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2014 Ford FocusProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 2,606 owner complaints about the 2014 Ford Focus, most often about the power train. It is covered by 12 safety recalls, and for recall 20V-331 the manufacturer reports only 44% of affected cars repaired.

2014 Ford Focus
26
CarFlaw IndexYear to avoid2.9× the Focus median · #3 of 19 years by complaints
Safety recalls12Lowest repair rate 44%Owner complaints2,606115 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage41kPower train, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 23, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2014 Ford Focus has problems

2,606 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Power train157628
Engine44228
Fuel/propulsion system29912
Electrical system24511
Steering22313
Vehicle speed control16412
Structure6310
Fuel system, gasoline530
Latches/locks/linkages471
21 other systems23244

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

12 recalls

2014 Ford Focus recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

8%repaired · 2026 Q3

Evaporative emissions: canister

New

Recall 26V-369 · Jun 9, 2026 · 257,868 vehicles · 21,836 repaired

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

Problem, fix and repair progress →

44%repaired · 2022 Q2

Doors: latch

Recall 20V-331 · Jun 8, 2020 · 2,147,323 vehicles · 945,968 repaired

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.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

73%repaired · 2020 Q4

Fuel system, gasoline: storage

Recall 19V-515 · Jul 5, 2019 · 57,488 vehicles · 41,995 repaired

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 8 more recalls
65%repaired · 2020 Q4

Fuel system, gasoline: storage

Recall 18V-735 · Oct 22, 2018 · 1,282,596 vehicles · 839,209 repaired

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

56%repaired · 2018 Q1

Hatchback/liftgate: lock

Recall 16V-698 · Sep 28, 2016 · 64,038 vehicles · 35,847 repaired

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.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

62%repaired · 2018 Q2

Doors: latch

Recall 16V-643 · Sep 6, 2016 · 2,046,297 vehicles · 1,264,797 repaired

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.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

83%repaired · 2017 Q2

Electrical system: wiring

Recall 15V-813 · Dec 2, 2015 · 9,017 vehicles · 7,492 repaired

Risk. The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

72%repaired · 2016 Q2

Delivery: fuel pump

Recall 15V-005 · Jan 9, 2015 · 54,543 vehicles · 39,350 repaired

Risk. If the fuel pump fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

94%repaired · 2015 Q4

Fuel system, gasoline: delivery

Recall 14V-525 · Sep 2, 2014 · 301 vehicles · 284 repaired

Risk. A reduction in fuel pressure may result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

98%repaired · 2016 Q1

Steering

Do not drive

Recall 14V-514 · Aug 22, 2014 · 508 vehicles · 500 repaired

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

Problem, fix and repair progress →

85%repaired · 2016 Q1

Electrical system: wiring

Recall 14V-495 · Aug 11, 2014 · 133,227 vehicles · 112,704 repaired

Risk. The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Mileage at failure

When do power train problems start?

41kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 1,208 power train complaints. 85% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
510under 30k miles1,022under 100k miles186100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Power train

62 owners mentioned a cost

$1,914median

Middle half: $1,356 – $2,500

Steering

15 owners mentioned a cost

$2,121median

Middle half: $1,966 – $2,350

Engine

14 owners mentioned a cost

$2,050median

Middle half: $900 – $3,428

Fuel/propulsion system

13 owners mentioned a cost

$1,000median

Middle half: $500 – $1,500

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2014 vs. every other Focus year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Focus median. How we score

'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2014 Ford Focus safety ratings

2014 Ford Focus 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
2014 Ford Focus frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crash★★★★★
2014 Ford Focus side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrier★★★★★
2014 Ford Focus side pole test, NHTSA
Side pole★★★★★
  • Rollover: 4 stars (11.6% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2014 Ford Focus, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Door Latch FailurePE16001 · closed Oct 29, 2016
    Led to recall 16V-643
  2. Door Latch FailuresRQ19005 · closed Feb 7, 2022
    Led to recall 20V-177
  3. Loss of Motive PowerRQ23006 · closed Dec 20, 2024
    No recall
In owners' words

What Focus owners report

Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The Transmission Control Module (TCM), within the PowerShift DPS6 Automatic Transmission, failed completely on a 2014 Ford Focus (72,000 miles). The failed component is no longer physically available for inspection as it was retained by the independent service facility as a core replacement, but…
Complaint 11763818 · Sep 12, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH and coming to a stop, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled, and the transmission was slipping with the message “Transmission Overheated - Stop Vehicle” displayed. There was an abnormal odor coming from the…
Complaint 11761884 · Sep 3, 2026 · 133,283 miles
The transmission over heating light comes on and says stop safely or wait 5 mins you can be going down the road and it jumps out gear and want go anywhere and it very dangerous.and I want no if ford fixes the problem.
Complaint 11759050 · Aug 24, 2026

Own a 2014 Focus?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.