10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
20,752 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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problem #199

Jul 182024

Focus

  • miles
Since I have had this car the engine has been replaced 4 times and transmission once Engine has been replace 3 times under the same warranty due to recalled part I was not in an accident however car broke down while I was in traffic I am putting the latest date car broke down

- Casselberry , FL, USA

problem #198

Apr 142025

Focus

  • miles
I am experiencing symptoms of Safety Recall 23S64 on my 2018 Ford Focus -?" specifically, intermittent oil pressure warning lights. I took my car to a Ford dealer who initially stated the issue may be recall-related, but later refused to inspect the oil pump belt and tensioner unless I paid out of pocket, despite the recall bulletin (MT23S64A) stating Ford will reimburse 2.8 hours of labor for the inspection even if no failure is found. I contacted Ford Customer Relationship Center and they were unable to locate the labor code or confirm the policy, and gave me the same incorrect info. This appears to be a violation of federal recall policy, where the dealership and manufacturer are both refusing to honor a safety recall without charging me for the diagnosis.

- Perrysburg, OH, USA

problem #197

Jan 242025

Focus

  • miles
Recall Reference Number: 23S64 My vehicle experienced oil pressure & power loss, when taken in to be investigated the mechanic found that the oil pump belt that is in the oil pan made of rubber has detreated and there was rubber and metal in the oil. The exact issue described in recall referenced above. When checking to see if my VIN was covered I spoke with Ford and while they verified that my car was made in the correct plant and time frame as VINs that are affected by the recall, but as mine is a manual transmission vs. automatic they say its not covered. Why does that matter when the issue is with a belt in the oil pan, and nothing to do with the transmission.

- Gordonsville, VA, USA

problem #196

Oct 082023

Focus

  • 85,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated and experienced hard transmission shifts. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the transmission clutch and the clutch actuator were replaced. The contact stated that while her significant other was driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The driver was unable to pull to the side of the road. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the driver noticed that the engine had fallen onto the ground. The vehicle was towed to a second dealer, Don Vance Ford, Inc. (MO-38, Marshfield, MO 65706), where it was determined that the motor mounts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle had failed to respond upon shifting to reverse(R). The contact stated that the vehicle was significantly sluggish while shifting into gear. The first dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the transmission control module had failed; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

- Ozark, MO, USA

problem #195

Apr 022025

Focus

  • miles
Oil pump belt and/or oil pump tensioner failure. Could cause engine and brakes to go out. Diagnosed by mechanic. Not available without extensive inspection. Engine light came on followed by oil light. Ford is only recalling affected vehicles with an automatic transmission. Mine is a manual transmission.

- St George, UT, USA

problem #194

Dec 282024

Focus

  • miles
I was going 60mph down the highway when my timing belt snapped and I lost all power. I see ford has a recall for the same engine, the 1.0 3 cylinder ecoboost, same problem, but the recall is only for cars with automatic transmissions. Mine is a manual. It went out completely with no warning. I was left coasting in the dark down the highway. Then left sitting on the side of the highway until someone could pick me up.

- Boone, IA, USA

problem #193

Mar 122025

Focus

  • miles
UNKNOWN Took my vehicle in to check recall and get oil change, and two-days later I had to bring it back. The check engine light came on and they stated that oil was leaking.

- Crosby, TX, USA

problem #192

Jul 012024

Focus

  • miles
Manufacturer Recall Number 23S64 NHTSA Recall Number 23V905 I am sending this from in as my car is still not repaired & has been worked on for over 8 months with no fix for the recall.

- Rancho Cucamonga, CA, USA

problem #191

Mar 172025

Focus

  • 152,910 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 approximate failure mileage was 152,910.

- Fulton, MO, USA

problem #190

Feb 032025

Focus

  • miles
Coolant kept emptying out and causing the engine to overheat randomly. The only warning would be having to immediately pull over right then because the engine was dangerously hot. Heater core had to be replaced because it was extremely damaged even though no accidents or anything happened to cause it to be. The metal of the core just failed in an area cause a huge hole.

- Scottdale, PA, USA

problem #189

May 302022

Focus

  • miles
The current recall issue already happened to my vehicle in 2022 and I had to pay out of pocket to have the entire engine replaced. I have contacted ford to get reimbursed for this due to the recall and they have not responded. Also this recall has been in place since 01/2024 and still no fix.

- Brownsburg , IN, USA

problem #188

Feb 062025

Focus

  • 111,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 14 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended, and the transmission was slipping while shifting between first and second gear. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, no cause of the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on another occasion while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle jerked, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, with the power train and check engine warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to restart; however, the transmission failed to operate as intended. The vehicle was towed to the residence and had not been driven since the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.

