2017 Ford Focus
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 903 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 10th highest complaint count among 19 Focus model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 18 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 16 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
Fuel system, gasoline, storageJul 5, 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 and 2017 Focus vehicles equipped with 2.0L GDI gasoline engines and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles equipped with 2.0L GTDI engines, previously recalled under 18V-735. The affected vehicles did not have the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) updated as intended. Therefore, the Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system.
The excessive vacuum 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 July 29, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S22.
Campaign 19V515000 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
Seat belts, rear/otherAug 28, 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Focus vehicles. The rear left side seat back frame may have an insufficient weld between the outboard pivot bracket and the pivot nut joint, resulting in the seat back having reduced strength. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems," and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
The reduced seat back strength may increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the rear second left side rear seat back as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 10, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C13.
Campaign 17V528000 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: engine
304 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Engine, Sep 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the light changed, and the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle hesitated and then jolted into gear. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The contact stated that the engine symbol was displayed, and the vehicle failed to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the RPM gauge was RED-lined. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 10 MPH. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that at first, he was stopping the vehicle and turning off and restarting the vehicle to reset the transmission. The contact stated that turning off and restarting the vehicle no longer resets the transmission. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be rebuilt. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 92,619.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Power train, Engine, Sep 5, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while stopped at the bank drive-thru line, the vehicle stalled. After several attempts, the vehicle restarted. The failure was progressively worsening. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the fuel pump, AX Sender, and pump assembly, AA gasket, B sensor, and fuel injector pressure parts were replaced. The contact stated that on another occasion, while driving in heavy traffic at 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled with several warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that several months ago, on a separate occasion, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart, and the contact waited for approximately an hour before the vehicle restarted. The vehicle was taken to several dealers to be repaired. While an employee from one of the dealers was test-driving the vehicle, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that there were fuel vapors in the line, and that the high side sensor pressure dropped, and low side sensor pressure dropped. The vehicle was repaired. Most recently, the contact stated that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a claim. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 ( ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the local dealer was contacted; however, the contact was informed that parts were not yet available to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about when parts would be available. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 20, 2025
My car has been having on going issue with the canister purge valve causing my vehicle to stall I’ve had this replaced by an emissions approved mechanic and this issue still persists if the fuel isn’t above a half tank of gas it has stalled on highways and put me in dangerous conditions. I have been trying for years to resolve and I can’t
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The local dealer was contacted and refused to repair the vehicle. The contact was informed that, unless a failure occurred with the engine, the recall repair would not be performed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Engine, Aug 4, 2025
Vehicles Canister Purge Valve was replaced and acting up again.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 31, 2025
I bought my car in early 2022 or 2023 and almost immediately the car started shuddering when accelerating. I took the vehicle in to the place I bought it from and one other Ford Dealer. Neither places could "duplicate the problem." Bith times I had to pay money just to have it looked at, and nothing was ever fixed. My horn keeps quitting and the shuddering has gotten so bad and now there are new issues like loss of power when accelerating. This car is starting to become a safety issue for me as I live in Washington State and the traffic here is very fast. I have almost been hit due to trying to pull out or merge and the car loses power or winds way out. I am a [XXX] who can't afford automotive bills. They will only give me $2700.00 as a trade in and I owe $12,000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Service brakes, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 29, 2025
Ford oil pump tensioner belt failed
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH in traffic, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the brake pedal was firm. There was no warning light illuminated; however, an engine message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed and determined that the oil pump drive belt had fractured and there were debris inside the engine, causing engine failure. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was 55,784.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 28, 2025
Catastrophic engine failure, engine died and was unable to shift into gear My 16 year old daughter was driving on a busy highway when the engine died, causing her to stop completely on a 55 MPH road. She was unable to get the car into a gear to have it pushed to the side of the road and had to sit in the car with traffic flying by her until we could get a tow truck (approximately 30 minutes). She was unable to get out due to the traffic being so heavy. The vehicle had a limited warranty left on it, and it was towed to a facility where they diagnosed with blown head gasket and/or cracked cylinder head. It was towed to a dealership where it was discovered the car had an active recall that caused the engine failure. There was no warning signs previously.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Jul 7, 2025
On July 2nd my daughter was driving her car and the engine slowed and turned off. She tried to out it in reverse and it would not function. We took it to our mechanics and he got a P287A - code - I then spoke with Ford Customer Service and they stated the extended warranty on that same issue expired June 30th and advised me to reach out to you as the extended warranty was not listed for our vehicle I am hoping someone can help us since we are under the mileage and it was only a few days past the time frame. Thank you
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 20-25 MPH, the vehicle felt like it was struggling to accelerate. The contact pulled to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle; however, the fan remained engaged for approximately two minutes. The vehicle was taken to the residence, where the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000(Engine and Engine Cooling), which the contact related to the failure; however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair, but the dealer did not provide any assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 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 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.
