2018 Ford Focus complaints

I was driving on interstate at 75 mph when my vehicle oil light came on. Before I could react, I lost cruise control and my engine began to stall. A loud noise came from my engine and it shut off while still driving. I was able to pull over without being involved in an accident. I towed the vehicle from the side of interstate to the nearest ford dealer. I explained the oil pressure light came on and my car instantly stalled and how I was put in a dangerous situation. He told me before the inspection that I would need an entire engine replacement. He explained this is a very common issue with 2016-2018 ford focus with eco boost engine. The timing belt fails early, causing debris to fail the engine,. He explained that if this light comes on, ford will automatically recommend a new engine as the light comes on too late. He explained that Ford have been aware of this problem but have not provided any solution or guidance besides to quote an engine replacement. He showed me that in his small service lot of 20 cars, 5 of them were 16-18 ford focus with the exact same timing belt issue and awaiting motors. I contacted ford and explained my situation. Ford said they could not help in any way as I was 7k miles over my 60,000 mile warranty. I am the only owner of this vehicle and maintain frequent oil changes. The repair was quoted at $10k by a certified Ford dealer.

On Saturday October 15, 2022 while driving my 2018 Ford Focus hatchback, the steering went out. I was able to avoid being hit by the car behind me by somehow managing to pull into a driveway. I had the car towed to my home and called my usual mechanic on Monday the 17th who told me that it could only be repaired at the dealership as it would require special calibration after the steering was fixed. I then had it towed to the closest Ford dealership to my home. I was informed the next day, the 18th, that the "steering gearbox had to be replaced which was caused by intermittent overheat internal to steering gear, internal fault has caused steering gear damage internally". I was informed parts, tax and shop fees would amount to 3500.00. They also said there was a back log on parts and they have no idea when it would be fixed. It has now been there 3 weeks and they still have no idea when the parts will come in. There was no warning lights or messages prior to the steering going out. If I had been on the highway, as I often am as I am a nurse who sees patients in their homes, I truly believe I might have been killed as it was incredibly hard to even pull the car over into the driveway when I was going 30 miles an hours, let alone if I had been going 60 mph on the highway. I am a caretaker for elderly family members and as I stated, am a nurse. I have not been able to work, nor have I been able to do my usual caretaking for my family members. The car is only 4 years old with low m

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while stopped at a stop sign the vehicle shut down completely. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle drove rough. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the canister purge valve was replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The failure mileage was 53,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds and accelerating, the vehicle was shaking abnormally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and the clutch was replaced. The failure reoccurred and the clutch was replaced three times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was 600 miles over the warranty, and the VIN was not included in a recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 20,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while her daughter was driving at approximately 40 MPH and attempting to change lanes, the steering wheel seized. The driver was unaware if any warning lights were illuminated. The driver started to depress the brake pedal and jerked the steering wheel until the steering wheel unlocked. The driver was able to continue driving to her residence. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, but the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

Transmission failed to engage in changing gears on the road. When idle wouldnt go in reverse and can hear grinding sound or gear changing sound . Gear moving or changing sound when I turned car off. Few minutes after this happened engine light came on. Problem has not been confirmed by dealer, etc. Bought at approximately 40k miles - Ford replaced 2 clutches,now. They will not extend warranty for new clutch. When I called national Ford customer service since I have no warranty I will have to pay for tow and work, etc. Would be out of pocket. Used code machine - have code numbers if needed.

While driving service transmission light came on, car won't shift, no reverse, 76,000 Miles on car. Check engine light on but no codes showing. No warning as this happened.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. However, the failure reoccurred increasingly while at a complete stop. The contact stated that the vehicle would jerk, would shudder, and would hesitate to respond when accelerating from a complete stop. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the failure was associated with the fuel line and the fuel tank. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however the VIN was not included. The local dealer and other unknown dealers were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

Bought my car 2018 ford focus in 2019 used. its since been at the dealership 3 times. transmission is jerking and taking off by itself. they had my car for 5 months said it was fixed but almost a year later doing the same thing. the warranty just ran out, they said i would have to pay for it. the car is very dangerous. i still owe 10000 on the car. i am so heartbroken. i have no one to help me.

The automatic transmission control module has malfunctioned. When the car is stopped and the accelerator is pressed, the car will stall and jolt forward. This is an extreme safety risk as it could cause an accident and could be a life or death situation. The problem has been confirmed and diagnosed by a dealer. The vehicle was inspected by the manufacture company . The check engine light appeared as the vehicle was being given to the dealership for inspection.

