2018 Ford Focus
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 835 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 11th highest complaint count among 19 Focus model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 15 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 11 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
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
Representative owner complaints: engine and engine cooling
124 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an oil change was performed. The dealer diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 23, 2024
The contact owned a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a message displayed reading "Low Oil Pressure," after which the vehicle lost significant motive power and was unable to accelerate above 30 MPH. The oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed failures with the timing solenoid and oil pump belt tensioner. The timing solenoid was repaired, the oil pump belt tensioner was not, and the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the fuel pump belt tensioner, resulting in damage to the engine cylinders. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and the VIN was included but parts were not yet available. The contact stated that she had since sold the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 65,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 23, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact veered to the side of the road. The low oil pressure, the check engine, and the battery warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had failed. The dealer determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer informed that contact he needed to pay for the repair out-of-pocket and be reimbursed once the recall parts became available. The failure mileage was approximately 65,619.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, there was smoke coming from underneath the hood, and the vehicle lost motive power. 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 an Auto Collision Center. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the oil pump drive belt had fractured, causing engine and turbo charger damages. The dealer determined that the oil pump drive belt, the engine block, and the turbo charger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was sold because she could not cover the cost of the repair. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which she related to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 59,909.
Service brakes, Engine and engine cooling, Feb 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 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. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. In addition, the contact stated that the brakes were inoperable. The contact's wife had to slam on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that the brakes locked up and the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed engine due to a faulty oil pump. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 92,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and decelerated. The check engine, oil, and engine failure warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and restarted. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired three times, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power with a message indicating an engine failure was displayed. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had seized. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed the residence of the contact's acquaintance. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which the contact related to the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,605.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 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 that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the oil pressure warning light illuminated. The power steering was inoperable, the vehicle went off the road and then lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed oil pump which caused the engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and was unable to accelerate above 50 MPH. The contact was able to pull off the roadway, where the failure persisted. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the oil pump which caused damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and the VIN was included but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact received notification 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 that while his grandson was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine started knocking. The check engine and oil warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and a diagnostic test was performed, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to parts not being available for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the low oil pressure warning light illuminated on the instrument panel, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the oil pump belt tensioner. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The driver was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that coolant intrusion into the engine had damaged the engine. The contact was informed that the engine and catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 94,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact's husband was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the oil pump, resulting in engine damage. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and the VIN was included but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 60,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 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 stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the "Engine Fault - Service Immediately" message flashed on the instrument cluster. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence. The contact attempted to start the vehicle however, the vehicle was making a loud abnormal whirring sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine oil pump drive belt had failed and that the engine and oil pump needed to be replaced; however, the dealer informed the contact that parts were not available to complete the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 80,500. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 31, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the "Service Engine Soon," message was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle then inadvertently lost motive power. The low oil and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the oil pump. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and the VIN was included; however, parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The failure mileage was 64,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Jan 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 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 not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH and slowing for pedestrians in a parking lot, the brake pedal was depressed however, the vehicle failed to slow down as needed. The contact shifted the vehicle to park(P) to stop the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that due to an oil pump failure, the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Service brakes, Jan 25, 2024
The contact's brother-in-law owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his brother-in-law was driving 20 MPH, the vehicle lost braking power. The brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled with the check engine and low-pressure oil lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that an engine replacement was needed. The mechanic informed the contact that the oil pump had failed. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the part to fix the vehicle was not available. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and provided an estimate when parts would become available. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the low oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled into the nearest gas station and added oil to the vehicle. The contact continued driving; however, the failure persisted, and the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the oil pump drive belt tensioner had failed. The mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 56,664.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 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 not made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the check engine and check oil warning lights were illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and advised the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Sep 28, 2023
The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while his daughter was driving 70 MPH, the low oil pressure and check engine warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle started shuddering and then lost motive power. The contact's daughter was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the oil pump pretensioner belt had failed, which caused the engine and the turbo to fail. The dealer informed the contact that the engine and the turbo needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 70,318.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 3, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a Good Year Service Center to be diagnosed. The mechanic retrieved DTC code: P1405 (EGR Valve). The contact stated that a smoke test was performed that indicated that one of the valves remained open. The contact then stated that the valve was lubricated, and the vehicle was presumed repaired; however, the failure recurred. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and the contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Feb 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated and stalled. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle however, the engine failed to turn over. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the oil pump tension assembly and the turbo charger failed to operate as designed. The contact was informed that the engine and the oil pump tension assembly 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. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000
Fuel system, Gasoline, Engine and engine cooling, Jan 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone where a diagnostic test was performed and produced codes: P1450, P0456 indicating (ECM fault) however, the contact stated that the purge valve failed and needed to be replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that vehicle was previously repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Gasoline, May 23, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the purge valve, fuel pump, fuel tank, gasket, and fuel sender valve were replaced. The contact called the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 49,805.