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6.8

fairly significant
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
9,529 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.

2018 Ford Focus engine problems

engine problem

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2018 Ford Focus Owner Comments

problem #19

Jan 032024

Focus

  • miles

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

The engine died while I was driving with my fiance, and the steering gave out. There was a loss of power to both the engine and brakes. The timing of shifting was inconsistent and I couldn't keep up with speed of traffic. Ford has confirmed that there is a problem with my vehicle and that the engine could explode. This is from their recall live on their site: "The engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm to fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt material may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure. A loss of engine oil pressure can result in engine damage and/or seizure, which can result in a loss of motive power and a loss of the mechanical vacuum pump required to provide power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash." My car has been inspected by the local Ford dealership. There was a warning lamp that showed on the dashboard the day I had planned to get an oil change done by the Tuttle-Click Ford. They completed my oil change and did not acknowledge that I had an engine warning light. I had to call them back the same day to ask why the light was still on and if they fixed it, and they said to bring it back in. Once I did, they said they would have to take apart my engine. After bringing it to two other mechanics (the failure getting progressively worse), one of them was kind enough to let me know my car was recalled. Information that Ford never led out with once I brought my car in.

- Dana Point, CA, USA

problem #18

Jan 032024

Focus

  • miles
The engine died while I was driving with my fiance, and the steering gave out. There was a loss of power to both the engine and brakes. The timing of shifting was inconsistent and I couldn't keep up with speed of traffic. Ford has confirmed that there is a problem with my vehicle and that the engine could explode. This is from their recall live on their site: "The engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm to fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt material may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure. A loss of engine oil pressure can result in engine damage and/or seizure, which can result in a loss of motive power and a loss of the mechanical vacuum pump required to provide power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash." My car has been inspected by the local Ford dealership. There was a warning lamp that showed on the dashboard the day I had planned to get an oil change done by the Tuttle-Click Ford. They completed my oil change and did not acknowledge that I had an engine warning light. I had to call them back the same day to ask why the light was still on and if they fixed it, and they said to bring it back in. Once I did, they said they would have to take apart my engine. After bringing it to two other mechanics (the failure getting progressively worse), one of them was kind enough to let me know my car was recalled. Information that Ford never led out with once I brought my car in.

- Dana Point, CA, USA

problem #17

Jun 052023

Focus

  • miles
I was driving normal speed on a highway and all of a sudden my speed slowed to 0 and I had to hurry and pull over fast. I was so scared and it was so dangerous. I took it to a shop and they said I need a new transmission. The car never indicated there was an issue prior to this incident.

- Philadelphia, PA, USA

problem #16

Mar 132023

Focus

  • miles

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

Initially the check engine light came on; took it to service center and the fuel sensor was replaced. Check engine light comes on the next day which revealed an evap code error. Suggestion was take it to dealer for recall check. Safety became an issue when the vehicle sputtered and stalled on the highway. I visually inspected the fuel tank which appeared "sunken" which suggested a vacuum pressure problem which the dealer also confirmed. All this is part of a recall which "should" include my VIN, make, model and year.

- Lanham, MD, USA

problem #15

Feb 272023

Focus

  • miles
Hesitation, stuttering, and lack of power have plagued me since purchasing 2022. When I put my foot on the accelerator the car should go. My car decides to take a coffee break, then smoke break, then bathroom, another smoke break then decides to go.

- Independence, MO, USA

problem #14

Aug 082022

Focus

  • miles
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.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #13

Aug 062019

Focus

  • 10,000 miles

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

When my car is running and sitting idle at an intersection, it stutters ans hesitates to accelerate. When I am driving on the highway and I beed to sliw down or speed up; my car stutters and hesitates.

