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, Dec 27, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the vehicle began to hesitate. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Power train, Dec 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving from a stationary position, the rear wheels were vibrating during acceleration. The contact stated that transmission fault and transmission hot messages were displayed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 101,000.
Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 16, 2022
Check engine code shows on dash, when checked by mechanic it leads to faulty canister purge valve. The vehicle shutters and stalls intermittently.
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Dec 14, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the check engine and oil warning lights illuminated before the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the engine camshaft and timing chain had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 51,642.
Engine, Dec 12, 2022
After a routine oil change i was driving and oil light and engine light suddenly came on. Car then begin to make knocking noise and was towed to local mechanic. Engine is stated to need replacing and car no longer driveable.
Wheels, Dec 8, 2022
At 31,500 miles, the Ford dealer said the lug nuts were swollen and had to be replaced, because the wheels would not be safe to drive. No warning lights of signals prior to this problem.
Power train, Dec 6, 2022
My husband and I bought a 2017 Ford Focus in April 2017. It had 9 miles on the car. within 6 months after purchase we had to get the automatic/manual clutch replaced. Then two more times after that within the next year. We still have the problems with that part. Which is recalled but my VIN number does not show it as a recall. Then last year in Fall 2021 we took the car in for oil change and engine light on and found out the Canister Purge Valve for the gasoline had failed and needed to be replaced. Which is also under a recall and of course my VIN number shows nothing. My car will not start after I put gasoline in it and I have to push my gas pedal to rev it up then when I put it in drive and to hit gas pedal it dies. So why cant I get these parts fixed on my 2017 Ford Focus when they are clearly a recall. I also have documentation at home and at the dealership where everything has been completed since we have gotten the car.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Dec 6, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after her daughter refueled the vehicle, the vehicle experienced rough idling and then stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, and the dealer informed the contact that the recall repair had previously been performed. The vehicle was not repaired a second time. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Nov 30, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle would not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, after refueling, the vehicle would not immediately start. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic and the local dealer who diagnosed that the purge valve was faulty, causing the fuel tank to become deformed. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V515000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The failure mileage was 35,000.
Power train, Nov 23, 2022
My car only has 41000 miles on it and there is a transmission issue causing the car to move in unsafe ways, either it doesn’t accelerate to merge safely or it lurches forward sometimes even with the brake applied. My car is only 9 weeks outside the factory powetrain warranty. I don’t feel it is right I need to pay $3000 in repairs for a car with 41K miles and just over 5 years old.
Other or unspecified, Nov 22, 2022
Transmission stopped working at 63,777 miles. I was in a freeway when this occurred. Car had to be towed back home. Repair shop wants $8800 to put in a new transmission. Ford extended the warrantee up to 2016 models but refused to extend the 2017 model.
Power train, Nov 20, 2022
2017 Ford Focus SE with automatic transmission. It shutters when taking off from a complete stop or at low speeds shaking the whole car. With it being hesitant taking off it just isnt safe if you're ever in a situation where you need to get out of the way of an incident. The clutch wears out way to fast. It needs a whole different transmission instead of Fords dual clutch powershift transmission that should have been perfected before putting them into so many cars.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Nov 19, 2022, crash
Car was at highway speed and was given light input to change lanes. With light input, the engine accelerated in an uncontrolled manner, revving to maybe 5000 rpm. The driver had to slam on the brakes to counteract. Result was a rear-end collision with the car in front (Route 95 near Laurel, MD). For what it is worth, the car also gave an "overheating" alarm for the Powershift DCT transmission even though no such alarm had ever appeared previously. So first time alarm on the transmission and the following day this incident with the unintended acceleration. These could be unrelated, but could also be related. With the overheating transmission issue, the car was left sit for 10 minutes and then drove normally. Car also drove normally after the accident. No further abnormal acceleration issues.
Power train, Nov 17, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the "transmission overheating" message was displayed, and the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission control module and transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 118,000.
Power train, Nov 12, 2022
this car with 38k on it has a transmission failure. it was very dangerous. the car lost its reverse gear and won't stay in its forward gears. it will jump in and out of drive down to low and then to nothing. i guess this could happen at any time during owning or driving this car. you could be going 70 and the transmission could fail. it would cause a wreck that might kill many on a busy road. there are no parts for this to be fixed. some back order of the computer chip. now i have a low mile car with no way to fix it. plus, this can happen at any time. ford should look into a fix for this problem. i know that there is a recall for the 2016. it should include the 2017 as well.
