repaired · 2026 Q3
Evaporative emissions: canister
NewRisk. An engine that stalls while driving increases the risk of a crash.
2018 Ford FocusProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 839 owner complaints about the 2018 Ford Focus, most often about the power train. It is covered by 7 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-905 the manufacturer reports only 54% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 6, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2018 Ford Focus has problems
839 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
319Power train
233Engine8 crash/fire/injury
132Fuel/propulsion system7 crash/fire/injury
125Engine and engine cooling
65Fuel system, gasoline
49Electrical system
30Steering
27Vehicle speed control
20Service brakes
4614 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 319 | 0 |
| Engine | 233 | 8 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 132 | 7 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 125 | 0 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 65 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 49 | 1 |
| Steering | 30 | 4 |
| Vehicle speed control | 27 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 20 | 2 |
| 14 other systems | 46 | 13 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
7 recalls
2018 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.
no report yet
Power train: manual transmission
NewRisk. 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.
no report yet
Electrical: engine block heater
NewRisk. An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
no report yet
Electrical: engine block heater
NewRisk. An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Show 3 more recalls
repaired · 2026 Q3
Oil/lubrication: pump
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.
repaired · 2020 Q2
Power train: manual transmission
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.
repaired · 2020 Q4
Fuel system, gasoline: storage
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…
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?
56kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 189 power train complaints. 83% were reported before 100,000 miles.
46under 30k miles157under 100k miles32100k 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.
Engine
15 owners mentioned a cost$6,000median
Middle half: $963 – $7,000
Power train
8 owners mentioned a cost$4,168median
Middle half: $2,450 – $5,026
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
2018 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
2018 Ford Focus safety ratings
2018 Ford Focus 5 HB FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (11.6% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: Optional
5 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2018 Ford Focus, and the recalls they led to.
- Pedestrian alert soundsLed to recall 22V-063
- Timing Belt FailureOpen
- Oil Pump FailureLed to recall 23V-905
- Timing Belt FailureNo recall
- Loss of Motive PowerNo recall
In owners' words
What Focus owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
My car had been driving fine. Until one day I leave my house and crank my car up and it does not go into reverse. It loses engine power and stalled into traffic. This is an on going issue as you can see stories from other people with the same make and model as my car with the same issue. No warning…
I had the engine on 2018 (61000 mileage) focus replaced 1 and 1/2 year ago because of the oil pan wet belt recall. Now my transmission locked up because of clutch failure. I was lucky that I was coming to a stop while parking in my driveway. Now im told by mechanic that i need a new transmission.…
Battery randomly died. When battery was replaced at the mechanic, it caused a glitch or broke something in or connected to the transmission. Car couldn’t reverse nor go faster than 1st gear. Had to drive 11 mph all the way to the Ford Dealership. Both Meineke AND Ford Service Manager said this is a…
Own a 2018 Focus?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.