general problems of the 2018 Ford Focus - part 1

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.

The fuel pump has failed and causes my car to loose power after the car has started. This is able to occur while operating the vehicle and results in immediate loss of power. This component has been inspected by an auto mechanic and will be looked at by the Ford dealership. A check engine warning appeared on 27oct2025. However, my vehicle had been showing symptoms starting as early as Nov 2023. The symptoms included: a clunking vibration while accelerating the vehicle and switching gears, stalling at low speeds, and making weird noises when switching between gears at low speeds. I first contacted a Ford dealership about these symptoms six months ago.

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 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).

While driving the vehicle at 60 mph in traffic, all propulsion was lost and the car displayed "stop safely now. " fortunately, I had enough momentum to drift to the side of the road, but this was a very unsafe situation. The vehicle was towed to a dealership where they diagnosed the high voltage battery to have experienced a sudden failure. The vehicle has approximately 60k miles, and searching online indicates that this is a common problem at this mileage. The replacement batteries are jow only built to order, so the vehicle has now been out of service for over 2 months while waiting on a replacement battery.

Vehicle keeps dying while in idle or low speed, sometimes hard to crank. Battery/electrical has been checked.

After working on 1/22/2025, 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.

My vehicle has had 3 evap canister valve recall repairs since 2021, I purchased my 2018 Ford Focus titanium brand new in January 2019. I have all receipts. I recently had the 3rd evap canister valve repair January 15,2025. My vehicle had pending codes p144a and p1450 which would have prevented it from passing texas emmissions. My vehicle has also had a transmission control module recall repair -tcm twice, once in 2022 and 2023. My car has had intermitten stalling in the middle of a intersection due to this recall putting me at risk for an accident. My vehicle currently has a pending code p2867 which is the tcm code. I have aaa tow truck history of my vehicle being towed to classic Ford for these repeat repairs. I have taken my car to classic Ford several times in galveston, TX in which they have not successfully repaired these recalls. Which has turned into repeat repairs. Invoices to prove it. Cook Ford in texas city recently repaired the 3rd evap canister valve on January 15, 2025 in which they also found the faulty code for the transmission control module. This is a serious concern.

Additional information to existing case # 11636712. The 3rd evap canister valve repair on 1/15/2025 from cook Ford case# from Ford michigan regarding evap canister valve recall also, a 3rd pending code on the transmission control module on my 2018 Ford Focus listed on the cook Ford repair invoice.

After filling up gas tank, car continues to sputter and tries to stall. This only happens after filling tank.

My car stalls when I get gas. If I get gas, I have to try multiple times to start my car and once it starts, I can’t stop. If I stop, my car will turn off and I have to start it again. My car has died in intersections and on streets many times. I called Ford and they told me that I am basically out of luck and will have to have it repaired on my own dime even though I am having the same symptoms of a current recall.

On several occasions over the last several thousand miles, several issues have developed (all without warning at the time of first occurrence). At random times the engine will shut off when lifting out of the throttle. The car will run out of fuel before the fuel gauge is on empty or the "miles to empty" indicator state there are more miles to empty. Additionally, when shutting off the car to fuel at a gas station, the car takes up to a minute of cranking to re-start. When it starts, it will randomly shut off for the first several minutes unless throttle is applied before it shuts off. On 10/30/24 when driving with the gas gauge and range to empty indicators not on empty, the car stalled when beginning a slight climb, leaving the car stranded at night in the left most lane of traffic. This suggests fuel tank deformation. When issues started, the canister purge valve was tested and found to be working correctly. It appears recall 18v-735 is the issue here. Every symptom related to recall 18v-735 is being experienced ("malfunctioning canister purge valve (cpv) that can stick open and a powertrain control module (pcm) software that does not adequately detect a stuck-open cpv. A cpv that is stuck open in these vehicles can cause excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system, potentially deforming the fuel tank. If this occurs, the customer may observe a malfunction indicator light (mil), inaccurate or erratic fuel gauge indication, drivability concerns or loss of motive power. "). Expanding this recall to cover 2018 Ford Focus with the 1. 0l ecoboost seems prudent as Ford should update the pcm to avoid drivers of this vehicle being stranded in unsafe situations.

