Home · 2018 Ford Focus RS · Complaints

What 743 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Focus RS

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 21 of 30

Jun 17, 2022Engine

My engine cracked its block rendering it useless; the 4th cylinder injector came out of timing causing all of the damage vapor locking the 4th cylinder this all occurred while at highway speeds the problem occurred at 70000 miles on a 2018 Ford focus sel this was diagnosed by the dealer and told us this is not covered because this Vin isn't listed under any active recalls involving

NHTSA ODI 11469811

Jun 13, 2022Fuel system

Engine light on for fuel purge valve . Once vehicle is under half tank it struggles to start after fueling unless putting gas to floor while still in park. Once started struggles to stay on .

NHTSA ODI 11468973

Jun 10, 2022Transmission & drivetrainFuel system

Transmission control module failed, and according to Ford Service tech, basically "ate" the clutch. Vehicle can not go above 30 mph, and does not shift properly. Tech states is not included in recalls, though thinks it should be included. Parts on backorder with no ETA on resolution. No repairs able to be made. Purge Control Valve failed, causing engine to die while fuel gauge showing 3/4 tank, repeated issue until tranmission control module failure rendered vehicle mostly unusable. Tech states is not included in recalls, though thinks it should be included. Parts on backorder with no ETA on resolution. No repairs able to be made.

NHTSA ODI 11468642

Jun 9, 2022

My car has shuddered and dies on my 3 times. 1st time with 12 miles until empty. 2nd time with 19 miles until empty and 3rd time with 30 miles left until empty. All 3 of these times were in the middle of the road. All 3 times within the last 6 months.

NHTSA ODI 11468553

Jun 5, 2022EngineFuel system

Cause not cranking and boost for while but stopped while running… displaying transmission fault service now… codes P1450 unable to bleed up fuel vacuum P0456 evaporative emission system leak detect..P144A emission system purge vapor line restricted/ blocked P0171 system too lean… seems to be bad vac line to tank and air leak… car stalling

NHTSA ODI 11467635

Jun 2, 2022Engine

The component that failed is the CANISTER PURGE VALVE. The engine light was on and we took it to a certified auto shop. Report from the auto shop: Diagnosis for check engine lamp on, run tests for codes P0300 random misfire, P0316 misfire on startup, P1450 cannot bleed fuel tank vacuum. No misfires present at this time found sticking canister purge valve pulling a constant vacuum on the fuel tank, makes is possible to pull raw fuel if the fuel level is high, suspect this to be the cause of misfire codes. Recommendation by the auto shop: Replace canister purge valve, clear computer, and retest on cold start.

NHTSA ODI 11467127

May 25, 2022Fuel system

Last Sunday, May 15th, 2022 my check engine light suddenly came on. Monday morning, I drove to Auto Zone and had a chip reader placed on it. Gave me error code P1450 Unable to Bleed Up Fuel Tank Vacuum. When I went to gas up that day, I was a 1/4 tank and my vehicle would not start immediately, it stalled. I had to pump the accelerator and it eventually started. This same thing happened to my 2014 Ford Escape. My Focus is a 2018 SE and has 51k miles on it. My VIN is not associated with recall, however, if this is a known problem, it needs to be addressed by Ford. I talked to my independent mechanic, and he said he’s seen a lot of Fords with this and it’s hard to diagnose. I work 45 mins away from his location, so on my end, trying to find a few days off to have my car worked on and unfortunately, I’ll have to miss work as it’s my only mode of transportation working out of the area.

NHTSA ODI 11466022

May 23, 2022Fuel system

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his son was driving 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the canister purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,600.

NHTSA ODI 11465699

May 23, 2022Engine & coolingFuel system

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the purge valve, fuel pump, fuel tank, gasket, and fuel sender valve were replaced. The contact called the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 49,805.

