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Home›Ford›Ford Focus› engine problems
Owner complaints · Engine · every model year

Ford Focus engine problems, 2016–2018

958 of the 2,931 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Ford Focus 2016–2018 name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). The loudest years: 2018 (356), 2017 (314), 2016 (288). Filed under the same heading across these years: 3 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall campaign, 3 NHTSA investigations. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.

958 complaints, 3 model years 33% of everything filed about the Focus typically at 63k miles

Ford Focus engine problems by model year

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

One row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.

Model yearComplaints naming the engineShare of the year’sTypically atOn file under the heading
2018 in depth35643%60k21 TSBs · 1 recall · 3 investigationsthe record →
2017 in depth31435%68k57 TSBs · 1 recall · 3 investigationsthe record →
2016 in depth28824%61k57 TSBs · 1 recall · 3 investigationsthe record →

Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the engine. Nothing here is a rate.

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When the engine complaints were filed, and at what mileage

Source: NHTSA complaint database
958complaints name the engine, all years

Filed per calendar year, every model year together: 2016: 3 · 2017: 11 · 2018: 30 · 2019: 91 · 2020: 72 · 2021: 32 · 2022: 57 · 2023: 130 · 2024: 328 · 2025: 147 · 2026: 57

63kmiles, typically

Across the model years, half of the 502 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 43,000 and 88,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.

In owners’ own words

Source: NHTSA complaint database

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

While sitting at a light or corner after a stop the car shakes & bounces until I move again, only 15000 miles on it. I AM the only driver
Engine at 15,000 miles Sep 23, 2019 NHTSA owner report
The engine stalled once on august 20th, 2019 while driving on the interstate. Each time that I fill the tank with fuel I have to try 2-3 times to start engine as it makes a noise as if i'm completely out of fuel though it's a full tank and i'm still at the pump.
Engine at 75,000 miles Sep 6, 2019 NHTSA owner report
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
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

What is on file about the engine, across the years

Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

Recall campaign filed under this heading, any model year

NHTSA investigations

3 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading, any model year

Every one filed under the heading is listed. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.

Other systems with a record on the Ford Focus

Source: the same files

Every system, every model year: Ford Focus problems by year →

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

Which Ford Focus years have the most engine complaints?

2018, 356; 2017, 314; 2016, 288. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2018 (43%).

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

Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading across these model years: 23V905000 (2018). A recall is matched by VIN, and applies to specific years; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

When do engine problems show up on the Ford Focus?

Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 63,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 43,000 and 88,000. 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.