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CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2016 Ford Focus & its "Powershift" transmission has a defect trend where the car shudders when accelerating, especially when starting uphill.

Most owners have reported their Ford Focus remains driveable while the vehicle is still at low mileage, but the shuddering is annoying & unpleasant & may reduce the resale value of the vehicle.

However, owners of higher-mileage vehicles from earlier 3rd generation Focus model years report transmission failure & a host of other major & expensive transmission-related problems. Potential buyers beware.

9.4

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$4,500
Average Mileage:
72,200 miles
Total Complaints:
7 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. replaced engine (5 reports)
  2. not sure (1 reports)
  3. repaired engine (1 reports)
2016 Ford Focus engine problems

engine problem

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2016 Ford Focus Owner Comments

problem #7

May 132024

Focus SE 1.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 90,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Unbelievable!!! In October of '21, with 64K on the car, the timing belt decided it was done without any warning whatsoever completely grenading the motor leaving my elderly parents and my 4yr old daughter on the side of the dark highway. After a ton of trouble and misinformation about what all was covered, the engine gets replaced in whole.

This week, with less than 26K on the new motor, we started getting misfire codes. I replaced the plugs but noticed it was guzzling coolant and no sign of any leaking. Finally today with my 74yr old mother driving, it decides to die at a major intersection in rush hour traffic. Fortunately, the fire fighters who were stuck behind her got her off the road. Fearing the worst, I pulled the plugs to scope the cylinders and I found out where the coolant was going.

Cracked head at 26K is nonsense!!!

- 37dg8smfnmb, Springfield, US

problem #6

Jul 072023

Focus SE 1.0L I3

  • Manual transmission
  • 88,000 miles

Wet belt broke without warning, ruining the engine and turbo. Only 88000 miles. Ford dealer in Dade City, FL wanted $9700 to replace, a figure so high this website won't list it because it thinks I'm exaggerating. After seeing this problem everywhere online, we called Ford for help and they essentially said, "Gee, too bad for you."

- Steve E., Lutz, FL, US

problem #5

Apr 222022

Focus SE 1.0L Turbo

  • Automatic transmission
  • 106,000 miles

Two weeks after an oil change and after driving to work and doing 600 miles, one Friday I had less power. On further inspection Ford dealer diagnosed one piston was down to 20% power. It needs a new engine.

- ffocus20161t, Oakville, US

problem #4

Nov 242020

Focus SE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 74,281 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My position on this problem is definitely not something I can handle right now! I'm disappointed that after talking to Ford customer service and the dealership that worked on it that isn't anything they can do and after researching this problem I'm not the only one that has had this issue! A engine goes bad after 74281 miles and metal shavings in the oil! Of course I don't have the extended warranty and the warranty only goes to 60,00 miles! I would like to know if this has happened to anyone else?

Thanks

Rick

- rcecil77, Belleair Bluffs, US

problem #3

Feb 202019

Focus SE 1.0L 3 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 69,000 miles

Engine blew 9000 miles out of warranty at 69k. Power-train warranty only good for up to 60k. Ford would not help me out and told me its because I did not change the oil frequently enough. They wanted over $5000 to replace the engine. My mechanic said he could do it for around $4,500. At this point I was really upset with the dealer which was Sam Galloway Ford in Fort Myers, Florida. So I decided to go with my mechanic. He said the reasoning of the motor failure was the turbo blew up and pieces got sucked into the engine. Not because of infrequent oil changes. Ford or insurance still would not help me. After getting the motor replaced six weeks later it blew again. My mechanic replaced the motor again for free. 2 months after that I went to New York with my wife and son. On the way home the motor blew AGAIN on the highway in South Carolina with my family in the car. I still owed money on the car and couldn't be replacing engines every few months. Something was seriously wrong with that car. Ford tried to tell me it was MY fault but I think these experiences prove otherwise. I had to have the car voluntarily repossessed. It ruined my good credit I had at the time. Still haven't recovered from all of this a year later. Thanks Ford.

- Brandon M., Fort Myers, FL, US

problem #2

May 132019

Focus SE 2.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 72,000 miles

This car has a been a problem since the day I bought it at the dealership. It has a lot of engine and electrical problems is just a pain in the ass. And it has a lot of mechanical failures. I went to the dealership and they told me to replace the engine. It was $7,200.00 and then when I asked them if you change the engine does that guarantee me that the car is going to turn on and they said well if it still doesn’t turn on that will have a separate payment than what it would cost to change the engine, and they didn’t even go in and check the engine. They only put in the computer.

- Franklin E., New Milford, US

problem #1

Apr 152016

Focus ST 2.0L

  • Manual transmission
  • 6,000 miles

click to see larger images

engine failure

One of the things I noticed about the OEM pistons is their poor quality casting. Ford left alot of areas unfinished and did a poor job of final machining. They also did not carry over the cross hatching pattern on the inside and outside of the skirt which helps to keep the oil stuck to the piston walls for better cooling.

I also noticed they applied some sort of coating to the top ring-land only. It wasn't applied very well and has already begun to chip off in certain places and its a brand new piston!

- zelgka, Lakeville, US

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