NHTSA ODI 11465704

May 18, 2022Fuel system

the purge value and cancaster is going bad and i know some 2018 ford force had a problem with these i would like my vin to be added to the recall since it should not had went bad

NHTSA ODI 11465111

May 14, 2022Engine

My vehicle broke down on the side of a major highway at nighttime. We would not find out later that it was both the engine and turbo that needed to be replaced. We purchased the vehicle brand new in 2018 and purchased the maintenance plan with it. Vehicle was maintenance by Ford only and to their standards as recommended yet the vehicle still died with less than 84k miles on it. In fact two weeks prior the vehicle had an oil change. When we finally received the diagnosis of needing a new engine the mechanic stated this is an issue with the 3 cylinder Fords that the company has not addressed yet. My friend who has the exact same car just had hers break down for the same reasons but at 67k miles. The difference is she purchased the extended warranty and we purchased the maintenance plan so hers is being covered 100% and she is being provided a loaner vehicle. Ford refused to cover all of the repair costs even though this issue was clearly a manufacturer issue. They actually kept lowering the assistance amount as time went on. They refused to provide a loaner or reimburse any of the hundreds of dollars we spent on towing. We were without the vehicle for several months and Ford could care less and suggested several times to get a rental even thought we expressed we could not afford it due to costs we already put into the car but especially because we are still paying on the original vehicle loan as well as insurance. Fords customer service was the worst I ever experienced and in every aspect we dealt with them all the way to corporate.

NHTSA ODI 11464615

May 11, 2022

There is currently a recall on 2018 Ford Focus however the dealer claims my VIN is not included. Three weeks ago my check engine light came on I went to a gas station they checked it it states it was a small evaporative leak. It went off, IT came back theee days later. I went to the auto shop they said it was a gas filler neck issues. They fixed it the light went off then a day later came back on. I took it to the shop they said there is a safety recall issue with a deformation of the plastic gas tank due to the CPV which causes the deformation. The dealer refused to fix my car claiming the recall does not included my VIN. Even though what the recall stated is EXACTLY what is wrong with my car.

NHTSA ODI 11464248

May 10, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the vehicle was jerking. While driving approximately 30 MPH and shifting into 3rd gear, the vehicle jerked. The check engine warning light was illuminated. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated as designed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and referred the contact to NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

NHTSA ODI 11464065

May 3, 2022Engine

Engine, and computer that controls check engine and low oil pressure lights. Car started ticking, had appt but not until may 18th dealership where I bought it. On Friday April 15th when I turned car off and got out smelled burning smell. Husband lifted hood and let cool down for an hour, when to go check fluids and no oil, looked under neath no leaks. Have video of all and everything. No alert senor came on to say low oil pressure, or check engine especially since it was bone dry no oil. Bought car with 11800 or so miles on it 6 weeks before. When bought car had oil in it. At 13510 miles no oil. Safety was at risk because it could have caught fire with running it with no oil in it, until app time of May 18th 2022. Took to key scales ford where car was bought, and confirmed no leaks, no oil, no warning lights. Was towed to them on Monday April 18th, was inspected wensday April 20th. No warning lights what so ever came on at all. Car information stated no warnings no messages. Again I have video taken from Friday April 15th when we found car to have no oil. Ford after 2weeks finally decided to replace engine but no answer on computer for warning lights as of now. Engine on back order.

NHTSA ODI 11463275

Apr 26, 2022Fuel system

Every time I fill up my has tank my car stalls. And after 3 or 4 tried with me giving it gas it will start and idle super high. I have even switched to a higher grade gas and it happens with all grades. And if it doesn't stall right away it will cut off shortly after putting it in drive.

NHTSA ODI 11462203

Apr 26, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

My vehicle is a 2018 Ford Focus st and I am not the first person to have this problem. My vehicle casually lost 3rd and 4th gear synchronizer out of the blue and I had to purchase to synchronizers to replace them. Among pulling the transmission apart and splitting the case open. My mechanic and I identified that 3rd and 4th gear synchronizers had metal tabs on them to keep them in position and they snapped off on every side, so there being a total of six tabs broken, three per synchronizer as you see in the photos. I am not the first person to have this issue so I would ask if you would please review this issue and look deeper into it to possibly come up with a solution.

