Home · 2018 Ford Focus Bev · Complaints

What 743 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Focus Bev

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 (743)Crash / fire / injury (21)Transmission & drivetrain (285)Engine (195)Fuel system (181)Engine & cooling (108)Electrical system (38)Steering (30)Speed control (23)Brakes (21)Airbags (8)Body & structure (6)

Newest first · 743 complaints · page 12 of 30

Feb 16, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the oil pressure warning light illuminated. The power steering was inoperable, the vehicle went off the road and then lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed oil pump which caused the engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

NHTSA ODI 11572297

Feb 16, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power with a message indicating an engine failure was displayed. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had seized. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed the residence of the contact's acquaintance. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which the contact related to the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,605.

NHTSA ODI 11572381

Feb 15, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact received notification NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while his grandson was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine started knocking. The check engine and oil warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and a diagnostic test was performed, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to parts not being available for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11572082

Feb 15, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and was unable to accelerate above 50 MPH. The contact was able to pull off the roadway, where the failure persisted. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the oil pump which caused damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and the VIN was included but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,000.

NHTSA ODI 11572198

Feb 13, 2024Backup camera & sensors

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware that the center display was not functioning, preventing the use of the backup camera, and compromising the backover prevention system. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the APIM module. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 54,000.

NHTSA ODI 11571700

Feb 12, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the low oil pressure warning light illuminated on the instrument panel, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the oil pump belt tensioner. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,000.

NHTSA ODI 11571515

Feb 10, 2024Engine

My car had a loss of motive power and the engine light and oil light came on. Checked the oil level, it was good, the light remained on. It also ran rough, had it towed to Future Ford shop. The diagnosis has been confirmed by Future Ford repair shop in Fresno, CA. that the recall for the oil pump is what is wrong with it. They said the engine has to be replaced. This will be the second engine replacement. I HAVE A CASE # [XXX]. MY REASON FOR CONTACTING YOU IS I NEED A LOANER CAR UNTIL FORD REPAIRS IT IN THE 2nd QUARTER. I JUST STARTED A NEW JOB 3 DAYS AGO AND I NEED A CAR. I CAN NOT AFFORD A RENTAL. PLEASE AUTHORIZE THE DEALER TO GIVE ME A LOANER CAR!!!!! I AM DESPERATELY BEGGING YOU FOR HELP. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11571217

Feb 9, 2024BrakesEngine

I am writing to urgently submit a formal complaint regarding a critical safety issue with my Ford Focus, VIN: [XXX] , and Ford's alarming failure to promptly notify owners about the defect described in Safety Recall 23S64. On [XXX], I experienced a terrifying incident while driving on the highway when my car suffered a sudden loss of power braking, resulting in a near miss accident and inflicting emotional distress. I towed the vehicle to a Ford dealer for assessment, where it was determined that the engine had failed and required a full replacement. After doing research myself, I found that my car is among those affected by Safety Recall 23S64, a fact of which I was completely unaware until after the incident. According to Ford's own communication to US dealers, new or in-stock vehicles under this recall are not to be demonstrated or delivered until repair instructions are provided, and customer notifications are to be issued only after repair instructions and parts ordering information are made available to dealers. At the moment, I have yet to receive any such notification or communication from Ford, despite my vehicle being directly impacted by the defect outlined therein. Furthermore, Ford expects me to shoulder the financial burden of the necessary repairs upfront, with the promise of reimbursement once the full FSA bulletin is released, a process that may extend until June. I am lucky this situation was a near miss, however, for others this might be a life threatening experience. If Ford does not take immediate action to remedy those who have been affected early on in the recall, I will have to seek legal action for Ford's negligence, seeking compensation for material costs associated with the repair of my vehicle, as well as recompense for lost wages due to lack of transportation, the cost of a rental vehicle, and the significant emotional distress I experienced during this harrowing experience. Thank you for your urgent attention. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11571053

Feb 9, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The driver was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that coolant intrusion into the engine had damaged the engine. The contact was informed that the engine and catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 94,000.

NHTSA ODI 11571055

Feb 8, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact's husband was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the oil pump, resulting in engine damage. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and the VIN was included but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11570833

Feb 8, 2024Transmission & drivetrainEngine

My 2018 Ford Focus has not been running correctly since about 30000 miles. As I accelerate, the car has trouble shifting into the next gear and will make a rattle noise that sounds like an object hitting against a fan blade. This makes it difficult to speed up on the freeway or accelerate correctly when I get a green light. I take it into the dealership regularly for an oil change and tune up but when I mentioned the issue they have told me they don't hear it and nothing is wrong.

NHTSA ODI 11570909

Feb 8, 2024BrakesEngine

Engine oil light came on. Lost my brakes . Upon inspection brake vacuum pump failed. And turbo failed from oil starvation. Problem found. oil pump screen blocked off with belt particles.

