2018 Ford Focus Complaint Log

Steering rack locked up while driving down the road out of nowhere

The fuel pump keeps burning out even though the tank is clean and there are no other obvious issues.

Yes, both the safety of myself as well as others is at risk. The engine shuts off while driving, which is extremely dangerous in many scenarios: on a highway - the risk of rear-ending at high speed, hazardous when passing another car on a two-way street, inability to leave the intersection safely etc. During regular operation, the vehicle loses power and enters "idle mode"; the car shakes a bit like choking, the engine shuts down, and no acceleration is possible. An error message " engine fault service now" appears. You are losing control over a car and cannot safely leave a line or an intersection. Turning the engine off and back on clears the message, and the vehicle typically runs back and runs without problems. The incidents happen entirely at random without any warning. There is no pattern, fast or slow drive, length or dynamic of the drive, the weather, etc. Happened to me multiple times. Around August 8th - the first observance, on an interstate highway, the car entered idle mode and died numerous times when slowing down. The car was dropped off at the authorized FORD dealer. The dealer cannot replicate the issue. Car picked up from the dealer around August 30th - throttle body replaced as per dealer recommendation. September 15th - same problem. The car shuts off during driving. No acceleration, same message. Fulls speed, city driving, lost acceleration mid-intersection. Car towed to an authorized dealer. The dealer cannot identify the issue, cannot replicate the problem and says everything is ok. On September 23rd, the car was picked up from the dealer, stating that they replaced the harness and resolved the issue. September 24th card enters "middle mode" while on the highway off-ramp. Unable to accelerate same error message. Miraculously avoids being rear-ended by the driver behind. The message clears off after tuning the car off and on. The vehicle operates normally after. Dropped the car off at the authorized dealer.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle, but the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle was experiencing the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was 76,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power, stalled, and shut off independently. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Car will not start after I get gas. When it does start, it "jumps"

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated; the contact pulled over and turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle operated normally. The contact stated that the failure continued and the vehicle would not accelerate as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle also shifted to neutral(N) independently. The contact was able to pull over safely. An independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the transmission was defective. The contact was referred to the local dealer for assistance. The dealer was contacted and they stated that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 70,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH and climbing a steep grade, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle almost stalled. The contact stated that at the crest of the grade, the vehicle regained motive power. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who advised that the failure could be associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The independent mechanic recommended that the vehicle be taken to a dealer. The dealer confirmed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and that the fuel tank was damaged and the purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact stated that the VIN should be included in the recall. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

I own a 2018 Ford Focus and am experiencing the same symptoms as other 2018 Focuses involved in NHTSA Campaign #18V845000, however my VIN was not part of the batch that was recalled. The car stutters/shudders when accelerating at low speeds/take off. It switches gears hard, often with a jerk or a clunk. It also switches gears inconsistently, ramping the RPMs at times. We visited the Ford dealership on 3 separate occasions to address this issue to no avail. The third time was 7 months after I purchased the vehicle - 1 month too late to qualify as a lemon under my state's lemon laws. I believe this recall needs to be expanded to include other 2018 Ford Focuses sooner rather than later.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed that the EVAP system was leaking and that the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 76,800.

2018 Ford Focus shutters, bucks when starting out from stopped position. Vibrates and lunges. RPM's too high. Dealer could not duplicate issue when I took it in

Engine just stopped working and white smoke came out the exhaust.

I informed the dealership twice that something was wrong with my vehicle. I had it serviced twice, now I’m being told my TCM needs to be replaced.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving the clutch was sticking. The vehicle hesitated and almost stopped before shifting into gear. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The transmission overheating message was displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact called the local dealer who informed her that the clutch was rusted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated the failure was similar to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 82,171,

Automatic transmission shudders going into 2nd gear, and can be felt through the steering wheel.