Engine light came on while after car hassertated withe code p144a engine detected running the pcm and obstruction in the evap system purge vapor line is blocked and to replace emissions system purge vapor canister purge control valve.

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.

I bought this car in 2020-2021. My check engine light came on recently and when I took it in to get it fixed, I payed $1,140 (general maintenance, and fuel injector cleaner) and when I picked it back up they informed me that some 2018 models had a recall on my car. I called the dealership, and they informed me I had no open recalls. However, I am having all of the symptoms of the recall open on some of the same vehicles. Whenever I get gas, my car will not start. I have to turn my car over multiple times before it will safely start. Sometimes, when I get gas, if I slow down or completely stop my car will just turn off and then I have to repeat the same process over and over until it will start on its own. It has died in the middle of busy roads before and it is not safe.

Oil light on engine is on. Issue is related to recall. Not able to fix issue until early next year.

The oil pump belt broke and lost oil pressure causing the car to lose power while pulling out onto a busy highway. Had to have car towed to dealership. They diagnosed the problem as related to the recall and have recommended engine replacement but are not able to repair as the recall is in the advanced notice stage. I have contacted Ford everyday for a week about needing a vehicle in the meantime. They finally approved a car rental for $45/day but it has to be a Ford. I’ve called 8 car rentals and no one carries a compact Ford at that price. I would like my vehicle fixed or reimbursed 100% for a rental. I have spent hours on the phone trying to get this resolved. I’m being told I will need to pay out of my own pocket for anything more than $45/day or pay $8100 to replace my engine with no guarantee that I will be reimbursed.

My check engine light came on. I have the code p0456 indicating the evaporative emission system has a leak. This is the same code that caused a recall for 1,282,596 Ford Focuses on recall #18s32. My VIN number is not in the recall, but I’m having the same problem.

Previous recall 18v735000 that covered the fuel system was inadequate. My 2018 se is constantly displaying incorrect fuel levels, and it has multiple warnings regarding the fuel system.

In March 2024, I was driving my Ford Focus when the engine suddenly shut off at a stop light and never restarted. There were no warning lights or indications that anything was wrong with the car prior to it shutting off. The car was towed to a Ford dealership where it was determined that the reason the car broke was due to the oil belt breaking which is an active recall. The manufacturer recall number is 23s64. The NHTSA recall number is 23v905. This oil belt failure, led to both the turbocharger and engine seizing up and breaking due to a lack of oil being delivered to the system. This problem poses a safety risk as 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. In March 2024, the recall only covered replacing the oil system - not the engine or turbo charger. In mid-June 2024, the recall was updated to include replacing the oil system as well as the engine and turbocharger that was affected in the cascading effects of the lack of oil delivery. We were told by the Ford dealership that a new engine and turbocharger had been ordered and would be delivered and installed in my car at the beginning of July 2024. Since early July 2024, I have called several times for an update of the status of my car. Each time, I have been told they are waiting on parts. Most recently, I was told that the one part they are waiting on is the high pressure pump. The service advisor at the local dealership said he has ordered it twice and emergency ordered it one other time. However, corporate Ford is not getting this order taken care of in a timely manner. It is now October 2024 and I have been waiting 7 months to get my car fixed. Per the NHTSA, car companies are expected to fix the recalled issue in a timely manner and Ford has failed to do this. They have also refused to buy my car back.

My fuel system failed, causing fuel leakage, problems with starting my vehicle, pressing on the gas and the vehicle not driving, which caused me to get in almost 3 collisions. My check engine light sensors are being triggered for no reason and my car continues to jerk and not drive, even if there is fuel in the tank.

