What 743 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Focus RS

I bought my car on July 12, 2019 and had a PCM issue few months after that was messing with the transmission. it was covered under factory warrenty. Now 18 months later im having the same transmission issue but with a different code.. (P07A5) which is something internal. there should be a recall for this transmission cause i cant keep spending money to have this fix

NHTSA ODI 11419846

Vehicle stalles, stutter on startup.evap faults. Problem with the canister purge valve. Seems the car has some recalls issues.

NHTSA ODI 11419315

First the car engine light came on. Auto put on computer said it's was a emissions thing ..Now Everytime I put gas in it the car stalls and it is hard to keep it going. Also when pulling out it will jerk like the transmission is falling out

NHTSA ODI 11419133

On 3-28-21 I got an oil change. Shortly after my engine light came on with error code p1450 which it didn't have beforehand. We first took the car to a mechanic and he said that the code is consistent with a known recall for that year and model for a problem with the fuel system. We took it to a Ford dealership to get an evaluation done and they confirmed that the problem was consistent with the recall the mechanic mentioned however there is no recall for my VIN number. When we put gas in the tank and turn it on again, the engine stalls. It runs rough when idle and sometimes has a problem getting up to speed from sitting at traffic lights.

NHTSA ODI 11418522

My car has stalled immediately after putting gas in my car the last two times I've put gas in my car. The last time was May 16, 2021. My car stalls two or three times after I put gas in it. After it starts the idle is rough and will even stall again after running rough for a bit. The potential danger there is that it will stall after leaving the gas pump. I assumed it was the fuel system because the issues I'm getting match the issues that led to a recall of other cars like mine. There are no warnings when this happens.

NHTSA ODI 11417492

EVERY SO OFTEN WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR SORT OF SHUDDERS. I'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THE CAR BEFORE AND KNEW IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. I'VE ALSO HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR I HAD PREVIOUS TO THIS ONE WHICH WAS A 2014 FORD FOCUS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR TRANSMISSIONS TO ACT THIS WAY, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED WAY TOO OFTEN TO BE NORMAL.

NHTSA ODI 11416372

OUR 2018 FORD ESCORT HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN: NHSTA CAMPAIIGN #18V7350000 RECAL ID 298184 BUT THIS VIN IS NOT ON RECALL. WE PULLED OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND THE CAR JUST DIED LUCKILY IT WAS NOT ON A HIGHWAY. WE NEED TO KEEP THE TANK AS CLOSE TO FULL AS POSSIBLE AND FILL THE GAS TANK AT THE COOLEST PART OF THE DAY AND IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET THE CAR STARTED. ONE TIME AFTER FILLING THE TANK WE HAD TO WAIT 15 MINS AND THE CAR RAN FINE THEN IT JUST DIED, NEARLY GETTING REAR ENDED BY A TRACTOR TRAILER. THAT WAS ON 4-20-21 AND OTYHER TIMES BEFORE.

NHTSA ODI 11415476

I WENT ON A TRIP AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD JUMP AND BUCK IN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR AND I ALSO HEAR GRINDING NOSES WHEN IT STARTS JUMPING CALLED DEALERSHIPS AND WAS TOLD I WAS NOT COVERED ON THIS YEAR MODEL

NHTSA ODI 11413175

WHEN DRIVING, THE CAR WILL SHUTTER WHEN CHANGING GEARS. ALSO IN MARCH 2021, RADIO, BACKUP CAMERA AND USB PORTS STOPPED WORKING. DEALERSHIP SAID THAT IT WASN'T COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND PAID OVER $800 FOR A NEW RADIO TO BE INSTALLED.

NHTSA ODI 11413181

HI I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE TRANSMISSION AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE 2018 FORD FOCUS HAS THE SAME CLUTCH AS THE OLD 2012-2016 FORD FOCUSES AND THAT THEY'LL CHANGE THE CLUTCH AND THAT THEY'RE IS NO REAL FIX. I SEEN THAT THE 2012-2016 FORD FOCUS HAS A RECALL FOR THE TRANSMISSION HOWEVER THE 2018 DOESN'T HAVE A RECALL THROUGH THE NHSTA AND IT IS THE SAME TRANSMISSION AND THAT THE DEALER SAYS PEOPLE NEED TO NOTIFY THE NHSTA AS IT IS A RECURRING PROBLEM AND THAT THEY CHANGE MANY CLUTCHES AND TRANSMISSIONS ON THE 2017-2018 AND THAT THE PROBLEM KEEPS PERSISTING THE SAME AS THE 2012-2016 MODELS. THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES, AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL ALSO GRIND WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11407992

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTER REFUELING. THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE PURGE VALVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11407781

I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING GARAGE WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED UP ON THE VEHICLE. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO DRIVE THE CAR. THERE WAS NO MESSAGE OR ALERT ON THE VEHICLE DASH. I HAD TO WRESTLE THE STEERING WHEEL WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY TO GET THE CAR IN POSITION TO BE TOWED, AS THE VEHICLE WAS UNDRIVEABLE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THE ELECTRIC ASSIST POWER STEERING RACK HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS 2 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY, I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR ($2,840). IF THE STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE, AN ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED.

