KnownCarProblems2015 Ford Focus Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 1,022 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Ford Focus, most often about the transmission (55% of complaints, typically around 60,000 miles). It is 7th of 19 Focus model years by number of complaints and has 9 recalls.
Most common 2015 Ford Focus problems
Transmission
559 complaints · 55%Half of these problems showed up before 60,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission, clutch assembly, axle assembly.
Takata recall. When driving computer or transmission does not change gears on time. Sometimes stays in first gear past 20mph. Problem when driving on freeway and need to speed up. Takata recall. Also seatbelts will not release sometimes when I need to get out of car. It will partially unlock but seatbelt will still be…
When accelerating or driving up a hill, the vehicle stalls. The clutch was replaced once and the issue was temporarily fixed, but has started again. Also has issues where the radio will make a popping noise and stops working.
Engine
180 complaints · 18%Half of these problems showed up before 66,000 miles. Parts named most often: exhaust system.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. While driving approximately 10-15 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times. The contact stated that the vehicle would go into limp mode and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or…
Will driving down the street the other day my car stalled out well driving this is not the first time this has happened not only that but when you accelerate my car grinds while shifting gears the Ford dealership already told me it's due to my recall issue but when asked to fix it they told me I was going to have to…
Fuel system
172 complaints · 17%Half of these problems showed up before 68,000 miles. Parts named most often: storage, delivery.
There is an active recall on my vehicale for cpav valve. My car is experiencing all symptoms of the recall, but the dealership is telling me I might not be covered because my vehicle passed a test a few months ago when I brought it in for another issue (the transmission, which was under warranty). They say they are…
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. While driving approximately 10-15 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times. The contact stated that the vehicle would go into limp mode and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or…
Other or unspecified
120 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 51,500 miles.
Went into a store, parked in parking spot, came out, got in car, placed car in reverse to back out of spot, car began to back up, then slowed down and stopped with engine still on,. I then placed car in drive, went forward, then attempted to back out again, car backed up, then slowed down again, then jerked really…
Hello, my vehicle stopped working twice while I was driving on city streets (this tuesday 12/18/2018 and thursday 12/20/2018). The first time it happened I was stopped at a red light and the second time the care was in motion when it first happened, the oil indicator and check engine light came on. Oil was put in the…
Steering
93 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 61,500 miles. Parts named most often: electric power assist system, rack and pinion.
My 18 yr old son was driving to college when the steering stiffened up and made him swerve, almost going into oncoming traffic, as he lost complete power steering. Had the vehicle towed and was told the power steering is all electronically controlled and this a known issue by Ford. My wife called and was told by a…
I went to the store just fine when I left the store it was almost impossible to turn the wheel and a alert came on the screen and said something about the power steering assist fail thankfully I was not far from home I had to use every muscle I had to steer it and make turns. I took it in for diagnosis I was quoted…
Electrical
64 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 50,000 miles. Parts named most often: 12v/24v/48v battery, instrument panel, body control module/bcm.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. After removing the key from the ignition in the off position, the engine remained running. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who diagnosed that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 15v436000 (electrical system). However…
The car speakers have been making popping and crackling sounds so loud that I have jumped while driving, including once jerking the steering wheel. There does not appear to be any pattern (no ties to turning, accelerating, braking, bumps in the road, etc.) to the sounds. This happens whether the stereo is on or off…
Speed control
42 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 45,000 miles. Parts named most often: accelerator pedal.
My car stalls shakes and studders when I accelerate, even after I turn the traction control off it continues ,I've nearly been rear ended plenty of times. I don't feel safe and either does my passengers as and I'm sure this jerking as and tire spinning will cause other problems.
Since I purchased the vehicle it has always been the same, even after the local Ford dealer rebuilt? The transmission. I have noticed this only from any stop, which can be at a stoplight, stop sign or parking area. I can and will give today's mileage but that is insufficient since this has been a perpetual problem.…
Air bags
18 complaints · 2%Half of these problems showed up before 43,500 miles.
My transmission has been giving me a hard time and it doesn't get any power. It also runs very rough. I have to travel 45 minutes to a motor company but they don't fix it because it's a "takata recall" I don't want to get stranded and broken down on the highway. I need a dependable car because I'm disabled. I want my…
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that her son was driving at approximately 65 MPH when a jeep unexpectedly entered his lane as a result he rear ended the jeep causing it to rollover. The contact stated that the air bags deployed. The contact stated that her son sustained injures to the chest and…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2015 Ford Focus recalls
Transmission: manual transmission
Risk: A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will inspect focus vehicles and replace the clutch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were october 16, 2026. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26s43. Vehicle identification numbers (vins) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on july 6,2026.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 focus and 2013-2016 fusion vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 18v169 and 18v845. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
Fuel system: canister
Risk: An engine that stalls while driving increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed july 29, 2026. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26s40. Vehicle identification numbers (vins) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on july 6,2026.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2012-2018 focus vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 18v735. The canister purge valve (cpv) may malfunction, causing the engine to stall unexpectedly while driving.
Equipment: engine block heater
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed march 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26s01. Vehicle identification numbers (vins) involved in this recall b
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 focus, 2013-2019 escape, and 2015-2016 mkc vehicles equipped with a 2.0l engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Doors and locks: latch
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on july 27, 2020. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20s30.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 fiesta, 2013-2014 fusion, 2015 mustang, 2013-2015 escape and c-max, 2012-2015 focus, 2014-2016 transit connect, 2013-2014 lincoln mkz, and 2015 mkc vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15v-246, 16v-643 or 17v-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Fuel system: canister
Risk: The excessive vaccuum may result in an engine stall while driving, without warning and without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module. Dealers will also check for fault codes and replace the cpv as needed. If the cpv is replaced, dealers will inspect and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall began august 19, 2019. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18s32. Note: until the vehicle is serviced for this concern, owners are advised to keep the fuel tank at least halfway full.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2012-2018 ford focus vehicles with a 2.0l gdi or 2.0l gtdi engine. The canister purge valve (cpv) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in fuel vapor management system.
