Home · 2016 Ford Focus · Complaints
What 1,185 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Focus
These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.
3 of 1,185 complaints match · Electrical system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters
May 20, 2026Electrical systemBrakesEngineCrash1 injury
[XXX] driving her 2016 ford focus hit me [XXX] she claims her btakes did not work hitting multiple times she hit me so hard her car flew many feet back. I believe her car was defective it was alittle snowy but nothing bad. [XXX] said her brakes did not work at all. Me and multiple cars were able to come to complete stop with no skidding i have toyota rav4. I think her car might have been told my car needed repairs. I was severely injured severe permanent concussion brain neck back shoulder arm hand chest back muscle nerve damage. Dunno if [XXX] was also injured INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA ODI 11738923
Sep 20, 2019Electrical systemFire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE CHARGER CABLE OVERHEATED AND BURNED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A BURN MARK ON THE OUTLET. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO SPARKS OR FLAMES WERE SEEN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V592000 (EQUIPMENT); HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE YEAR WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LARRY H. MILLER FORD LINCOLN DRAPER (11442 LONE PEAK PKWY, DRAPER, UT 84020, (801) 590-0561), BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.
NHTSA ODI 11256941
May 12, 2019Electrical systemBody & structureFire
" TAKATA RECALL" I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN MY CAR STARTED SMELLING HOT. I LITERALLY JUST LEFT MY HOUSE I WAS ABOUT 5 MILES FROM HOME. IT SMELLED LIKE HOW YOU USE THE HEATER FOR THE FIRST TIME DURING COLD WEATHER. I CHECKED THE GAUGES TO MAKE SURE I WAS NOT OVER HEATING. I HAD NO WARNING LIGHTS POP ON AND MY TEMP GAUGE WAS NORMAL. I THAN STARTED SEEING SMOKE COMING FROM THE SIDE OF THE HOOD. I PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND GOT OUT. THE ENTIRE CAR UNDER NEATH WAS ON FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY GOT AWAY FROM THE CAR AND WAITED FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE TO COME.
NHTSA ODI 11207047
Working with the data? Download all 1,185 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 10, 2026
How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your
pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the
full 2016 Ford Focus verdict →