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: power train
454 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Mar 31, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving uphill at 25 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle jerked and failed to respond while the engine revved significantly. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. The message "Transmission Overheating - Please Let Cool For 5 Minutes" was displayed. The contact allowed the vehicle to cool down and attempted to drive back to the residence; however, the failure persisted. The contact was able to pull into a parking lot. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that the clutch actuator motor was previously replaced due to the failure. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle would be covered under an unknown Customer Satisfaction program if the failure was related to the transmission. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission dual clutch pack assembly had failed and needed to be replaced; however, the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Power train, Mar 31, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the message "Transmission Overheating - Pull Over" was displayed. After stopping the vehicle to allow the transmission to cool down, the vehicle was restarted and operated normally. The vehicle was later taken to the local transmission mechanic, who diagnosed that the TCM and clutch had failed and needed to be replaced. The transmission was rebuilt, and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that approximately 8,000 miles later the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 64,517.
Power train, Service brakes, Engine, Mar 28, 2025
Current Ford recall NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 only includes VINs with automatic transmissions. However, the oil pump belt & timing belt are the same used on the automatic transmissions that are subject of the recall. These components are just as likely to fail on manual transmission VINs but are not included in the current campaign.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Mar 26, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was jerking. The vehicle rolled backwards while on an incline. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle hesitated and lost motive power. The contact stated that the transmission overheated, and a message to pull over was displayed. The vehicle was slow to move when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed 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 138,000.
Power train, Mar 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 15-30 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle started to stall; however, the failure was not consistent enough for the vehicle to be diagnosed. The contact stated that recently the vehicle started struggling while shifting gear and started to stall more frequently. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with clutch assembly failure. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired because the vehicle was not under recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
Power train, Engine, Mar 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle briefly shuddered and jerked before returning to normal functionality. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed failures with the clutch position sensor, and the battery monitoring sensor. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 63,000.
Power train, Engine, Feb 25, 2025
The contact’s son owns a 2017 Ford Focus. While the contact’s son was pulling into a parking space, the vehicle lost motive power, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle then failed to exceed 10 MPH. The vehicle failed to start and was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 95,000.
Power train, Feb 24, 2025
Since November 22nd, my 2017 Ford Focus with 79,503 miles has been at a Ford dealership leaving waiting for a motor. My timing belt and oil pump belt snapped, casing my engine to jump timing. When this happened, I had no time to pull over or anything. It was in the middle of the night and broke down in the middle of the road. The real kicker is, ford claims my car isn’t affected by the recall due to my car featuring a manual transmission. This car put my life at risk, and has the exact same issue as the recall and is requiring the same fix. Before my warranty, my engine replacement is over $11,000! I’m still sticking paying a few thousand dollars, and my car has been at the dealership for3 months. Still no updates or engine available. This car should be under the recall.
Power train, Feb 17, 2025
I own a 2017 Ford Focus. When I got in my car to leave work for the day, it would not shift into reverse. I was stranded in subzero weather for 2hrs before someone was able to come and get to me. My son-in-law and his friend pushed it out of the parking space and limped it home. They hooked it up to a code reader...TCM failure...but mine is not in the recall?! After SO many people with the same issue on the same car?! I am now stuck with no car that I am still making payments on, no where near a bus route in the dead of winter in the midwest.
Power train, Feb 12, 2025
A "P07A3" code on a 2017 Ford Focus indicates that the transmission's "Friction Element A" is stuck on, meaning a clutch within the transmission is not releasing properly, likely causing issues with shifting and potentially putting the car into limp mode; this is a serious issue that requires professional repair as it usually points towards internal transmission problems. I see slot of people are having the same issue online but yet there is no recall on this issue and there should be.
Power train, Feb 11, 2025
The transmission has been slipping since I got the car.
