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, 2024
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 not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. 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 issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 13, 2024
car is shaking and wanting to drive less and less lately its not moving faster then 20 mph. I have no other way to work and I'm sure this will cause an accident soon.
Power train, Aug 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while attempting to accelerate from being idle, the vehicle was lunging forward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the contact was unaware of the diagnostic result. The dealer informed the contact that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle had been repaired. The failure occurred approximately 5 years after the repair. While driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle experienced the failure and the transmission started to slip. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had been taken to another dealer where it was diagnosed and DTC code: PO7A3 (Transmission Failure) was retrieved. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 25,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 5, 2024
See attached document for complaint
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Aug 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that since purchasing the vehicle, the check engine light had remained on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with a defective engine hose. The contact was unable to repair the vehicle. Since the initial failure, the contact stated the engine Auto Stop/Start feature had failed to operate as needed and the engine failed to start as designed while at a stop light. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was jerking upon depression of the accelerator pedal. There was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. The vehicle had been towed to several dealers where multiple repairs were performed; however, the failure returned after each repair. The vehicle was eventually diagnosed with engine failure and the contact was given an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 200.
Engine, Aug 3, 2024
My car, which has just over 70,000 miles on it, has a malfunctioning transmission, often stalling, revving, failing to shift gears or reverse, and other issues, putting me and my passengers in potentially dangerous situations. I have taken my car to the mechanic twice and after replacing the clutches, the clutch motors, and the TCM, the problem has only worsened and he’s verified that the problem lies in the transmission itself.
Engine, Aug 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shut off. The contact stated that the check engine and oil pressure warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 31, 2024
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 not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the vehicle was not diagnosed, and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,462. VIN tool confirms part not available.
Engine, Jul 30, 2024
The transmission is failing , it says to service now. I went And got a quote and I might as well get a new car =(
Power train, Jul 28, 2024
Start transmission bucks under load and stalls out bad clutch forks
Power train, Jul 23, 2024
The car was not picking up speed on the freeway; having issues shifting. Make me stop on the freeway putting me at risk of an accident. I was able to go to the shoulder. on the dashboard, I have a message saying the transmission overheated, wait for 5 minutes. I did wait and the car started again. I took it to the dealer and they told me it was a failure of the Module. AE8Z*7Z369*FMODULE - TRANSMISSION CONTROL. TR26 TCM - Replace/Program DPS6 This should not happen in a car with only 100K miles. Also, there should be a recall because it is dangerous for the people when the car almost stops in the middle of the freeway.
Air bags, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 19, 2024
my transmission started slipping like it was in neutral and coming to a stop when it downshifted to low gear it would lunge forward the ford garage said it was tcm but didnt have the part i dont know what to do i need a car
Engine, Jul 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road before stalling. The vehicle was not able to be restarted. The contact attempted to jumpstart the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had seized, and that an unknown part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 93,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 15, 2024
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 not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 15, 2024
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 and engine cooling, Jul 10, 2024
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 not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 9, 2024
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 not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. 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 and engine cooling, Power train, Jul 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20-25 MPH, there was a loud clunking sound coming from underneath the front-end of the vehicle. The contact stated that the gear shifter was shifted into reverse(R); however, the vehicle failed to respond. The dashboard displayed the message, "Default of the Transmission". The vehicle had been taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission and catalytic converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was 142,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Jul 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The contact stated that the vehicle unexpectedly shifted out of gear. Additionally, the engine was overheating. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and was informed there was no warranty coverage on the vehicle. The vehicle was diagnosed by a mechanic and it was determined that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 2, 2024
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 not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. 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 issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 1, 2024
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 not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the oil pressure warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed as a failure with the long block and metal contamination in the oil pump tensioner which caused the engine to fail. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure The failure mileage was approximately 39,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Power train, Jun 26, 2024
I purchased the vehicle in 2019 and noticed significant shuddering almost immediately. This was surprising as the vehicle was only 2 years old at the time. The vehicle has particularly intense shuddering when accelerating from a stop on any slope, sometimes seeming as it can't make it up steeper inclines at all. I took the vehicle to a Ford dealership 3 times within the first year or so of ownership (while it was still under warranty) and they replaced the clutch each time, even though this only helped the suddering for a short period (a month or two) each time. It was after this time (after the warranty had lapsed), that I realised transmission issues with my make and model were very common and similar to what I was experiencing. The shuddering has persisted over the last 5 years, and has worstened in the last couple of years. Lately, the transmission issues have also included Slipping. Frequently, when accelerating, the vehicle will often not respond (or respond very slowly). This is especially true when shifting into or out of reverse. These issues make the vehicle a safety issue and should be addressed by Ford.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. Also, while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly began to lose automotive power and the red oil warning light began to flash off and on. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the oil pump drive belt and oil pump tensioner had failed causing severe damages to the engine. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 53,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 21, 2024
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 not yet available. 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.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jun 21, 2024
Car lost power in the middle of the road, pulled over and it seemed fine when I checked it but as I drove off again the engine fault light came on and it started overheating and said to pull over immediately to not damage the engine. Afterwards, it’s not able to start at all. It’s been at the ford dealership ever since awaiting ford to fix the problem, meanwhile I’m stuck making payments on a car that is undriveable with no idea of when I will be able to drive it again.