2015 Ford FOCUS

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2015 Ford FOCUS has 1308 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 16.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (42% of all complaints), specifically: my father bought a ford focus, after driving mine and liking it so well, in feb/march of this year. he took it back for transmission whining. he was a mechanic in the armed forces and knows the sound, and chuck anderson ford said that it was a bearing problem and they "fixed" it. he picked up the. ⚠️ 7 fire reports filed.

7 fire reports 37 crash reports 38 injuries

1308

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

16.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

553 complaints

42%

• MY FATHER BOUGHT A FORD FOCUS, AFTER DRIVING MINE AND LIKING IT SO WELL, IN FEB/MARCH OF THIS YEAR. HE TOOK IT BACK FOR TRANSMISSION WHINING. HE WAS A MECHANIC IN THE ARMED FORCES AND KNOWS THE SOUND, AND CHUCK ANDERSON FORD SAID THAT IT WAS A BEARING PROBLEM AND THEY "FIXED" IT. HE PICKED UP THE
• I TRADED THIS VEHICLE IN FROM A 2012 FORD FIESTA, WHICH AFTER THREE YEARS HAD BECOME A ROLLING DISASTER, FROM THE FAULTY TRANSMISSION TO THE ALWAYS-DYING BATTERY AND TWO RECALLS. THE DEALER ASSURED ME THE 2015 FOCUS WAS REDESIGNED AND MUCH BETTER. I'LL ADMIT IT DRIVES MUCH BETTER, IS ROOMIER, AND
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD FOCUS. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. MA 10/19/15 *CN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 11 crashes

“MY FATHER BOUGHT A FORD FOCUS, AFTER DRIVING MINE AND LIKING IT SO WELL, IN FEB/MARCH OF THIS YEAR. HE TOOK IT BACK FOR TRANSMISSION WHINING. HE WAS A MECHANIC IN THE ARMED FORCES AND KNOWS THE SOUND, AND CHUCK ANDERSON FORD SAID THAT IT WAS A BEARING PROBLEM AND THEY "FIXED" IT. HE PICKED UP THE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

175 complaints

13%

• I BOUGHT THIS CAR LESS THAN 6 MOS. AGO. IT HAS HAD 2 RECALLS SO FAR. THE TRANSMISSION HAS A PROBLEM. IT JUMPS AND ACTS LIKE IT IS GOING TO DIE. TWICE WHEN I HAVE STARTED IT THERE WAS A KNOCKING LIKE THE ENGINE HAD SOMETHING WRONG. WHEN I CHANGED THE GEAR THE KNOCKING QUIT. WHEN I RUN THE HEATER THER
• I WAS DRIVING ON A MAJOR ROAD AT SPEEDS OF 50MPH WHEN CAR LOST ALL POWER TO THE WHEELS AND TRANSMISSION SLIPPED. I WAS LEAVING A MALL PARKING LOT AND ACCELERATING WHEN THE CAR JERKED DANGEROUSLY AND STOPPED ACCELERATING CAUSING ME TO LOOSE SPEED AND CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. PROBABLE CAUSE: TRANSMISSI
• THE FORD FOCUS STUTTERS AT STARTUP WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM THE CAR GETS WORSE. THE CAR WILL STALL AND IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. FORD HAS NO FIX THEY JUST TELL ME IT IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN AN AUTOMATIC CAR. I HAVE TRIED PREMIUM FUEL NOTHING HELPS. THIS IS MY DAUGHTERS FIRST CAR AND I AM AF

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“I BOUGHT THIS CAR LESS THAN 6 MOS. AGO. IT HAS HAD 2 RECALLS SO FAR. THE TRANSMISSION HAS A PROBLEM. IT JUMPS AND ACTS LIKE IT IS GOING TO DIE. TWICE WHEN I HAVE STARTED IT THERE WAS A KNOCKING LIKE THE ENGINE HAD SOMETHING WRONG. WHEN I CHANGED THE GEAR THE KNOCKING QUIT. WHEN I RUN THE HEATER THER”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

166 complaints

13%

• I RENTED A VEHICLE FROM ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR. I DID NOT RECEIVE THE VEHICLE I RESERVED AND PAID FOR. THREE OUT OF THE FOUR VEHICLES SET ASIDE FOR UBER DRIVERS WERE BADLY STAINED ON THE INSIDE AND NOT WASHED ON THE OUTSIDE. THE ONLY VEHICLE OPTION LEFT FOR ME TO DRIVE FOR UBER WAS A 2015 FORD FOCUS,
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE SERVICE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PURGE VALVE, FUEL PUMP, AND FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE O
• MY CAR STALLS SHAKES AND STUDDERS WHEN I ACCELERATE, EVEN AFTER I TURN THE TRACTION CONTROL OFF IT CONTINUES ,I'VE NEARLY BEEN REAR ENDED PLENTY OF TIMES. I DON'T FEEL SAFE AND EITHER DOES MY PASSENGERS AS AND I'M SURE THIS JERKING AS AND TIRE SPINNING WILL CAUSE OTHER PROBLEMS.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“I RENTED A VEHICLE FROM ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR. I DID NOT RECEIVE THE VEHICLE I RESERVED AND PAID FOR. THREE OUT OF THE FOUR VEHICLES SET ASIDE FOR UBER DRIVERS WERE BADLY STAINED ON THE INSIDE AND NOT WASHED ON THE OUTSIDE. THE ONLY VEHICLE OPTION LEFT FOR ME TO DRIVE FOR UBER WAS A 2015 FORD FOCUS,”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

