
2013 Ford FOCUS ELECTRIC
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2013 Ford FOCUS ELECTRIC has 120 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (31% of all complaints), specifically: driving at low speed in a parking lot, the car lost propulsion (only) and displayed 'stop safely now'. this has occurred 3 times since (total of 4) with 3 incidents also being at low, parking lot speeds. i had one incident where this occurred at a steady 40mph. the car looses propulsion only. ste.
120
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
1.5x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
TRANSMISSION
37 complaints- • DRIVING AT LOW SPEED IN A PARKING LOT, THE CAR LOST PROPULSION (ONLY) AND DISPLAYED 'STOP SAFELY NOW'. THIS HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES SINCE (TOTAL OF 4) WITH 3 INCIDENTS ALSO BEING AT LOW, PARKING LOT SPEEDS. I HAD ONE INCIDENT WHERE THIS OCCURRED AT A STEADY 40MPH. THE CAR LOOSES PROPULSION ONLY. STE
- • AFTER DRIVING ABOUT ONE MILE FROM HOME, A TONE SOUNDED AND THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING WAS DISPLAYED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH. THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD ONTO THE SHOULDER. THE CAR'S SPEED WAS ABOUT 25 MPH WHEN THE TONE FIRST SO
- • MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AT APPROX. 30 MPH. WITH NO PRIOR AUDIBLE OR VISUAL INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING DRIVE POWER CEASED AND THE CAR CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP WITH A LOUD AUDIBLE WARNING.SHE WAS LUCKY NOT TO BE REAR ENDED..THE GREEN INSTRUMENT PANEL ICON WHICH NORMALLY INDICATES DRIVE POWER C
“DRIVING AT LOW SPEED IN A PARKING LOT, THE CAR LOST PROPULSION (ONLY) AND DISPLAYED 'STOP SAFELY NOW'. THIS HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES SINCE (TOTAL OF 4) WITH 3 INCIDENTS ALSO BEING AT LOW, PARKING LOT SPEEDS. I HAD ONE INCIDENT WHERE THIS OCCURRED AT A STEADY 40MPH. THE CAR LOOSES PROPULSION ONLY. STE”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
27 complaints- • I HAVE JUST OVER 1000 MILES ON MY 2013 FOCUS EV ... TOOK IT FOR ITS 1ST POWER CAR WASH TODAY @ DELTA SONIC ... ABOUT 10:00 MIN DRIVING AWAY FROM CAR WASH, VEHICLE ABRUPTLY "SHUT DOWN" REQUESTING AN "IMMEDIATE SAFE STOP" AND THE "YELLOW WRENCH" SHOWED ON DASH. AFTER ABOUT 30:00 MIN WHILE SCHEDULI
- • DRIVING THE VEHICLE HOME WHEN WARNING LIGHTS BEGAN TO FLASH ON THE DASH SAYING TO CHECK OWNERS MANUAL AND TO PULL OVER. THE GAS PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE AND I COASTED UP TO A RED LIGHT AT A LEFT TURN SIGNAL AND STOPPED, PUT ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS. EVENTUALLY TURNED VEHICLE OFF THEN ON AGAIN AND WAS AB
- • ON AT LEAST 8 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ALL OF SUDDEN AND OUT OF THE BLUE IT DISPLAYS A "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD AND THEN COMPLETELY LOSES ALL POWER TO THE DRIVETRAIN AS SOON AS IT SLOWS TO DOWN TO APPROX. 5MPH. FORTUNATELY, I'VE NOT BEEN KILLED YET AS A RESULT OF
“I HAVE JUST OVER 1000 MILES ON MY 2013 FOCUS EV ... TOOK IT FOR ITS 1ST POWER CAR WASH TODAY @ DELTA SONIC ... ABOUT 10:00 MIN DRIVING AWAY FROM CAR WASH, VEHICLE ABRUPTLY "SHUT DOWN" REQUESTING AN "IMMEDIATE SAFE STOP" AND THE "YELLOW WRENCH" SHOWED ON DASH. AFTER ABOUT 30:00 MIN WHILE SCHEDULI”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ENGINE
16 complaints- • TWO INCIDENTS OF "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING AND LOSS OF POWER. DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM IN FIRST INCIDENT. SECOND INCIDENT TODAY, 23 DAYS AFTER FIRST ONE. WILL TAKE (OR TOW) IT IN FOR INSPECTION MONDAY, PER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. *TR
- • DRIVING THE VEHICLE HOME WHEN WARNING LIGHTS BEGAN TO FLASH ON THE DASH SAYING TO CHECK OWNERS MANUAL AND TO PULL OVER. THE GAS PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE AND I COASTED UP TO A RED LIGHT AT A LEFT TURN SIGNAL AND STOPPED, PUT ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS. EVENTUALLY TURNED VEHICLE OFF THEN ON AGAIN AND WAS AB
- • STOP SAFELY NOW- CAR ASKED ME TO STOP SAFELY NOW WHILE DRIVING AND I PULLED OVER. AT THAT POINT, IT DID NOT RESTART. HAS HAPPENED 4 OTHER TIMES WITH MY WIFE AND 4 KIDS IN THE CAR WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEED. VERY UNSAFE AND HAVE REPORTED TO FORD. HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR OVER 30 DAYS AND THEY ARE E
“TWO INCIDENTS OF "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING AND LOSS OF POWER. DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM IN FIRST INCIDENT. SECOND INCIDENT TODAY, 23 DAYS AFTER FIRST ONE. WILL TAKE (OR TOW) IT IN FOR INSPECTION MONDAY, PER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. *TR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
