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)

4 of 888 complaints match · Fuel system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jul 3, 2023Electrical systemEngineFuel system1 injury

Driving 75mph down the frontage road. The car just stopped. No warning no lights just a violent stop. If there were cars behind us or we were on the highway we could be dead right now!! It stopped no lights took us 2 hrs to get the car home with a no service area. It was clicking in the engine. After it was parked for hrs. This is the second time in 7 months this car has had a serious manufacturer problem! It is unsafe and I will never drive it again!!! Bad for having only 63,000 miles on it!! I got it with 52,000 miles and it broke down instantly with a transmission problem. Was in the shop for 4 months and now this. Dangerous

NHTSA ODI 11530135

Apr 27, 2022Fuel systemFire

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus ST. The contact stated that when he proceeded to start his vehicle, the vehicle would not start. The contact stated that he then had his vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who was able to start his vehicle by placing air in the fuel tank. The contact stated that once the vehicle started, there was a huge amount of black smoke. The contact stated that he was advised by the mechanic that he had a deforming fuel tank that was causing the failure. The contact stated that no warning lights had illuminated the vehicle at the time. The contact stated that he was able to drive his vehicle back to his residence, however, when he attempted to restart the vehicle, it would not start. The contact stated that he then contacted both the dealer and manufacturer who advised him that there was a recall, however, his vehicle was not a part of the recall NHTSA campaign 19V515000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The failure mileage was 83,000.

NHTSA ODI 11462512

Oct 13, 2020EngineFuel systemCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT STALLED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE STREET. THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN NEUTRAL AND PUSHED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME CLOSELY. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY ARRANGED A TOW TO THE DEALER (UPTOWN FORD LINCOLN 2111 N MAYFAIR RD, MILWAUKEE, WI 53226 (414) 771-9000) BUT THEY REFUSED TO DO THE REPAIR THAT HAD TO DO WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V515000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD A MINOR CRASH SIX MONTHS EARLIER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CRASH WAS THE CONTACT'S FAULT AND THE REASON THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE MALFUNCTIONED. THE MANUFACTURER CALLED BACK TO DENY THE CONTACT'S CLAIM. THE MANUFACTURER RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO STATED SAME AS THE FIRST DEALER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THE UPPER MANAGEMENT OF THE SECOND DEALER DENIED TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER FINALLY SENT AN EMAIL DENYING THE CONTACT'S CLAIM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

NHTSA ODI 11364081

Apr 7, 2019Transmission & drivetrainEngineFuel systemCrash1 injury

I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT AT APPROXIMATELY 3-5 MPH AND THE CAR SURGED FORWARD JUMPING THE CURB AND HITTING A TREE. PRIOR TO APPROACHING THE PARKING SPOT A SPEED BUMP WAS NEGOTIATED SO THE STATED MPH ARE ACCURATE AS THE SPEED BUMP WAS 25 FEET PRIOR TO THE PARKING SPOT ENTRY.

NHTSA ODI 11194432

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 →