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Ford Focus Mk3.5 common faults.

2014–2018. The fault list covers this generation and the engines in it. If the listing gives the exact version, pick it below.

Ford Focus Mk3.5

Vauxford / CC BY-SA 4.0

What to watch for

What can go wrong on this car?

The list covers the generation, the engines and the transmissions. Once you pick the version, only the faults that apply to it stay.

critical6

The clutch can fracture, the break damages the transmission case, and gearbox oil can leak from it.

It can affect every car in this generation.

expensive2

13 more faults belong to this generation. On the version page, only the ones that apply stay.

Official recall11 recallsShow

The manufacturer fixes these for free at a franchised dealer. Ask with the VIN whether it was done. The list covers the whole generation. We did not filter it by model year. Some apply only to a narrower production window.

Most recent: 9 June 2026

26V369000FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTERFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTER9 June 2026 · NHTSA (USA)

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.

Risk: An engine that stalls while driving increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: 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.

The authority's notice

26V012000EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATEREQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER15 January 2026 · NHTSA (USA)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Focus, 2019 Explorer, and 2024 Explorer vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: 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 blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed February 13, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in December 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026. This recall expands previous recall number 25V685.

The authority's notice

23V905000ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PUMPENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PUMP22 December 2023 · NHTSA (USA)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure.

Risk: A loss of oil pressure can result in an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the oil pump tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt, free of charge. If engine failure occurs due to a damaged oil pump belt and/or oil pump belt tensioner, Ford has authorized dealers to replace the engine assembly as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S64.

The authority's notice

19V515000FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGEFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE5 July 2019 · NHTSA (USA)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 and 2017 Focus vehicles equipped with 2.0L GDI gasoline engines and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles equipped with 2.0L GTDI engines, previously recalled under 18V-735. The affected vehicles did not have the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) updated as intended. Therefore, the Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system.

Risk: The excessive vacuum may result in an engine stall while driving, without warning and without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: 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 July 29, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S22.

The authority's notice

18V845000POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSIONPOWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION28 November 2018 · NHTSA (USA)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with a 1.0L Fox GTDI engine and a 6-speed manual transmission. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.

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.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update vehicles with software that detects and prevents prolonged clutch slip, and will replace the clutch, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S07. Note: This recall is an expansion of Recall 18V-169.

The authority's notice

18V735000FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGEFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE22 October 2018 · NHTSA (USA)

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.

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.

Remedy: 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.

The authority's notice

18V169000POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSIONPOWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION12 March 2018 · NHTSA (USA)

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.

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.

Remedy: 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.

The authority's notice

17V528000SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHERSEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER28 August 2017 · NHTSA (USA)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Focus vehicles. The rear left side seat back frame may have an insufficient weld between the outboard pivot bracket and the pivot nut joint, resulting in the seat back having reduced strength. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems," and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."

Risk: The reduced seat back strength may increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the rear second left side rear seat back as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 10, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C13.

The authority's notice

17V052000STRUCTURE:BODYSTRUCTURE:BODY24 January 2017 · NHTSA (USA)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Focus and C-Max vehicles. The floor pan may have improperly welded left-hand apron joints.

Risk: Improperly welded apron joints may reduce the front-end structural integrity of the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the apron joints, repairing the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S03.

The authority's notice

16V698000LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCKLATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK28 September 2016 · NHTSA (USA)

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."

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.

Remedy: 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.

The authority's notice

14V514000STEERINGSTEERING22 August 2014 · NHTSA (USA)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014 Focus and C-Max vehicles manufactured August 8, 2014, to August 15, 2014. The affected vehicles may have steering gears that were incorrectly assembled.

Risk: The incorrectly manufactured steering gears may cause impaired steering, including the loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gears, free of charge. The recall began on November 11, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S18.

The authority's notice

Mk3.5 · 2014–2018

Pick the version.

The fault list opens on the version page.

68 versions

Showing 60 of 68 versions.

Neighbouring generations

Mk3.5 · 2014–2018

Focus '11 facelift. If the listing is from the changeover year, look at the neighbour too.

Previous generation

Mk3 · 2010–2014

This generation

Mk3.5 · 2014–2018

Next generation

Mk4 · 2018–2022

Common questions

About this generation

Which years does this page cover?

2014–2018. The changeover year can fall in two generations. If the listing is from that year, look at the neighbour too.

Does the fault apply to every car like this?

No. It depends on the engine and the transmission too.

Is it free?

The fault list is.

Information, not an expert opinion

We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.

  • A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
  • A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
  • You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.
Details in the terms