117 complaints

• I WAS ATTEMPTING TO CROSS A BUSY HIGHWAY. WHEN I ACCELERATED THE GAS PEDAL HAD TO BE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND ALMOST CAUSING ME TO BE HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS SLUGGISHNESS CONTINUED AS WELL AS HARD JOLTING FORWARD SHIFTS AFTER INITIAL ACCELERATION AND EVENTUALLY A
• WHEN ACCELERATING THE TRANSMISSION IS STUTTERING, GRINDING AND PERFORMING POORLY. FORD SAID THAT THIS IS HAPPENING BECAUSE "I DRIVE TOO CAREFULLY, THE TRANSMISSION IS DESIGNED TO BE DRIVEN AGGRESSIVELY AND WILL GET STUCK BETWEEN GEARS UNLESS YOU 'FLOOR IT'".
• I BOUGHT THIS CAR LESS THAN 6 MOS. AGO. IT HAS HAD 2 RECALLS SO FAR. THE TRANSMISSION HAS A PROBLEM. IT JUMPS AND ACTS LIKE IT IS GOING TO DIE. TWICE WHEN I HAVE STARTED IT THERE WAS A KNOCKING LIKE THE ENGINE HAD SOMETHING WRONG. WHEN I CHANGED THE GEAR THE KNOCKING QUIT. WHEN I RUN THE HEATER THER

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“I WAS ATTEMPTING TO CROSS A BUSY HIGHWAY. WHEN I ACCELERATED THE GAS PEDAL HAD TO BE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND ALMOST CAUSING ME TO BE HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS SLUGGISHNESS CONTINUED AS WELL AS HARD JOLTING FORWARD SHIFTS AFTER INITIAL ACCELERATION AND EVENTUALLY A”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

94 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NO
• I RENTED THIS NEW 2015 FOCUS SEDAN FROM HERTZ AT MIAMI INTL AIRPORT TO DRIVE 280 MILES HOME TO OCALA, FL. THE ENTIRE WAY, THE STEERING GRABBED, SLIPPED AND HAD A DIFFICULT TIME STAYING IN ONE LANE, THE STEERING PULLED TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT IN A JERKY DANGEROUS MANNER. WE WERE LITERALLY SC
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 26 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEELS MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 216,000.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1308 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: MY FATHER BOUGHT A FORD FOCUS, AFTER DRIVING MINE AND LIKING IT SO WELL, IN FEB/MARCH OF THIS YEAR. HE TOOK IT BACK FOR TRANSMISSION WHINING. HE WAS A MECHANIC IN THE ARMED FORCES AND KNOWS THE SOUND, AND CHUCK ANDERSON FORD SAID THAT IT WAS A BEARING PROBLEM AND THEY "FIXED" IT. HE PICKED UP THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: I BOUGHT THIS CAR LESS THAN 6 MOS. AGO. IT HAS HAD 2 RECALLS SO FAR. THE TRANSMISSION HAS A PROBLEM. IT JUMPS AND ACTS LIKE IT IS GOING TO DIE. TWICE WHEN I HAVE STARTED IT THERE WAS A KNOCKING LIKE THE ENGINE HAD SOMETHING WRONG. WHEN I CHANGED THE GEAR THE KNOCKING QUIT. WHEN I RUN THE HEATER THER
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: I RENTED A VEHICLE FROM ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR. I DID NOT RECEIVE THE VEHICLE I RESERVED AND PAID FOR. THREE OUT OF THE FOUR VEHICLES SET ASIDE FOR UBER DRIVERS WERE BADLY STAINED ON THE INSIDE AND NOT WASHED ON THE OUTSIDE. THE ONLY VEHICLE OPTION LEFT FOR ME TO DRIVE FOR UBER WAS A 2015 FORD FOCUS,
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: I WAS ATTEMPTING TO CROSS A BUSY HIGHWAY. WHEN I ACCELERATED THE GAS PEDAL HAD TO BE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND ALMOST CAUSING ME TO BE HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS SLUGGISHNESS CONTINUED AS WELL AS HARD JOLTING FORWARD SHIFTS AFTER INITIAL ACCELERATION AND EVENTUALLY A
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)