Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Ford Focus - part 1

In the Ford 3 cylinder 1. 0l ecoboost engines there is a terrible wet belt system, there is a recall on the automatic models but nothing for the manual models, regardless of the fact that the manual models are designed far more poorly than the automatic models in the sense that the manual models have no tensioners and rely solely on the factory tension of the screws, keeping in mind that the belt is both rubber and sitting in hot oil when in use, if not a money grab, my best guess is that they hoped the wet rubber belt would simply not not stretch in good faith. 4 days after getting basic maintenance, the wet belt failed, clogging the oil pickup causing engine failure, and temporary loss of power steering, after the engine was given time to warm up, luckily the road was nearly empty, and I was driving at a slower pace. However the fact that Ford motor company has gone nearly a decade without dealing with the issue, and then denies having knowledge of this design flaw, is absolutely and abundantly absurd. I have all vehicle maintenance records, as well as mechanic testimony, all of which point to this incident being caused by poor engine design. In addition to the estimated cost to replace the engine is 8,500$, or about 140% the cars total value prior to the engine failure. This a not a minor issue, this is not even a uncommon fail point on many other manual models, this is a major safety concern, that god forbit it, could lead to a major accident. I simply think that the Ford motor company should be made accountable for cheaping out for profit, at the cost of customer’s safety.

See all problems of the 2016 Ford Focus 🔎.

The transistor arm or tensioning arm for the wet belt, which drives the oil pump in the oil pan failed, leading to oil starvation to the engine, causing total catastrophic engine failure, and temporary loss of power steering, while driving, fortunately, I was moving at a slow pace in minimal traffic, however, this is a known fail point in Ford 1. 0 l ecoboost 3 cyl engines, that Ford claims my vehicle does not have, and refuses to cover, regardless of the fact that it did happen, and I have pictures in mechanic testimony to prove this to be true, had I’ve been on a different road, or had more traffic, this could have to a fatality. The engine replacement would cost a estimated 4500-7500$.

My car was experiencing: shuddering or jerking during acceleration from a stop, most noticeable in traffic; rough or delayed gear shifting, especially between first and second gear; sudden loss of drive or delays before the car engages in drive or reverse, et cetera. It was in essence having every symptom that your agency has required Ford to fix in their 2014 Focus,a car that I have as well; however, not sure why my car wasn't listed in recall because it has identical issues. For cost saving purposes, I replaced the actuators myself, and asked Ford if they could do the reprogramming for me, which is required after replacement, and they will not do so without an exorbitant costs.

See all problems of the 2014 Ford Focus 🔎.

Actuator motor went out. Transmission was eligible to be replaced in 2020 however due to covid they “could not get the parts” and the vehicle became too old for replacement. The transmissions and gear boxes on this module has been plagued with failures, and Ford needs to remove the mileage and year limitations to fix them. I ended up paying over $900 and then traded the vehicle in so that I wouldn’t have to spend more on a faulty transmission.

I just bought my Focus from carmax and it shudders when I pull out. It makes me feel like the car will stall.

I purchased this vehicle 4 days ago. On the second day I noticed a shutter when accelerating, going uphill and often continuous. I have been told that it is the clutch. I am aware that the same issue on the 2017 Focus has been recalled. I do not understand why it is just certain vehicles. Especially, since it is the same year and issue as the recalled ones. I am a police officer that has had some health issues with my heart. My parents gave me the money to buy this car. They do not have the money to repair it and neither do I. I called two Ford dealerships as well as the Ford manufacturer. Nobody was willing to help. I discovered that this is the place to file a complaint all on my own. Please try and help me.

See all problems of the 2017 Ford Focus 🔎.

