2016 FORD FOCUS — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 1,181 complaints · 11 recalls
Most-reported system: POWER TRAIN (588 complaints · 49.8%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 27
  • Fires 3
  • Injuries 24
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 2015 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution POWER TRAIN appears in 588 of 1,181 owner complaints (49.8%) in this vehicle snapshot. POWER TRAIN: 588 complaints, 49.8% of reports POWER TRAIN 588 · 49.8% · 7 crash reports FUEL SYSTEM: 169 complaints, 14.3% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 169 · 14.3% ENGINE: 160 complaints, 13.6% of reports ENGINE 160 · 13.6% · 4 crash reports STEERING: 35 complaints, 3.0% of reports STEERING 35 · 3.0% · 1 crash reports 1 fire reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 28 complaints, 2.4% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 28 · 2.4% · 1 crash reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 24 complaints, 2.0% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 · 2.0% · 2 fire reports WHEELS: 15 complaints, 1.3% of reports WHEELS 15 · 1.3% AIR BAGS: 11 complaints, 0.9% of reports AIR BAGS 11 · 0.9% · 9 crash reports STRUCTURE: 9 complaints, 0.8% of reports STRUCTURE 9 · 0.8% · 2 crash reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 243 complaints, 20.6% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 243 · 20.6% · 5 crash reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
POWER TRAIN 588 49.8% 7 crashes · 0 fires
FUEL SYSTEM 169 14.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
ENGINE 160 13.6% 4 crashes · 0 fires
STEERING 35 3.0% 1 crashes · 1 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 28 2.4% 1 crashes · 0 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 2.0% 0 crashes · 2 fires
WHEELS 15 1.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
AIR BAGS 11 0.9% 9 crashes · 0 fires
STRUCTURE 9 0.8% 2 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 243 20.6% 5 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 2016; the first recall shown was reported in Jun 2016. 2016-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2016-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2016-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2017-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2017-Q2: 19 owner reports 19 2017-Q3: 10 owner reports 10 2017-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2018-Q1: 15 owner reports 15 2018-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2018-Q3: 21 owner reports 21 2018-Q4: 33 owner reports 33 2019-Q1: 20 owner reports 20 2019-Q2: 35 owner reports 35 2019-Q3: 82 owner reports 82 2019-Q4: 60 owner reports 60 2020-Q1: 36 owner reports 36 2020-Q2: 25 owner reports 25 2020-Q3: 38 owner reports 38 2020-Q4: 34 owner reports 34 2021-Q1: 21 owner reports 21 2021-Q2: 24 owner reports 24 2021-Q3: 27 owner reports 27 2021-Q4: 22 owner reports 22 2022-Q1: 39 owner reports 39 2022-Q2: 31 owner reports 31 2022-Q3: 53 owner reports 53 2022-Q4: 46 owner reports 46 2023-Q1: 36 owner reports 36 2023-Q2: 29 owner reports 29 2023-Q3: 42 owner reports 42 2023-Q4: 49 owner reports 49 2024-Q1: 55 owner reports 55 2024-Q2: 45 owner reports 45 2024-Q3: 36 owner reports 36 2024-Q4: 33 owner reports 33 2025-Q1: 31 owner reports 31 2025-Q2: 32 owner reports 32 2025-Q3: 18 owner reports 18 2025-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2026-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2026-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2026-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 Owner reports Jan 2016 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 16V479000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V479000 Recall campaign 16V698000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V698000 Recall campaign 17V052000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V052000 Recall campaign 18V169000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V169000 Recall campaign 18V735000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V735000 Recall campaign 18V845000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V845000 Recall campaign 23V905000 ◆ Recall campaign 23V905000 Recall campaign 26V011000 ◆ Recall campaign 26V011000 Recall campaign 26V012000 ◆ Recall campaign 26V012000 Recall campaign 26V369000 ◆ Recall campaign 26V369000 Recall campaign 26V376000 ◆ Recall campaign 26V376000 Investigation DP22005 ● Investigation DP22005 Investigation RQ23006 ● Investigation RQ23006 Investigation PE23015 ● Investigation PE23015 Investigation PE25020 ● Investigation PE25020 Investigation EA26004 ● Investigation EA26004
  • Campaign 16V479000 was reported 48 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V698000 was reported 219 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 17V052000 was reported 198 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 18V169000 was reported 670 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 18V735000 was reported 755 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 18V845000 was reported 931 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 23V905000 was reported 2,705 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 26V011000 was reported 3,615 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 26V012000 was reported 3,615 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 26V369000 was reported 3,542 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 26V376000 was reported 3,681 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2016-Q1 Owner reports 1
2016-Q2 Owner reports 3
2016-Q3 Owner reports 7
2016-Q4 Owner reports 4
2017-Q1 Owner reports 14
2017-Q2 Owner reports 19
2017-Q3 Owner reports 10
2017-Q4 Owner reports 12
2018-Q1 Owner reports 15
2018-Q2 Owner reports 9
2018-Q3 Owner reports 21
2018-Q4 Owner reports 33
2019-Q1 Owner reports 20
2019-Q2 Owner reports 35
2019-Q3 Owner reports 82
2019-Q4 Owner reports 60
2020-Q1 Owner reports 36
2020-Q2 Owner reports 25
2020-Q3 Owner reports 38
2020-Q4 Owner reports 34
2021-Q1 Owner reports 21
2021-Q2 Owner reports 24
2021-Q3 Owner reports 27
2021-Q4 Owner reports 22
2022-Q1 Owner reports 39
2022-Q2 Owner reports 31
2022-Q3 Owner reports 53
2022-Q4 Owner reports 46
2023-Q1 Owner reports 36
2023-Q2 Owner reports 29
2023-Q3 Owner reports 42
2023-Q4 Owner reports 49
2024-Q1 Owner reports 55
2024-Q2 Owner reports 45
2024-Q3 Owner reports 36
2024-Q4 Owner reports 33
2025-Q1 Owner reports 31
2025-Q2 Owner reports 32
2025-Q3 Owner reports 18
2025-Q4 Owner reports 8
2026-Q1 Owner reports 14
2026-Q2 Owner reports 8
2026-Q3 Owner reports 4
Recall campaign 1 16V479000
Recall campaign 1 16V698000
Recall campaign 1 17V052000
Recall campaign 1 18V169000
Recall campaign 1 18V735000
Recall campaign 1 18V845000
Recall campaign 1 23V905000
Recall campaign 1 26V011000
Recall campaign 1 26V012000
Recall campaign 1 26V369000
Recall campaign 1 26V376000
Defect investigation 1 DP22005
Defect investigation 1 RQ23006
Defect investigation 1 PE23015
Defect investigation 1 PE25020
Defect investigation 1 EA26004
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (11)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 16V479000

