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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)

78 of 888 complaints match · Engine & cooling · clear filters · page 4 of 4

Dec 14, 2022EngineEngine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the check engine and oil warning lights illuminated before the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the engine camshaft and timing chain had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 51,642.

NHTSA ODI 11497466

Apr 13, 2022Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would not accelerate properly and a loud rattling sound was present coming from the engine. Upon inspection, it was determined that the antifreeze was very low but no leak was present. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was also notified but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11460624

Mar 3, 2022Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the purge valve had failed. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired; however, upon replacing the engine coolant, she noticed that the coolant was leaking from the coolant hose. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic who replace the coolant hose. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle a few days later, the vehicle started with delay and the transmission was slipping while driving. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic who diagnosed that the vehicle was overheating, and the thermostat was replaced. Additionally, the independent mechanic diagnosed that the transmission had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was overheating while driving and smelled very hot. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they had already covered the transmission repair in the past and could not assist as her VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

NHTSA ODI 11455019

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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 →