NHTSA ODI 11406826

CONSTANT INCONSISTENT SHIFTING OF THE TRANSMISSION, ALONG WITH A PAUSE ON OCCASION WHEN YOU GO TO ACCELERATE ACROSS AN INTERSECTION.

NHTSA ODI 11405651

THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO START AFTER I WORK A 10 SHIFT. AFTER IT IS STARTED, IT RUNS ROUGH AND TRIES TO DIE. THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT TO STOP RUNNING ROUGH IS TO GET IT TO HIGHWAY SPEED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. I HAVE TO REV THE ENGINE UP WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE JUST TO GET GOING. IT HAS TRIPPED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I TOOK IT TO AUTO ZONE TO HAVE THEM CHECK THE CODE. IT SAYS THAT IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE CANNISTER PURGE VALVE. I HAVE INCLUDED THE REPORT FROM AUTO ZONE. I ALSO DID A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET FOR 2018 FORD FOCUS RECALLS AND IT CAME BACK WITH THE CANISTER PURGE VALVE. APPARENTLY MY ENGINE HASN'T MADE IT INTO THE RECALL YET BECAUSE NOTHING CAME UP WHEN I SEARCHED MY VIN. I AM AFRAID THAT I AM GOING TO TRY TO CROSS A ROAD AND THE ENGINE DIES RIGHT IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ODI 11405288

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE SOLENOID NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RELATED THE FAILURE TO AN UNKNOWN RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11404979

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT A GAS STATION, AFTER REFUELING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START-UP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE HAD TO ATTEMPTED TO START-UP THE VEHICLE FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V735000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000.

NHTSA ODI 11403552

WHEN MY CAR IS RUNNING AND SITTING IDLE AT AN INTERSECTION, IT STUTTERS ANS HESITATES TO ACCELERATE. WHEN I AM DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND I BEED TO SLIW DOWN OR SPEED UP; MY CAR STUTTERS AND HESITATES.

NHTSA ODI 11403396

FUELED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT LATER AND IT STALLED. WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. IT IS A 2018 WITH ONLY 26,000 AND WE OWNED IT A WEEK. BOUGHT FROM WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A REPUTABLE DEALER. HILLYERS FORD

NHTSA ODI 11402733

CAR KEEPS IDLING UP AT A STOP OR WHEN I SLOW DOWN SKIPS AND ACTS LIKE ITS GONE CUT OFF WHEN IT DOES IDLE DOWN

NHTSA ODI 11399124

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING RIGHT TURN, HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL SOUND AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE TO HIS DAUGHTER'S RESIDENCE WHERE HE REPLACED THE STEERING FUSE. THE CONTACT THEN DROVE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ELECTRIC MOTOR AND THE STEERING GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED WALT SWEENEY FORD (5400 GLENWAY AVE, CINCINNATI, OH 45238, (513) 922-4500) AND WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,100.

NHTSA ODI 11396824

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHCILE WAS TAKEN TO RICART FORD (4255 S. HAMILTON RD, GROVEPORT, OH 43125) WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE CONTACT RESEARCHED THE FAILURE ONLINE AND LINKED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 18V845000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

NHTSA ODI 11396604

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON REFUELING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CLONINGER FORD (511 JAKE ALEXANDER BLVD S, SALISBURY, NC 28147) AND WAS PROVIDED A DIAGNOSTIC FEE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT LINKED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V735000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11395401

MY CANISTER PURGE VALVE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY BUT IT SHOULD BE. MANY PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ONLINE AND THE DEALERSHIP ITSELF CONFIRMED A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11394869

WHEN COMING FROM A COMPLETE STOP AT A RED LIGHT UPON PRESSING THE GAS TO PUT YHE VEHICLE IN MOTION AGAIN , IT STALLS BEFORE TAKING OFF. THE AIRBAG UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL DEPLOYED WHEN MY KNEE BUMPED IT. WHEN PUTTING GAS IN THE CAR THE CAR WILL NOT START BACK UP , IT STARTS N TURNS OFF ON ITS OWN.

NHTSA ODI 11394472

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT VEHICLE START-UP. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A DEFECTIVE STUCK OPEN CANISTER PURGE VALVE. DAYS LATER WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AFTER SOME TIME AND RESUMED NORMAL DRIVING. THE CONTACT THEN CALLED OURISMAN FORD LINCOLN OF ALEXANDRIA (6129 RICHMOND HWY, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22303) WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V735000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) WHICH HE LINKED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 42,000. *BF

NHTSA ODI 11394302