2018 Ford Focus

Defect. 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.

Remedy. Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 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 become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6,2026.

Defect. 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.

Remedy. Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will inspect Focus vehicles and replace the clutch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. 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 July 6,2026.

Defect. 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.

Remedy. 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 owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.

Defect. 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.

Remedy. 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, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed February 13, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in October 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026. This recall expands previous recall number 25V685.

Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure.

Risk. A loss of oil pressure can result in an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the oil pump tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt, free of charge. If engine failure occurs due to a damaged oil pump belt and/or oil pump belt tensioner, Ford has authorized dealers to replace the engine assembly as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S64.

Defect. 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.

Remedy. 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 an expansion of Recall 18V-169.

Defect. 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.

Remedy. 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. Owners may contact Ford Customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S32. Note: Until the vehicle is serviced for this concern, owners are advised to keep the fuel tank at least halfway full.

"My 2018 Ford Focus was traveling uphill at highway speed. I fully depressed the accelerator because the vehicle was losing speed. The vehicle did not respond with additional acceleration and subsequently continued to lose speed despite the accelerator remaining fully depressed. The dealership inspected the vehicle and told me that the engine is not powerful enough for sustained uphill driving and that the vehicle performed as designed. I am reporting this because I am concerned about the loss of ability to maintain speed despite full accelerator input and whether this constitutes a safety defect."

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving uphill, the vehicle lost power, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the message "Engine Fault" was displayed. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the check valve on the vacuum pump had separated. The check valve was replaced every 1,000 miles. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle lost power and the oil warning light flashed. The vehicle was taken to the residence and parked. The contact inspected the vehicle and checked the dipstick, noticing bits of rubber inside the oil. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.

My Ford vehicle has experienced repeated and significant engine problems that have never been successfully resolved despite numerous repair attempts at multiple Ford dealerships. The engine has been repaired/rebuilt multiple times, yet the underlying issue has continued and the engine has now seized. Most concerning, the vehicle unexpectedly shut off. Fortunately, it started again yesterday, but I do not consider it safe to drive because I am concerned it could shut off again while being driven, causing a sudden loss of power and creating a serious safety risk. Ford is declining further assistance because the vehicle odometer is approximately 105,000 miles. However, the engine has been rebuilt multiple times and has substantially fewer miles since its most recent rebuild. This is not simply an engine that failed for the first time at 105,000 miles; it is an ongoing problem that Ford dealerships have repeatedly attempted and failed to correct. Ford has advised that its assistance for this known issue is a "program," not a warranty. If Ford is aware of an engine condition that can result in repeated failures, engine seizure, or an unexpected shutdown/loss of power, I believe the safety implications should be investigated. I am asking NHTSA to determine whether this is part of a broader safety defect affecting this Ford model/engine and whether a safety recall or other action is warranted. I have extensive dealership repair records and Ford correspondence documenting the history

First my wind shield wipers were coming on by themselves and not cutting off when I flicked the switch. Now my car is jerking when I press the gas to drive and sometimes moving in reverse after I press the gas to drive. Jerking and barely accelerating, then it decides to driver in between gaps. My safety is put at risk because sometimes it slows down or barely accelerates in oncoming traffic and moves backwards when cars are behind me at a light or stop sign. Manufacture by others which is a neighborhood auto shop. Just the check engine light came on.

There was supposedly a recall of 2012-2018 Ford focuses such as mine, which is a 2018, but somehow my car is not included in this recall even though it seems to be affected by the same problem. I believe it to have a faulty purge valve (forgive me if I am not precise in my terminology) as it stalls after I get gas and try to start it up. I have to rev the engine to get it to stay on. I cannot stop after I get it started because it roughly idles and seems like it will shut back off if I do, which makes this a little dangerous as well as damaging for my car. I am distressed that my car is not included in this recall because I desperately need to repair it before I ruin my engine but I cannot because I don't have any money.

I had the engine on 2018 (61000 mileage) focus replaced 1 and 1/2 year ago because of the oil pan wet belt recall. Now my transmission locked up because of clutch failure. I was lucky that I was coming to a stop while parking in my driveway. Now im told by mechanic that i need a new transmission. Why was ford allowed to continue selling cars with substandard engines.

Car doesn't start after putting in gas, has to revved to start. Leaking fluid on right front driver side. Car doesn't start in intervals throughout the day.

Battery randomly died. When battery was replaced at the mechanic, it caused a glitch or broke something in or connected to the transmission. Car couldn’t reverse nor go faster than 1st gear. Had to drive 11 mph all the way to the Ford Dealership. Both Meineke AND Ford Service Manager said this is a KNOWN problem with Ford Focus’ and confirmed it is a common problem. I am now being quoted $10,000 to replace the transmission.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the engine was idling roughly, and the vehicle jerked abnormally. The contact stated that the vehicle needed to be shifted into neutral in to be started. Upon shifting into reverse, the vehicle shut off, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the TCM was inoperable and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 63,451,

At 72000 miles the vehicle stopped running no power no warning lights on indication of any issue. luckily it was on a side road. hade it towed to the ford dealer diagnosed with a broken timing belt and needed a new engine. the quote off $7000.00 to replace the engine with a new long block after paying the lone on the car I replaced the long block myself just last week on 07/20/2026 at a cost off around $5000.00