Engine, Jun 9, 2025
dual clutch on automatic transmission failure purchase vehicle in 2017 and has had to be replaced 4 times and it is going on its 5th time While driving the vehicle slowed down, check engine came on and off then I lost power completely. I had to pull to side of busy hwy on way home from work. When tried to turn back on again it jerked on and off. I had to figure out how to make it home. The dealership McRee Ford has replaced the clutch on various occasions. No signs prior until the day of when the check engine light flashed on and off.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Jun 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 65 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power with the check oil and check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was informed that there were metal shavings were found in the oil filter, causing engine damages. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 97,221.
Power train, Engine, Jun 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the transmission was shifting abnormally and jumping into gear. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a transmission center, and it was determined that there was a clutch and gear shifting failure. The mechanic recommended a dual clutch and gear assembly replacement. The local dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired; however, the contact was provided and estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, May 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. The contact inspected the coolant reservoir, and the coolant level was low. The contact refilled the coolant reservoir. The contact stated that three months later the failure reoccurred. The coolant level was refilled. The vehicle was taken an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact was informed that there was no evidence of a coolant leak. The vehicle was not repaired or diagnosed by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed coolant pump, fractured belts, valve cover gaskets, and corroded engine mounts. The contact was informed that the coolant pump, belts, valve cover gaskets, and engine mounts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
Engine, May 8, 2025
Clutch needs to be replaced at 77,000 miles. This is a related issue with Ford Focus vehicles’ transmission. I was never told that the transmissions were an issue when I purchased this vehicle. I took it to ford and they said it’s wear and tear instead of addressing the issue that the transmission is bad. They wanted $4000 for repairs. I paid $17k cash for this car. The car does not switch gears and makes grinding noises when driving or coming to a stop.
Engine, Apr 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle hesitated and stalled. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence, and then was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed that the timing belt had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000.
Power train, Engine, Apr 16, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stationary, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal and the vehicle jerked forward. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally hesitated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and to a dealer; however, the neither the dealer nor the independent mechanic were able to determine the cause of the failure. On another occasion, the vehicle stalled and unintendedly shifted to neutral, and then lunged forward while driving 20 MPH. The contact stated that on another occasion while driving at an undisclosed speed the vehicle stalled every 30 seconds. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the vehicle was diagnosed with an electronic clutch failure. The contact stated that the mechanic was able to shift to neutral and start the vehicle. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with clutch failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Engine, Apr 5, 2025
I had a head gasket repair that failed almost causing an accident on the interstate. Then I had a new long block engine assembly, turbo charger, catalytic converter replaced due to a crack in cylinder 3. Car had 45,500 miles and never ran without oil. This occurred [XXX]. Warranty did cover this repair. Then at 65,000 miles I had another new long block assembly, turbo charger, and catalytic converter replaced again due to a crack in cylinder 3. Again the car was not run without oil. I did pay for this repair. Kunes Ford service department told me that the same cylinder 3 keeps cracking on the 1L 3 cylinder eco boost engines. Also be advised that they are not listing engine replacements on service repair records. The engine/turbo charger/catalytic converter replacement from July 2024 is not even listed. A case was opened with Ford but I still had to pay $1500 for the repair due to a manufacturer defect in cylinder 3. Ford is not listing any of these repairs correctly on the vehicle service records. The July 2024 repair is not even listed under the service records. Ford also had cases opened up but I do not currently have the case numbers. Kunes Ford has the no fear power train warranty, all service done at Ford and it was not honored for this repair. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Engine, Apr 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the transmission failed to shift properly, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 92,000.
Engine, Power train, Apr 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond, and jerked abnormally. The contact stated that the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, and the RPM fluctuated, causing the vehicle to lose motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the clutch had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted while driving. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Gasoline, Engine, Apr 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle hesitated and then stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle was running rough. The engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and 19V515000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the failure was due to the fuel injectors. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that there was no recall coverage on the VIN for the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.