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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
29,533 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2017 Ford Focus engine problems

engine problem

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2017 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 2 of 8)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #138

Dec 142023

Focus

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Engine failed on our 2017 Ford Focus with 1.0 liter Ecoboost engine while driving the vehicle under normal operating conditions on December 14, 2023. Car experienced a dramatic loss of power while driving. Vehicle appeared to not be shifting correctly and would not accelerate. Owner worked to get vehicle to a safe location off the road when "Engine Fault, Service Now" message appeared. Driver pulled off into parking lot ASAP and stopped vehicle. Inspection of vehicle after stopping showed engine fluids had leaked out of engine starting back through parking lot to road. Did not attempt to restart vehicle and had vehicle towed back to repair shop for diagnosis. Initial diagnosis discovery revealed the vacuum pump had failed, along with the turbo charger. Additional follow up inspection revealed after draining fluids pieces of rubber and metal shavings in the drained oil. Rubber pieces appear to be related to timing belt failure. Engine replacement costs of $7100 dollars were incurred on Vehicle was purchased in 2021 with 17,000 miles on it purchase value $15,000. Difficult and very costly situation since the vehicle is needed for school and work with no good alternate vehicles available. Used to advocate for Ford products since purchasing a 2016 Escape. Very disappointed in the quality of the 1.0 liter engine.

- Royal Oak, MI, USA

problem #137

Feb 022024

Focus

  • miles
I was driving the car home and the oil light started to flash. I stopped and checked the oil level and it was fine. The oil light then stayed on and I started to notice a slight loss in power, then pinging noises coming from the engine. I did not drive the car after this. I called the dealer and the car was towed to Palm Coast Ford. The dealer called back and said the engine was blown, metal in the engine. After research, I found out there is a recall on the car, 23S64. At first the dealer said there was nothing they could do, but now Ford has agreed to give me a rental car until the issue is resolved.

- Palm Coast, FL, USA

problem #136

Mar 152023

Focus

  • 125,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure of the timing belt resulting in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. 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 approximately 125,000.

- Deerfield, MI, USA

problem #135

Jan 242024

Focus

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I bought this car a few months ago with no problems from a used car dealership in Kentucky. A few days later the check engine light came on and the turbo was not working. Turbo was replaced and the vacuum lines were found to be full of oil and rubber causing the waste gate actuator to not release vacuum which in turn burnt up the turbo. It's been about 1,000 miles and now I getting an underboost code while driving of P0299. The turbo appears to be failing again. I have found more rubber and oil in the vacuum lines along with buildup inside the vacuum pump. This appears to be coming from the wet rubber belt inside the engine. I have stopped driving it while waiting on the oil pump wet belt recall. The turbo failure is related directly to this problem with the oil pump belt due to clogging up the vacuum pump and vacuum lines.

- West Baden Springs, IN, USA

problem #134

Oct 172018

Focus

  • miles
Good Morning, I hope you are having an amazing day, I first financed this car in 2018 but the car was made in 2017. I searched my vin number to see if my car was a part of the recall list and was not. I have been getting a code P1450 since about 40,000 miles, my car has been stalling upon acceleration since I got it. and I had the part replaced, a year and a half later the code popped up again and I got the part repaired and still the same issues, after the part has been repaired as well as a PCM issue is now happening. My car shudders between the 1 and 2 on the acceleration, this has been happening since I got the car but the salesman told me that this was not an issue and it was normal for the fords to do this. I have been having issues with my car starting up in the mornings mainly a lag in the ignition. I believe my car should have been a part of that list but was not. Please investigate

