Home · 2017 Ford Focus · Complaints

What 888 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 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.

All (888)Crash / fire / injury (22)Transmission & drivetrain (448)Engine (226)Fuel system (177)Engine & cooling (78)Electrical system (38)Speed control (38)Steering (20)Airbags (15)Brakes (11)Lights (9)

448 of 888 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · clear filters · page 3 of 18

Feb 25, 2025Transmission & drivetrainEngine

The contact’s son owns a 2017 Ford Focus. While the contact’s son was pulling into a parking space, the vehicle lost motive power, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle then failed to exceed 10 MPH. The vehicle failed to start and was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 95,000.

NHTSA ODI 11644863

Feb 24, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

Since November 22nd, my 2017 Ford Focus with 79,503 miles has been at a Ford dealership leaving waiting for a motor. My timing belt and oil pump belt snapped, casing my engine to jump timing. When this happened, I had no time to pull over or anything. It was in the middle of the night and broke down in the middle of the road. The real kicker is, ford claims my car isn’t affected by the recall due to my car featuring a manual transmission. This car put my life at risk, and has the exact same issue as the recall and is requiring the same fix. Before my warranty, my engine replacement is over $11,000! I’m still sticking paying a few thousand dollars, and my car has been at the dealership for3 months. Still no updates or engine available. This car should be under the recall.

NHTSA ODI 11644664

Feb 17, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

I own a 2017 Ford Focus. When I got in my car to leave work for the day, it would not shift into reverse. I was stranded in subzero weather for 2hrs before someone was able to come and get to me. My son-in-law and his friend pushed it out of the parking space and limped it home. They hooked it up to a code reader...TCM failure...but mine is not in the recall?! After SO many people with the same issue on the same car?! I am now stuck with no car that I am still making payments on, no where near a bus route in the dead of winter in the midwest.

NHTSA ODI 11643150

Feb 12, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

A "P07A3" code on a 2017 Ford Focus indicates that the transmission's "Friction Element A" is stuck on, meaning a clutch within the transmission is not releasing properly, likely causing issues with shifting and potentially putting the car into limp mode; this is a serious issue that requires professional repair as it usually points towards internal transmission problems. I see slot of people are having the same issue online but yet there is no recall on this issue and there should be.

NHTSA ODI 11642105

Feb 11, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

The transmission has been slipping since I got the car.

NHTSA ODI 11642024

Feb 6, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the transmission hesitated while attempting to shift gear. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. The contact self-diagnosed the vehicle but provided no result. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.

NHTSA ODI 11641206

Jan 31, 2025Transmission & drivetrainSpeed control

Rpm going to high and irregular shifting .This happened after I replaced the part for the 24n07 campaign

NHTSA ODI 11639796

Jan 29, 2025Transmission & drivetrainEngine

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, after the light had changed, the contact depressed the accelerator pedal however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the engine revved but the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to turn off and restart the vehicle; however, after shifting to drive (D) and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to move. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several years before, and the check engine and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

NHTSA ODI 11639389

Jan 27, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

Car is roughly seven years old and has around 75,000 miles. It is is very good condition mechanically. I was driving down the highway and the vehicle stopped accelerating, but the RPMs surged even with my foot off the accelerator. I was able to pull off to the side of the road and get somewhere safe before the car completely stopped. Once I put the car in park, it made a loud "grinding" noise and would no longer move. I called roadside assistance and had the car towed to a mechanic - he said that it needed a new transmission, but was otherwise in very good condition. He advised me to reach out to Ford regarding recalls, as the 2016 model had almost the exact same issue and mine was manufactured just months after.

NHTSA ODI 11638713

Jan 27, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch actuator and the TCM had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer confirmed that the VIN was associated with Customer Satisfaction Numbers: 14M01 – (Extended Warranty on the clutch, transmission software calibration), and 14M02- (Extended Warranty for the Transmission Control Module). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 105,980.