NHTSA ODI 11462363

Apr 14, 2022Engine

I purchased this vehicle used in 8/2021 and within 6 months, I have an inoperable vehicle with a hefty car loan of over $15,000 to payoff monthly. I can’t afford another car and I should not be responsible for paying for a car due to defective parts from the manufacturer that is causing other damage to my vehicle. I haven’t had the use of my vehicle since this time. This is unfair and unacceptable. The component that failed/malfunctioned was the double clutch on the transmission. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This poses a safety risk because the vehicle ultimately can lose control, it jerks, slow drags/stalls, gets hot while in traffic which will which eventually shut off preventing me from moving the vehicle out of traffic. This can put me and my passengers in danger of getting hit in the event of a collision from oncoming traffic resulting in eminent danger of getting seriously injured or killed. The problem has been reproduced at an independent service center, Gray’s Garage in Dover, TN. The problem is a known issue on Ford Focus 2016 – 2018 manual transmissions vehicles and associated with recall NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 18V845000. It is evident that this issue is also present with 2018 Ford Focus automatic transmission vehicles. Car was inspected by certified mechanic in Dover, TN and I was advised the double clutch was broken and it messed up the transmission. The issue first appeared on 2/14/22, I was stopped at a traffic light with my foot on the break. When moved feet off break just before beginning to accelerate, I heard a noise. The car began to jerk until I got to 15 mph speed and then it downshifts or slow drags. The car alerted me that the transmission hot and to pull over, turn the car off for 5 minutes to let it cool off. I kept trying the steps on multiple occasions this day and the result was the same every time I come to a stop it happens. I was basically stranded, unable to drive any distance with a non-functioning car.

NHTSA ODI 11460773

Apr 11, 2022Fuel systemEngine

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact continued to drive. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the emission system had failed. The canister purge valve and the vapor vent valve were replaced; however, the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the canister vent valve and the canister vent solenoid needed to be replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to independent who provided the same diagnostic; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the canister vent valve and the canister vent solenoid needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 25,509. Vehicle had an issue with the Canister Purge Valve, canister vent solenoid and also other issues related to a recall that is on this type of vehicle. Our VIN number was not included with the recall, but it is the same thing that they are saying in the recall that happened to our Ford. The car only has 25817 miles. Warranty ran out on years but not mileage.

NHTSA ODI 11460430

Apr 7, 2022Fuel system

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle would stall after being started. The vehicle had to be started several times before being able to accelerate. The fuel gauge was occasionally inoperable. The check engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic which diagnosed the failure to be an evaporative emission control system. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 61,000.

NHTSA ODI 11460050

Mar 24, 2022Fuel system

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH on the highway, the vehicle stalled and then stopped independently. The check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was restarted and driven safely to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed with canister purge value failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,555.

NHTSA ODI 11458131

Mar 16, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

Transmission started to shift and shudder harshly. Very high RPM (up to 5000-6000 rpm) without shifting. Car failed to go into reverse of "Sport" mode when shift level placed in that position. Car jerks and shudders upon initial takeoff from a stop, that feels like a sudden loss of power and has delayed acceleration. Very harsh shifting from 1st to 2nd gear that jolts entire car and driver. The RPM stays very high if the car will go into Drive and after a while the transmission overheats and a transmission temperature warning is displayed. Sometimes the car won't start. Trouble codes pulled are P087B and P287A.

NHTSA ODI 11456923

Mar 9, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

Transmission control module went out in my car while on the highway. Car decelerated and sputtered almost causing a rear end collision. I was almost struck by a truck driving behind me.

NHTSA ODI 11455787

Mar 2, 2022Fuel system

Currently there is a recall for 2012-2018 Ford Focus vehicles due to a malfunctioning canister purge valve. This issue causes the vehicle to have trouble starting up after refueling. I currently own and and use a 2018 Ford Focus as my primary (only) form of transport. This vehicle is experiencing the same exact issues noted in the above mentioned recall. I have made contact with Ford through dealerships as well as through their customer service chat and they have advised me that the included vehicles in their recalls are determined by the date and location of manufacture and my vehicle is not included. I am hoping someone can help me with this as it is a serious safety issue. My vehicle refuses to start after refueling until multiple attempts are made causing undue wear and tear on the starter. It is obvious that this issue is getting worse as the vehicle now shudders at times and acts as thought it is going to stall out or it is not getting enough fuel or has air entering into the fuel system. The check engine light is on and the codes states there is a problem with the emissions. I would really like to have this problem addressed as I am fearful of being stranded or worse yet the vehicle stalling out in traffic. Ford told me that I would need repair this at my own cost and MAYBE some day it will be added and they will reimburse me for the cost. Is there anything thing that can be done to assist with this issue short of me paying with money that I absolutely do not have? Please help!

NHTSA ODI 11454865

Feb 18, 2022Fuel system

Suction on gass tank collapsed causing stalling

NHTSA ODI 11452695

Feb 14, 2022Wheels

FOR 2 OF MY FORD FOCUSES I have had to buy 20 lug nuts every time I want to rotate my tires.

NHTSA ODI 11451898

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Working with the data? Download all 743 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 22, 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 2018 Ford Focus RS verdict →