10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
17,651 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #17

Jan 092023

Focus

  • 92,000 miles
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.

- Newton Grove, NC, USA

problem #16

Nov 232023

Focus

  • miles
While driving on I75 the car started to act funny. No issue indicating lights came on the dash board. I exited the highway and the brakes did not work. I was able to get the car to eventually stop without damaging anyone. I had to use the hand break. My foot had the break peddle all the way to the floor and that would not stop the car. Once the car was stopped the check engine light came on when i tried to start the car. The car was towed to the nearby Ford dealership who determined the oil pump failed which caused the turbo to fail and 2 of the 3 pistons to fail. Engine, oil pump and turbo all had to be replaced. The break pump also had to be replaced. These were all related to the oil pump failure. This could have been so much worse had i had to slow down or come to a sudden stop on the highway. Or if there was any oncoming traffic at the exit intersection i had to go through without breaks.

- Roswell, GA, USA

problem #15

Feb 012024

Focus

  • miles
I am writing to urgently submit a formal complaint regarding a critical safety issue with my Ford Focus, VIN: [XXX], and Ford's alarming failure to promptly notify owners about the defect described in Safety Recall 23S64. On [XXX], I experienced a terrifying incident while driving on the highway when my car suffered a sudden loss of power braking, resulting in a near miss accident and inflicting emotional distress. I towed the vehicle to a Ford dealer for assessment, where it was determined that the engine had failed and required a full replacement. After doing research myself, I found that my car is among those affected by Safety Recall 23S64, a fact of which I was completely unaware until after the incident. According to Ford's own communication to US dealers, new or in-stock vehicles under this recall are not to be demonstrated or delivered until repair instructions are provided, and customer notifications are to be issued only after repair instructions and parts ordering information are made available to dealers. At the moment, I have yet to receive any such notification or communication from Ford, despite my vehicle being directly impacted by the defect outlined therein. Furthermore, Ford expects me to shoulder the financial burden of the necessary repairs upfront, with the promise of reimbursement once the full FSA bulletin is released, a process that may extend until June. I am lucky this situation was a near miss, however, for others this might be a life threatening experience. If Ford does not take immediate action to remedy those who have been affected early on in the recall, I will have to seek legal action for Ford's negligence, seeking compensation for material costs associated with the repair of my vehicle, as well as recompense for lost wages due to lack of transportation, the cost of a rental vehicle, and the significant emotional distress I experienced during this harrowing experience. Thank you for your urgent attention. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA)

- Missouri City, TX, USA

problem #14

Jan 082024

Focus

  • miles
Engine oil light came on. Lost my brakes. Upon inspection brake vacuum pump failed. And turbo failed from oil starvation. Problem found. oil pump screen blocked off with belt particles.

- Wallback, WV, USA

problem #13

Jan 032024

Focus

  • miles
The engine died while I was driving with my fiance, and the steering gave out. There was a loss of power to both the engine and brakes. The timing of shifting was inconsistent and I couldn't keep up with speed of traffic. Ford has confirmed that there is a problem with my vehicle and that the engine could explode. This is from their recall live on their site: "The engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm to fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt material may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure. A loss of engine oil pressure can result in engine damage and/or seizure, which can result in a loss of motive power and a loss of the mechanical vacuum pump required to provide power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash." My car has been inspected by the local Ford dealership. There was a warning lamp that showed on the dashboard the day I had planned to get an oil change done by the Tuttle-Click Ford. They completed my oil change and did not acknowledge that I had an engine warning light. I had to call them back the same day to ask why the light was still on and if they fixed it, and they said to bring it back in. Once I did, they said they would have to take apart my engine. After bringing it to two other mechanics (the failure getting progressively worse), one of them was kind enough to let me know my car was recalled. Information that Ford never led out with once I brought my car in.

- Dana Point, CA, USA

problem #12

Jan 032024

Focus

  • miles
The engine died while I was driving with my fiance, and the steering gave out. There was a loss of power to both the engine and brakes. The timing of shifting was inconsistent and I couldn't keep up with speed of traffic. Ford has confirmed that there is a problem with my vehicle and that the engine could explode. This is from their recall live on their site: "The engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm to fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt material may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure. A loss of engine oil pressure can result in engine damage and/or seizure, which can result in a loss of motive power and a loss of the mechanical vacuum pump required to provide power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash." My car has been inspected by the local Ford dealership. There was a warning lamp that showed on the dashboard the day I had planned to get an oil change done by the Tuttle-Click Ford. They completed my oil change and did not acknowledge that I had an engine warning light. I had to call them back the same day to ask why the light was still on and if they fixed it, and they said to bring it back in. Once I did, they said they would have to take apart my engine. After bringing it to two other mechanics (the failure getting progressively worse), one of them was kind enough to let me know my car was recalled. Information that Ford never led out with once I brought my car in.

- Dana Point, CA, USA

problem #11

Jan 232024

Focus

  • 80,000 miles
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.