- Atlantic Beach , FL, USA

problem #133

Jan 102024

Focus

  • miles
I acquired the Ford Focus 2017 from Envision Toyota in Milpitas, California, in November 2022. In August 2023, the vehicle experienced an engine failure at 53,000 miles. Subsequently, the car was at the Ford dealership for an extended period until the engine replacement was completed by the end of October 2023. Upon retrieving the car on [XXX], 2023, I encountered various issues, including coolant leakage, problems with coolant pressure, braking issues (resulting in extensive vibrations), and the engine stalling in traffic. While the coolant problem was eventually resolved after four additional visits to the dealership, involving adjustments to pressure, replacement of thermostats, sensors, and the cooling reservoir, the persistent issues with the engine stalling and braking were not addressed, even after multiple extended visits to the dealership. Despite having the car for several weeks during each visit, the problems persisted. We retrieved the car before Christmas and reported the ongoing issues to the dealership, but due to international travel plans, I was unable to return the car for further inspection. We have returned from our travels on [XXX] 2024. On [XXX], 2024, my son was driving to the gym with friends when, while in a central left turn lane to enter the gym, the engine failed again. Unfortunately, another vehicle approaching from the right side collided with him, while he was stationary, resulting in the total loss of the car. In November 2023, I initiated a case with Ford, requesting them to repurchase the vehicle due to numerous safety concerns, and the case number is [XXX]. Despite reporting issues to both Ford and the dealership (which was able to reproduce them), resolution has been delayed, and Ford seems to be procrastinating in addressing the situation. It is crucial to note that the Ford Focus SE 2017 model appears to have inherent issues with gaskets, and it appears that Ford may be concealing these concerns. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C.

- Union City, CA, USA

problem #132

Aug 202023

Focus

  • 66,533 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly shut off. After restarting the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated before the vehicle stalled again. The vehicle was eventually towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine was faulty, and the engine long block and turbo charger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 66,533.

- Denver, CO, USA

problem #131

Jan 112024

Focus

  • miles
I was driving on a highway during rush hour and as I attempted to slow how ever the engine was not responding. The car then alerted me to stop the car as there is issue with the engine and I need to -??stop for safety-?? I pull the call over immediately on the side of a highway & was met by high patrol and a tow company.

- Troy , NY, USA

problem #130

Dec 182023

Focus

  • miles
The belt to open oil pressure valve had all the teeth worn away. No oil was getting to the engine. Where it is located no one could ever check when doing my regular oil changes. Engine had to be replaced.

- Kenosha , WI, USA

problem #129

Jan 062024

Focus

  • miles
My 2017 Ford focus oil light came on. I took the car to brad manning Dealership in Dekalb, Illinois. They charged me $160 to diagnose the problem. They said that there is an advance recall on my vehicle and Ford knows about the problem with the oil injectors. They reached out to Ford as I also did and was told that they would repair the issue in the second quarter which is from April 2024 to June 2024. The only recourse they offered was to pay the 8,000 plus to replace the engine and get reimbursed in the second quarter. I was told not to drive the car because the engine will lock up and stop wherever. I don't have 8,000 dollars and I can't drive a car that I purchased for Ford that they know is a problem and refuse to fix my car. So, I am without a car to get to work or anywhere else because of Fords manufacturing issues

- Dekalb, IL, USA

problem #128

Apr 012023

Focus 3-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Driving on Interstate-95, when Oil Pressure light illuminated, at first very dim, and then within an 1/8 of a mile, lost all power and the engine began to sound like a tank. Pulled over to shoulder and tried to re-start the vehicle with no luck. Brought vehicle to Ford Dealership and was advised of a Service Bulletin of a timing belt failure and I was to replace the engine long block and turbo. Seems ridiculous that I had to spend out of pocket money to replace a known failure at 67,000 miles when according to Service Manual, INSPECT TIMING BELT AT 150,000 Miles. I want justice and a FULL refund for this issue. This issue has also caused a streamline of failures within the vehicle due to disruption of seals amongst most of my rubber lines.

- Wilmington, DE, USA

problem #127

Mar 082023

Focus

  • miles
The transmission is slipping on my 2017 Ford Focus. There is delayed braking, acceleration and harsh vibrations. There is already a recall on 2011-2016 ford transmissions. 2017 needs to be included!

