general problems of the 2018 Ford Focus - part 1

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shuddering, jerking, and hesitating to accelerate as needed. The vehicle then stalled. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinders and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 26v011000 (equipment); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

Engine light is on with the code reading the clutch and the transmission is overheating with sticking gears as I drive.

All a sudden struggling to start. Crankshaft was bad and replaced. Still had issues. Checked plugs and they needed replaced less than 18. 5k miles since engine and plugs replacement (under previous owner). Still had trouble starting. At least 12 different codes. Dropped off for diagnostics and now they're saying they found coolant in the cylinders and I need a whole new updated engine. If the engine was replaced just under 2 years ago, why was the updated engine not used?? engine replaced at 65k miles in April 2024. I bought the car used in July 2025 with 78k. Car now has 84k. I can tell you the exact miles I was able to get out of it was 7887. That's it. I have not had my car since thanksgiving 2025. This issue is still ongoing.

Recall 23s64 was completed and immediately was smelling and losing oil. Took back to dealer twice and second time they said it was fixed. A few thousand miles later I had sudden turbo failure. Lost all power and a huge amount of smoke making it impossible for me and other highway drivers to see. The turbo failed.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v905000 (engine and engine cooling). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the oil pressure and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the camshaft sensor was not operating properly. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the residence, where a handheld diagnostic machine confirmed a failure with the camshaft. The contact’s son became aware that the rear sensor was covered in oil and the front sensor was dry. The vehicle was driven for 20 minutes but the failure persisted. Three separate dealers were contacted, but the contact was informed parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but was unable to assist because parts were not available, even though it was indicated that parts were available. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.

The engine stopped running do to bad timing belt / oil pump belt.

At 80000miles I noticed misfires and replaced original spark plugs per spec at 107578, misfires occurred, when I pulled plugs pos 1 was completely worn out, as well as pos 4. Codes were seen p0304 and p0301. Car ran well after replacement. I have been troubled by loss of coolant lately and could find no leaks. Also temp gauge in dash “wanders” being retired I can’t afford to go to dealership. I believe spark plugs should not wear out after approx 25000 miles no overheating of engine has occurred . I drive about 12000/yr. Car is available to be seen. Dealer has not seen car concerned problem could cause engine failure. Thank you.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 23v905000 (engine and engine cooling) and was taken to the dealer to be repaired under the recall. Approximately 2-3 months after the recall repair was completed; while driving approximately 25 - 35 mph, the engine made a loud thumping sound. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not returned to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 17,000.

Ref recall #23v905: I brought my 2018 Ford Focus into northside Ford, san antonio on Tuesday, Jan 6th, to comply with referenced recall. I was told that to "get in line" I would have to leave my vehicle at the dealership until parts were available, approximately a one month wait. There was no provision for a written recall wait list - then notify the customer when parts are available. Nor was a loaner car available. I believe such a policy that requires customers to lose use of their vehicle for a month is a barrier to referenced recall compliance. I ask that Ford change their procedure.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v905000 (engine and engine and cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle stalled and stopped in the middle of the roadway. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was unable to pull to the side of the road and activated the hazard lights. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, while the contact and her [xxx] son were picked up by the contact's grandmother. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the failure was engine-related. The contact was informed that the repair would be covered under the recall; however, the part was not yet available. The dealer ordered the part. The contact stated that the vehicle had been with the dealer for approximately six weeks. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The malfunctioned component engine oil pump failed while driving on highway causing the vehicle to both overheat and stall all at once, causing the vehicle to stop running in the middle of a main highway forcing me and another pedestrian to push the car into a gas station, out of the way of oncoming traffic, Ford did send out a recall notice for the failed oil pump in December 2025 the same month my vehicle broke down. The vehicle was inspected by a mechanics shop, master muffler & brake repair shop in wareham MA. As well as empire Ford of new bedford, master muffler & brake concluded that the head gasket had blown, and empire Ford of new bedford concluded the issue was due to a cracked engine block. Prior to any issue there had been no warning signs then once the 2018 Ford Focus began to stall an overheating warning light as well as the check engine light began to flash at the same exact time as the vehicle itself breaking down.

