FORD Focus Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used FORD Focus options? We analyzed 10 model years (2009–2018) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the FORD Focus has 13,118 owner complaints and 68 safety recalls across model years 2009–2018. The most reported issue area is POWER TRAIN. 2012 drew the most complaints; 2011 drew the fewest.
- Make
- FORD
- Model
- Focus
- Model years analyzed
- 2009–2018 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 13,118
- Safety recall campaigns
- 68
- Crash-related complaints
- 374
- Fire-related complaints
- 55
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2012 (3,795 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2011 (113 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- POWER TRAIN
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
FORD Focus: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe FORD FOCUS has 13,118 NHTSA complaints and 68 recalls on record. 374 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 13,118 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 68 federal recall campaigns
- 374 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Aug 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
68 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTER
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTER
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PUMP
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PUMP
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2009–2018. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 13,118 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
13,118 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Forcus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed power steering pump. The contact was informed that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. In addition, the vehicle was towed to two independent mechanics multiple times for the same failure within the two years. The contact referenced an unknown recall which had a similar failure description, however the contact's VIN was not associated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction and instead turned in the opposite direction. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed steering column. The contact was informed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised that the parts to repair the vehicle were discontinued. In addition, the contact was informed that the aftermarket parts were not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.
I hit an animal in my way to work as I reported the accident to my insurance company they were going to cover the parts and have it towed to my choice as it was however the professional car shop wasn't able to fix the anti theft that caused my car to not turn over as I was then told to take it to the nearest Ford dealer to get it reprogrammed to the original status I was told that it would cost more to fix the problem then what my car was purchased for so my insurance company claimed a total loss of the vehicle, Oliver Ford Lincoln Mercury in Plymouth Indiana sold me a lemon as I was a customer to them for over 8 yrs and covid came in the middle of my lease being up on 2017 Ford fusion I asked if I could purchase my lease vehicle but was refused and told no because I was collecting unemployment benefits but for the last year and half I paid my car note out of my unemployment benefits money each month but they didn't seem to accept my money then, I have always been a Ford customer and drove 4 brand new Ford fusions and paid off each one with my hard earned money, I was devastated by the decision of being told that my unemployment money wasn't earned money, yes correct it wasn't earned Money that I paid into it was because of my employer who paid in for me as I worked enough for the company to take care of me while I suffered through no fault of my own a pandemic that should not be held as a turniquit over my ability to have transportation no matter what money is paid and where it comes from I felt disappointed discriminated and I will never buy or refer any customer or vehicle
I did not crash the vehicle I bought it preowned
My car made grinding sounds when turning the steering wheel. My mechanic found a leak on Power Steering Pump & replaced it. My car has only 48,800 miles & there's a recall for Ford Trucks with the same problem.
Door latches inoperable. Cannot open from outside the vehicle. Passenger side front and both back doors. Back door passenger side door does not open from inside either. Had to pay $373 to Ford dealer to replace driver door latch because it wouldn't latch and made the dashboard not work. Latch codes as follows: driver 02717a (new), passenger 224100 (or 224188 cant see it clearly). Left rear 22418a Right rear cannot open door at all to see latch code. These 3 doors cannot be opened from outside and the rear right door cannot be opened at all. The contact is just inquiring if these door latches will be recalled.
Read 14 more owner reports
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the wrench symbol was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was vibrating and shaking and there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stopped the vehicle, the engine was still running and attempted to shift into reverse(R), but the vehicle would not shift into reverse(R). The contact was able to shift into drive(D) however, the vehicle failed to exceed 15 MPH. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact had been informed by the mechanic that the failure could be related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 159,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side and both the rear driver’s and passenger’s side doors failed to open. The contact stated that the front driver’s side door was able to open by lowering the window and manually opening the door from the exterior door handle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the front passenger’s and rear driver’s side door latches to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure. The contact took the vehicle back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the rear driver’s side door latch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The lug nuts are corroded and we are unable to remove them for tire rotation.
BACKING UP THE WHEEL BARELY TURNS AND IT LOCKS UP WHILE BACKING UP, MAKING TURNS, THE WHEEL LOCKS UP AS I MAKE TURNS LEFT AND RIGHT I'LL BRING IT TO THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES BUT THIS ISSUE PERSISTS EVERY YEAR I BUY A NEW POWER STEERING SYSTEM EVERY YEAR. I HAVE BROUGHT 3 POWER STEERING SYSTEMS FROM FORD 3 YEARS IN A ROW.IT'S DEADLY!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR DOOR LATCH LOCKED AND THE DOOR WAS UNABLE TO OPEN AND CLOSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS WIFE EXITED THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW AFTER THE DOOR FAILED TO OPEN FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR LATCHES WERE REPLACED THREE TIMES HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MIKE WHITE FORD OF COEUR D'ALENE (315 W CLAYTON AVE, COEUR D'ALENE, ID 83815), AND THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE HIM TO REPLACE THE DOOR LATCH AGAIN AND INFORMED HIM THAT THE LATCHES WERE DIRTY. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT ONCE THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR DOOR FAILED THEN ALL THE OTHERS WOULD FOLLOW. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15,000. INVALID VIN.
THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR LOCKS ARE STUCK LOCKED AND THE DOORS CAN'T OPEN OR THEY STAY STUCK OPEN AND THE DOOR DOESN'T STAY SHUT. I'VE HAD THE LOCKS REPLACED AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN.
TAKATA RECALL THERE IS A RECALL ON 2011 FORD FOCUS, BUT NOT WITH MY VIN NUMBER. HOWEVER THERE IS A WHITE POWDER ESCAPING FROM THE CONNECTION OF THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE STEERING WHEEL. THE WHITE POWDER FORMS COLUMNS OF WHITE ON THE HORN ASSEMBLY OF THE STEERING WHEEL. SERVICE MAN TOLD ME IT COULD BE DANGEROUS.
MY CAR HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH A MYSTERY BATTERY DRAIN FOR TWO YEARS. SINCE MARCH OF 2019 IT HAS BEEN STALLING AT STOP LIGHTS SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN THE RPM NEEDLE DROPS. IN THE WINTER OF 2018 I HAD ISSUES TWICE WHERE I TRIED ACCELERATING AND THE MPH NEEDLE WOULDN'T MOVE PAST 20 IT DID EVENTUALLY SPEED UP WITH ME NOT PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL I ALSO HAD A HARD TIME BREAKING WHEN THIS HAPPENED.
MY 2012 FORD FOCUS IS EQUIPPED WITH THE DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION AND HAS HAD ISSUES FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. SHUDDERING UPON START WAS THE BIGGEST ISSUE. CAR FINALLY STOPPED RUNNING AND WAS REPAIRED AT DEALER BUT NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS EXTREMELY NOISY AND WILL SLIP OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING, INCLUDING ON HIGHWAYS AT SPEED. TRANSMISSION WILL ALSO SLIP QUITE BADLY UPON LAUNCH AT TIMES WHICH CAN BE A CAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT WHEN TRYING TO ENTER TRAFFIC.
TIRE SENSOR FAULT , DOUGLES TIRES LOOSING AIR
THE CLUTCH SYSTEM ON MY MANUAL 2011 FORD FOCUS WENT OUT. THE CLUTCH NOW PLAYS ON THE FLOOR BOARD WITH NO CATCH IN IT. THE GEARS WONT BUDGE. I RESEARCHED AND SEEN THE NEWER MODELS HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY CAR. WHEN THE CLUTCH WENT OUT IT WAS ON THE MAIN HIGHWAY IN BRIDGE CITY, TX.
THE DOOR HANDLES, LATCH AND UNLOCKING MECHANISM FAIL, CAUSING THE DOORS TO REMAIN LOCKED. YOU WILL BE UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOORS FROM THE INSIDE OR OR OUTSIDE.
I WAS DRIVING WESTBOUND ON FLAMINGO ENROUTE TO WORK SPEED LIMIT 45 MPH EACH DIRECTION I HAD THE YELLOW FLASHING LEFT ARROW AS I STARTED MY LEFT TURN THE CAR DIED NO POWER ANOTHER VECHICLE WAS APPROACHING FROM WEST TO EAST AS I WAS TURNING LEFT I TURNED MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS AND THE CAR CAME WITHIN INCHES OF HTTING ME. I HAD MY CAR TOWED AND FOUND OUT IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR SERIAL NUMBER PART NUMBER 8S4Z-9E926-B I CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS RISK AND LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION FURTHERMORE IT COST ME CLOSE TO 900.00 FOR THE PARTS AND REPAIRS
I WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT WITH A 18 WHEELER BECAUSE MY BRAKES WOULDN'T ALLOW ME TO STOP.
Showing 20 of 13,118 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact FORD Focus
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used FORD Focus, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The FORD Focus has 13,118 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The FORD Focus has 68 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 374 of the FORD Focus's 13,118 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all FORD Focus vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two FORD Focus vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The FORD Focus has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Check a FORD Focus by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used FORD Focus.
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FORD Focus reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the FORD Focus reliable?
Poor. The FORD Focus has 13,118 NHTSA owner complaints and 68 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is POWER TRAIN. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which FORD Focus years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2012 (3,795 complaints), 2014 (2,651 complaints), 2013 (2,105 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common FORD Focus problems?
Top reported issues: POWER TRAIN (6,255 complaints); ENGINE (2,206 complaints); STEERING (1,656 complaints).
Does the FORD Focus have recalls?
Yes — 68 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the FORD Focus. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.