Vehicle has been having more frequent issues starting up. Engine stalls intermittently and hesitates after fueling up. Been getting inaccurate fuel gauge and distance to empty readings lately. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. My safety was compromised because the car stalled without warning on the highway almost causing me to get into an accident, and it also shut down on me after pulling out from the gas station after fueling up. Car also loss power and hesitated on highway when merging, causing traffic to back up. I feel extremely unsafe. Problem was replicated with my mechanic after driving with him from the gas station. The car has always passed inspection from when I bought it and I stay up to date with its maintenance from the dealerships. The malfunction indicator lamp just illuminated a few days ago from 7/18/2024 but have been experiencing this issue slowly for a few months, and has been progressively getting worse until the check engine light came on which is the current situation. Mechanic found multiple codes p1450, p0456 and etc when he connected the computer to my car showing a cpv purge valve and other issues associated.

1. The code indicates that the evaporative emission control (evap) system is unable to bleed up the fuel tank vacuum. P1450 2. Purge valve needs replacement as it is sucking p0456 3. After getting gas, gar does not start sick of being told nothing is wrong and it isn't happening to my 2018 Ford Focus. Now I have to have it diagnosed again for 280. 00 when I know that my car should be included in all recalls. Yes it has been confirmed by a mechanic I am at risk constantly in this car. Yes check engine soon light keeps coming on.

The dealership told me that the sensor I read that was a recall wasn't covered because my VIN wasn't on the list of re-calls. I looked up what auto zone pulled up as the code and pretty sure it was the fuel filter valve. But after taking it to our regular mechanic he replaced a line in the engine area that connect beside the battery going to the air filter area looks like a long black hose and then stated that may have been bad gas but was reading the re-call and my car was doing what I was reading. Some one said purge valve. He already replaced it and works fine. But I would get gas started off not starting up good then got worse had to leave it on while pumping 1 day it just died on me on fourth of a tank in the middle of rush hour and about got hit a bunch of times and nearly had to go to the e. R. Made my heart rate escalade to high. Then got to were I couldn't even barely get it started so my ex husband paid to get it fixed costing dang near $250 I shouldn't have to be responsible for. There was never anything ever wrong with my car prior had it since new took very good care of it only put 60 thousand miles on it in 5 years maybe a very few oil changes and 1 set of tires but that was it. It won't let me upload my files either.

My car keeps stuttering and stalling. I've been trying to get it fixed at specialists but they say nothing is wrong with the car, even though I've been stuck on the side of the road multiple times. Not to mention the intense jerking the car does when I try and speed up .

The purge valve has been an ongoing continuous problem since we bought the vehicle. I have fixed it multiple times. It’s caused the vehicle to stall after putting gas in the tank, and just recently stalled while driving, causing me to hit a curb leading to the passenger front tire popping, the rim being dented, the tire rod bent, alignment out of wack, and the valance ripped off. It also caused a dashboard light to pop up saying hill start is not available. I was in the car thankfully alone and not with my children. The windshield wipers are a fairly newer issue, they come on whenever they want with the switch being touch. But won’t come on when I try to do it myself. I had my mom take a photo of the steering wheel/road while I was driving to show the severity of the alignment needed, it’s causing extra wear and tear extremely fast on tires. Rainy season has begun and this is absolutely unsafe and not my responsibility.

The purge valve problem persists well into this model year. The car is hiccuping and stalling at lights and has difficulty starting after fueling. I find it appalling that reprogramming the "check engine" light to acknowledge the defect, rather than actually repairing the defect was considered an adequate solution. My car has 59,000 miles and is just out of warranty. I think had this purge valve problem (rather than just the engine light symptom) been properly addressed by the NHTSA and Ford, my family would be safer in this car. I will never buy a Ford again.

Nhtsa number 18v845000 and 18v735000, my car is showing the same symptoms transmission and purge valve and should be included in these recalls.