I was driving on a major road at about 40mph. The oil light unexpectedly came on and I experienced a sudden reduction of engine power. There was no prior warning about this issue before the oil light suddenly came on. This power reduction caused unpredictable vehicle driving behavior that could have caused an accident. I was able to get the car to a nearby Ford dealership who told me that the oil light came on because the timing belt started to break apart and began to seize up the engine. They have told me that the entire engine will need to be replaced. The malfunctioning parts should still be available for inspection. So far, only the initial Ford dealership and the auto shop I had my car towed to for repair has inspected the vehicle. I have called Ford directly and they would not help with my problem because there has been no recall issued for my manual Focus model, though the automatic models have been recalled for a very similar or the same issue according to the Ford dealer.

Vehicle experienced a highway-speed overheat and automatic engine shutdown. Inspection revealed antifreeze intrusion into the under-hood engine fuse box, causing widespread fuse degradation and electrical failure. This occurred following recall-related service. Vehicle lost power and is unsafe to operate due to electrical contamination and fire risk. Manufacturer and dealer have been unresponsive.

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 local dealer was contacted several times and informed the contact that the recall repair part had been ordered. 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 had not experienced a failure.

I was driving on a 40mph road, went to pass someone and touched the gas to do so and the car shuddered, lost power, and made a whining noise anytime the turbo would engage. The turbocharger had to be replaced. Luckily this occurred on a road that wasn't busy and was close to home. The car has 55,000mi on it and it meticulously maintained.

My vehicle is part of the 23s64/23v905 Ford recall. The car died in the middle of an intersection in 2024 and Ford finally agreed to replace the faulty parts with more faulty parts until there was a fix. Now there is a fix and Ford said they will not replace it because it's still running, but when/if the parts fail again, to bring it in and they'll fix it. So if the vehicle fails on the interstate or in the middle of an intersection again and I'm in a crash, then they'll fix it. But they will not fix it until they fail because "there are too many not running vehicles in front" of mine.

My wife was driving her car home from work when her car suddenly overheated in light traffic. She pulled over and called me. I came by and we saw that the coolant level was low, so we filled it up to the normal level and she drove it another 20 minutes back to our home. She said it was shuddering the whole way back. I started it in the driveway later that evening and a large amount of white smoke came out of the exhaust pipe and the engine still seemed to be misfiring. I tried starting it again the next day and it would crank but not start. It seems to be an issue with the engine, my guess is a ruptured head gasket. The shuddering caused by the misfires made the car unstable to drive especially if it died while she was at speed with other cars around. The car was towed to a dealer over 30 days ago and they said that it may be related to the open recall, but they won't know until they tear it down. Which they still haven't done. There were no engine codes or prior lamp indications until the overheating event.

The recall has yet to be resolved for me and the nearest appointment is 2 months away, a new problem that has arisen is the transmission jerks, struggles with the car not having any warning indications.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle briefly vibrated violently before returning to normal functionality. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the engine was idling abnormally but was unable provide a diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 23v905000 (engine and engine cooling). The VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. 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 88,000.

On August 26, 2025, my 2018 Ford Focus suffered an engine failure and had to be towed by aaa to [xxx] of saugus. Prior to the tow, service advisor [xxx] confirmed the vehicle could be inspected for secondary engine damage connected to Ford recall 23s64 (oil pump drive belt). On August 29, [xxx] texted me that the engine required replacement due to engine failure but that Ford would not cover it since the oil pump belt itself had “not failed. ” he claimed Ford only covers engine replacement if the belt breaks outright. This is inaccurate: recall obligations extend to secondary damage caused by the defect, which in my case left the car inoperable. When I requested inspection documentation, technician notes, and photos, service director [xxx] and [xxx] told me “there is no checklist” and insisted the car was “drivable,” which was false—I have the aaa tow receipt. Internal correspondence shows [xxx] asking if photos “must have been taken for sssc contact,” yet the case was never escalated to Ford’s special service support center as required. On sept. 30, [xxx] emailed me that he would no longer respond, accused me of manipulating details, threatened storage fees, and refused to perform recall repairs. On oct. 1, in person, he told me [xxx] “does not need to follow Ford recall protocol” because it is a private dealer and that he blocked my vehicle in Ford’s system to prevent any [xxx] location from performing recall work. I believe [xxx] of saugus and Ford motor company have failed to comply with federal recall obligations, misrepresented the condition of my vehicle, refused escalation, and retaliated against me. I respectfully request NHTSA investigate Ford and enforce compliance with recall 23s64 so my vehicle has both the recall and the secondary engine damage repaired, ensuring that my car is safe to drive information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I was on my way to a 7-eleven to get gas once I filled it up. Those engine started sputtering and it did that for a minute until it finally started. I got to my school and then once I needed to go to school to school, my car was not going above 11 mph and when I was trying to reverse, it would not accelerate while reversing.

