Print this page

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
39,518 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2010 Ford Focus engine problems

engine problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2010 Ford Focus:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2010 Ford Focus Owner Comments

problem #8

Mar 132013

Focus 4-cyl

  • 120,000 miles

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

I took the car in for the 120K service. The service was completed. A week later I took the car back and asked them the check a yellow crusting under the dashboard in the front passenger footwell. They did and said they did not know what it was or what would cause it. A week later we noticed a smell in the cabin. The car was now 3 years old and we had a similar smell 18 months prior that cost us $1800 to replace the ac core. Surely this could not be another ac core problem. I took the car back to them and they found nothing wrong...even the smell had gone. I took the car and on the way home I noticed the car was beginning to overheat...Ford was already closed. I pulled over and checked the radiator. I topped it up and it took a gallon of water. I watched the level for a few minutes and it didn't move. I drove home ok and rechecked the radiator...same level. It drove the following day ok too. Then in the evening I noticed it was getting hot again. This time I was on the highway doing 70mph and it suddenly cut the power on the engine. I was in the middle lane and had to Dodge traffic to coast to a halt on the shoulder with the engine at idle speed and no power. The car was in drive and my foot was floored, but the engine produced no power whatsoever...didn't even rev high. When I checked the radiator again it was very low and took another gallon of water. I managed to drive home again but neither the ac nor the heater would work. We also noticed the carpet in the passenger footwell was now wet and the smell was back with a vengeance. I took the car back to Ford and they told me the heater core was the problem and had cut the power to the engine because the car was overheating and to prevent further damage to the engine. It cost me another $1800 for the heater core and the carpet to be replaced.

- Riverview, FL, USA

problem #7

Aug 172011

Focus 4-cyl

  • 62,000 miles
I took the vehicle in for its 60K service at approx 62K. All was ok. About 2 days later I noticed a funny smell in the cabin. I put it down to whatever chemicals they used on the 60K service. About 3 days later the smell was getting worse, but also the ac wasn't cooling like it used to and my then 9 year old daughter passed out in the car because of the smell. I took it to Ford as the incident happened straight after the service and they said nothing they did would have caused it, but it looked like the ac core and the smell was pag oil. I took the car to another garage and they said there was no freon in the ac system. They recharged the system after checking for leaks and not finding any. A week later (two weeks after the initial service) the ac was not cooling again. It must have been something Ford did...again there was no freon in the system. They gave me the same story and that it would cost me $1800 to get it fixed...why should I pay $1800 on a car that's 18 months old? well, because I needed the ac in the middle of the summer and its the only car I have. I complained to Ford directly asked them to pay half the cost and they said I was "not using the ac correctly" and as such would not pay for anything. I took the car back to Ford and they showed me the "correct way to use the ac"...the same way I use the ac.

- Riverview, FL, USA

problem #6

Mar 112014

Focus 4-cyl

  • 22,000 miles
Not provided by Ford cabin air filter benefits a cabin air filter is an air purification filter, sometimes called a "micro cabin air filter" or "in-cabin microfilter, "designed to remove the microscopic dust, allergens, pollutants and other particles that come into the passenger cabin of your vehicle through its air vents. In addition to making the air in the interior of your car unpleasant and unhealthy, a dirty cabin air filter, clogged with dirt, dust, smelly mold and allergens, can also impact the performance of your defroster, heating and ac, and health hazards.

- Ridgewood, NY, USA

problem #5

Oct 152012

Focus 4-cyl

  • 49,000 miles

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

Would lose RPM's at idle and almost stall. Went to dealership (no help), could find nothing wrong because no codes, even though engine was still idling ruff for them. Dealership was not happy that I brought the car in before 50,000 miles, stating I shouldn't need tune-up til this mileage. Went to a local mechanic (certified) who couldn't find anything, again no codes. The problem continues to date. Going to mechanic for idle sensor replacement, hoping this will help.

- Huntington, IN, USA

problem #4

Apr 162012

Focus

  • 43,648 miles
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Focus. The contact stated that another vehicle crashed into the side of the vehicle. The air bags did deploy and the contact sustained minor injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle could not be shut off nor shifted into park following the crash. The vehicle was towed by the contact's insurance company who ruled the vehicle as destroyed. The contact was informed that the ignition wires had to be cut to shut the vehicle off. The failure and the current mileage was 43,648.

- Whitehall, NY, USA

problem #3

Sep 012011

Focus

  • 19,500 miles
The incident occurred on 9/1/2011 at about 3:00 pm. Traffic was light and weather was dry and sunny. We had been driving about 3 to 4 hours when the problem began. While driving the posted speed limit in Ohio on I-75 southbound just South of mile marker 99 the car started behaving like I was out of gas even though I had at least a half tank left. It started to stall as I pulled it to the shoulder of the road. As I got it stopped I noticed smoke/steam coming from under the hood. I attempted to open the hood latch inside the car but was unable to. My wife and I exited the car and went to the front where she noticed it was on fire. We immediately called 911 for help. The fire department and Ohio state troopers arrived and attempted to put the fire out. The car was totally destroyed as the fire completely engulfed the car. The vehicle was never modified from stock and was maintained as required.

- Sterling Heights, MI, USA

problem #2

Jul 222010

Focus

  • miles
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Focus. The contact stated that when she rear ended the truck in front her, the engine began smoking. The vehicle caught fire and was destroyed. There were no injuries. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was unavailable when the complaint was filed. The current and failure mileages were unknown.

- Searcy, AR, USA

problem #1

Feb 242010

Focus

  • miles
Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I am wondering what action I can take next. I own a brand new 2010 Ford Focus purchased in Feb 2010. The car has a terrible smell on the inside, I have taken it back to the dealer where I purchased it and all they did was spray something in the car and send us home. The smell is so bad that all I can do is back the car out of my garage open the doors and windows and after doing that for several hours a day I drive it back into my garage to sit. I can't drive my brand new Ford anywhere because I get so sick from the smell. I have contacted the Ford Motor Company about my problem and they sent me to tousley Ford. Tousley had my vehicle for a few days and believe the problem is the plastic parts inside the car, and claim they can't do anything about my "toxic" car. I am wondering who I can talk to get an answer and some help getting my vehicle replace by another 2010 Ford Focus that doesn't have a very bad smell in it. My husband and I get sick every time we get in the car to drive it down the road. The hotter the inside of the car gets the worse the smell. The dealership even took the carpet in the truck out to see but found nothing but a terrible smell. Ford has admitted that they don't want to spray anything more inside the car because it will "mask" the smell it already has L. how many months does it take owning a vehicle that you can only drive out of your garage to air it out and can't drive it down the road cause you get sick. [xxx]

- Forest Lake, MN, USA

Not what you are looking for?