Order of events · [xxx]: vehicle shut down mid-drive, displaying “parking brake fault service required. ” required tow ($100). · September 27, 2025: firestone complete auto care diagnosed the issue as transmission-related. Paid $48. 13 for diagnostic (receipt attached). · September 27, 2025: contacted green Ford in greensboro, nc (service advisor josh oldham). VIN was entered in Ford’s database, which showed no outstanding field service actions. I showed them a recall letter for the exact issue at hand (replacement of transmission control module). My recall letter was dismissed as invalid despite being in hand. Vehicle towed to dealer ($120). · September 29, 2025: spent over 1 hour 19 minutes with Ford customer relationship center, providing the recall number (14m02). Ford agent ultimately stated the recall could not be honored. · September 30 – October 1, 2025: dealer confirmed by text and phone that their management refused to apply the recall or cover repairs. VIN discrepancy the core of this dispute is a direct contradiction between Ford’s official communications and Ford’s internal VIN database. Customer satisfaction program letter (14m02): - VIN listed as covered under recall/extended warranty. - coverage extended through June 2025. - sent directly by Ford in August 2023. Ford vehicle information / warranty report (via green Ford, 9/27/2025): - same VIN entered into Ford’s system. - shows 'no outstanding field service actions. ' - dealer therefore refused to honor recall despite letter. Before all of this happened I had no issues with the vehicle since purchase, and so when I received the letter I kept it but did not need to utilize it. Now Ford has stated I am "outside" the warranty of what Ford is willing to cover for repairs, however their own system does not even list that I have a recall for this. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The car would not shift into a gear, would not shift gear to propel itself in traffic causing a safety issue. A warning light would come on saying the transmission was getting overheated. Ford of glenwood springs colorado refused to look at the car because of its age despite the recall on the clutch for the year, make and model of the car. A napa shop determined the clutches were out. Napa quoted $4,253 to fix the problem. I called ken garff Ford in fort collins colorado at 4809 s. College avenue to get this fixed under the recall. They said my VIN number wasn't covered, and the cost would be $6,000. I called Ford 1-866-436-7332 spoke to ron employee #2192738 and was told he would document the call but could not do anything. Ford is aware of the safety issue we simply want them to standby their product and fix the problem or reimbursing us for the repairs to avoid a further hardship to get to work.

See all problems of the 2015 Ford Focus 🔎.

I was driving the car other all of a sudden died on me and told me to put it in park I put it in park and then turned the key off and tried to restart it. It did not restart and would not turn of kept popping up a warning saying starter system failure. Could not turn my wheel or pit it in neutral to get it out of te middle of the road.

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.

See all problems of the 2018 Ford Focus 🔎.

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).

The car started shutting down while I am driving and also hard to start after.

See all problems of the 2012 Ford Focus 🔎.

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.

My car has been to the shop twice for the tcm issues, and both times, in 2016 and 2021, the shop performed adaptive learning and cleared the codes, instead of replacing the faulty part. Now, the tcm has completely broken and needs to be replaced. The car wouldn't start at the gas station suddenly. After rocking the car back and forth it did start, but wouldn't go when shifted into drive. It is apparently 2 months out of the extended warranty coverage and now, I have to pay $1,300+ for a repair?! this seems unfair. They knew they had a faulty part, they performed band-aid fixes, and now I am holding the bag.

Car running rough/jerky. Trouble accelerating, especially up hills, and following stops. On [xxx], car stalled on [xxx]. Dash light came on saying "transmission overheating pull over immediately". This happened multiple times on the same day. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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.

It is my transmission problem, there is an engine light on and the shifting is very rough and it also jumps gears, I know Ford had a recall for this problem I believe it should be under warranty it is the tcm.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the light changed, and the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle hesitated and then jolted into gear. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The contact stated that the engine symbol was displayed, and the vehicle failed to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the rpm gauge was red-lined. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 10 mph. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that at first, he was stopping the vehicle and turning off and restarting the vehicle to reset the transmission. The contact stated that turning off and restarting the vehicle no longer resets the transmission. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be rebuilt. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was 92,619.

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.

My 2014 Ford Focus is having problems with the engine. For starters is several occasions the car will start and not turn off when turning the key to the off position, the car will still stay on. I took it to the automotive parts store and the guy there had me turn the key off and disconnect the battery and that seem to turn off the car. After they had my car scanned with a computer and found lots of issues with. Car stalls and had check engine lights and also a transmission warning light on making it difficult for the car to drive. Recently water dripping inside the vehicle passenger side when the ac is turned on. The car also doesn’t unlock the doors from the inside have to open it for the passenger side.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her granddaughter was driving approximately 30 mph, the low oil pressure and check engine warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that her granddaughter heard an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was driven to a dealer who was unable to diagnose the vehicle immediately. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the oil pump had failed and stopped pumping oil to the engine, resulting in damage to the engine. The contact was advised that the engine and the oil pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v905000 (engine and engine cooling); however, parts for the recall repair were not yet available to repair the vehicle. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact mailed a letter to the manufacturer about the failure, but had not yet received a response. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000.

