Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
2014 Ford Focus — Known Issues & Recalls
Complaints from Jan 2018 to Dec 2014
The most reported issue is power train problems (1118 complaints). 69 complaints involved crashes. 10 involved fires.
Open Safety Recalls (11)
NHTSA Campaign: 18V735000
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
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.
Fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign: 19V515000
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
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.
Fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign: 15V813000
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured January 11, 2012, to April 1, 2013, and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles manufactured May 03, 2012, to October 14, 2013. Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor may provide incorrect signals to the powertrain control module (PCM).
Risk: The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began on January 7, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S17-S1.
NHTSA Campaign: 16V643000
Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
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.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S30.
NHTSA Campaign: 16V698000
Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK
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.
Fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign: 14V525000
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014 Ford Focus vehicles manufactured May 1, 2014, to May 24, 2014, 2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured on June 6, 2014, and 2015 Lincoln MKC vehicles manufactured June 4, 2014, to July 7, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the Fuel Delivery Module (FDM) may crack between the filter body and the filter cap, possibly resulting in low fuel pressure.
Risk: A reduction in fuel pressure may result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the FDM, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S20.
NHTSA Campaign: 14V495000
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to April 1, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines and Focus ST vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to October 14, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines. Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor may provide incorrect signals to the powertrain control module (PCM).
Risk: The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S17.
NHTSA Campaign: 14V514000
Component: STEERING
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.
Fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign: 15V005000
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Ford Motor Company (Ford) notified the agency on January 8, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured April 15, 2014, to May 8, 2014, and 2015 Lincoln MKC vehicles manufactured April 21, 2014, to May 15, 2014. On April 30, 2015, Ford expanded the recall to cover an additional 45,505 vehicles, including certain model year 2014-2015 Ford Transit Connect vehicles manufactured November 11, 2013, to August 29, 2014, 2014-2015 Ford Fiesta vehicles manufactured April 10, 2014, to June 17, 2014 and 2014 Ford Edge vehicles manufactured April 30, 2014, to May 21, 2014. Improper nickel plating of components within the fuel pump may result in the fuel pump failing.
Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S30.
NHTSA Campaign: 20V331000
Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
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.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.
NHTSA Campaign: 26V011000
Component: EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
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.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
Owner-Reported Issues (20 of 2625)
Power Train →4 issues
Your vehicle jerks abnormally and feels sluggish when driving at various speeds. A dealer diagnosed the problem and determined your transmission needs to be replaced. This issue appeared around 112,000 miles. Fixing this will require either transmission replacement or a complete transmission rebuild.
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Your 2014 Ford Focus had a recall repair (14M02B) performed at the dealership in October 2023 to fix a transmission control issue. After only 10,000 miles of driving, the same transmission problem has returned with a new error code (P07A5). The dealership has diagnosed the issue but refuses to repair it again, saying they're not obligated to fix problems after the first recall repair. You're requesting another repair because the original replacement parts appear to be faulty. Fixing this will likely involve replacing transmission control components or the transmission control module itself.
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Your car jerks and hesitates when you press the gas pedal at various speeds. A diagnostic scan at Auto Zone didn't find any trouble codes, and no warning lights appeared on your dashboard. The issue could involve fuel delivery, ignition timing, or transmission response, and may require a full diagnostic scan at a Ford dealer to identify the root cause.
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Your transmission shudders noticeably when shifting from first to second gear. This shaking during the gear change affects how smoothly your car drives and should be inspected to rule out transmission problems. A mechanic may need to check your transmission fluid, filter, or internal components to restore smooth shifting.
Parts you may need:
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Power Train,electrical System,engine →3 issues
Your 2014 Ford Focus is experiencing severe transmission problems, including shuddering, slipping, delayed acceleration, and hesitation when starting from a stop or entering traffic. These symptoms create a safety concern because your car may not respond quickly enough when you need to accelerate, such as when merging onto a highway or crossing an intersection. Your transmission may also have electrical issues related to the transmission control system. The transmission itself or the transmission control module may need to be serviced or replaced.
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You purchased this 2014 Ford Focus and discovered after taking possession that the title history may have been tampered with (title jumping) and the odometer reading may not be accurate. A mechanic also found signs of prior flood damage that wasn't disclosed when you bought the car. Resolving this will likely require working with the DMV, your dealer, and potentially legal action to address the title issues and undisclosed damage history.
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Your 2014 Focus has had multiple transmission recalls, but after the most recent work in February, you've experienced serious drivability problems: the car lurches when stopping, hesitates badly during acceleration (creating a safety risk in traffic), and the transmission shifts erratically, staying in low gears instead of upshifting properly. Ford diagnosed a complete computer failure requiring a $2,400 replacement, but you believe this computer controls the transmission synchronization that the previous recalls were supposed to fix, raising questions about whether Ford's earlier repairs caused this failure.