I hit 75,000 miles in my Focus. Got routined maintenance. Having issues with the transmission. While driving the car it skips from 1st to 3rd, it will not reverse, and I have to get it jump started half the time. Haven’t been able to drive my car since 05/2022. Ford acknowledged my recall but the VIN number isn’t the same, so they aren’t willing to help out much. The amount of money it’s going to take to fix this car will not be worth it.

Yes, both the safety of myself as well as others is at risk. The engine shuts off while driving, which is extremely dangerous in many scenarios: on a highway - the risk of rear-ending at high speed, hazardous when passing another car on a two-way street, inability to leave the intersection safely etc. During regular operation, the vehicle loses power and enters "idle mode"; the car shakes a bit like choking, the engine shuts down, and no acceleration is possible. An error message " engine fault service now" appears. You are losing control over a car and cannot safely leave a line or an intersection. Turning the engine off and back on clears the message, and the vehicle typically runs back and runs without problems. The incidents happen entirely at random without any warning. There is no pattern, fast or slow drive, length or dynamic of the drive, the weather, etc. Happened to me multiple times. Around August 8th - the first observance, on an interstate highway, the car entered idle mode and died numerous times when slowing down. The car was dropped off at the authorized FORD dealer. The dealer cannot replicate the issue. Car picked up from the dealer around August 30th - throttle body replaced as per dealer recommendation. September 15th - same problem. The car shuts off during driving. No acceleration, same message. Fulls speed, city driving, lost acceleration mid-intersection. Car towed to an authorized dealer. The dealer cannot identify the issue, cannot replicate the prob

Transmission / Clutch Slippage. Apparently a well known issue for the 2018 Ford Focus. I am now looking at my 3rd replacement for the clutch as it continues to fail, most recently within 10k miles from the last replacement. Vehicle has less than 85k. Simple daily driving and the vehicle transmission starts to slip gears when leaving a stop, from 1st to 2nd gear. This is not good when crossing larger interceptions or going up hills. The longer I drive the vehicle, the worse it gets. Ford is well aware of this issue with the 2018 and earlier models, as are the Ford dealerships and Focus owners.

The clutch on the vehicle continues to fail. It has been replaced three times by a ford dealer. When taking off from a stopped position the vehicle makes a grinding noise and shudders when switching from first to second gear(Around 16mph). The shudders can be slight or aggressive enough that it shakes the entire car.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact stated she depressed the accelerator pedal harder than usual and the vehicle jerked and accelerated abruptly. The contact stated that on another occasion there was an abnormal sound while shifting gear. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the transmission and clutches needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle warranty had expired. The failure mileage was 58,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission control module (TCM) to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the part being on backorder. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

The contact called on behalf of her daughter who owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that her daughter attempted to start the vehicle, but the engine failed to turn over. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission control module failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH and climbing a steep grade, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle almost stalled. The contact stated that at the crest of the grade, the vehicle regained motive power. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who advised that the failure could be associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The independent mechanic recommended that the vehicle be taken to a dealer. The dealer confirmed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and that the fuel tank was damaged and the purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact stated that the VIN should be included in the recall. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while idling at red traffic light, the vehicle jerked and shuddered and then hesitated while attempting to accelerate. The failure also occurred while attempting to turn the vehicle to the left or right and also while shifting into reverse(R). The contact stated that occasionally the transmission failed to engage as needed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the clutch was replaced three times. The vehicle was diagnosed again and it was determined that the clutch needed to be replaced again. The clutch was not replaced. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated she had experienced a failure with the rear-view camera since she purchased the vehicle. The contact stated that whenever the vehicle was shifted into reverse(R), the rear-view camera appeared blurry. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 25,000.

My Vehicle has been with me since I’ve had It since 32,000 miles it’s up to 87,000 miles now The first thing I had to replace the starter at 32,000 the alternator and CV axle on the passenger side and the clutch is second and third clutch And the inside dome lights an the dash lights shorted out all went out the day after I got it now since then at 84,000 the The front clip just fell off going down the road it never dragged the ground an it was never broken but going down the interstate at 70 the speed limit it fell down an ripped out from under the car an hit the car behind me costing me a lot of money but now currently at 87,000 The cv axel on the passenger side has started knocking again bye far one of the worst cars I’ve ever bought

Steering rack locked up while driving down the road out of nowhere

I informed the dealership twice that something was wrong with my vehicle. I had it serviced twice, now I’m being told my TCM needs to be replaced.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle would not start immediately. The contact stated that after several attempts the vehicle started and operated normally. On another occasion, the vehicle failed to start-up. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the purge valve needed to be replaced. The contact explained to the dealer that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 90,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate and shutter upon the depression of the accelerator pedal. As the failure persisted, the check engine light appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with a defective canister purge valve. The contact stated that an unknown part was repaired to correct the failure; however, the failure returned. The vehicle was taken back to the mechanic who then linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000( Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was then notified about the recall and informed her that her vehicle was not included in the recall. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the clutch pedal was vibrating and slipping. There was an abnormal transmission noise detected. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that an electronic update was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

The fuel pump keeps burning out even though the tank is clean and there are no other obvious issues.