On 07/13/22, I was driving my 2018 Focus from a stop light, when I noticed that it was not accelerating properly. I looked down and both the check engine and oil pressure light had come on. I immediately pulled over and called my mechanic, to whom I drove it to (approx 3 miles) after being instructed to check the oil levels, which there was plenty of. Upon my mechanic inspecting the vehicle, he informed me that he believed the oil pump belt had snapped, but he didn't feel comfortable working on it because it is in the engine. I contacted the dealership and had it towed there. A few days later they confirmed that it was a snapped oil pump belt, and I would need an engine replacement. Further research has shown that this is a fairly widespread problem with Ford Focuses and other vehicles with the EcoBoost 1.0L engine. Others have expressed that their engines have flat out seized in the middle of driving. There were at least 2 TSB's issued regarding this specific engine problem as well. It should also be noted that per Ford's own service recommendations, this part should not need servicing until 150k miles. I believe it is fairly obvious to see how this could pose a significant safety risk and that the manufacturer is far past the point of addressing this.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. However, the failure reoccurred increasingly while at a complete stop. The contact stated that the vehicle would jerk, would shudder, and would hesitate to respond when accelerating from a complete stop. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the failure was associated with the fuel line and the fuel tank. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however the VIN was not included. The local dealer and other unknown dealers were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

Occasionally, car lurches forward at stop signs without pressing the gas pedal, and other times, the car doesn't initially respond to gas pedal at a stop, stalling for 1-2 seconds and then lurching forward unexpectedly. Vehicle also trembles and shakes when upshifting from gears 1-2, and 2-3.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after the check engine light appeared on the instrument panel, the vehicle failed to restart after several attempts. The contact also stated that the power steering assist intermittently failed to operate as needed with the steering assist fault message displayed. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

While driving on a very mountainous, winding road, the steering became stiff as I was in the middle of navigating a corner. For a few moments, the steering was completely unresponsive, before I was able to regain control with much force and effort. As I regained control of the vehicle, a warning light came on, which indicated: "System check, Steering Assist Fault, Service Required." I tried basic trouble shooting, but could not check the power steering fluid levels and the fuse that controls the system was in good working order. My normal mechanic stated that this must be serviced by Ford. The vehicle is putting out a code, but the mechanic and O'Reillys were not able to get the code to read. The loss of power steering assist, in the area I was in, nearly caused me to drive in to a creek. Unexpected loss of power steering caused me to Jam my wrist while trying to keep control of the vehicle. Iced the wrist but it is still sore. Seeking medical treatment in the AM Vehicle (less than 4 years old) has now had: 1) cannister purge valve issue resulting in an out of pocket fix (this car not covered under canister purge recall) 2) clutch forks and clutch assembly issues 3) power steering assist issues

Vehicle stopped working June 21. Car refused to start up. Had it jumped, battery was completely drained. Discovered had no reverse, drive works up to 10-15mph. Drove it short distance to a Ford dealer service center. Discovered they said it's a powertrain issue and they're 3 weeks behind as they have no available mechanic to look at it. Called another dealer and was told the same thing. Had it towed home. Took it to a highly recommended mechanic and they said the powertrain is shot and needs replacing. Discovered it's a well known documented issue as of 2020. I have extended warranty on it but it may be denied because A) one ford dealer who did some work on the car within first few months of purchase "lost" my service records as they claim its not in their system. B) possibly denied because it's a known defect and they'd lose money to replace it. There's no recall on this defect. I wonder why!? This is a well known issue and seriously affects the value of my vehicle if I want to trade it in or sell it since it's all over the place and all mechanics know to "RUN" away from this car. No engine light on until arriving at dealer. No leaks, bluetooth stopped working as well. In early 2020 I did take it to get serviced and complained of shuddering and shaking upon acceleration but was told it's fine and within normal specs. Car left me stranded so they knew since then they've got a problem. Car is currently available for inspection at the garage where I'm expecting it to get fixed.

In June of 2022 We were driving when all the dashboard lit up saying stop immediately, get to a mechanic, engine light and every light was on. We happen to be right near the Ford dealership in our town and pulled right in. After diagnosing it we were told it needed a new engine as the one we have had metal in the oil, it was froze, they had no idea a car with such low miles would do this, that is until they looked it up and found the recall on this car saying this exact thing could happen. It cost $6000 to have it fixed, this was in 2022. We keep getting told parts would be in to fix this problem, Now its almost 2025 and still waiting on parts,, are we to lose another engine? Which by the way, we want a full refund on the one we had to have fixed,, wouldnt have happened if Ford didnt have this problem with their cars.

My engine cracked its block rendering it useless; the 4th cylinder injector came out of timing causing all of the damage vapor locking the 4th cylinder this all occurred while at highway speeds the problem occurred at 70000 miles on a 2018 Ford focus sel this was diagnosed by the dealer and told us this is not covered because this Vin isn't listed under any active recalls involving

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the clutch pedal was vibrating and slipping. There was an abnormal transmission noise detected. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that an electronic update was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

My car has shuddered and dies on my 3 times. 1st time with 12 miles until empty. 2nd time with 19 miles until empty and 3rd time with 30 miles left until empty. All 3 of these times were in the middle of the road. All 3 times within the last 6 months.

