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Ford Focus 2.0 TDCi 150hp Titanium common faults.

2014–2018, estate, diesel, 150 HP.

The fault list covers: T7DA, T7DB engine, MMT6 transmission.

What you save stays on this device only. My saves

6 fault write-ups. All are important. 5 recalls.

If you know the year, pick it. Faults for other years drop out of the list.

Before you buy

Known faults

6 important faults

critical3

1.0 EcoBoost: the oil pump drive belt fails

critical

The oil pump is driven by a toothed belt running in oil, not by a chain. The belt and its tensioner age, and according to the authority they can fail. Oil pressure is then lost.

Show the rest

NHTSA issued a campaign for this in December 2023 (23V905000), covering the 2016–2018 Focus and the 2018–2022 EcoSport. The authority states that the loss of pressure leads to an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, which is a crash risk.

The belt runs in oil, under the cover, so you cannot see it from outside. Rubber debris from a disintegrating belt ends up in the sump, and that debris can also block the oil pick-up strainer.

What to check

  • Ask for the invoice for the timing and oil pump belt change: you need a date and a mileage, not just "replaced"
  • Look at the oil on the dipstick: small rubber particles from a disintegrating belt float in it
  • On a cold start watch how long the oil pressure light takes to go out: a slow one is a signal
2 more steps in the write-up

2.0 GDI: the canister purge valve stalls the engine

critical

The canister purge valve (CPV) can malfunction. According to the authority this creates excessive vacuum in the fuel vapour management system, the engine stalls while driving without warning, and it cannot be restarted. The authority describes this as a crash risk.

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Ford recalled it twice: in October 2018 (18V735000), then in June 2026 for the cars repaired incorrectly (26V369000). The second campaign states that the valve causes the engine to stall unexpectedly while driving.

What to check

  • Ask whether the engine has ever stalled while driving, even once
  • With the engine idling, listen for the purge valve clicking irregularly
  • Check for a fuel smell around the filler cap, or a deformed tank
2 more steps in the write-up

6-speed manual: the clutch fractures

critical

The clutch can fracture, the break damages the transmission case, and gearbox oil can leak from it. The car may become immobile, and the leaking oil can ignite on the hot engine or exhaust.

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Ford issued three campaigns. The first went out in March 2018 (18V169000) for the 1.6 EcoBoost with the 6-speed manual, the second in November 2018 (18V845000) for the 1.0 EcoBoost cars, and the third in June 2026 (26V376000) because part of the earlier repairs had been done incorrectly. A car that has had the repair is not necessarily in order.

In the European range the 1.0 EcoBoost with the 6-speed manual is the most common Focus.

What to check

  • Pull away from a standstill several times: the clutch must not shudder, slip or kick
  • Pull away on a hill using the clutch: slipping shows up here first
  • Look under the car around the transmission housing: fresh or dried oil traces can mean a break
2 more steps in the write-up

expensive3

MMT6 manual: worn shift mechanism, hard shifting when cold

expensive

The gearbox itself is reliable, but the shift mechanism wears noticeably between 100,000 and 150,000 km. Shifting becomes stiff, and it is most obvious when cold: the lever does not want to find its place, or the gear only goes in with force.

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At high mileage the synchros on the first two gears wear out, and then the shift grates. The gearbox comes with a dual-mass flywheel, which is not the most durable part either.

between 100,000 and 150,000 km

What to check

  • Set off from cold: both first and second must engage without snagging
  • Stop and select reverse: it must not grate or need force
  • While rolling, change down into second: this is where worn synchros are audible
2 more steps in the write-up

Injector copper washer: the carbon glues the injector into the head

expensive

The copper washer under the injector is a one-time seal: it is permanently crushed when torqued, so once refitted it can no longer seal. If the seal goes, combustion gas escapes past the injector at over 2000 degrees and over 300 bar, carbonises the engine oil and eats into the seat of the injector. The fault appears at around 150 000 kilometres, but an early failure can also be caused by incorrect torque, a dirty seat and a reused washer.