Power train, Feb 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the transmission hesitated while attempting to shift gear. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. The contact self-diagnosed the vehicle but provided no result. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Jan 31, 2025
Rpm going to high and irregular shifting .This happened after I replaced the part for the 24n07 campaign
Power train, Engine, Jan 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, after the light had changed, the contact depressed the accelerator pedal however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the engine revved but the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to turn off and restart the vehicle; however, after shifting to drive (D) and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to move. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several years before, and the check engine and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jan 27, 2025
I started driving and the car seemed to act rough. I went up a small hill and I had almost no power halfway up. The car showed the symbol of the little car that looks like it is sliding. I had to chug up the rest of the hill fighting the car itself because there was no where else to go. It kept revving but went no more than about ten mph. Once I got over the top I pulled into someone's driveway so I could get back home. I was unable to reverse. The car just revved. I had to turn off the car, put it in neutral, and push the car backwards out of the driveway. I was able to start the car and nurse it home, but it jumped and revved the entire time. I tried to use down hills to my advantage and barely paused at stop signs for fear of getting stuck on the road. I got to my house and parked. Now the car only starts when it wants to. I checked codes and got P287A for the clutch. I haven't called Ford for service options yet because I really don't know what to do and have no idea how I'd get there. I think this car should have been included in the powertrain recall because this came out of nowhere.
Power train, Jan 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch actuator and the TCM had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer confirmed that the VIN was associated with Customer Satisfaction Numbers: 14M01 – (Extended Warranty on the clutch, transmission software calibration), and 14M02- (Extended Warranty for the Transmission Control Module). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 105,980.
Power train, Jan 27, 2025
Car is roughly seven years old and has around 75,000 miles. It is is very good condition mechanically. I was driving down the highway and the vehicle stopped accelerating, but the RPMs surged even with my foot off the accelerator. I was able to pull off to the side of the road and get somewhere safe before the car completely stopped. Once I put the car in park, it made a loud "grinding" noise and would no longer move. I called roadside assistance and had the car towed to a mechanic - he said that it needed a new transmission, but was otherwise in very good condition. He advised me to reach out to Ford regarding recalls, as the 2016 model had almost the exact same issue and mine was manufactured just months after.
Power train, Jan 23, 2025
Car was experiencing symptoms similar to past incidents when it needed service on the transmission. Shaking, vibration when moving forward from a stop or slow down.
Power train, Engine, Jan 23, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle was idling very rough. The contact stated that while idling, the vehicle shuddered and jerked significantly, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was able to restart. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull into a parking lot. The contact was able to restart the vehicle with assistance. The contact stated that the check engine warning light had illuminated several times. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, where diagnostic trouble codes related to a stuck canister purge valve were retrieved. Additionally, the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch and the engine mount needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to 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 for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
Power train, Jan 16, 2025
Engine light came on and couldn't do a reverse with 60k miles
Power train, Jan 13, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted and the vehicle jerked abnormally with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission clutch had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance The approximate failure mileage was 81,000.
Power train, Jan 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Focus Focus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the transmission had malfunctioned and the vehicle did not properly change gears causing the speed to suddenly reduce and the vehicle experienced a loss of automotive power. Also, the vehicle would not drive in reverse and the message "Transmission Overheating" was displayed. The contact indicated that the failures were intermittent. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failures and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000(POWER TRAIN). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced that same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Power train, Jan 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that his wife was driving the vehicle on the highway at 45 MPH, when upon accelerating the vehicle did not accelerate. The contact stated that his wife then attempted to shift the vehicle into park, and again into drive however the vehicle did not move. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission and the gear shifter were faulty and both would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 138,000.
Power train, Jan 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving on the highway at various speeds, the vehicle would not shift properly, the transmission would make a loud scooting vibration sound, and it was very evident that the transmission struggled to get into the next gear. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the transmission was replaced under warranty on two occasions, and out of pocket on the third occurrence, this was now the fourth incident where the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
Power train, Dec 31, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle with a defective transmission clutch. The contact was informed that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. Upon investigation, the contact became aware that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (POWER TRAIN). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.