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
903 reports, newest first.
Power train, Apr 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked intermittently. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to reverse while the transmission was shifted into reverse(R). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the control module needed to be replaced; however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Engine, Apr 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with needing the purge valve to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The contact was informed that NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V515000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) was serviced back in 2019. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 42,644.
Power train, Apr 14, 2023
The DPS6 dual-clutch transmission shudders and shifts hard during all phases and speeds. Acceleration is unpredictable and feels as though it could stall at any time. Ford wants $3000 - $5000 to repair. They also state the issue is common.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Engine, Apr 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while his wife was driving 35 MPH, the vehicle started to hesitate and idle rough. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 7, 2023
The vehicle shakes, stalls shuts off when filling up with gas. Once gas is added, you have to keep the feet on the gas (reveing up to ensure it starts), then drive to get the gas flowing into the engine. The vehicle was taken for diagnostic with an Auto Zone and a mechanic and the codes pulled (more than once) was...P1450 and P2196. This was brought to the attention of dealer at time of purchase and requested another vehicle. They ensured it could be fixed; after another yr. or more now the codes are appearing again. I have dates for repair, but will have to get copies of work completed from the dealer.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Apr 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle would be difficult to restart. The contact stated that several attempts were needed to start the vehicle. The contact stated that she had to keep the accelerator depressed for several minutes before she could shift to drive(D). The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the canister purge valve (CPV) needed to be replaced. The mechanic advised the contact that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Apr 2, 2023
I pulled out of my brothers driveway as I pulled out the car failed to go over 10mph and started to lurch back and forth. I almost got in an accident because of this. There was a car coming down the road and they had to swerve to miss me because I couldn’t get the car to go over 10. I promptly pulled the car over after that.The car also would go into reverse but would not move. I had the car towed to a local Ford dealer because I did not feel it was safe to drive. There were no warning lights on the car at the time of the incident. The check engine light did come on later though. The dealership said the TCM had failed and would need to be replaced but I would need to wait for the part because it’s on national factory back order. After waiting 4 months and calling Ford to complain multiple times the part finally came in. They installed the part and told me it did not fix the issue and I would need a replacement transmission. The car has not been fixed, failure date was at 87,300 miles. The car is no longer safe to drive and costs way too much for me to fix.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Engine, Mar 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the failure could not be duplicated; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled approximately seven times in one trip. The contact was able to drive to her destination. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring increasingly. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V515000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the recall was previously completed on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Engine, Mar 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the vapor management valve, part number: BV6Z9D289E, needed to be replaced. However, the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V515000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.
Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 26, 2023
Upon stopping to fill up with gas once the gas tank is either full or not all the way full, the car has trouble starting and will stall. The vehicle will begin to run after pressing the gas pedal multiple times with the ignition still on. The check engine light is illuminated. I was made aware of a previous recall that I feel my car should’ve been involved in. The approximate mileage is 95000.
Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 26, 2023
Vehicle stalls after filling tank up with gas either to a full tank or less than a full tank. Vehicle throws code for EVAP issue as well as manufacturer control. Took to a mechanic where I was told there were multiple issues with the fuel system that needed to be replaced.
Power train, Mar 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted, and the dealer stated that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 98,639.
Power train, Mar 23, 2023
POWER SHIFT TRANSMISSION/DUAL CLUTCH IS SHUTTERING /JERKING WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP OR AND TURNING CORNERS.NOTE THIS HAPPENS REGULARLY. ITS BEEN BACK TO DEALEARSHIP ON 4 OCCASIONS . THEY REPLACED CLUTCH ASSEMBLY ONCE IN FEB 2020,IT WAS TAKEN IN AGAIN IN MAY 2021 FOR SAME ISSUE TOLD IT WAS IN SPEC. THE FOURTH TIME WAS TAKEN IN IN MARCH 2023 TOLD ITS IN SPEC.CAN'T FIND THE DATE FOR TIME NUMBER 3,BUT WAS TOLD THEN IT WAS IN SPEC.