My car sounds like its going die when putting fuel in my car, I have to leave car running while fueling. No matter the level of fuel. If I turn on my car after fueling, it takes a few tries to get car started back. Sometimes my car shakes when taking off or speeding up. This has been going on for the last year. Check engine light is on.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle stalled and failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the fuel injectors were replaced. The failure recurred three additional times. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with a stuck clutch and stated that the clutch assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 34,000.

Cause not cranking and boost for while but stopped while running… displaying transmission fault service now… codes P1450 unable to bleed up fuel vacuum P0456 evaporative emission system leak detect..P144A emission system purge vapor line restricted/ blocked P0171 system too lean… seems to be bad vac line to tank and air leak… car stalling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the engine would shut off or idle roughly immediately after starting up. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed; the contact was later referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. Upon investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.

The current recall issue already happened to my vehicle in 2022 and I had to pay out of pocket to have the entire engine replaced. I have contacted ford to get reimbursed for this due to the recall and they have not responded. Also this recall has been in place since 01/2024 and still no fix.

Last Sunday, May 15th, 2022 my check engine light suddenly came on. Monday morning, I drove to Auto Zone and had a chip reader placed on it. Gave me error code P1450 Unable to Bleed Up Fuel Tank Vacuum. When I went to gas up that day, I was a 1/4 tank and my vehicle would not start immediately, it stalled. I had to pump the accelerator and it eventually started. This same thing happened to my 2014 Ford Escape. My Focus is a 2018 SE and has 51k miles on it. My VIN is not associated with recall, however, if this is a known problem, it needs to be addressed by Ford. I talked to my independent mechanic, and he said he’s seen a lot of Fords with this and it’s hard to diagnose. I work 45 mins away from his location, so on my end, trying to find a few days off to have my car worked on and unfortunately, I’ll have to miss work as it’s my only mode of transportation working out of the area.

The component that failed is the CANISTER PURGE VALVE. The engine light was on and we took it to a certified auto shop. Report from the auto shop: Diagnosis for check engine lamp on, run tests for codes P0300 random misfire, P0316 misfire on startup, P1450 cannot bleed fuel tank vacuum. No misfires present at this time found sticking canister purge valve pulling a constant vacuum on the fuel tank, makes is possible to pull raw fuel if the fuel level is high, suspect this to be the cause of misfire codes. Recommendation by the auto shop: Replace canister purge valve, clear computer, and retest on cold start.

I'm pretty sure my car is having the problem with the fuel something because EVERY TIME I put fuel into my car it wants to choke up and die. It's very annoying now. It's been doing it for a couple weeks now but my car is not on the recall list and my car also is doing a thing when I accelerate it is very jumpy and feels like I'm going over rumble strips. I'm very unsatisfied with my car.

the purge value and cancaster is going bad and i know some 2018 ford force had a problem with these i would like my vin to be added to the recall since it should not had went bad

I hit 75,000 miles in my Focus. Got routined maintenance. Having issues with the transmission. While driving the car it skips from 1st to 3rd, it will not reverse, and I have to get it jump started half the time. Haven’t been able to drive my car since 05/2022. Ford acknowledged my recall but the VIN number isn’t the same, so they aren’t willing to help out much. The amount of money it’s going to take to fix this car will not be worth it.

The rear view camera went out on our 2018 Ford Focus some time ago. I read recently there is a recall for the camera issue with Ford trucks. I am wondering if other consumers have complained of issues regarding the camera going out on Ford Focus 2018 cars

Every time I fill up my has tank my car stalls. And after 3 or 4 tried with me giving it gas it will start and idle super high. I have even switched to a higher grade gas and it happens with all grades. And if it doesn't stall right away it will cut off shortly after putting it in drive.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was jerking and hesitating while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an unknown transmission repair was performed; however, the failure persisted. The local dealer and an unknown dealer were contacted and offered to take the vehicle in a trade-in, but the contact declined. The vehicle was taken to Marcino Enterprises LLC, where it was test-driven, and the failure recurred. The dealer diagnosed that the transmission fluid was contaminated with metal shavings and had become brown. Additionally, the contact stated that the engine overheated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 8,899.

