The Ford Focus has 45 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 2000–2018. On average a defect was admitted 4.45 years after the car was built, the slowest took 14 years. The most recalled system is Fuel System, Gasoline (7 campaigns). Owners also filed 19,080 complaints on this model — see what breaks.
What was recalled on the Ford Focus
Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.
Fuel System, Gasoline 7 Read
What's wrong. 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
Risk. 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
Fix. 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.…
What's wrong. 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
Risk. An engine that stalls while driving increases the risk of a crash
Fix. Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 6, 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…
What's wrong. 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
Risk. 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
Fix. 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.…
Exterior Lighting 6 Read
What's wrong. Ford is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Focus BEV vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured September 15, 2011, through May 6, 2013; and model year 2013 Focus ST vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured February 16, 2012, through May 7, 2013. Due to a wiring incompatability, the front side marker lamps may not function. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk. 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
Fix. 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
What's wrong. Ford is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Focus BEV vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured September 15, 2011, through May 6, 2013; and model year 2013 Focus ST vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured February 16, 2012, through May 7, 2013. Due to a wiring incompatability, the front side marker lamps may not function. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk. 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
Fix. 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
What's wrong. K2 motor is recalling 1,921 aftermarket headlamps of various models sold for use on the above listed vehicles. These headlamps are missing the amber side reflex reflector which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Risk. Without the amber side reflex reflectors, the lighting visibility may be affected, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash
Fix. K2 motor will notify owners and offer a full refund. The recall began on decemeber 17, 2008. Owners may contact k2 motor at 1-909-839-2992
Latches/locks/linkages 5 Read
What's wrong. 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."
Risk. 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
Fix. 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
What's wrong. 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."
Risk. 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
Fix. 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
What's wrong. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not
Risk. A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant
Fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S30
Electrical System 5 Read
What's wrong. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured April 1, 2014, to June 12, 2015, Ford Focus vehicles manufactured June 17, 2014, to June 12, 2015, and Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured April 22, 2014, to June 12, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the engine may continue to run after the key or the START/STOP engine button is turned to off. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Risk. If the engine does not turn off as expected, someone could move the transmission shifter out of park and the vehicle may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. The recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C06
What's wrong. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured January 11, 2012, to April 1, 2013, and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles manufactured May 03, 2012, to October 14, 2013. Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor may provide incorrect signals to the powertrain control module (PCM)
Risk. The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began on January 7, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S17-S1
What's wrong. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to April 1, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines and Focus ST vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to October 14, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines. Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor may provide incorrect signals to the powertrain control module (PCM)
Risk. The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. 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
Equipment 4 Read
What's wrong. 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
Risk. An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire
Fix. 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…
What's wrong. 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
Risk. An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire
Fix. 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,…
What's wrong. 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
Risk. An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire
Fix. 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…
Power Train 3 Read
What's wrong. 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
Risk. 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
Fix. 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…
What's wrong. 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
Risk. 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
Fix. Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 6, 2026. 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…
What's wrong. 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
Risk. 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
Fix. 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…
Structure 2 Read
What's wrong. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Focus and C-Max vehicles. The floor pan may have improperly welded left-hand apron joints
Risk. Improperly welded apron joints may reduce the front-end structural integrity of the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash
Fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the apron joints, repairing the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S03
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain vehicles fail to comply with requirements of fmvss no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact." the resultant hic(d) value at one target location ap1, located on the trim panel at the juncture of the a-pillar and roof side rail, may be greater than design intent
Risk. In the event of a crash, an occupant contacting that location may not be provided the interior impact protection intended
Fix. Dealers will remove the left and right side b-pillar and a-pillar trim panels, revise the headliner edge near the tops of the a-pillars to accept the new a-pillar trim panels with their energy absorbing tubes, and install the new a-pillar and the old b-pillar trim panels
Steering 2 Read
What's wrong. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014 Focus and C-Max vehicles manufactured August 8, 2014, to August 15, 2014. The affected vehicles may have steering gears that were incorrectly assembled