I’ve had this car since 2021 and it’s been worked on 3 times for the same issues. My clutch and a couple other things for the transmission. I just recently had it worked on for transmission problems and paid $1100 for a belt replacement that didn’t even fix the issue. I told them it was clutch A like the code readers pulled (multiple times might I add) and they did a test and charged me for that test and said it was just the harness belt. Today my check engine light came on, and I had a code pulled and it was clutch A like I told them (P0902). I’ve had the actuator replaced at least twice and the power module has also been replaced. My cars engine light is on and it’s shifting hard and is taking a while to even shift. I have the invoices to show that each time it’s been worked on it’s been an issue with the transmission. My VIN number needs to be recalled before something worse happens. Each time it’s been worked on it costed me too much money especially to keep having the same problems. I’ve also done research that proves this particular issue is an issue with a lot of ford focus cars.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle intermittently stalled with excessive fuel consumption. As a former Ford independent mechanic, the contact diagnosed the vehicle with a deformed fuel tank. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the canister purge valve was replaced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the manufacturer denied coverage for the fuel tank replacement. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. No warning light was illuminated. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V369000 (Fuel System, Gasoline), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the canister purge valve was replaced a second time; however, the failure persisted. The dealer notified the manufacturer of the failure. The vehicle was not further repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

An authorized dealership performed a mandatory manufacturer safety recall repair on my vehicle for the Engine Oil Pump Belt and Tensioner (Ford Recall 23S64 / NHTSA Campaign 23V-905). While performing this specific recall, the initial facility negligently compromised the cooling system and created a severe leak, directly causing complete and total engine destruction. A subsequent independent diagnostic inspection by a separate authorized dealership confirmed this negligence. The vehicle became instantly disabled while driving, creating a severe road hazard. Total documented property damages are $14,448.31. Furthermore, the dealership and Ford Corporate have explicitly refused to repair the vehicle, despite Ford's dealer bulletins authorizing long-block engine replacements for failures related to this recall. They have also refused to reimburse me for the totaled vehicle or the out-of-pocket expenses incurred. Ford customer service has employed shady tactics, denying liability and stonewalling my attempts to reach a resolution, completely failing to provide the remedy mandated by this safety recall. The vehicle and all documentation are available for inspection upon request.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered, and the transmission was not shifting properly while accelerating. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a clutch failure, and a clutch replacement was suggested at 27,000 miles. The vehicle was repaired under warranty. The contact stated that the shuddering persisted, and the purge valves were replaced after the clutch repair at 69,000 miles. The contact stated that on another occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and almost stalled. The vehicle was pulled over into a parking lot. The vehicle was driven back to the residence. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a second clutch failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,000.

I am adding a major update to my safety recall complaint because this dealership just tried to pull an illegal financial ambush on me.After my 2019 Focus started stalling out on the highway right after they did Recall 18V735, I brought it back. I explicitly told them in writing on our text thread: 'I do not authorize any standard diagnostic fees, parts, or repair charges.' I just wanted them to show me proof that they didn't pinch a wire or glitch the software during the recall work.Instead of showing me proof, they sent me a text message today saying my vehicle was 'ready for pick up' just to lure me down to the lobby. When I got there, they slapped an unauthorized invoice for $988.82 in front of my face for parts and labor. They did nearly $1,000 worth of work after I told them 'no' in writing, clearly trying to quietly fix their botched recall mistake under the table and force me to pay for it.When I showed the advisor the texts proving I denied the charges, the staff panicked and couldn't answer who authorized the job. I refused to sign it or pay it, and I walked out. My car is currently stranded on their lot because they are holding my keys hostage over unauthorized bills on a federal safety recall file. I have already escalated this to Ford Corporate under Case # CXH-0831-1568-S8L7B8

Purge valve sensor and canister is malfunctioning causing my car to stall out

The plastic gas tank was warped by heat and a faulty purge solenoid. The warped gas tank is a known issue for the 2018 Ford Focus and other versions of the car are covered by the recall, but my VIN apparently was not despite experiencing the same issue at less than 50,000 miles. The warped gas tank caused a dangerous car shutoff in traffic.

The ford focus I drive is constantly shuddering and having trouble selecting gears. The problem has been consistent since I bought the vehicle and I have read that this is a common issue with the ford focus transmission. I bought the vehicle for my sons first car and I can’t even let him drive it

The vehicle was serviced for NHTSA Recall 18V735 (Canister Purge Valve/Fuel Tank stalling hazard). Immediately upon pickup from the dealership, the vehicle began severely stumbling and stalling while driving on the highway. It died while driving on the street. The dealership's diagnostic paperwork confirmed an 'O2 sensor logic error causing the vehicle to stall' right after they performed the mandatory computer software flash and valve replacement. The dealership is refusing to verify if their technician damaged the adjacent wiring harness or glitched the software flash, leaving the vehicle an active highway stalling hazard. As for my experience, The car died in Clear Lake by Baybrook Mall. Extremely high traffic, almost got hit. (Yelled at by several drivers). Constant stalling happened in Baytown. Scariest incident was going over the very tall Fred Hartman bridge. My 10 year old daughter and I felt sure it was about to die and we were going to roll backward down the bridge becauseit kept dropping power. We took the ferry home because we were so scared.

I had an oil pressure light come on while driving and it was followed by the car shutting off and not starting back up. It was towed to a mechanic who told me the timing belt broke while driving and the car requires a new engine. The car was the towed to a ford dealer who confirmed his diagnosis. The car has the 1.0l ecoboost engine and manual transmission. I saw that there is an open investigation on this exact problem and a recall would be greatly appreciated. I'm shocked they are allowed to use a wet timing belt and not a chain.