Vehicles canister purge valve was replaced and acting up again.

I keep getting denied for warranty tcm had the code I did a report after it was I would be covered had proof of the codes and deny me for another service that’s under warranty pretty much just take my money send me out the way and then I get stuck on the highway from the problem in having to fix it myself.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that upon attempting to start the vehicle the engine would shutter and remain idle, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The local independent mechanic was contacted however the vehicle was not diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the failure may be attributed to coolant intrusion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,058.

Be reaching out and taking my car to Ford for recalls within the time limit told me they did not see no code I replace it it breaks down put me and my daughter at risk on the highway unsafe and now I spent all my money and can’t afford another car because of Ford not doing their job with the policy and the warranties the recalls I’ve been going through so much trying to fix this car and now I have to take a complete loss because it’s finally broken down and no one wants to take the car.

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).

2016 Ford Focus, VIN: [xxx] power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm) this complaint details a recurring and severe safety defect in our 2016 Ford Focus. The vehicle's transmission control module (tcm) has failed twice, resulting in sudden, complete loss of power and dangerous stalling incidents at highway speeds. In January 2023, at approximately 8,000 miles, the vehicle suddenly lost all propulsion while traveling on a highway. We were forced to execute a dangerous emergency maneuver across lanes of traffic to reach the shoulder. A Ford dealership diagnosed a failed tcm which had, in turn, caused the clutch to burn out. In July 2025, after only 7,000 additional miles (total vehicle mileage ~15,000), the identical, catastrophic failure occurred again. The vehicle once more stalled without warning on a major highway, creating another life-threatening situation. The diagnostic codes confirmed the same tcm and clutch failure, proving the issue is a persistent, underlying defect and not a random occurrence. This failure is entirely consistent with the widely-documented defect in Ford's powershift (dps6) transmission. This problem has been the subject of multiple national class-action lawsuits and is detailed in thousands of other consumer complaints filed. The repeated failure in our low-mileage vehicle underscores that this is a predictable and systemic design flaw that makes the vehicle inherently unsafe. We attempted to address this critical safety failure directly with Ford motor company. Our concerns were met with dismissal, and despite being issued a case number, Ford has failed to respond to our calls registered letter. This vehicle is unsafe to operate. We are filing this complaint to implore the NHTSA to launch a formal investigation into this defect. The repeated, sudden loss of power presents an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death to occupants and other motorists. We believe a mandatory recall is urgently required. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of informati.

The car keeps stalling and losing power while driving. There is no warning sign. Can cause accident if this keeps happening. Is not the first time.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the tcm, purge valve, and clutch assembly had failed and needed to be replaced. The tcm and purge valve were repaired under warranty. The clutch assembly was not repaired or replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for further assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 128,000.

On July 2nd my daughter was driving her car and the engine slowed and turned off. She tried to out it in reverse and it would not function. We took it to our mechanics and he got a p287a - code - I then spoke with Ford customer service and they stated the extended warranty on that same issue expired June 30th and advised me to reach out to you as the extended warranty was not listed for our vehicle I am hoping someone can help us since we are under the mileage and it was only a few days past the time frame. Thank you.

Catastrophic engine failure, engine died and was unable to shift into gear my 16 year old daughter was driving on a busy highway when the engine died, causing her to stop completely on a 55 mph road. She was unable to get the car into a gear to have it pushed to the side of the road and had to sit in the car with traffic flying by her until we could get a tow truck (approximately 30 minutes). She was unable to get out due to the traffic being so heavy. The vehicle had a limited warranty left on it, and it was towed to a facility where they diagnosed with blown head gasket and/or cracked cylinder head. It was towed to a dealership where it was discovered the car had an active recall that caused the engine failure. There was no warning signs previously.