2016 Ford Focus

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

Summary

In its first three years the 2016 Focus drew 154 complaints — 0.9× 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 1,142 complaints that name a component, 59% concern Powertrain (678).
11 recalls filed for this model year.
5 federal defect investigations cover this model year.

In the news

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: 1,195
Recalls: 11
Investigations: 5
NCAP overall: 5 of 5 stars
Combined MPG: 22–34
Combined MPGe (electric): 105
Annual fuel cost: $700–$3,500
Median mileage at complaint: 61,000 mi (n = 784)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths: 27 / 3 / 24 / 0

What owners report

Powertrain

678 complaints · 59% of complaints that name a component · median 64,000 mi (n = 478)

Owner report The DPS6 transmission started out shuddering in low gears even after clutch replacement early on. This made pulling out into traffic slower than it should be. Received “transmission overheating” message “pull over for 5 minutes” in heavy traffic. Prior to the message car would shudder and lose power. This happened sudd…

Owner report My duel clutch transmission started acting up took it to a mechanic they said it needed the TCM and Actuators and possibly transmission replaced that they should be recalled tried taking it to Thirnhill Ford because I received a letter for this to be changed and they refused without me paying up front this has been goi…

Engine

285 complaints · 25% of complaints that name a component · median 60,900 mi (n = 174)

Owner report I WAS DRIVING 75MPH DOWN I-10 AT 11:30PM AND MY FOCUS SUNDDENLY DIED, I HAD TO PUSH THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. INFORMATION FLASHED NOT IN PARK AND STARTED GHOSTLY TRYING TO START ON ITS OWN, I BELIEVE THE TCM FAILED. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED.

Owner report The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly stopped accelerating. The contact safely pulled into a parking lot and turned off the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was inoperable and was waiting to be towed. The c…

Fuel & Propulsion

231 complaints · 20% of complaints that name a component · median 65,000 mi (n = 136)

Owner report The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while in active traffic. There was no warning light illuminated. Prior to visiting the dealer, the vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics and the vehicle was inspected. The contact was informed that the fuel tank had collapsed. The …

Owner report So I had check engine light I took it to the mechanic the code was p1450 the mechanic told me it’s the purge valve and it’s recall with ford book and appointment from the website witch is I did after I checked my vin I found out that’s this purge valve has recall and it’s free of charge I went to dealer they denied and…

4% 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.

26V012000 · EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER

Filed 2026-01-15 · 2,403 vehicles

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 December 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.

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.

23V905000 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PUMP

Filed 2023-12-22 · 139,730 vehicles

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.

18V845000 · POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Filed 2018-11-28 · 2,828 vehicles

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.

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.

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.

17V052000 · STRUCTURE:BODY

Filed 2017-01-24 · 17 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Focus and C-Max vehicles. The floor pan may have improperly welded left-hand apron joints.

Risk: 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.

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.

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.

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
PE23015	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PUMP	2023-09-20	2024-02-14	23V905
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

EA26004: Timing Belt Failure

PE25020: Timing Belt Failure

PE23015: Oil Pump Failure

RQ23006: Loss of Motive Power

DP22005: Pedestrian alert sounds

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	30	41	34	$1850
Focus FWD	1.0L 3cyl	Automatic (S6)	Front-Wheel Drive	28	39	32	$1950
Focus FWD	2.0L 4cyl	Automatic (AM6)	Front-Wheel Drive	27	39	31	$2000
Focus FWD	2.0L 4cyl	Automatic (AM-S6)	Front-Wheel Drive	26	37	30	$2100
Focus FWD	2.0L 4cyl	Manual 5-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	26	36	29	$2150
Focus FWD FFV	2.0L 4cyl FFV	Automatic (AM6)	Front-Wheel Drive	27	39	31	$2000
Focus FWD FFV	2.0L 4cyl FFV	Automatic (AM-S6)	Front-Wheel Drive	26	37	30	$2100
Focus FWD FFV	2.0L 4cyl FFV	Manual 5-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	26	36	29	$2150
Focus RS AWD	2.3L 4cyl	Manual 6-spd	All-Wheel Drive	19	25	22	$3500
Focus ST FWD	2.0L 4cyl	Manual 6-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	22	30	25	$2500

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
2016 Ford Focus 5 HB FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2016 Ford Focus 4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2016 Ford Focus Bev 5 HB FWD	Not Rated	Not Rated	Not Rated	★★★★★
2016 Ford Focus RS 5 HB AWD	Not Rated	Not Rated	Not Rated	Not Rated

Service bulletins

Ford issued 223 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
2026-05-09	ENGINE	Certain 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco, 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco Sport, 2020-2022 Model Year Corsair and Escape, 2016-2024 Model Year Explorer, 2019-2020 Model Year Fusion, 2016-2018 Model Year Focus RS, 2022-2024 Model Year Maverick, 2016-…
2026-04-29	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Harvest Program 25H05 – Supplement #1 Certain 2011-2021 Model Year Vehicles Software Verification Harvest Program
2026-03-25	BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING	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	ENGINE	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	ENGINE	Certain 2015 - 2018 Model Year Focus Vehicles with 1.0L Engine Canister Purge Valve (CPV) Replacement (if required) and Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming
2025-11-26	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Na…
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…

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.