Engine oil pump stuck canister purge valve clutch fracture my car has difficulty starting. I have had problems with my hill start assist and air bags. My car stalls when I press gas at a light. It makes a funny noise and jerks. My engine light will come on and stalls even more and then the transmission alert comes on my dash to tell me to pull over because it’s over heating. The takeoff is extra slow like a turtle and fluid leaking. I’ve had my car at the same dealership I purchased my car.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that upon attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to crank as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the headgasket, resulting in damage to the engine. The contact informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 93,000.

The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact’s daughter 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. Additionally, the contact's daughter was fearful of driving the vehicle with the open recall. The contact stated that previously the vehicle experienced engine failure and the failure had occurred without warning. The contact stated that his daughter was traumatized and afraid of the failure reoccurring while driving. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unavailable. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

My 2018 Ford Focus broke down in the middle of the road on [xxx] leaving it undrivable. The engine light came on and it gave an error saying “system engine fault, service now” I had it towed to legacy Ford in corbin ky on [xxx] and was they advised it was due to a recall with the with oil pump drive belt and told me it would be covered but they didn’t know how long it would take…. After having it for over a month, they called and said it was finished and ready for pick-up so I picked my car up on September 9th (still was driving weird) and picked my kids up from school & daycare, then went home so I only drove it about an hour before parking it. I went to leave to take my son to school the next morning and before I even pulled out of the driveway, the same error message had kicked on and the engine would seize and died- which is the same exact thing it did whenever it initially broke down…. Well they had it towed back to them on Wednesday September 10th so they could take a look at it since it was most likely related to the recall… so they called me the next day to let me know they had checked it out and it was an issue with the pcm and is unrelated to the recall and it will be $1,600 to fix it even though it’s doing the same exact thing it did whenever it broke down the first time. I found information supporting the fact that the issues from the recall can most certainly cause damages to the pcm. I also found out my car was part of a class action lawsuit and the plaintiffs allege that Ford internally acknowledges that there is no permanent fix for the alleged defect; however, it continued to manufacture and sale the car. I don’t know what to do at this point but if they aren’t going to make it right then I guess my next step is to speak with an attorney for emotional distress and loss of pay. I tried to resolve the issue with the dealership but they weren’t helpful so customer support opened a case. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v905000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the recall repair was performed twice; however, the failure persisted for almost two months. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that parts might take a while to be available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating, and there was white smoke coming from the exhaust, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinders, causing damages to the engine. 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 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 141,000.

My 2018 Ford Focus (dps6 dual-clutch automatic transmission) suffers from severe hesitation and shuddering when accelerating from a stop, especially under 10 mph. More concerning, the car has stalled multiple times while merging into traffic and during right turns at intersections. We can no longer safely take free right turns due to the risk of the car dying mid-merge. This poses an immediate safety hazard and mirrors known failure patterns in earlier Focus and fiesta models. Ford previously extended warranty coverage for the same tcm defect in 2011–2016 models, but my 2018 — which uses the same dps6 system — has been excluded without explanation. The dealership acknowledged the tcm failure but refused to cover the repair. Instead, they charged me $300 to tell me they would not perform the service Ford originally recommended (a fuel injector purge) and that I now need to replace the tcm entirely. This is a known, documented issue that Ford has admitted to in other years. My car has lost power four times in the last three months, and all signs point to this being the early stages of the same defect. Allowing this failure to persist without coverage or recall is negligent and dangerous. Ford is knowingly placing families like mine at risk by refusing to act. I request an NHTSA investigation into the 2018 Ford Focus dps6 models, which are experiencing the same failures that have already led to recalls, lawsuits, and warranty extensions in earlier years.

See attached document for complaint.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine and oil warning lights were displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the following day, the contact's wife drove the vehicle to the dealer and there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle and the vehicle hesitated while depressing of the accelerator pedal. A diagnostic test was performed which determined that the oil pump drive belt had failed, resulting in engine failure. The contact was later notified of NHTSA campaign number: 23v905000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the contact's vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure but was given the same information as the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the rpm fluctuated while shifting gears, and the transmission shifted erratically. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechani,c where a handheld diagnostic tool retrieved dtc: p07a3. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

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.

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.

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.