Engine, and computer that controls check engine and low oil pressure lights. Car started ticking, had appt but not until may 18th dealership where I bought it. On Friday April 15th when I turned car off and got out smelled burning smell. Husband lifted hood and let cool down for an hour, when to go check fluids and no oil, looked under neath no leaks. Have video of all and everything. No alert senor came on to say low oil pressure, or check engine especially since it was bone dry no oil. Bought car with 11800 or so miles on it 6 weeks before. When bought car had oil in it. At 13510 miles no oil. Safety was at risk because it could have caught fire with running it with no oil in it, until app time of May 18th 2022. Took to key scales ford where car was bought, and confirmed no leaks, no oil, no warning lights. Was towed to them on Monday April 18th, was inspected wensday April 20th. No warning lights what so ever came on at all. Car information stated no warnings no messages. Again I have video taken from Friday April 15th when we found car to have no oil. Ford after 2weeks finally decided to replace engine but no answer on computer for warning lights as of now. Engine on back order.

There is currently a recall on 2018 Ford Focus however the dealer claims my VIN is not included. Three weeks ago my check engine light came on I went to a gas station they checked it it states it was a small evaporative leak. It went off, IT came back theee days later. I went to the auto shop they said it was a gas filler neck issues. They fixed it the light went off then a day later came back on. I took it to the shop they said there is a safety recall issue with a deformation of the plastic gas tank due to the CPV which causes the deformation. The dealer refused to fix my car claiming the recall does not included my VIN. Even though what the recall stated is EXACTLY what is wrong with my car.

Engine light on for fuel purge valve . Once vehicle is under half tank it struggles to start after fueling unless putting gas to floor while still in park. Once started struggles to stay on .

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact stated she depressed the accelerator pedal harder than usual and the vehicle jerked and accelerated abruptly. The contact stated that on another occasion there was an abnormal sound while shifting gear. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the transmission and clutches needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle warranty had expired. The failure mileage was 58,000.

1) The car shuts off and has difficulty turning on after filling up the gas tank. It will turn on for five seconds, lung forward, and then shut off. It has not been inspected yet. There is a check engine light on and showed up about 2 months ago (same time as when the issue started). 2)The center media screen shut off. This is a risk because the backup camera no longer works as the screen no longer turns on. It has not been inspected yet. There were no warning lamps or messages.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his son was driving 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the canister purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,600.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate and shutter upon the depression of the accelerator pedal. As the failure persisted, the check engine light appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with a defective canister purge valve. The contact stated that an unknown part was repaired to correct the failure; however, the failure returned. The vehicle was taken back to the mechanic who then linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000( Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was then notified about the recall and informed her that her vehicle was not included in the recall. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the vehicle was jerking. While driving approximately 30 MPH and shifting into 3rd gear, the vehicle jerked. The check engine warning light was illuminated. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated as designed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and referred the contact to NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle would stall after being started. The vehicle had to be started several times before being able to accelerate. The fuel gauge was occasionally inoperable. The check engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic which diagnosed the failure to be an evaporative emission control system. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 61,000.

My vehicle is a 2018 Ford Focus st and I am not the first person to have this problem. My vehicle casually lost 3rd and 4th gear synchronizer out of the blue and I had to purchase to synchronizers to replace them. Among pulling the transmission apart and splitting the case open. My mechanic and I identified that 3rd and 4th gear synchronizers had metal tabs on them to keep them in position and they snapped off on every side, so there being a total of six tabs broken, three per synchronizer as you see in the photos. I am not the first person to have this issue so I would ask if you would please review this issue and look deeper into it to possibly come up with a solution.

Transmission started to shift and shudder harshly. Very high RPM (up to 5000-6000 rpm) without shifting. Car failed to go into reverse of "Sport" mode when shift level placed in that position. Car jerks and shudders upon initial takeoff from a stop, that feels like a sudden loss of power and has delayed acceleration. Very harsh shifting from 1st to 2nd gear that jolts entire car and driver. The RPM stays very high if the car will go into Drive and after a while the transmission overheats and a transmission temperature warning is displayed. Sometimes the car won't start. Trouble codes pulled are P087B and P287A.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH on the highway, the vehicle stalled and then stopped independently. The check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was restarted and driven safely to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed with canister purge value failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,555.