What 743 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Focus RS

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine and oil warning lights were displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the following day, the contact's wife drove the vehicle to the dealer, and there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle, and the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. A diagnostic test was performed,d which determined that the oil pump drive belt had failed, resulting in engine failure. The contact was later notified of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the contact's vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure, but was given the same information as the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

NHTSA ODI 11658974

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 unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part 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 had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11658379

My 2018 Ford Focus (DPS6 dual-clutch automatic transmission) suffers from severe hesitation and shuddering when accelerating from a stop, especially under 10 mph. More concerning, the car has stalled multiple times while merging into traffic and during right turns at intersections. We can no longer safely take free right turns due to the risk of the car dying mid-merge. This poses an immediate safety hazard and mirrors known failure patterns in earlier Focus and Fiesta models. Ford previously extended warranty coverage for the same TCM defect in 2011–2016 models, but my 2018 — which uses the same DPS6 system — has been excluded without explanation. The dealership acknowledged the TCM failure but refused to cover the repair. Instead, they charged me $300 to tell me they would not perform the service Ford originally recommended (a fuel injector purge) and that I now need to replace the TCM entirely. This is a known, documented issue that Ford has admitted to in other years. My car has lost power four times in the last three months, and all signs point to this being the early stages of the same defect. Allowing this failure to persist without coverage or recall is negligent and dangerous. Ford is knowingly placing families like mine at risk by refusing to act. I request an NHTSA investigation into the 2018 Ford Focus DPS6 models, which are experiencing the same failures that have already led to recalls, lawsuits, and warranty extensions in earlier years.

NHTSA ODI 11658591

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the RPM fluctuated while shifting gears, and the transmission shifted erratically. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechani,c where a handheld diagnostic tool retrieved DTC: P07A3. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

NHTSA ODI 11658157

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle briefly lost motive power before slamming into gear. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed and determined that the transmission and clutch had failed and needed to be replaced. The independent mechanic provided the contact with DTC: P07A3. 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 102,250.

NHTSA ODI 11656740

The contact's niece owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact's niece 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 after his niece started the vehicle, the engine was misfiring significantly. The contact stated that there was smoke coming from the exhaust pipe, and the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the failure was related to the recall. The dealer had not provided any diagnostic information and informed the contact that the part had been ordered for the repair. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11655204

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that over time, the transmission was difficult to shift into gear. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic was diagnosed and determined that the powertrain control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. 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 38,500.

NHTSA ODI 11655251

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds in a parking area, the RPM increased quickly, but the vehicle failed to respond as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the clutch. The contact stated that the clutch had been replaced in May 2022 after a similar failure. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 55,000.

NHTSA ODI 11655092

Since I have had this car the engine has been replaced 4 times and transmission once Engine has been replace 3 times under the same warranty due to recalled part I was not in an accident however car broke down while I was in traffic I am putting the latest date car broke down

NHTSA ODI 11654809

I am experiencing symptoms of Safety Recall 23S64 on my 2018 Ford Focus — specifically, intermittent oil pressure warning lights. I took my car to a Ford dealer who initially stated the issue may be recall-related, but later refused to inspect the oil pump belt and tensioner unless I paid out of pocket, despite the recall bulletin (MT23S64A) stating Ford will reimburse 2.8 hours of labor for the inspection even if no failure is found. I contacted Ford Customer Relationship Center and they were unable to locate the labor code or confirm the policy, and gave me the same incorrect info. This appears to be a violation of federal recall policy, where the dealership and manufacturer are both refusing to honor a safety recall without charging me for the diagnosis.

NHTSA ODI 11654597

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 local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. No further information was available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11654083

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 local dealer was not contacted. 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 had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11653774

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated and experienced hard transmission shifts. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the transmission clutch and the clutch actuator were replaced. The contact stated that while her significant other was driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The driver was unable to pull to the side of the road. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the driver noticed that the engine had fallen onto the ground. The vehicle was towed to a second dealer, Don Vance Ford, Inc. (MO-38, Marshfield, MO 65706), where it was determined that the motor mounts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle had failed to respond upon shifting to reverse(R). The contact stated that the vehicle was significantly sluggish while shifting into gear. The first dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the transmission control module had failed; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

NHTSA ODI 11653449

This incident occured right around the time of the initial recall. In January 2024. I had it repaired at another car repair shop hoping to reimbursed by Ford. The initial recall stated they would have a remedy by June 2024. This then was delayed until 1st quarter 2025. Still no remedy for the recall.

NHTSA ODI 11653262

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 dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11651793

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that over time the transmission was difficult to shift into gear. The transmission warning light was illuminated, and the message "Internal Transmission Failure" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

NHTSA ODI 11651817

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted with an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the dual clutch in the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the same diagnostic information was provided. The contact was informed that the dual clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 146,000.

NHTSA ODI 11651067

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence and was then towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the steering rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The repair was pending. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11650495

My steering wheel got jammed in the middle of the road. Kt was just working fine and got stuck while I was driving. The ford dealer inspected the car and identified that my steering rack got cracked after the diagnosis. My car is driven just 40,000 miles

NHTSA ODI 11650186

Transmission ĥas not shifter right since I purchased the vehicle. Perking and high rpm not shifting. Tool to ford they replaced clutches and it continued. Took it back 13 months later they claimed clutches needed replaced, issue has continued. Now the TCM is bad and jerking so severe it almost caused me to wreck. Despite them extending warranty on tcm until June 2025 they are refusing to fix it.

NHTSA ODI 11649650

UNKNOWN Took my vehicle in to check recall and get oil change, and two-days later I had to bring it back. The check engine light came on and they stated that oil was leaking.

NHTSA ODI 11649844

Manufacturer Recall Number 23S64 NHTSA Recall Number 23V905 I am sending this from in as my car is still not repaired & has been worked on for over 8 months with no fix for the recall.

NHTSA ODI 11649616

The contact owns a 2018 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 towed to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission 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 NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 152,910.

NHTSA ODI 11648793

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 dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine and the oil warning lights illuminated. The check engine and the oil warning lights illuminated with an audible clicking sound. The contact's daughter merged to the side of the road. The contact then towed the vehicle to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with engine oil pump failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11648343

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after refueling and driving a short distance, the vehicle was parked. The contact stated that later while attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to immediately start. Additionally, on several occasions after refueling, the vehicle failed to immediately restart. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the canister purge valve, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under the NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 111,000.

NHTSA ODI 11647860