Slave cylinder on 2018 limited edition Focus rs, I was driving home and pedal instantly fell to the floor! in the middle of the highway right before my exit and I had to do some rather scary driving when the car wouldn't change gears & stalled. I had to get the car to emergency lane/shoulder to pull over! no previous signs/warning lights or vehicle drive ability leading up to complete catastrophic failure of said slave cylinder. It's currently at the dealership where I had it towed with the clutch still on the floor &. Although the clutch was still on the floor the dealership took 2 days to "diagnose" the issue with the vehicle when its obviously a hydraulic issue with either the master cylinder or slave cylinder smdh thats an issue in of its self but I digress. The dealership did confirm that it is indeed a complete failure of slave cylinder. I've read that this is a known issue with Ford Focus vehicles that Ford is well aware of yet they haven't recalled this part let alone acknowledge said issue when brought in for replacement. This is the 2nd time I have an issue with the slave cylinder which I had replaced 26,000 miles ago my vehicle currently has 126,699 but I replaced slave cylinder @ 104,568 miles so new slave cylinder doesn't even have 30,000 miles on it.

While driving my car cuts off in the middle of the intersection of one of the most busiest streets where I live causing someone to bump into me nothing major but I was already still at that point with my emergancy signals on but the oil pump went causing my car to shut completely off oil light comes on I contacted a mechanic just to look and he said my oil pump blew I have a crack in the pan smh no warning until it happened found out it’s a common issue with Fords it really sucks.

August 5 2023, oil light came on, and engine fault light, that day I made a appt at the dewey Ford dealership, in ankeny iowa, for Monday, August 8. . . , I had no car problems before this date ( the 5th) August 9th, dewey texts me to let me know, the oil pump failed, and there is metal contamination in the engine and the turbo , I need a new engine and turbo charger. . To the tune of 6249. 71 dollars my car is a 2018 Ford Focus with 50. 500 miles on it !! they are saying there is not any warranty on the car, . . I see that there are some class action lawsuits for Ford, with the very problem I am describing. . Of course no one from Ford has mentioned that. . . Please let me know what to do. . . Thankyou for your help virginia woltz shawginv@aol. Com 515-771-2790. . Text only please. . Dont hear well ( or e mail ).

As I was driving my 2018 Ford Focus, the check engine flashed on. Almost as soon as I noticed it flashed on, it went away. Several more miles down the interstate, it came on again. Almost as soon as it came on, a warning displayed stating engine temp hot, stop safely. As I started to pull over onto the shoulder, the power steering went out and then the brakes became extremely hard to push in. As my car slowed down I noticed smoke and as soon as we stopped flames came out from under the hood of the car. I called 911 and the indiana state police came and incident # 2023-00344031 was filed after pike township fire department extinguished the flames. State farm insurance was contacted and my car was deemed a total loss. I have photos but the website wouldn't upload the photos.

There was an immediate loss of power while on the highway driving normally at about 70mph. There were no codes indicated previous to this incident, after vehicle was in a safe location I checked the codes. I believe it is the fuel tank purge valve as all symptoms point to that. It’s a known issue for this vehicle but for some reason my model/ year isn’t covered.

1) purge valve, available for inspection 2) causes stalling when driving and difficulty starting after a fresh refueling unless completely pressing onto the gas pedal 3) problem confirmed, Ford refused to fix the issue 4) inspected through diagnostic tools 5) several codes and the check engine light. Identical to recall 18s32 but 2018 Ford Focus s is not within the accepted years. Any sudden change in speeds will cause it to jolt and seize and/or rev the engine to over 4000 rpm even if less than a 5mph shift in speed Ford has a audio recording of several calls tied to the matter within the last week (31mar-6apr and ongoing) issue has been ongoing for several months.

Initially the check engine light came on; took it to service center and the fuel sensor was replaced. Check engine light comes on the next day which revealed an evap code error. Suggestion was take it to dealer for recall check. Safety became an issue when the vehicle sputtered and stalled on the highway. I visually inspected the fuel tank which appeared "sunken" which suggested a vacuum pressure problem which the dealer also confirmed. All this is part of a recall which "should" include my VIN, make, model and year.