- Muskogee, OK, USA

problem #126

Nov 162023

Focus

  • miles
While driving on interstate, an oil light came on and vehicle slowed rapidly causing a very unsafe situation with attempting to safely pull over. Once pulled over, I did not want to risk further engine damage, so I shut off immediately and had vehicle towed to dealer. Even though I placed a large sign on steering wheel and keys not to run engine, dealer states test driving. Further examination reveals the oil pump is seized and my only option for repair is a new engine. The recommended maintenance for the oil pump is 150,000 miles and it failed at 69,000 miles without any warning or recommendation for service by Ford. This is a know issue that is putting hundreds of thousands drivers world wide at risk of a potential serious accident if power loss occurs at an inopportune time!

- Sobieski, WI, USA

problem #125

Mar 152023

Focus

  • 75,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted on several occasions however, on other occasions the vehicle would not restart. Additionally, the contact stated that the coolant reservoir had to be topped several times. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the PATS transceiver module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not able to start, and the contact was informed that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

- Norfolk, VA, USA

problem #124

Aug 012023

Focus

  • miles
Wet belt failure due to manufacture decent and design flaw. Wet belt seized up the motor at 80,000 miles no oil went to motor and we had to replace it. Motor cost us 6,000 and we had to buy a used one because ford stopped making them because of the defect. However they refused to help financially with the motor. We were also told that the wet belt can break again so basically the car is useless and we can-??t sell it to anyone knowing that it is defective. We want the car purchased back from ford.

- Fresno, CA, USA

problem #123

Nov 242023

Focus

  • miles
I was headed back home for thanksgiving, traveling down I20 from Birmingham to Anniston AL, when the oil light suddenly came on, then 2 minutes later a "default Engine-service now" warning appeared. The car immediately started making a loud rattling noise, sputtered and stopped accelerating. I almost got rear-ended and was terrified! I managed to exit the interstate and pulled into a gas station. Checked oil levels, which were fine. Got back on I20 and drove slowly (with hazard lights flashing) back to previous exit, where there was an express oil change. They could not identify the exact problem, but mechanic speculated it was the oil pump since he just fixed another ford vehicle with the same issue. I had my car towed back to Pep Boys in [XXX] (where I live). After inspecting my vehicle, I was informed that the oil pump had completely malfunctioned. The whole thing, including belts and tensioner had to be replaced. I'm still waiting to find out if any further damage was caused to the engine. So far, the bill is up to $4000 and I have been without a vehicle for 6 days. I would like to note that I completed regular oil changes and maintenance on this vehicle. Upon searching online, I have seen many other reports of this same issue on Ford Focus models, yet there has been no recall or action taken by ford and no action taken by the NHTSA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Hueytown, AL, USA

problem #122

Nov 012023

Focus

  • 63,000 miles
The contact's wife owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound and experienced rough driving. The next day while pulling out of the driveway, the oil warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

- West Seneca, NY, USA

problem #121

Nov 052023

Focus

  • miles
The oil pressure indicator light came on. Ford dealership inspection concluded an internal belt failure which resulted in a clogged oil pickup screen and engine failure.

- Terre Haute, IN, USA

problem #120

Nov 012022

Focus

  • 42,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. While driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle stalled. Upon restarting the vehicle, the vehicle stalled again. The contact stated that the fuel gauge was reporting inaccurately. The mileage displayed the wrong reading. The contact was unable to use the specified fuel and had to use a higher-octane fuel. The vehicle failed to accelerate above 30 MPH. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the vehicle had failed inspection. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V515000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The approximate failure mileage was 42,000.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #119

Sep 052023

Focus

  • miles
On three occasions the engine, on my 2017 Ford Focus, has stalled while driving, without warning and without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. The 1st two times (Sept 5th and 29th) it stalled the check engine and battery light came on. When it stalled the 3rd time (Oct 28th) only the check engine light came on. I had repairs done to the car when it stalled the 2nd time but after the repair work was complete the car still stalled. I researched online and Ford had recalled the Ford Focus for intermittent stalling but when I called them and gave them my VIN # they said my car was not on the list, but they suggested I contact you to report the safety issue I am having with my car. I am very, very afraid to drive it, since it puts my safety at risk and my husband and children. My car is our main driving source.

- Audubon, NJ, USA

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