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.
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.
Power train, Aug 15, 2025
My 2017 Ford Focus has problems with the automatic transmission. It shudders and jerks so badly. It has even shut off on me in the middle of a 4 way intersection with the message “Transmission Fault Service Now” it was not safe. I could have been hurt, or worse. I had the transmission control module replaced, but it did not help. It continues to shift and jerk horribly. It’s hard to accelerate in speed as well.
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, Jul 28, 2025
I was driving and got a large nail in my tire. I pulled over and fixed my and went to start my car. The battery had died and we jumped it. We let it charge for a little bit and then started it back up. It started just fine and I went to put it in reverse to drive away and it wouldn’t engage but would engage to drive forward. We hooked the scanner to it and it was showing the TCM code. We took it to ford and they’re saying the A and B clutch are stuck and they need to replace both clutches as it’s a dual clutch transmission and the lever and actuator. The focus has 89,000 miles on it and ford is charging $4100 for a known transmission issue.
Power train, Jul 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted and the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted. 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 NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 73,001.
Power train, Jul 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered, and the transmission was slipping. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was test-driven, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact stated while driving 55-60 MPH, a message indicating that the transmission had overheated, and that the vehicle was overridden and would shut down was displayed. The vehicle stalled. The service warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to Akron Transmission Inc, where it was diagnosed that the dual clutch assembly had failed and needed to be replaced. 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 6.
Power train, Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Jul 23, 2025
Ford Focus 2017 Hatchback causing traffic jams and backup do to low speed, overheating, stalling, jerky shifting, Failure to move or hesitation in the middle of driving, causing the car to stop or slow down in the middle of traffic and blocking exits and cars from moving around the vehicle. Transmission overheating and car says to pull over when driving after a few minutes. Powertrain is affected car not driving at correct speed. Transmission clutch a disengaged and having a hard time engaging. Constant clutch issues. Causing issues to driver safety and others on the road. Ford knows about these models but are failing to fix at affordable price or provide warranty. Not upholding customer satisfactory.
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
Power train, Jul 7, 2025
We have a 2017 Ford Focus Hatchback with a 2.0L engine and a Powershift transmission. We are the original owners and the vehicle only has 56,000 miles. The vehicle, when accelerating and shifting from 1st gear to second gear, is slipping, yielding a loss of torque in an unpredicted fashion. My daughter has nearly been rearended several times. The slip and reengagement is only in this shifting pattern (i.e. not evident in higher gears nor at higher speeds). Ford service acknowledges that there is a problem but is not warrantying the service do to the age of the vehicle. My contention that unintended acceleration is a safety issue and I would like NHTSA to investigate this very serious issue, on such a low mileage vehicle. I worry about the safety of my daughter and other vehicles.
Power train, Jul 7, 2025
The contact called on behalf of the owner of a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his friend was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and unexpectedly downshifted. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The owner of the vehicle pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 91,000.
Power train, Jun 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered while shifting between 1st and 2nd gear, or upon acceleration. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 56,000.
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.
Power train, Jun 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle misfired. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Power train, Jun 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle had hesitated to start. Additionally, the contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle started sputtering, the RPMs increased, and the vehicle lost drive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The messages "Transmission Overheat" and "Transmission Failure. Could be Overheating - Pull Vehicle over Asap" were displayed. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road. The vehicle was restarted and was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer, where the vehicle made an abnormal rattling sound. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,463.
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.
Power train, May 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds on several occasions, the vehicle started shuddering. The vehicle was taken to a dealer twice where it was diagnosed, and the dual clutch was replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred approximately two years later. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.