Engine just stopped working and white smoke came out the exhaust.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the "Transmission Failure, Service Immediately" message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer where she was informed that the electrical wiring was soy based, which attracted rodents to chew on the wires. The contact stated prior to the failure, the oxygen sensor warning light had appeared on the instrument panel and was serviced by the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated; the contact pulled over and turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle operated normally. The contact stated that the failure continued and the vehicle would not accelerate as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle also shifted to neutral(N) independently. The contact was able to pull over safely. An independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the transmission was defective. The contact was referred to the local dealer for assistance. The dealer was contacted and they stated that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 70,000.

Car will not start after I get gas. When it does start, it "jumps"

On 07/13/22, I was driving my 2018 Focus from a stop light, when I noticed that it was not accelerating properly. I looked down and both the check engine and oil pressure light had come on. I immediately pulled over and called my mechanic, to whom I drove it to (approx 3 miles) after being instructed to check the oil levels, which there was plenty of. Upon my mechanic inspecting the vehicle, he informed me that he believed the oil pump belt had snapped, but he didn't feel comfortable working on it because it is in the engine. I contacted the dealership and had it towed there. A few days later they confirmed that it was a snapped oil pump belt, and I would need an engine replacement. Further research has shown that this is a fairly widespread problem with Ford Focuses and other vehicles with the EcoBoost 1.0L engine. Others have expressed that their engines have flat out seized in the middle of driving. There were at least 2 TSB's issued regarding this specific engine problem as well. It should also be noted that per Ford's own service recommendations, this part should not need servicing until 150k miles. I believe it is fairly obvious to see how this could pose a significant safety risk and that the manufacturer is far past the point of addressing this.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving the clutch was sticking. The vehicle hesitated and almost stopped before shifting into gear. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The transmission overheating message was displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact called the local dealer who informed her that the clutch was rusted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated the failure was similar to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 82,171,

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed that the EVAP system was leaking and that the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 76,800.

I own a 2018 Ford Focus and am experiencing the same symptoms as other 2018 Focuses involved in NHTSA Campaign #18V845000, however my VIN was not part of the batch that was recalled. The car stutters/shudders when accelerating at low speeds/take off. It switches gears hard, often with a jerk or a clunk. It also switches gears inconsistently, ramping the RPMs at times. We visited the Ford dealership on 3 separate occasions to address this issue to no avail. The third time was 7 months after I purchased the vehicle - 1 month too late to qualify as a lemon under my state's lemon laws. I believe this recall needs to be expanded to include other 2018 Ford Focuses sooner rather than later.

Occasionally, car lurches forward at stop signs without pressing the gas pedal, and other times, the car doesn't initially respond to gas pedal at a stop, stalling for 1-2 seconds and then lurching forward unexpectedly. Vehicle also trembles and shakes when upshifting from gears 1-2, and 2-3.

Automatic transmission shudders going into 2nd gear, and can be felt through the steering wheel.

My 2018 Ford Focus has less than 35K miles on it. It has sat at a dealership since December 2021 waiting on a TCM while I am stuck with car payments and zero help from Ford. Ford has stranded over 50k customers and has no ETA on this part. Their dealerships are advising customers the vehicles are safe despite the fact that they shudder, lurch while braked, and decelerate for no reason. This is a known issue that Ford already lost a lawsuit for ok earlier models and now they’ve been sued for the 2017/2018 models. NHTSA needs to investigate this. These cars are not safe and should not be on the road.

1) The car shuts off and has difficulty turning on after filling up the gas tank. It will turn on for five seconds, lung forward, and then shut off. It has not been inspected yet. There is a check engine light on and showed up about 2 months ago (same time as when the issue started). 2)The center media screen shut off. This is a risk because the backup camera no longer works as the screen no longer turns on. It has not been inspected yet. There were no warning lamps or messages.