Transmission: manual transmission
Risk: A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the focus vehicles with software that detects and prevents prolonged clutch slip, and will replace the clutch, as necessary, free of charge. Owners of fusion vehicles will have their clutch assembly replaced free of charge. The recall began august 3, 2018. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18s07.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 ford fusion vehicles equipped with a 1.6l gtdi engine and 6-speed manual transmission and 2015-2016 ford focus vehicles equipped with a 1.0l gtdi engine and 6-speed manual transmission. Also included are four 2017 ford focus vehicles that had clutch replacements with potentially affected parts. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
Doors and locks: lock
Risk: With only a single press needed, the driver may accidently unlatch the hatchback, increasing the risk of injury to any unsecured passengers in the back.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module with updated software, free of charge. The recall began february 10, 2017. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16c13.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 ford focus hatchback vehicles manufactured february 14, 2012, to august 26, 2016 and equipped with a manual transmission. The hatchback of the affected vehicles may be unlatched with a single press of the interior latch release button. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 206, "door locks and door retention components."
Doors and locks: latch
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on january 27, 2017. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16s30.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 ford focus, 2013-2015 ford escape and ford c-max, 2015 lincoln mkc and ford mustang, and 2014-2016 ford transit connect vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Electrical: ignition
Risk: If the engine does not turn off as expected, someone could move the transmission shifter out of park and the vehicle may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. The recall began on july 27, 2015. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15c06.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 ford escape vehicles manufactured april 1, 2014, to june 12, 2015, ford focus vehicles manufactured june 17, 2014, to june 12, 2015, and ford c-max vehicles manufactured april 22, 2014, to june 12, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the engine may continue to run after the key or the start/stop engine button is turned to off. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 114, "theft protection and rollaway prevention."
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Timing belt failure
Summary
On december 18, 2025, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened pe25020 to investigate instances of timing belt failure in model year (my) 2015-2017 ford fiesta and my 2015-2018 ford focus vehicles manufactured by ford motor company (ford), equipped with a 1.0l engine and manual transmission (subject vehicles). Additionally, my 2018-2021 ford ecosport and my 2016-2018 focus vehicles with a 1.0l engine and automatic transmission were analyzed as peer vehicles because they utilize a wet timing belt comprised of similar material as the timing belt in the subject vehicles. Through the pe, odi investigated a potentialâ failure/degradation of the timing belt that may affect oil pump functio
Timing belt failure
Summary
On december 18, 2025, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened pe25020 to investigate instances of timing belt failure in model year (my) 2015-2017 ford fiesta and my 2015-2018 ford focus vehicles manufactured by ford motor company (ford), equipped with a 1.0l engine and manual transmission (subject vehicles). Additionally, my 2018-2021 ford ecosport and my 2016-2018 focus vehicles with a 1.0l engine and automatic transmission were analyzed as peer vehicles because they utilize a wet timing belt comprised of similar material as the timing belt in the subject vehicles. Through the pe, odi investigated a potentialâ failure/degradation of the timing belt that may affect oil pump functio
Loss of motive power
Summary
On september 15, 2023, the office of defect investigation (odi) opened this recall query (rq) after receiving 98 consumer complaints alleging loss of motive power in model year (my) 2012-2018 ford focus vehicles. The rq focused on the effectiveness of the remedies of recall 18v-735 and 19v-515. In october 2018, ford issued recall 18v-735, which updated powertrain control module (PCM) software in my 2012-2018 ford focus vehicles equipped with 2.0l gdi engines built prior to april 13, 2017, and those with 2.0l gtdi engines built prior to february 2, 2018. The recall addressed vehicles experiencing a malfunctioning canister purge valve (cpv) that can stick open and PCM software that does not ad
Door latch failures
Summary
In december 2019, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened this investigation based on 235 vehicle owner questionnaires (voqs) alleging doors failed to latch when closed, and/or inadvertently opened while driving, on model year (my) 2012-2014 ford fiesta, and 2013-2014 fusion and lincoln mkz. Some voqs reported the failure occurred after the latch had been remedied under a prior recall which involved fracture of the latch pawl spring tab due to thermally induced cyclic fatigue. Other voqs alleged a similar failure in vehicles not previously recalled. A latch with a fractured pawl spring tab typically results in a ?door will not close? Condition, however in certain somewhat rare circu
Door latch failure
Summary
In january, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened this preliminary evaluation based on consumers' allegations of doors failing to latch and/or inadvertently opening on model year (my) 2012-2013 ford focus vehicles (subject vehicles).odi has received 464 unique reports related to the alleged problem, with over 200 claiming that the door(s) opened inadvertently while the vehicle was in motion.one consumer alleged an injury that occurred while driving when a door inadvertently opened and then closed on a child's arm.another alleged that a door that inadvertently opened struck a parked vehicle.in response to odi's information request, ford motor company (ford) provided 500 unique repo
Questions about the 2015 Ford Focus
- What are the most common problems with the 2015 Ford Focus?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: transmission (559 complaints, typically around 60,000 miles); engine (180 complaints, typically around 66,000 miles); fuel system (172 complaints, typically around 68,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2015 Ford Focus have?
- 9 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from June 9, 2026 (transmission). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2015 a bad year for the Ford Focus?
- It is 7th of 19 Focus model years by number of complaints, with 1,022 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.