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2018 Ford Focus
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2018 Ford Focus, covering power train, fuel system, gasoline and equipment, and 32 consumer complaints received since 2018.
The component named most often is engine: 204.5 of every 1,000 component mentions for this year, above the 133 per 1,000 across all 2018 model-year vehicles and against 48 per 1,000 for the Ford Focus line as a whole.
That is fewer than the average of 763.3 complaints per model year across the 20 Ford Focus model years on this register; 4 complaints reported a crash and 0 a fire.
Complaints were received in the largest number in 2018 (18); the most recent in the file is dated 13 May 2019.
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation has opened 5 investigations naming this model year.
Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA. Recall text is the manufacturer's Part 573 report as filed with NHTSA. Complaint file through 15 May 2019; recall file through 29 Sep 2026.
Recalls by model year:
Recall campaigns
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: 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: Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will inspect Focus vehicles and replace the clutch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. 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.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 26S43).
- 26V369000FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTERReported 9 Jun 2026 · 257,868 units
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: 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.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 26S40).
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: 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 October 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.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 25SA4).
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: 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 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 became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 26S01).
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: 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.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 23S64).
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: 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.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 18S07).
- 18V735000FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTERReported 22 Oct 2018 · 1,282,596 units
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: 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.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 18S32); components: fuel system, gasoline:storage:evaporative emissions:canister; fuel system, gasoline:storage.
Each entry links to the NHTSA record. NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are free of charge at an authorised dealer; check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
Component mentions per 1,000 for the 2018 Ford Focus (black) against all 2018 model-year vehicles in the file (yellow). A complaint can name more than one component.
| Per 1,000 component mentions | 2018 | Focus line | All 2018 vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 204.5 | 48 | 133 |
| Power Train | 204.5 | 159.3 | 77.8 |
| Unknown or Other | 136.4 | 39.3 | 123.9 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 113.6 | 27.1 | 54.3 |
| Service Brakes | 90.9 | 6.4 | 70.2 |
| Structure | 45.5 | 45 | 48.9 |
| Component | Mentions | Per 1,000 | Line | All 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 9 | 204.5 | 48 | 133 |
| Power Train | 9 | 204.5 | 159.3 | 77.8 |
| Unknown or Other | 6 | 136.4 | 39.3 | 123.9 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 5 | 113.6 | 27.1 | 54.3 |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 90.9 | 6.4 | 70.2 |
| Structure | 2 | 45.5 | 45 | 48.9 |
| Air Bags | 2 | 45.5 | 41.6 | 27.2 |
| Electrical System | 2 | 45.5 | 190.7 | 106.9 |
| Steering | 2 | 45.5 | 74.8 | 109 |
| Suspension | 1 | 22.7 | 44.4 | 37.1 |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 22.7 | 10.8 | 14.4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 22.7 | 40.7 | 47.6 |
32 unique complaints, 44 component mentions; 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported by complainants. Complaint narratives are not republished.
Complaints by year received
Investigations
| Action | Type | Subject | Component | Opened | Closed | Recall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EA26004 | Engineering analysis | Timing Belt Failure | engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:belts and associated pulleys | 31 Jul 2026 | open | — |
| PE25020 | Preliminary evaluation | Timing Belt Failure | engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:belts and associated pulleys | 18 Dec 2025 | 31 Jul 2026 | — |
| PE23015 | Preliminary evaluation | Oil Pump Failure | engine and engine cooling:engine:oil/lubrication:pump | 20 Sep 2023 | 14 Feb 2024 | 23V905 |
| RQ23006 | Recall query | Loss of Motive Power | fuel system, gasoline:storage:evaporative emissions:canister | 15 Sep 2023 | 20 Dec 2024 | — |
| DP22005 | Defect petition | Pedestrian alert sounds | electrical system:propulsion system | 27 Jan 2023 | 7 Aug 2023 | 22V063000 |
Other Ford Focus model years
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints | Units in campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 NHTSA | 0 | 11 | — |
| 2000 | 11 | 3,678 | 3,789,813 |
| 2001 | 7 | 1,752 | 3,185,855 |
| 2002 | 1 | 932 | 589,932 |
| 2003 | 1 | 970 | 589,932 |
| 2004 | 1 | 376 | 589,932 |
| 2005 | 1 | 427 | 589,932 |
| 2006 | 0 | 194 | — |
| 2007 | 0 | 364 | — |
| 2008 | 1 | 222 | 45 |
| 2009 | 0 | 211 | — |
| 2010 | 0 | 256 | — |
| 2011 | 0 | 97 | — |
| 2012 | 7 | 2,600 | 5,938,190 |
| 2013 | 11 | 1,324 | 6,126,509 |
| 2014 | 12 | 1,271 | 6,169,878 |
| 2015 | 9 | 293 | 6,300,188 |
| 2016 | 10 | 185 | 1,876,765 |
| 2017 | 10 | 71 | 1,929,573 |
| 2018 | 7 | 32 | 1,807,349 |
Model years with a single campaign and fewer than 25 complaints have no page here; the NHTSA link opens the agency's record for that year.
All Ford Focus model years · Ford: 201 model lines
Questions and answers
How many recalls does the 2018 Ford Focus have?
7 NHTSA recall campaigns name this model year; the most recent, 26V376000, was reported to NHTSA on 9 Jun 2026 and concerns power train:manual transmission. Across all model years the Ford Focus line has 36 campaigns.
Is there an open NHTSA investigation into the 2018 Ford Focus?
NHTSA's investigation file lists 5 actions naming this model year; the table above shows each action's opening and closing dates. An action with no closing date was still open when the file was produced.
What component do owners of the 2018 Ford Focus complain about most?
Engine: 9 of 44 component mentions (204.5 per 1,000). Next is power train with 9. Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA.
How do I get a recall repaired?
NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are performed free of charge by the manufacturer's authorised dealers. Each campaign's remedy text above is the manufacturer's statement as filed with NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation recall, complaint and investigation flat files, public domain, downloaded 29 Sep 2026. Complaint counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; component figures count each component a complaint names. The NHTSA record linked from each campaign is authoritative.
Provenance
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Defects Investigation flat files (recalls, complaints, investigations), public domain, files dated 29 Sep 2026 (recalls) and 15 May 2019 (complaints). Complaints since 1 Jan 1995. Counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; per-1,000 rates divide a component's mentions by all mentions for the same group. Errors in processing are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections and the methodology.