NHTSA ODI 11570924

Feb 8, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the "Engine Fault - Service Immediately" message flashed on the instrument cluster. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence. The contact attempted to start the vehicle however, the vehicle was making a loud abnormal whirring sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine oil pump drive belt had failed and that the engine and oil pump needed to be replaced; however, the dealer informed the contact that parts were not available to complete the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 80,500. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11570726

Feb 6, 2024Speed controlBrakesEngine

The engine died while I was driving with my fiance, and the steering gave out. There was a loss of power to both the engine and brakes. The timing of shifting was inconsistent and I couldn't keep up with speed of traffic. Ford has confirmed that there is a problem with my vehicle and that the engine could explode. This is from their recall live on their site: "The engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm to fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt material may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure. A loss of engine oil pressure can result in engine damage and/or seizure, which can result in a loss of motive power and a loss of the mechanical vacuum pump required to provide power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash." My car has been inspected by the local Ford dealership. There was a warning lamp that showed on the dashboard the day I had planned to get an oil change done by the Tuttle-Click Ford. They completed my oil change and did not acknowledge that I had an engine warning light. I had to call them back the same day to ask why the light was still on and if they fixed it, and they said to bring it back in. Once I did, they said they would have to take apart my engine. After bringing it to two other mechanics (the failure getting progressively worse), one of them was kind enough to let me know my car was recalled. Information that Ford never led out with once I brought my car in.

NHTSA ODI 11570422

Feb 5, 2024Fuel system

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart immediately. The vehicle restarted after 2-3 attempts. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the canister purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ODI 11569939

Feb 4, 2024Transmission & drivetrain

I purchased this car recently, and it ended up having a faulty transmission. Research shows many of these car’s with a “Power shift” transmission have had the same issue. Please do what’s right, and initiate a recall. Thank you!

NHTSA ODI 11569816

Jan 31, 2024Engine

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while at a complete stop, a message indicating that the vehicle was overheating was displayed, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The contact was able to pull into a gas station. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed due to the oil pump failure. The vehicle was repaired under warranty; however, the failure recurred while at a complete stop. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the oil pump drive belt failure had caused the engine to fail. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they would partially cover the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.

NHTSA ODI 11568960

Jan 31, 2024Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the RPM's were increasing and decreasing erratically on the tachometer, after which the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the transmission was not shifting properly. Due to the failure the clutch 'A' stuck-engaged fault requiring the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V169000 (Power Train) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11569044

Jan 31, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the "Service Engine Soon," message was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle then inadvertently lost motive power. The low oil and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the oil pump. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and the VIN was included; however, parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The failure mileage was 64,000.

NHTSA ODI 11569071

Jan 29, 2024Engine & coolingEngine

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH and slowing for pedestrians in a parking lot, the brake pedal was depressed however, the vehicle failed to slow down as needed. The contact shifted the vehicle to park(P) to stop the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that due to an oil pump failure, the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11568543

Jan 26, 2024Engine

I was driving on the highway and the oil light came on and the car started to slow down. Luckily made it home that night. Woke up next day started the car. Did not see any lights on the dash. When I got halfway down my drive way the car just shut off and the engine light and oil light came on. Cut it off and back on to get it back up the drive way. After cutting it back on the only light on was oil light but it would not move. Towed it to 3 different local shops and all 3 said I needed a new motor which would coast 5-6,000 dollars. The motor has around 78,000 miles on it.

NHTSA ODI 11567949

Jan 25, 2024Engine & coolingBrakes

The contact's brother-in-law owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his brother-in-law was driving 20 MPH, the vehicle lost braking power. The brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled with the check engine and low-pressure oil lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that an engine replacement was needed. The mechanic informed the contact that the oil pump had failed. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the part to fix the vehicle was not available. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and provided an estimate when parts would become available. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11567828

Jan 22, 2024Electrical systemBrakesEngine

While driving 70mph on the highway my oil pressure light came on and I loss all power to my engine. I tried pressing the brakes and nothing happened. I lost ability to accelerate and then the brakes got hard and locked up so therefore lost ability to stop. I was able to coast off of an exit off the highway and had to try to not cause an accident until my car finally coasted to a stop. I had it towed to Portage ford in Portage Wisconsin and they told me that there is an advance notice recall but would not diagnose my car. They told me that they cannot do anything because the recall is just an advance notice and they are unable to open a repair order on it. They told me that because they could not open a repair order they could not verify that it was in fact the recall and told me that I would need to purchase a new engine completely. My oil had been recently changed and the oil levels were checked and they were good as well as the consistency. The recall is exactly word for word what happened but they told me the engine would be $6,000 and the labor would be 25 hours and likely another $6,000 so they qualified my vehicle as a total loss and that they wouldn't be able to give me more than $1,000 for my trade in. They said the Kelly blue book value was only a little under $8,000. My vehicle has a little over 50,000 miles on it only and was just out of powertrain warranty by maybe a month or two. This forced me into having to purchase a new car. They told me that if they found that it was related to the recall once they were able to open a repair order they would cut me a check for $5,000 because my car is obviously worth more than $1,000. I had just replaced the battery, front brakes and tires. No body damage or interior damage that would qualify the vehicle as lower trade in value. I bought it brand new and only owed $1,641on it and it would have been paid off completely. This is CLEARLY the recall but they refused to acknowledge it.

NHTSA ODI 11566955

Jan 22, 2024Transmission & drivetrainEngine

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to drive from a complete stop, the vehicle shut off inadvertently. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving from a complete top. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving uphill and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle shuddered and hesitated to respond. There was an abnormally loud sound coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the failure was related to the powertrain system. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that she would be charged a diagnostic fee. The contact declined to pay the diagnostic fee. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,890.

NHTSA ODI 11567005

Jan 19, 2024Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that when her son started the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the RPM increased; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact's son immediately parked the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed tube assembly and a failed clutch assembly. The contact was informed that the clutch assembly and tube assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,834.

NHTSA ODI 11566516

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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 2018 Ford Focus Bev verdict →