Vehicle stopped working June 21. Car refused to start up. Had it jumped, battery was completely drained. Discovered had no reverse, drive works up to 10-15mph. Drove it short distance to a Ford dealer service center. Discovered they said it's a powertrain issue and they're 3 weeks behind as they have no available mechanic to look at it. Called another dealer and was told the same thing. Had it towed home. Took it to a highly recommended mechanic and they said the powertrain is shot and needs replacing. Discovered it's a well known documented issue as of 2020. I have extended warranty on it but it may be denied because A) one ford dealer who did some work on the car within first few months of purchase "lost" my service records as they claim its not in their system. B) possibly denied because it's a known defect and they'd lose money to replace it. There's no recall on this defect. I wonder why!? This is a well known issue and seriously affects the value of my vehicle if I want to trade it in or sell it since it's all over the place and all mechanics know to "RUN" away from this car. No engine light on until arriving at dealer. No leaks, bluetooth stopped working as well. In early 2020 I did take it to get serviced and complained of shuddering and shaking upon acceleration but was told it's fine and within normal specs. Car left me stranded so they knew since then they've got a problem. Car is currently available for inspection at the garage where I'm expecting it to get fixed.

Engine shudders and sometimes stalls out when accelerating from complete stop and from low speed. Shudders also after changing gears or when trying to accelerate quickly like to change lanes. Especially after being driven more than about 50 miles without stopping. Has to be cranked 2 or 3 times after fueling and engine will only stay on if accelerator is pressed almost to the floor. Check engine light comes on and goes off randomly.

While driving on a very mountainous, winding road, the steering became stiff as I was in the middle of navigating a corner. For a few moments, the steering was completely unresponsive, before I was able to regain control with much force and effort. As I regained control of the vehicle, a warning light came on, which indicated: "System check, Steering Assist Fault, Service Required." I tried basic trouble shooting, but could not check the power steering fluid levels and the fuse that controls the system was in good working order. My normal mechanic stated that this must be serviced by Ford. The vehicle is putting out a code, but the mechanic and O'Reillys were not able to get the code to read. The loss of power steering assist, in the area I was in, nearly caused me to drive in to a creek. Unexpected loss of power steering caused me to Jam my wrist while trying to keep control of the vehicle. Iced the wrist but it is still sore. Seeking medical treatment in the AM Vehicle (less than 4 years old) has now had: 1) cannister purge valve issue resulting in an out of pocket fix (this car not covered under canister purge recall) 2) clutch forks and clutch assembly issues 3) power steering assist issues

My car sounds like its going die when putting fuel in my car, I have to leave car running while fueling. No matter the level of fuel. If I turn on my car after fueling, it takes a few tries to get car started back. Sometimes my car shakes when taking off or speeding up. This has been going on for the last year. Check engine light is on.

I'm pretty sure my car is having the problem with the fuel something because EVERY TIME I put fuel into my car it wants to choke up and die. It's very annoying now. It's been doing it for a couple weeks now but my car is not on the recall list and my car also is doing a thing when I accelerate it is very jumpy and feels like I'm going over rumble strips. I'm very unsatisfied with my car.

My engine cracked its block rendering it useless; the 4th cylinder injector came out of timing causing all of the damage vapor locking the 4th cylinder this all occurred while at highway speeds the problem occurred at 70000 miles on a 2018 Ford focus sel this was diagnosed by the dealer and told us this is not covered because this Vin isn't listed under any active recalls involving

Engine light on for fuel purge valve . Once vehicle is under half tank it struggles to start after fueling unless putting gas to floor while still in park. Once started struggles to stay on .

Transmission control module failed, and according to Ford Service tech, basically "ate" the clutch. Vehicle can not go above 30 mph, and does not shift properly. Tech states is not included in recalls, though thinks it should be included. Parts on backorder with no ETA on resolution. No repairs able to be made. Purge Control Valve failed, causing engine to die while fuel gauge showing 3/4 tank, repeated issue until tranmission control module failure rendered vehicle mostly unusable. Tech states is not included in recalls, though thinks it should be included. Parts on backorder with no ETA on resolution. No repairs able to be made.

My car has shuddered and dies on my 3 times. 1st time with 12 miles until empty. 2nd time with 19 miles until empty and 3rd time with 30 miles left until empty. All 3 of these times were in the middle of the road. All 3 times within the last 6 months.

Cause not cranking and boost for while but stopped while running… displaying transmission fault service now… codes P1450 unable to bleed up fuel vacuum P0456 evaporative emission system leak detect..P144A emission system purge vapor line restricted/ blocked P0171 system too lean… seems to be bad vac line to tank and air leak… car stalling

The component that failed is the CANISTER PURGE VALVE. The engine light was on and we took it to a certified auto shop. Report from the auto shop: Diagnosis for check engine lamp on, run tests for codes P0300 random misfire, P0316 misfire on startup, P1450 cannot bleed fuel tank vacuum. No misfires present at this time found sticking canister purge valve pulling a constant vacuum on the fuel tank, makes is possible to pull raw fuel if the fuel level is high, suspect this to be the cause of misfire codes. Recommendation by the auto shop: Replace canister purge valve, clear computer, and retest on cold start.