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Home›Ford›2016 Ford Focus› engine problems
Owner complaints · Engine

2016 Ford Focus engine problems

288 of the 1,192 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Focus name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 57 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall, 3 NHTSA investigations. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.

288 complaints 24% of this model year’s 7 reports a crash 1 a fire typically at 61k miles

What owners filed about the engine

Source: NHTSA complaint database
288complaints name the engine

7 of the 288 reports a crash · 1 a fire · 5 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.

Filed per year: 2016: 3 · 2017: 8 · 2018: 22 · 2019: 42 · 2020: 28 · 2021: 11 · 2022: 17 · 2023: 39 · 2024: 75 · 2025: 31 · 2026: 12

61kmiles, typically

Half of the 175 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 37,000 and 90,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.

24%of this model year’s complaints

1,192 complaints in all about the 2016 Ford Focus, 12 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →

Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.

Across model years: Ford Focus engine problems, every year on file →

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In owners’ own words

Source: NHTSA complaint database

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.

Its 27000 miles and its leaking oil out the front and back as well as the transmision
Engine at 27,000 miles Oct 5, 2018 NHTSA owner report
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact called on behalf of the driver. When the driver accelerated from a stop sign, the vehicle shook and made an abnormal noise. In addition, while driving various speeds on the freeway, the vehicle hesitated when changing lanes. There were no warning indicators illuminated.
Engine at 25,000 miles Aug 22, 2018 NHTSA owner report
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. While driving 35 MPH, the engine stalled and the check engine warning indicator illuminated after the vehicle was restarted. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 20,994. The VIN was not available
Engine at 20,994 miles Jul 24, 2018 NHTSA owner report
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. While driving 12 MPH, the vehicle shuttered and the engine shut off completely. In addition, the transmission warning indicator illuminated and the transmission responded abnormally when the gears were shifted.
Engine at 12,425 miles Apr 26, 2018 NHTSA owner report
The transmission doesn't allow for speed that is needed on an interstate. It's sluggish, slow, doesn't respond when given gas
Engine at 49,556 miles Jan 30, 2018 NHTSA owner report

What is on file about the engine

Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

Recall filed under this heading

NHTSA investigations

57 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading

The 2 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.

Trouble codes named on this system

P1450 B108E P0300 P0316 P090C U1A00 U3000 P0344

Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Ford Focus names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.

Other systems with a record on the 2016 Ford Focus

Source: the same files
From here
Every 2027 model on file, by price Compare two vehicles, trim vs trim See what a VIN was priced at See what owners reported

Common questions

Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communications

Are engine problems common on the 2016 Ford Focus?

They are documented: NHTSA holds 288 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (24% of everything owners filed about it), and 57 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall, 3 NHTSA investigations are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.

Is there a recall for the engine on the 2016 Ford Focus?

Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 23V905000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

When do engine problems show up on the 2016 Ford Focus?

Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 61,000 miles; half of them between 37,000 and 90,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.

What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?

The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.