- Lithonia, GA, USA

problem #12

Feb 012021

Focus

  • miles
Car keeps idling up at a stop or when I slow down skips and acts like its gone cut off when it does idle down

- Statesboro, GA, USA

problem #11

Jan 302021

Focus

  • 1 miles
Sometimes when I run the car early off in the morning I usually let it warm up. But even though I do that it seems like it kind of like struggles if I accelerate slowly, and I'm doing so it kind of like jerks the vehicle forward a couple times until it just clicks. That's for the, for the speed control I think I put it under. As for the other issue I will take it to autozone and I needed to get codes because my check engine light is on. And now I'm wondering if it's under recall, because the code P0456, evaporative emissions system and it says there's small leak or it's considered a small leak so I'm just wondering but if you guys can please tell what it could be that would be awesome

- Winston-Salem, NC, USA

problem #10

Dec 252020

Focus

  • miles
My car has been having a issue staying on, it constantly has to get jumped after I pumped gas, while I was in the middle of driving the car cut completely off. I'm having a problem also reversing and acceleration, my car is not going past 10 miles. I only have 85000 miles

- Dallas, GA, USA

problem #9

Sep 062019

Focus

  • miles

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

I got the vehicle on 4/30/2019, one month later, the vehicle began with issues. After you come to a full stop and then you let you foot off the brake and press the accelerator to go forward, the car shakes / vibrates. I have already taken my vehicle 3 times to the dealership about the same issue, the issue does get fix but after a month, the same issue begins again. The dealership told me that this problem will happen every month, I was never told about it before I bought/finance the vehicle. Also my vehicle is not getting the proper full mileage it should be getting

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #8

Dec 012020

Focus

  • 52,500 miles
After you come to a full stop and then you let you foot off the brake and press the accelerator to go forward, the car shakes/trembles. It happens very often. Didn't pay too much mind to it at first, but it keeps happening.

- Huntersville, NC, USA

problem #7

Aug 042020

Focus

  • 48,858 miles
When driving my car the engine stalls trying to get it up to speed and when you attempt to step into it my car stalls to where it feels like your foot is at the floor my dealership claims it's just the style of the car it's supposed to do that

- Avon, IL, USA

problem #6

Dec 122019

Focus

  • 3,500 miles
When driving the vehicle from acceleration of 5mph the steering wheel will shake the gas pedal shakes as well as the car. It happens during acceleration from stoplights and while driving in the city limits and turning

- Thomasville, NC, USA

problem #5

Jan 312020

Focus

  • 30,200 miles
Manual transmission. While in motion, going through gears during acceleration, clutch pushed in, foot off gas, rpms go up anywhere between 500 and 1500 for several seconds before dropping. If you don't clutch in, car continues to pull as though the gas pedal is stuck and the "shift up" light stays on.

- Fountain, CO, USA

problem #4

Jan 162020

Focus

  • 11,500 miles
Manual transmission- when I push clutch in engine rpms increase by 3000. When letting off clutch engine stay increased and car jumps this happens going down the road and parked unknown cause

- Valdosta, GA, USA

problem #3

Dec 062019

Focus

  • 1,000 miles
The issue happens off and on when you use the accelerator pedal the throttle keeps accelerating up to several minutes after you completely take your foot off it. I first noticed the issue a month aft buying the car brand new and it's been consistently happening for over a year now. I have taken it to Ford twice already and they tell me there is nothing wrong with it. I noticed the problem the first time on a highway off ramp when the breaks seemed to not be hardly working. When I put the car in neutral the breaks started working just fine and the car instantly started red lining. The issue since then has happened in town on the highway even when parked. Seems to happen more often when its colder out but still happens when 90 out. I have taken two videos of it so far.

- Billings, MT, USA

problem #2

May 022019

Focus

  • 14,000 miles
When taking your foot off the gas and depressing the clutch to shift the engine rpms will remain for 7 to 10 seconds before falling and allowing you to engage the next gear. On several occasions under the same circumstances the engine will rev approximately 1,000 rpms higher and remain for 7 to 10 seconds before falling. This all happens with no input on the accelerator pedal and occurs intermittently. It also seems to be worse when the ambient temperature is higher. This happens only when the vehicle is in motion and shifting between gears (manual transmission).

- Schertz, TX, USA

problem #1

May 012018

Focus

  • 9,500 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. While driving at unknown speeds and shifting gears, the accelerator pedal would become stuck. Also, when the vehicle was started, the accelerator pedal was stuck and the engine revved. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact called loveland Ford (999 E eisenhower blvd, loveland, co 80537, (970) 744-7101) and was informed that they were booked for service until December 6, 2018. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 9,500.

- Fort Collins, CO, USA

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