Ford Focus

Where it stands out against its peers

• Power train: more complaints than 95% of 2012 cars — 38% of its 3,796 complaints, where an ordinary 2012 car has 12%.
• Steering: more complaints than 92% of 2012 cars — 25% of its 3,796 complaints, where an ordinary 2012 car has 9%.
• Latches/locks/linkages: more complaints than 97% of 2012 cars — 4% of its 3,796 complaints, where an ordinary 2012 car has 0%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• POWER TRAIN — 958 owners reported this, 12 involving a crash, 2 involving a fire
• STEERING — 768 owners reported this, 13 involving a crash, 1 involving a fire
• STRUCTURE — 266 owners reported this, 2 involving a crash
• FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 141 owners reported this
• ENGINE — 117 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 102 owners reported this, 2 involving a crash
• LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES — 99 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 97 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

12% of 2018 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• Do not drive

  14V514000

  The incorrectly manufactured steering gears may cause impaired steering, including the loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gears, free of charge. The recall began on November 11, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S18.

• 12E035000

  Without proper contact of the rooftop rack clip to the door frame, there is insufficient clamping pressure and friction. The system may slide off the vehicle when loaded with accessories, possibly becoming a road hazard to other vehicles or causing injury to pedestrians.

  Yakima will notify owners, and Yakima or a Yakima dealer will refund the purchase of the Q-Tower and Q-128 Clip system. There is no replacement system available for the 2012-2013 model year Ford Focus. The safety recall began on October 15, 2012. Only vehicles equipped with the vehicle rack system are affected. This recall is being conducted by Yakima, not Ford. Owners may contact Yakima at 1-888-925-4621.

• 12V149000

  WATER OR OTHER CONTAMINANTS MAY ACCUMULATE IN THE CONNECTOR, RESULTING IN AN INTERMITTENT OR INOPERATIVE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER MOTOR, REDUCING VISIBILITY AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

  FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND AS NECESSARY, CLEAN AND PROPERLY SEAL THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER MOTOR CONNECTOR. ANY INOPERATIVE WIPER MOTORS WILL BE REPLACED. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 21, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.

• 13V085000

  The operator may incorrectly believe the child lock is engaged. However, the door may be opened from the inside, increasing the risk of injury to an unrestrained child.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected rear door latches, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.

• 13V335000

  Without the proper illumination of the side maker lamps, the vehicle may be less visible in night time conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will modify the headlamp assembly wiring, free of charge. The recall began on August 16, 2013. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13C04.

• 14V495000

  The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S17.

• 14V525000

  A reduction in fuel pressure may result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the FDM, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S20.

• 15V005000

  If the fuel pump fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S30.

16 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Timing Belt Failure

  Engineering analysis, opened July 2026, still open.

• Timing Belt Failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened December 2025, closed July 2026.

• Oil Pump Failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened September 2023, closed February 2024.

• Loss of Motive Power

  Recall query, opened September 2023, closed December 2024.

• Pedestrian alert sounds

  Defect petition, opened January 2023, closed August 2023.

• Door Latch Failures

  Recall query, opened December 2019, closed February 2022.

• Door Latch Failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened January 2016, closed October 2016.

• Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit

  Audit query, opened November 2010, closed December 2015.

• Tire valve cracking

  Preliminary evaluation, opened October 2008, closed April 2009.

• Rear door latch failure

  Engineering analysis, opened August 2004, closed February 2005.

• Rear door latch failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened April 2004, closed August 2004.

• Front susp collapse/wheel separation

  Engineering analysis, opened September 2002, closed February 2003.

• Engine stalling

  Engineering analysis, opened September 2002, closed January 2004.

• Burn injuries due to air bag deployment

  Engineering analysis, opened August 2002, closed August 2003.

• Engine compartment fires

  Engineering analysis, opened July 2002, closed November 2002.

• Front suspension lower control arm

  Preliminary evaluation, opened May 2002, closed September 2002.

• Engine stalling

  Preliminary evaluation, opened April 2002, closed September 2002.

• Engine compartment fires

  Preliminary evaluation, opened March 2002, closed July 2002.

• Inappropriate air bag deployment

  Preliminary evaluation, opened February 2002, closed September 2002.

• Air bag burn injuries/vehicle fires

  Preliminary evaluation, opened February 2002, closed August 2002.

• Rear wheel bearing

  Preliminary evaluation, opened February 2002, closed November 2002.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Ford filed 106 bulletins about the 2018 Focus.

• Electrical system: 39
• Equipment: 28
• Engine and engine cooling: 11
• Power train: 9
• Engine: 3
• Equipment adaptive/mobility: 3
• Structure: 3
• Seats: 2
• Back over prevention: 1
• Communication: 1
• Other: 6

• Certain 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco, 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco Sport, 2020-2022 Model Year Corsair and Escape, 2016-2024 Model Year Explorer, 2019-2020 Model Year Fusion, 2016-2018 Model Year Focus… · June 2026
• Harvest Program 25H05 – Supplement #1 Certain 2011-2021 Model Year Vehicles Software Verification Harvest Program · April 2026
• Certain 2015 - 2018 Model Year Focus Vehicles with 1.0L Engine Canister Purge Valve (CPV) Replacement (if required) and Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming Submitting Owner Letter · April 2026
• Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation · March 2026
• Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code.… · February 2026
• Certain 2015 - 2018 Model Year Focus Vehicles with 1.0L Engine Canister Purge Valve (CPV) Replacement (if required) and Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming · January 2026
• This is a proactive investigation program by Ford Motor Company to inspect a limited number of affected vehicles that are customer-owned. Ford is voluntarily conducting this program to evaluate the… · December 2025
• This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not… · December 2025

98 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.