Power train, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 22, 2023
Ever since purchasing this vehicle 2nd hand, it has had "Fuel Rail Pressure Too Low" and "Lost Communication with Fuel Pump Control Module" intermittently. Attempted to fix with a mechanic, had fuel control module replaced. It occurred again, so had fuel pump replaced. It still randomly stalls out, leaving us in danger on the roadway. Pulling into traffic can be dangerous, since a stall-out would guarantee a collision with on-coming traffic. Engine light stays on when it stalls, eventually will start again, and light disappears. This has been an ongoing problem over the last 2 years. Vehicle can only be used for local driving in the event of being stranded, sometimes on a monthly basis. Recently now, the Transmission Control Module has stopped working and needs to be replaced (as of 3/6/23). Mechanic says these parts are on backorder for 1+ years.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 21, 2023
My vehicle has a faulty transmission problem and a fuel problem, The vehicle has been inspected by personal mechanics and CarX, 5 codes have been scanned and confirmed that their are 2 codes for the transmission and 2 codes for the fuel system. Check engine light is on, the vehicle will no longer go into reverse but can continue to go into drive but does not accelerate rpm when accelerating on the gas.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Mar 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The vehicle also failed to shift into reverse. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who scanned the vehicle who informed her there was small leak in the fuel line. The local dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 107,000.
Power train, Mar 18, 2023
While accelerating from a complete stop, the car frequently jerks and sputters while it appears to be attempting to switch gears. This has been a problem since I bought the car pre-owned in 2020 but it has become much more frequent and instead of doing a single jerk or sputter when stepping on the gas, it does it much more. I did research more and it appears the make, model, and year were part of a recall prior to my owning the vehicle for what seems to be the same issue; however, my VIN was not part of that recall.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Mar 15, 2023
The contact's wife owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the canister purge valve had failed. The mechanic then informed him of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact attempted to reach the dealer but was unsuccessful. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.
Power train, Mar 10, 2023
Transmission shakes when taking off and stumbles to get going. it almost got me hit when turning due to it not wanting to go.
Power train, Mar 8, 2023
The transmission starts to shift too hard. It doesn't accelerate easily, and when it does, it gets very jerky.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Power train, Mar 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 40-45 MPH, the RPM’s started fluctuating before lowering and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to regain motive power by excessively depressing the accelerator. The contact was able to drive approximately 5-10 minutes however, while coming to a stop light the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle drove normal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact, a certified mechanic, retrieved a diagnostic trouble code for a malfunctioning EVAP system and that the O2 sensor had malfunctioned. Additionally, the fuel level was elevated. The dealer was contacted and confirmed the VIN was not included in a recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 56,500.
Power train, Mar 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond while attempting to drive from a complete stop. The contact stated that the vehicle would respond as needed after shifting into a lower gear. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while driving approximately 45 MPH. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the TCM was reset several times. The contact stated that the vehicle was temporarily fixed after resetting the TCM. The independent mechanic diagnosed that the TCM had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was unknown.
Steering, Power train, Engine, Mar 6, 2023
I was driving home from my mother's home and the car swerved and was hard to keep control of. The next day I was headed to work and the warning came on that the transmission was too hot. I let it cool down for 15 minutes and the message said it was safe to drive, but the process repeated 4 times.i called for tow to the mechanic and he said it was a transmission control module. The part was on backorder for se eral weeks. When they tried to do the repair it did not work.
Power train, Mar 4, 2023
Dual clutch transmission needs replaced and my vehicle only has approximately 44,500 miles on it. Mechanics including Ford mechanics say that it is no fault of my own but a common problem with the 2017 Ford Focus transmission. The automatic transmission loses power, hesitates and shakes between gears sometimes, especially on inclines. It also when going from reverse to drive which started yesterday 03/03/2023 sometime after Ford Services inspected it, now sometimes the vehicle still drives in reverse after shifting to drive until i press my brakes, look to see it is in drive, which it is, then, press the gas pedal again and it moves forward finally as it should. This occurrence is random but mostly an issue when having to reverse on a slight incline out of a parking position, which makes it more dangerous. This is not a one time occurrence but ongoing until i replace the transmission. There are also no service engine lights warning of the transmission or anything else for that matter showing there being an issue even though there is.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Feb 27, 2023
I went to pull into traffic and when I pushed on the gas to hurry it just did a jumping stuttering type of thing. I almost got hit, it’s like it just doesn’t want to engage right away and I don’t know if it’s the clutch or transmission. Hills are also an issue, just jerks and jumps trying to go into a gear. I was told this car would not have the same problem as the previous years but I am very upset and lucky I didn’t get killed. Thank you my number is [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).