    Report date
    Component:
    POWER TRAIN
    Consequence:
    A fractured pinion shaft could cause a loss of motive power and loss of the transmission park function, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission differential assembly, free of charge. The recall began on March 24, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S28.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 16V698000

    Report date
    Component:
    LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
    Consequence:
    With only a single press needed, the driver may accidently unlatch the hatchback, increasing the risk of injury to any unsecured passengers in the back.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Body Control Module with updated software, free of charge. The recall began February 10, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C13.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 17V052000

    Report date
    Component:
    STRUCTURE
    Consequence:
    Improperly welded apron joints may reduce the front-end structural integrity of the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the apron joints, repairing the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S03.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 18V169000

    Report date
    Component:
    POWER TRAIN
    Consequence:
    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 the Focus vehicles with software that detects and prevents prolonged clutch slip, and will replace the clutch, as necessary, free of charge. Owners of Fusion vehicles will have their clutch assembly replaced free of charge. The recall began August 3, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S07.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 18V735000

    Report date
    Component:
    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 18V845000

    Report date
    Component:
    POWER TRAIN
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 23V905000

    Report date
    Component:
    ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 26V011000

    Report date
    Component:
    EQUIPMENT
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 26V012000

    Report date
    Component:
    EQUIPMENT
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  10. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 26V369000

    Report date
    Component:
    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  11. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 26V376000

    Report date
    Component:
    POWER TRAIN
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 1181 complaints · page 1 of 48

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources