2015 Ford Focus

Family: Focus · filed with NHTSA as FOCUS, FOCUS ELECTRIC

Summary

In its first three years the 2015 Focus drew 134 complaints — 0.8× the median of its generation (2012–2018). It does not stand out from the other years of this generation.
These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
Of the 966 complaints that name a component, 58% concern Powertrain (563).
11 recalls filed for this model year.
6 federal defect investigations cover this model year.

In the news

Ford door latch recalls 2011–2016: doors that open while driving OCT 17, 2026
Ford 1.0 EcoBoost timing belt failures: Fiesta, Focus, EcoSport OCT 16, 2026
Ford PowerShift transmission: 2011–2016 Fiesta and Focus guide OCT 16, 2026
NHTSA asks Ford to prove oil changes prevent 1.0 EcoBoost belt failures OCT 12, 2026

At a glance

Owner complaints: 1,034
Recalls: 11
Investigations: 6
NCAP overall: 5 of 5 stars
Combined MPG: 26–34
Combined MPGe (electric): 105
Annual fuel cost: $700–$2,400
Median mileage at complaint: 60,000 mi (n = 675)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths: 32 / 4 / 29 / 0

What owners report

Powertrain

563 complaints · 58% of complaints that name a component · median 60,000 mi (n = 392)

Owner report Back in July 2026 there was a rerecall for the 2018 recall that was not done correctly and my vehicle was not recalled for this when in fact that my vehicle should have it shows n I have proof that the recall number for that recall is the same recall they did on my vehicle but yet logged in under fuel tank defective…

Owner report The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the vehicle failed to respond, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the TCM was faulty and needed to be replaced. The v…

Engine

183 complaints · 19% of complaints that name a component · median 66,000 mi (n = 102)

Owner report I am NOT filing in regards to the clutch fracture recall on previous page . I AM filing a complaint regarding the 1.0 L Ecoboost engine "wet timing belt " system which is currently under NHTSA Engineering Analysis . My vehicle has 147,000 miles and still has the original wet timing belt . Ford`s original maintenance sc…

Owner report The vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of motive power due to an internal engine failure while stopped at an idle in active traffic. The engine stalled completely and would not restart, creating an immediate safety hazard as the vehicle was stranded in the roadway. This failure is directly related to the kn…

Fuel & Propulsion

175 complaints · 18% of complaints that name a component · median 67,000 mi (n = 109)

Owner report My Car purge valve canister is bad and i reported the situation to a ford dealership near me for over 2 weeks now and nothing has been done.They claim they are expecting parts but nothing yet up until now.

Owner report The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V369000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the failure occurred after the recall repair. While starting and driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehic…

7% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2012–2018)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 176.

Model year	All complaints	First three years	Note
2012	3,803	656	most complaints
2013	2,181	662	most complaints
2014	2,661	748	most complaints
2015	1,034	134
2016	1,195	154
2017	907	176
2018	837	134

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

26V376000 · POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Filed 2026-06-09 · 5,252 vehicles

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. Owner notification letters were October 16, 2026. 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.

26V369000 · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTER

Filed 2026-06-09 · 257,868 vehicles

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.

26V011000 · EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER

Filed 2026-01-15 · 116,672 vehicles

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.

20V331000 · LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

Filed 2020-06-08 · 2,147,323 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.

Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.

18V735000 · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTER

Filed 2018-10-22 · 1,282,596 vehicles

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.

18V592000 · EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

Filed 2018-09-10 · 49,197 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 120V Convenience charge cords that were supplied with and sold for use with 2013-2015 Ford C-Max Energi and Fusion Energi vehicles and 2012-2015 Ford Focus Electric vehicles. Cords with part numbers FM58-10B706-AA, FM58-10B706-AB, FM58-10B706-AC, FM58-10B706-AD, FM58-10B706-AE and FM58-10B706-AF were manufactured without thermistors, and during vehicle charging, increased resistance in the house's outlet or wiring can cause the cord to overheat and melt.

Risk: An overheated cord can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current cord with a new 120V convenience cord with a thermistor, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S24.

18V169000 · POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Filed 2018-03-12 · 5,361 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Fusion vehicles equipped with a 1.6L GTDI engine and 6-speed manual transmission and 2015-2016 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with a 1.0L GTDI engine and 6-speed manual transmission. Also included are four 2017 Ford Focus vehicles that had clutch replacements with potentially affected parts. 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 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.

16V698000 · LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK | STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

Filed 2016-09-28 · 64,038 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Ford Focus hatchback vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to August 26, 2016 and equipped with a manual transmission. The hatchback of the affected vehicles may be unlatched with a single press of the interior latch release button. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."

Risk: 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.

16V643000 · LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

Filed 2016-09-06 · 2,046,297 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.

Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S30.

16V479000 · POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

Filed 2016-06-28 · 865 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Ford Focus Electric vehicles manufactured August 20, 2015, through April 13, 2016. The transmission's differential pinion gear shaft may overheat and fracture.

Risk: 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.

15V436000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

Filed 2015-07-08 · 374,781 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured April 1, 2014, to June 12, 2015, Ford Focus vehicles manufactured June 17, 2014, to June 12, 2015, and Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured April 22, 2014, to June 12, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the engine may continue to run after the key or the START/STOP engine button is turned to off. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Risk: If the engine does not turn off as expected, someone could move the transmission shifter out of park and the vehicle may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. The recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C06.

Federal investigations

Action	Component	Opened	Closed	Recall
EA26004	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS	2026-07-31	open
PE25020	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS	2025-12-18	2026-07-31
RQ23006	FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTER	2023-09-15	2024-12-20
DP22005	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM	2023-01-27	2023-08-07	22V063000
RQ19005	LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH	2019-12-19	2022-02-07	20V177000
PE16001	LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH	2016-01-16	2016-10-29	16V643000

EA26004: Timing Belt Failure

PE25020: Timing Belt Failure

RQ23006: Loss of Motive Power

DP22005: Pedestrian alert sounds

RQ19005: Door Latch Failures

PE16001: Door Latch Failure

Engines and fuel economy

Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Fuel cost / yr
Focus Electric	Electric	Automatic (A1)	Front-Wheel Drive	110	99	105 MPGe	$700
Focus FWD	1.0L 3cyl	Manual 6-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	29	38	32	$1950
Focus FWD	2.0L 4cyl	Automatic (AM6)	Front-Wheel Drive	27	38	31	$2000
Focus FWD	2.0L 4cyl	Automatic (S6)	Front-Wheel Drive	26	37	30	$2100
Focus FWD	2.0L 4cyl	Manual 5-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	26	35	29	$2150
Focus FWD	2.0L 4cyl	Manual 6-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	23	31	26	$2400
Focus FWD FFV	2.0L 4cyl FFV	Automatic (AM6)	Front-Wheel Drive	27	39	31	$2000
Focus FWD FFV	2.0L 4cyl FFV	Automatic (S6)	Front-Wheel Drive	26	37	30	$2100
Focus FWD FFV	2.0L 4cyl FFV	Manual 5-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	26	35	29	$2150
Focus SFE FWD	1.0L 3cyl	Manual 6-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	30	41	34	$1850

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

Variant	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover
2015 Ford Focus 5 HB FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2015 Ford Focus 4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2015 Ford Focus Bev 5 HB FWD	Not Rated	Not Rated	Not Rated	★★★★★

Service bulletins

Ford issued 146 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about electrical system.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

Date	Component	Summary
2026-08-25	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	Customer Satisfaction Program 26L02 Certain 2014-2021 Model Year Various Vehicles 1.0L Fox Classic Engine Timing Belt and Oil Pump Belt Interval Change
2026-04-29	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Harvest Program 25H05 – Supplement #1 Certain 2011-2021 Model Year Vehicles Software Verification Harvest Program
2026-03-25	LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION	Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation
2026-03-04	POWER TRAIN	Certain 2015 - 2018 Model Year Focus Vehicles with 1.0L Engine Canister Purge Valve (CPV) Replacement (if required) and Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming Submitting Owner Letter
2026-02-24	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the access…
2025-12-03	POWER TRAIN	Certain 2015 - 2018 Model Year Focus Vehicles with 1.0L Engine Canister Purge Valve (CPV) Replacement (if required) and Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming
2025-11-19	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	This is a proactive investigation program by Ford Motor Company to inspect a limited number of affected vehicles that are customer-owned. Ford is voluntarily conducting this program to evaluate the software currently installed on one or m…
2025-11-12	POWER TRAIN	Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in the Powertrain Contro…
2024-12-04	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	Certain 2012 – 2018 Model Year Focus Vehicle Line One-Time Canister Purge Valve Replacement
2024-10-10	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. …

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this Focus, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Ford Focus model page.

Sources

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.