Risk. The incorrectly manufactured steering gears may cause impaired steering, including the loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. 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
What's wrong. Certain passenger vehicles have loose pinch bolts that secure the lower control arm to the steering knuckle have been reported
Risk. Loose pinch bolts could exhibit noise, vibration and, in extreme cases if left uncorrected, separation of the joint or fracture of the ball joint stud, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect the steering knuckle pinch bolt for tightness and correct as necessary. Owner notification began february 10, 2003. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332
What's wrong. Certain passenger vehicles have loose pinch bolts that secure the lower control arm to the steering knuckle have been reported
Risk. Loose pinch bolts could exhibit noise, vibration and, in extreme cases if left uncorrected, separation of the joint or fracture of the ball joint stud, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect the steering knuckle pinch bolt for tightness and correct as necessary. Owner notification began february 10, 2003. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332
Visibility 2 Read
What's wrong. Ford is recalling certain model year 2012 focus vehicles manufactured from august 1, 2010, through october 18, 2011. A seal in the wiring harness connector to the passenger side wiper motor may be missing
Risk. 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
Fix. 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…
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and light and medium duty pickup trucks. A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, or ignition of the plastic cover material. Switch malfunction is most likely to occur when the intermittent setting of the wipers is being used, or when snow or ice obstructs the blades from returning to the "parked" position at the bottom of the windshield. These vehicles were built at the following assembly plants: atlanta plant from 2/11/00 through 7/31/00; chicago…
Risk. Loss of visibility while driving increases the risk of a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. Motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. Owner notification began august 20, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and light and medium duty pickup trucks. A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, or ignition of the plastic cover material. Switch malfunction is most likely to occur when the intermittent setting of the wipers is being used, or when snow or ice obstructs the blades from returning to the "parked" position at the bottom of the windshield. These vehicles were built at the following assembly plants: atlanta plant from 2/11/00 through 7/31/00; chicago…
Risk. Loss of visibility while driving increases the risk of a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. Motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. Owner notification began august 20, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
Wheels 2 Read
What's wrong. This is not a safety recall in accordance with the safety act. However, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency. Vehicle description: 2000-2001 ford focus passenger vehicles, originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohiom, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin. In high corrosion areas, where salt is used on roadways in the winter, the rear wheel bearing seal race can experience surface corrosion. If this condition occurs, the wheel bearing seals could become damaged and…
Risk. The wheel bearings could prematurely wear and cause a noticeable noise. If not repaired, this condition could progress to the point where the wheel begins to wobble
Fix. Dealers will replace the rear wheel bearings at no cost to the consumer. Additional bearing seals will also be installed to ensure a smooth ride. This program will be in effect until december 31, 2002, regardless of mileage. Even if the vehicle has already been serviced under recall campaign 00s31, ford has taken…
What's wrong. This is not a safety recall in accordance with the safety act. However, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency. Vehicle description: 2000-2001 ford focus passenger vehicles, originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohiom, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin. In high corrosion areas, where salt is used on roadways in the winter, the rear wheel bearing seal race can experience surface corrosion. If this condition occurs, the wheel bearing seals could become damaged and…
Risk. The wheel bearings could prematurely wear and cause a noticeable noise. If not repaired, this condition could progress to the point where the wheel begins to wobble
Fix. Dealers will replace the rear wheel bearings at no cost to the consumer. Additional bearing seals will also be installed to ensure a smooth ride. This program will be in effect until december 31, 2002, regardless of mileage. Even if the vehicle has already been serviced under recall campaign 00s31, ford has taken…
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The rear wheel hub retaining nuts can loosen and allow the left rear wheel and brake drum assembly to separate from the vehicle
Risk. This condition could result in a vehicle crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect the rear wheel bearings and install a rear wheel retention cap to prevent left rear wheel separation. Owner notification began october 12, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should…
How long a defect stays unadmitted
Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gap before admission | 4.45 years |
| Slowest campaign | 14 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | 45.2% |
| Campaigns on record | 45 |
Which Focus years were recalled most
Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.
| Model year | Campaigns | Most recalled system |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| 2017 | Latches/locks/linkages | |
| 2016 | Latches/locks/linkages | |
| 2015 | Electrical System | |
| 2014 | Electrical System | |
| 2013 | Equipment | |
| 2012 | Equipment | |
| 2008 | Air Bags | |
| 2007 | Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| 2006 | Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| 2005 | Latches/locks/linkages | |
| 2004 | Latches/locks/linkages | |
| 2003 | Latches/locks/linkages | |
| 2002 | Latches/locks/linkages | |
| 2001 | Seats | |
| 2000 | Structure |
Check your own car
A campaign applies to a range of production, not to every car of the model. The only way to know whether yours is affected — and whether the repair was already done — is by VIN.
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Enter the VIN above | Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA |
| Check the repair status | Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car |
| Book at any franchised dealer | Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner |
Go deeper
A campaign covers a production range. Yours is one car.
- Check whether this exact VIN is affected — and whether the fix was done
- Alerts if a new campaign lands on a car in your garage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Ford Focus have?
45 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 2000–2018. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.
Is recall work free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.
How do I know if my Focus still has an open recall?
Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.
Why did a defect take years to be recalled?
On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 4.45 years, and the slowest campaign came 14 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.