- Natick, MA, USA

problem #10

Jan 202024

Focus

  • miles
While driving 70mph on the highway my oil pressure light came on and I loss all power to my engine. I tried pressing the brakes and nothing happened. I lost ability to accelerate and then the brakes got hard and locked up so therefore lost ability to stop. I was able to coast off of an exit off the highway and had to try to not cause an accident until my car finally coasted to a stop. I had it towed to Portage ford in Portage Wisconsin and they told me that there is an advance notice recall but would not diagnose my car. They told me that they cannot do anything because the recall is just an advance notice and they are unable to open a repair order on it. They told me that because they could not open a repair order they could not verify that it was in fact the recall and told me that I would need to purchase a new engine completely. My oil had been recently changed and the oil levels were checked and they were good as well as the consistency. The recall is exactly word for word what happened but they told me the engine would be $6,000 and the labor would be 25 hours and likely another $6,000 so they qualified my vehicle as a total loss and that they wouldn't be able to give me more than $1,000 for my trade in. They said the Kelly blue book value was only a little under $8,000. My vehicle has a little over 50,000 miles on it only and was just out of powertrain warranty by maybe a month or two. This forced me into having to purchase a new car. They told me that if they found that it was related to the recall once they were able to open a repair order they would cut me a check for $5,000 because my car is obviously worth more than $1,000. I had just replaced the battery, front brakes and tires. No body damage or interior damage that would qualify the vehicle as lower trade in value. I bought it brand new and only owed $1,641on it and it would have been paid off completely. This is CLEARLY the recall but they refused to acknowledge it.

- St. Francis, WI, USA

problem #9

Oct 282023

Focus

  • miles
The brake got stuck and made it very difficult to start the car. Considering it-??s a push start. The car then started misfiring and had trouble accelerating. Took it to Ford Auto Nation a few weeks later as it had not advanced, they informed me that the clutch and petal had to be replaced along with a few other parts.

- Marietta, GA, USA

problem #8

Jul 212023

Focus

  • miles
Vehicle has less than 70,000 miles on it. While driving lost oil pressure and brakes. Yes available for inspection. When pressure was lost and brakes failed I could not have stopped to avoid an accident. Multiple articles on the pump failure. Spoke with Ford they say not their problem. No warning. Engine light came on with brake light while driving. Car has been sitting parked. https://www.thedrive.com/news/self-clogging-ford-oil-pumps-lead-feds-to-investigate-1-0-liter-ecoboost-engines#

- Lafayette, IN, USA

problem #7

Jan 052021

Focus

  • 56,000 miles
When coming from a complete stop at a red light upon pressing the gas to put yhe vehicle in motion again, it stalls before taking off. The airbag under the steering wheel deployed when my knee bumped it. When putting gas in the car the car will not start back up, it starts N turns off on its own.

- Lauderhill, FL, USA

problem #6

Sep 032020

Focus

  • 32,875 miles
I bought my 2018 Ford Focus hatchback on 06/23/2018 and on 09/03/20 I had to have my front and rear rotors and brake pads replaced. The rotor was cracked and they were really rusted. Making my car undrivable. This makes me sick that Ford uses such cheap parts that I myself as a poor michigander had to replace rotors and brake pads within 2 years of buying a brand new car.

- Toivola, MI, USA

problem #5

Jun 222019

Focus

  • 13,000 miles
Transmission clunks and shudders at times when driving. While engine running in the stop position, brake peddle goes to the floor.

- Martinsburg, WV, USA

problem #4

Mar 272019

Focus 4-cyl

  • miles
2018 Ford Focus. Consumer writes in regards to vehicles braking system. The consumer stated the vehicle needed a major braking system replacement. The dealer was notified and stated the failure was due to the owner residing near an ocean. The consumer owned multiple vehicle's in the same environment that did not experience a similar.

- Palm Beach, FL, USA

problem #3

Jan 192019

Focus

  • 23,200 miles
The 2018 Ford Focus ti started to give me problems when braking and accelerating, the fist was when taking off at a stop light, the Focus accelerated more when slowing down and braking to a car in front of me, it was like I was hitting gas pedal and brake at the same time. After that on the same day I was driving up a hill and it was accelerating with out pressing on the gas pedal I hit the brakes again and it finally stopped, when I got to my destination I put the car in park and again press the brake it revved up to 3000 rpms and did not stop until I press the run/stop button. The next day I was driving and did a hard stop it about stalled with rpms going down to 400 and fluctuating up to 1200 rpms, with all this was going on my brakes felt soft then hard, the transmission also clicked two times when hard stopping.

- Colorado Springs, CO, USA

problem #2

Aug 182018

Focus

  • miles
Hit someone due to no brakes. Then later when trying to still hear air in brakes was going 10 mph

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #1

May 032018

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 3,000 miles
The contact rented a 2018 Ford Focus from enterprise rent-A-car. While driving approximately 15 mph, the contact's vehicle lost braking ability and struck another vehicle on the side of the road. The contact stated that the brake pedal traveled to the floorboard. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was towed back to enterprise rent-A-car and not diagnosed. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 3,000. VIN not available. Consumer stated the brakes would not grab. Car just kept moving because consumer was traveling at a low rate of speed, there was a minor damage to both cars. Updated 9/26/18

- Mckinney, TX, USA