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The escaping gas mixes the unburnt hydrocarbons with the engine oil under the rocker cover, and a hard, coal-like crust bakes out of that. This deposit surrounds the injector and over time glues it into the cylinder head.

The symptoms are easy to recognise. At idle a rhythmic chuffing noise is audible, one per combustion event. A diesel smell comes from the engine bay, and through the ventilation into the cabin as well. Black, oily deposits are visible at the base of the injector. The engine oil becomes diluted with fuel, and whitish-blue smoke can appear too.

If things are taken past this point, the carbon literally welds the injector into place, and a dedicated injector puller or a slide hammer is needed to get it out. Prying damages the body of the injector. If the seat has already been eaten away, the cylinder head has to be machined or replaced.

The quality of the repair decides matters here. A new copper washer is needed, the old one can never be reused, the seat has to be cleaned with a hand-turned seat cutter, and the torque has to follow the factory figure. Cleaning the seat is the most important step and the one most often done wrong. If one injector needs replacing, typically all four do, because their state of wear is similar, and a new one alongside worn ones does not give the right metering.

above 150,000 km

What to check

  • Listen at idle: a rhythmic chuffing noise means a leaking copper washer
  • Look at the base of the injectors: black, oily, hard deposits belong here
  • Smell the cabin and the engine bay: a diesel smell points to the same thing
3 more steps in the write-up

High pressure pump: metal debris throughout the whole system

expensive

The high pressure fuel pump wears from the inside, and metal dust forms in the friction pairs. The debris gets into the system and blocks everything there. The wear is reported above 160 000 kilometres, and the upper limit of the pump's life is around 200 000 kilometres, beyond which an overhaul is needed.

Show the rest

The metal dust travels on to the injectors and destroys those too, so a pump fault easily turns into a repair of the whole injection system: the system has to be flushed and the injectors replaced. The pump can also give up suddenly, even on a motorway, and the engine then stops while driving.

The injectors themselves also give up at around 200 000 kilometres, and their symptoms are easy to recognise. The most characteristic is difficult starting on a warm engine. With it comes damaged atomisation at the nozzle, a back-leak through the worn nozzle which makes starting worse still, and fuel getting into the crankcase and raising the oil level.

That last sign is the one that can be caught on the dipstick: if the oil has risen above MAX and smells of diesel, it belongs to the injection system.

above 160,000 km

What to check

  • Look at the oil on the dipstick: oil risen above MAX and smelling of diesel belongs to the injection system
  • Start it with a warm engine too: difficulty starting warm is the most characteristic symptom
  • Ask for the last fuel filter change and ask whether the filter was checked for metal debris
3 more steps in the write-up

Checklist

Ford Focus 2.0 TDCi 150hp Titanium

First what you would check on any car. Then the faults of this model.

Before you buy

Checklist

The printed sheet starts with what you would check on any car. What you tick stays on this device only.

On every car

Ask the owner

Faults of this model

vinkodex.com · Before you buy it, see what can go wrong.

Official recall5 recallsShow

The manufacturer fixes these for free at a franchised dealer. Ask with the VIN whether it was done.

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

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

Engine and transmission

2 engines · 1 transmissions

T7DA · 2.0 TDCI FLH

110 kW (150 HP) · diesel

MMT6 · 6-speed manual

manual · 6 speed

Torque limit400 Nm
MakerFord/Getrag

We built the code from the model and the gear count. The factory sheet does not state it. More than one engine code is possible. The fault list shows the faults of each.

Variant data

What is in this version

Factory data

Trim
Titanium
Body
estate
Fuel
diesel
Transmission
manual
Engine size
1997 cc
Power
110 kW (150 HP)
Drive
FWD
Production
2014–2018

Factory service interval

The manufacturer specifies this for this version. Of the mileage and the time, the one that comes first is the one that counts.

  • Cabin (pollen) filter

    • 30,000 km or 2 years

  • Air filter

    • 60,000 km or 4 years

  • Brake fluid change

    • first: 3 years, then 2 years(first change at 3 years, then every two years)

  • Fuel filter, diesel

    • 60,000 km or 2 years
All Mk3.5 versions

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