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Home›Ford›2017 Ford Focus› engine problems
Owner complaints · Engine

2017 Ford Focus engine problems

314 of the 904 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2017 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.

314 complaints 35% of this model year’s 4 reports a crash 1 a fire typically at 68k miles

What owners filed about the engine

Source: NHTSA complaint database
314complaints name the engine

4 of the 314 reports a crash · 1 a fire · 3 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.

Filed per year: 2017: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2019: 28 · 2020: 27 · 2021: 9 · 2022: 19 · 2023: 42 · 2024: 97 · 2025: 63 · 2026: 21

68kmiles, typically

Half of the 164 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 50,000 and 93,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.

35%of this model year’s complaints

904 complaints in all about the 2017 Ford Focus, 21 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.

Electric propulsion system shut down while driving on westbound interstate 495 in queens county. Stop Safely Now (SSN) red warning light on the instrument cluster appeared and I was forced to coast down a hill in neutral. Unable to restart car and became stuck in side of parkway exit ramp.
Engine Mar 22, 2022 NHTSA owner report
When I first purchased my vehicle 8 months ago there was 5 recalls on the vehicle I was in aware of . Since i've found out about these recalls the local lincoln shop keeps informing me that Ford has not been sending them the replacement psrts to fix my vehicle i've contacted Ford multiple times to figure out what they are going to do…
Engine at 52,000 miles Jun 1, 2019 NHTSA owner report
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. While operating the vehicle, the check engine indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to metro Ford (9000 nw 7th ave, miami, fl) where it was diagnosed that the engine sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The sensor was replaced and the failure was remedied.
Engine at 8,000 miles Apr 22, 2019 NHTSA owner report
I was pulling into a parking spot at approximately 3-5 MPH and the car surged forward jumping the curb and hitting a tree. Prior to approaching the parking spot a speed bump was negotiated so the stated MPH are accurate as the speed bump was 25 feet prior to the parking spot entry
Engine Apr 7, 2019 NHTSA owner report
After several start/restart cycles the car check engine light comes on and issues the following codes: P0300, P0316. It has a rough idle and the rpms will stay elevated anywhere from 1500-2200 RPM without the throttle being pressed
Engine at 200 miles Mar 10, 2019 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 P0011 P0012 P0014 P0015 P0016 P0017 P0018

Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2017 Ford Focus names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.

Other systems with a record on the 2017 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 2017 Ford Focus?

They are documented: NHTSA holds 314 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (35% 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 2017 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 2017 Ford Focus?

Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 68,000 miles; half of them between 50,000 and 93,000. 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.