- Coushatta, LA, USA

problem #187

Sep 132022

Focus

  • miles
In 2021 there was an issue with my vehicle before 50,000 miles that the engine completely seized and had to be replaced under warranty. It took 3-4 months to get my vehicle fixed and sent to 3 different dealerships because every location did not want to fix the car and we had to fight them to get it back to me. Once I finally got the car back, less than a year later it started to pull a code saying that the engine was over heating and the engine would turn off in the middle of the road and I would have to coast to get out of traffic. Because of the engine replacement I was granted till 80,000 miles for warranty to expire and so I repeatedly brought my car in over the past 3 years for this issue while the car was still under 80,000 and each time I was told there was nothing wrong with the car. Now, the head on the engine is no longer operational and I'm outside of the 80,000 miles warranty. Conveniently, now that that the car is once again at a Ford dealership, they have now found that the head of the engine is cracked and leaked coolant into the engine. The dealership that it is at now is one of the dealerships that looked at it before and told me there was nothing wwrong.

- Surprise, AZ, USA

problem #186

Jan 222025

Focus

  • miles
After working on [XXX], my vehicle made it home, and wouldn't start. After jump starting, I began to drive it to the dealership. My safety, and others, was put at risk when the car began to smoke, lost power in a driving lane, and then burned down with extreme intensity. The dealership isn't helping. Ford said their Office of General Council is still looking into it, but originally denied my claim before saying they would reconsider my case. An official report from the Lakeland Fire Department stated mechanical failure and loss estimated to be equal to $10,000. The engine light blinked on the way home, the oil lamp went off and on, and then the car wouldn't start. These were the only signs prior to a total loss of power and smoke before my life was in jeopardy. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Lakeland, FL, USA

problem #185

Feb 122024

Focus

  • miles
My vehicle seized up as I was driving it and I wrecked it aside a median. I had to tow it to the ford dealership for them to diagnose it as the recall stated. The recall wasn-??t officially out yet, so I had to tow my vehicle back to my house. This happened in February 2024. I have received a new engine, but had to continue to make payments on a car that I was not able to drive and only received a rental within the past 6 weeks since I have paid for new brakes, new battery, new tires, and an alignment. None of these things were covered for the recall except the engine. The dealership clearly states that because my car has been sitting I have to purchase these other items. I have reached out to corporate and the dealership and haven-??t gotten anywhere. I don-??t know if even doing this will help, but I definitely feel taken advantage of. I think someone should reimburse me for tires and battery due to the extended time it sat. Heck, even the brakes too.

- Fayetteville, NC, USA

problem #184

Jun 202022

Focus

  • miles
In June of 2022 We were driving when all the dashboard lit up saying stop immediately, get to a mechanic, engine light and every light was on. We happen to be right near the Ford dealership in our town and pulled right in. After diagnosing it we were told it needed a new engine as the one we have had metal in the oil, it was froze, they had no idea a car with such low miles would do this, that is until they looked it up and found the recall on this car saying this exact thing could happen. It cost $6000 to have it fixed, this was in 2022. We keep getting told parts would be in to fix this problem, Now its almost 2025 and still waiting on parts, , are we to lose another engine? Which by the way, we want a full refund on the one we had to have fixed, , wouldnt have happened if Ford didnt have this problem with their cars.

- Mobile, NM, USA

problem #183

Oct 162024

Focus

  • miles
I bought this car it was used by two other owners. I bought a new battery for this car but there is some kind of electrical problem with smell coming from vents and the radio system keeps shutting off.. keeps giving me a message on the screen that says sh*t off admission or restart engine to save battery then my whole radio system turns off till I turn off my car... Also now it time 4 tries to start my engine. Dash board will turn on but not engine..

- Colorado Springs, CO, USA

problem #182

Oct 312024

Focus

  • miles
This complaint is related to an existing recall for the 1.0L Ecoboost engine in 2016-2018 Ford Focus models. As stated in Recall 23V-905, "The engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm may 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 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. The oil pump drive belt tensioner arm retention caulking joint is not robust to the vibration experienced by the component over time, which can cause arm separation. The tensioner arm can contact the engine balancer shaft, which can cause the tensioner arm to fracture. A greater than expected load on the oil pump drive belt may result in belt degradation. Ford-??s engine design verification testing did not adequately represent the load on the oil pump tensioner system experienced in the vehicle." This recall is written to apply only to 2016-2018 Ford Focus with the 1.0L Ecoboost paired to the automatic transmission - exempting the same car equipped with the manual transmission, even though it has the same faulty engine with faulty oil pump drive belt tensioner. It seems like a miss to not include the manual transmission variant of the same vehicle & engine combination, as the same safety hazards resulting from an oil pump tensioner failure exist! This cause of catastrophic engine failure should be corrected for both the manual and automatic transmission variants of the 2016-2018 Ford Focus 1.0L Ecoboost.

- Athens, AL, USA

problem #181

Mar 012024

Focus

  • 37,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked violently. The transmission and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who replaced the clutch actuator; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.

- Andrews, SC, USA

problem #180

Jul 032024

Focus

  • miles
My son car broke down Towed to Ford Waiting on a back order part since July 1st. No rental available. No loaner and no buyback. 23s66l4 recall#. Number23V905

- Marion, VA, USA

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