Power train, Nov 11, 2022
Hi I have ford focus SEL 2017 which I bought in jan02,2020 and since two week my car not get enough power to run while in drive mode sometimes it’s stop middle of road and when press has paddle it not move forward now since one week it getting transmission is overheating stop for 5 minutes now it’s show engine light on dashboard I think it’s I feel like my car transmission slipping
Engine, Nov 9, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after a routine oil change at the local dealer, while driving approximately 45 MPH, the oil warning light illuminated, and an abnormal sound was heard coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was inoperable and was towed to three different independent mechanics; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was then towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the oil belt and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the local dealer awaiting the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 84,000.
Other or unspecified, Nov 8, 2022
Shudder upon acceleration due to faulty clutch pack. even when replaced under warranty the faulty clutch presents the same problem. Causes all kinds of UNKNOWN problems when the car fails to accelerate and/or the clutch assembly fails. Problem has been confirmed multiple times by Ford Dealer. Been inspected by the manufacturer- FORD and deemed unsafe and needing immediate repair. No warning lamps, messages, etc. Car will just do that with no warning.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Nov 3, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was shuddering while accelerating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who informed her that the vehicle was working as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to replicate the failure. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was contacted and referred her to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
Other or unspecified, Nov 2, 2022
I am requesting an investigation as to the matter at hand; this letter contains all specifics as related to the vehicle and from the time of purchase to now. The vehicle is currently not in operable conditions and it can be identified as a 2017 Ford Focus SE 4 Cylinders 2 2.0L DI DOHC 122 CID. There was a lawsuit for this car prior and there was a judgment rendered for issues with the vehicle, new issues have arisen since the lawsuit. On or about 9/19/2022 however on or about 10/9/2022 Plaintiff began experiencing issues with the car. On or about 10/16/2022 a mechanic diagnosed the car with having issues of P07A3 and P2872 and that labor would be about $600.00 not including parts. Subsequently, the vehicle is not currently running. If you request more information from me I can send it, however, please redact any sensitive information.
Engine, Oct 31, 2022
While driving, the ROM is unstable and jumps from 1 to 3 then all the way to zero when pressing the brakes preparing to make a stop. The car then starts to shudder excessively and then basically shuts down in the middle of the highway. The oil and battery light would come on. I would have to quickly place the car in park, and turn the car back on. Once I turn the car on, the oil and battery light turns off and the engine light stays on until it is brought to the ford dealership. This situation has happened about four times. Each time it is an issue with a pressure sensor but when the dealership goes in to check, they don’t find anything wrong. The car had stopped in the middle of the highway multiple times, slips and jerks during the smallest acceleration, and consistently shudders when breaking or idle.
Power train, Oct 27, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle was shifted into drive(D) and he depressed the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle shifted into Limp Mode then inadvertently lunged forward. The contact stated that the vehicle then failed to exceed 60 MPH. The contact stated that the next day after the vehicle was started, the transmission fault service light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hotline to submit a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 108,372.
Power train, Oct 20, 2022
Transmission slipping, stalling, jerking.needs a clutch pack and some other stuff. One of the codes said transmission friction element "A" stuck on. This is a 2017 model the 2012-2016 ford focuses was recalled the Fords DSPS power shift transmission. The they installed the exact same transmission in the 2017-18 models even though they had lawsuits/recalls. But the 2017 are having the same issues and won't fix the issue!
Fuel system, Gasoline, Oct 19, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle would not immediately start-up. The contact stated that several attempts were needed to restart the vehicle. The vehicle would idle rough after start-up. The contact would depress the accelerator while the vehicle was in park(P) and rev the engine to 3,000 RPM before the vehicle would operate normally. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure to start up after fueling was intermittent; however, the failure occurred more frequently. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle he had to depress the accelerator pedal down for a minute or two and take several attempts to start the vehicle. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer who diagnosed that the canister purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V515000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
Power train, Oct 17, 2022
The transmission is not functioning properly. The vehicle experiences jerking, slipping, bucking, sudden and/or delayed acceleration, and transmission failure. There is a check engine light and a transmission failure warning sign that comes on. This is a safety hazard as the car does not accelerate reliably and will temporarily stall in the middle of intersections, highways, onramps, etc. I talked to several mechanics who say that this is likely due to a PCM issue. I brought it to a Ford dealership to check into, but they could not run a diagnostics test because there was no recall associated with my VIN.