FUEL SYSTEM
15 complaints- • I HAVE JUST OVER 1000 MILES ON MY 2013 FOCUS EV ... TOOK IT FOR ITS 1ST POWER CAR WASH TODAY @ DELTA SONIC ... ABOUT 10:00 MIN DRIVING AWAY FROM CAR WASH, VEHICLE ABRUPTLY "SHUT DOWN" REQUESTING AN "IMMEDIATE SAFE STOP" AND THE "YELLOW WRENCH" SHOWED ON DASH. AFTER ABOUT 30:00 MIN WHILE SCHEDULI
- • ON AT LEAST 8 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ALL OF SUDDEN AND OUT OF THE BLUE IT DISPLAYS A "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD AND THEN COMPLETELY LOSES ALL POWER TO THE DRIVETRAIN AS SOON AS IT SLOWS TO DOWN TO APPROX. 5MPH. FORTUNATELY, I'VE NOT BEEN KILLED YET AS A RESULT OF
- • STOP SAFELY NOW- CAR ASKED ME TO STOP SAFELY NOW WHILE DRIVING AND I PULLED OVER. AT THAT POINT, IT DID NOT RESTART. HAS HAPPENED 4 OTHER TIMES WITH MY WIFE AND 4 KIDS IN THE CAR WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEED. VERY UNSAFE AND HAVE REPORTED TO FORD. HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR OVER 30 DAYS AND THEY ARE E
“I HAVE JUST OVER 1000 MILES ON MY 2013 FOCUS EV ... TOOK IT FOR ITS 1ST POWER CAR WASH TODAY @ DELTA SONIC ... ABOUT 10:00 MIN DRIVING AWAY FROM CAR WASH, VEHICLE ABRUPTLY "SHUT DOWN" REQUESTING AN "IMMEDIATE SAFE STOP" AND THE "YELLOW WRENCH" SHOWED ON DASH. AFTER ABOUT 30:00 MIN WHILE SCHEDULI”
— NHTSA complaint filing
STEERING
9 complaints- • AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT WE HAVE HAD TWO OCCURRENCES OF A "STOP SAFELY NOW" ERROR MESSAGE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON THIS VEHICLE. DURING EACH FAILURE THE VEHICLE STOPPED FUNCTIONING ABRUPTLY WITH NO WARNING BEFORE THE FAILURE. ALL STEERING, CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND PROPULSION WAS LOST. ON T
- • THIS IS FOR THE FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC. DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE OF A 4 LANE ROAD IN MODERATE TRAFFIC, MY WIFE WAS SLOWING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO A 4 LANE HWY. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE CHIMED ONCE, SHOWED AN ORANGE CAUTION SIGN IN THE LEFT INFO DISPLAY THAT READ "PLEASE STOP SAFELY NOW," AND IMMEDIA
- • CAR HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE UNCOUPLING THE ENGINE FROM THE POWER TRAIN ROLLED DOWN HILL NOT ENGAGED SCARY AT FORD COULDN'T FIX SO THEY CALLED SPECIALIST WHO TOOK IT APART AND PUT IT BACK TOGETHER TEST DRIVE 20 MILES WOULD NOT TURN OFF! STILL AT SHOP EXPERT TO RETURN AND TRY AGAIN TAKING APART CAR AND
“AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT WE HAVE HAD TWO OCCURRENCES OF A "STOP SAFELY NOW" ERROR MESSAGE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON THIS VEHICLE. DURING EACH FAILURE THE VEHICLE STOPPED FUNCTIONING ABRUPTLY WITH NO WARNING BEFORE THE FAILURE. ALL STEERING, CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND PROPULSION WAS LOST. ON T”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 120 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐TRANSMISSION: DRIVING AT LOW SPEED IN A PARKING LOT, THE CAR LOST PROPULSION (ONLY) AND DISPLAYED 'STOP SAFELY NOW'. THIS HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES SINCE (TOTAL OF 4) WITH 3 INCIDENTS ALSO BEING AT LOW, PARKING LOT SPEEDS. I HAD ONE INCIDENT WHERE THIS OCCURRED AT A STEADY 40MPH. THE CAR LOOSES PROPULSION ONLY. STE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: I HAVE JUST OVER 1000 MILES ON MY 2013 FOCUS EV ... TOOK IT FOR ITS 1ST POWER CAR WASH TODAY @ DELTA SONIC ... ABOUT 10:00 MIN DRIVING AWAY FROM CAR WASH, VEHICLE ABRUPTLY "SHUT DOWN" REQUESTING AN "IMMEDIATE SAFE STOP" AND THE "YELLOW WRENCH" SHOWED ON DASH. AFTER ABOUT 30:00 MIN WHILE SCHEDULI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: TWO INCIDENTS OF "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING AND LOSS OF POWER. DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM IN FIRST INCIDENT. SECOND INCIDENT TODAY, 23 DAYS AFTER FIRST ONE. WILL TAKE (OR TOW) IT IN FOR INSPECTION MONDAY, PER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐FUEL SYSTEM: I HAVE JUST OVER 1000 MILES ON MY 2013 FOCUS EV ... TOOK IT FOR ITS 1ST POWER CAR WASH TODAY @ DELTA SONIC ... ABOUT 10:00 MIN DRIVING AWAY FROM CAR WASH, VEHICLE ABRUPTLY "SHUT DOWN" REQUESTING AN "IMMEDIATE SAFE STOP" AND THE "YELLOW WRENCH" SHOWED ON DASH. AFTER ABOUT 30:00 MIN WHILE SCHEDULI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Ford FOCUS ELECTRIC — Year Comparison
How does 2013 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 120
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 0
- Crash reports
- 1
- Injury reports
- 1
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2013 Ford FOCUS ELECTRIC