NHTSA ODI 11638889

Jan 27, 2025Transmission & drivetrainEngine

I started driving and the car seemed to act rough. I went up a small hill and I had almost no power halfway up. The car showed the symbol of the little car that looks like it is sliding. I had to chug up the rest of the hill fighting the car itself because there was no where else to go. It kept revving but went no more than about ten mph. Once I got over the top I pulled into someone's driveway so I could get back home. I was unable to reverse. The car just revved. I had to turn off the car, put it in neutral, and push the car backwards out of the driveway. I was able to start the car and nurse it home, but it jumped and revved the entire time. I tried to use down hills to my advantage and barely paused at stop signs for fear of getting stuck on the road. I got to my house and parked. Now the car only starts when it wants to. I checked codes and got P287A for the clutch. I haven't called Ford for service options yet because I really don't know what to do and have no idea how I'd get there. I think this car should have been included in the powertrain recall because this came out of nowhere.

NHTSA ODI 11638971

Jan 23, 2025Transmission & drivetrainEngine

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle was idling very rough. The contact stated that while idling, the vehicle shuddered and jerked significantly, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was able to restart. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull into a parking lot. The contact was able to restart the vehicle with assistance. The contact stated that the check engine warning light had illuminated several times. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, where diagnostic trouble codes related to a stuck canister purge valve were retrieved. Additionally, the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch and the engine mount needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

NHTSA ODI 11638007

Jan 23, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

Car was experiencing symptoms similar to past incidents when it needed service on the transmission. Shaking, vibration when moving forward from a stop or slow down.

NHTSA ODI 11638058

Jan 16, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

Engine light came on and couldn't do a reverse with 60k miles

NHTSA ODI 11636244

Jan 13, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted and the vehicle jerked abnormally with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission clutch had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance The approximate failure mileage was 81,000.

NHTSA ODI 11635686

Jan 10, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2017 Focus Focus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the transmission had malfunctioned and the vehicle did not properly change gears causing the speed to suddenly reduce and the vehicle experienced a loss of automotive power. Also, the vehicle would not drive in reverse and the message "Transmission Overheating" was displayed. The contact indicated that the failures were intermittent. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failures and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000(POWER TRAIN). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced that same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 150,000.

NHTSA ODI 11635228

Jan 7, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving on the highway at various speeds, the vehicle would not shift properly, the transmission would make a loud scooting vibration sound, and it was very evident that the transmission struggled to get into the next gear. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the transmission was replaced under warranty on two occasions, and out of pocket on the third occurrence, this was now the fourth incident where the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11634686

Jan 7, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that his wife was driving the vehicle on the highway at 45 MPH, when upon accelerating the vehicle did not accelerate. The contact stated that his wife then attempted to shift the vehicle into park, and again into drive however the vehicle did not move. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission and the gear shifter were faulty and both would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 138,000.

NHTSA ODI 11634712

Dec 31, 2024Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle with a defective transmission clutch. The contact was informed that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. Upon investigation, the contact became aware that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (POWER TRAIN). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.

NHTSA ODI 11633339

Dec 20, 2024Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while attempting to accelerate from a stop light, the vehicle shuddered and hesitated while accelerating. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission clutch was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11631824

Dec 20, 2024Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal grinding sound while shifting into the intended gear. The transmission malfunction warning light was illuminated, and the Service Vehicle message was displayed. The contact stated that the failure recurred while coming to a complete stop. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond intermittently while shifting into reverse(R). The dealer was notified of the failure and provided the contact with an estimate for a diagnostic test. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

NHTSA ODI 11631853

Dec 18, 2024Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an engine misfire, and the transmission was slipping gear. The contact stated there was an alert indicating that the transmission was getting hot-illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that when the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the transmission failed to shift into reverse. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission clutch assembly failure. The contact was informed that the transmission clutch assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V169000 (Power Train). The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,976.

NHTSA ODI 11631388

Dec 17, 2024Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle shook erratically. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed clutch assembly. The contact was informed that the clutch assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure had occurred previously in 2019 and 2021. The contact stated that the clutch assembly was replaced twice under warranty. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

NHTSA ODI 11631216

Dec 10, 2024Transmission & drivetrainEngine

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to reverse as needed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the failure was due to the clutch failure. The local dealer was contacted, and diagnostic test was suggested. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11629918

Dec 9, 2024Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop, and while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered significantly. The contact also stated that while at a complete stop on an incline, the vehicle rolled backwards while the brake pedal was not depressed. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to upshift as needed. The contact stated that upon depressing and releasing the accelerator pedal several times, the vehicle responded as needed occasionally. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

NHTSA ODI 11629701

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Working with the data? Download all 888 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 2017 Ford Focus verdict →