for other ford focuses with this same issue. my cpv is not working. the car breaks down every time i fuel and its a huge safety hazard as this happens far from my home usually and its very scary for me. i heard it can ruin my engine.
Power train, Oct 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to merge onto the highway at approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle independently switched from first to third gear, jerked, and shifted into the park gear to control the vehicle. The vehicle stopped in the middle of the roadway. The vehicle failed to move forward or in reverse. A bystander shifted the vehicle in neutral and pushed the vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch was fractured and transmission failed. The vehicle was not repaired due to costs. The contact was concerned as the vehicle was her primary source of travel since she was a traveling nurse and discovered that the clutch was previously replaced by the first vehicle owner. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000.
Power train, Oct 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while parking the vehicle, the steering wheel did not function as intended. The contact stated that the steering wheel was very difficult to turn in either direction. In addition, the contact stated that the shift gear did not function as intended. The contact stated that the gear shifter did not shift into park, drive, or neutral. In addition, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that when she turned the vehicle off, the vehicle did not restart. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed Transmission Control Module. The contact was informed that the Transmission Control Module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had received recall notification NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000(Fuel System, Gasoline), however, the contact was advised that the failure was not associated with the recall repair. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed Transmission Control Module. The contact was informed that the Transmission Control Module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Steering, Oct 10, 2024
Continuously get the message steering fault assist service required. It’s impossible to turn the steering wheel.
Power train, Oct 8, 2024
The transmission system, specifically the clutch, malfunctioned. The clutch slipped, which caused the car to suddenly stop in busy traffic. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The sudden stop in heavy traffic put my safety and the safety of others at risk. It could have led to a rear-end collision or other accidents as the vehicle stopped without warning.
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Oct 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while accelerating from a stationary position, the vehicle experienced severe jerking, vibrations, and hesitation. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the transmission clutch but later the failure reoccurred. Additionally, the engine overheated and the vehicle stalled. Upon inspection, it was discovered that there was no coolant inside the coolant reservoir. The contact stated that no visual evidence of a coolant leak could be found. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 10,000.