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Unknown Or Other →3 issues
Your transmission suddenly stopped working while you were merging onto the interstate, leaving you unable to shift into gear. You were forced to coast to the shoulder, where you called for help and had to have the car towed to a dealership. The repair cost $4,000 and involved replacing the clutch kit, leaving you stranded and concerned about your safety in traffic.
Parts you may need:
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Your transmission clutch shudders when engaging, making your vehicle difficult or impossible to drive. You took your car to a Ford dealer who initially said nothing was wrong, but the problem has worsened to the point where your vehicle is now undrivable. This appears to be related to a known recall issue. Fixing this will likely require clutch system service or replacement at a Ford dealership.
Parts you may need:
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Your 2014 Ford Focus is shuddering during acceleration even after the transmission control module was replaced under recall in April 2025 and you paid $658 out of pocket for actuator replacement. The shuddering returned in October 2025, and the dealer is now telling you the clutch and fork system needs replacement at a cost of $3,300. You believe Ford is aware of widespread transmission problems in this model but is not covering repairs under warranty.
Parts you may need:
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Power Train,engine →2 issues
Your 2014 Ford Focus transmission is suddenly failing, causing violent jerking when shifting, power loss, hesitation in traffic, and difficulty engaging gears—creating a serious safety risk when merging or accelerating. The car shows a trouble code (P07A3) indicating the clutch is stuck, sport mode no longer works, and the transmission enters a failure state while driving. The dealership confirmed the transmission problem but refused to help because the warranty was marked expired, and the issue is reproducible and unsafe to drive. Repairs will likely require transmission clutch assembly replacement or full transmission overhaul.
Parts you may need:
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Your transmission is overheating while you drive and jerking backwards once you reach a certain speed in third gear. This overheating and jerking is preventing your car from driving smoothly. You'll likely need to have the transmission fluid checked and possibly replaced, or have the transmission inspected for internal damage.
Parts you may need:
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Power Train,electrical System →2 issues
Your 2014 Ford Focus is having trouble shifting gears smoothly — you may notice hesitation and jerking when accelerating or changing speeds, which can be unsafe in traffic. A dealership diagnosed this as a faulty Transmission Control Module (TCM), and replacement is estimated to cost around $1,800. Ford declined to help with the repair, saying your vehicle is outside their warranty programs. The repair will likely involve replacing the TCM unit entirely.
Parts you may need:
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Your Ford Focus has a dual clutch automatic transmission that may experience problems. This issue is part of a broader class action lawsuit filed in 2013 affecting multiple vehicles with this transmission type. A transmission specialist or authorized Ford dealer should diagnose and repair any shifting or engagement issues you experience.
Parts you may need:
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Fuel System, Gasoline →2 issues
After refueling your 2014 Ford Focus, the engine shakes abnormally and stalls. Restarting the vehicle allows you to drive it, but the problem continues to happen. You took your car to a Ford dealer, but they were unable to fix the issue. The problem started occurring around 145,000 miles. Fixing this may involve inspecting or replacing fuel system components like the fuel pump or fuel filter.
Parts you may need:
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Your 2014 Ford Focus lost power and stalled while you were driving, even though you pressed the accelerator pedal. The check engine light came on, and after waiting an hour or two, you were able to restart it. When you took it to the dealer, they said the vehicle had already been serviced under a fuel system recall in 2019, but they didn't inspect or repair it this time — and you've noticed the problem is getting worse. The fuel system may need to be inspected and repaired to restore normal acceleration and prevent stalling.
Parts you may need:
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Electrical System,unknown Or Other,engine →1 issue
Your car is experiencing severe transmission problems with jerking and repeated "Transmission Failure" dashboard messages that started two years ago. You're also hearing strange clicking and engine-cranking sounds when the car is off with no keys in the ignition, and the car now stalls at stoplights and won't start without pumping the gas pedal or shifting to neutral. The transmission may need a complete rebuild or replacement, and the electrical system will need diagnostic testing to identify which components are failing.
Parts you may need:
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Electrical System,visibility/wiper →1 issue
Your windshield wipers won't move, which left you unable to see clearly during rain on the highway. This creates a serious safety hazard since you need working wipers to maintain visibility in wet weather. The problem likely involves the wiper motor, electrical connections, or wiper switch and will need diagnosis and repair to restore function.
Parts you may need:
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Steering →1 issue
Your power steering suddenly stopped working while driving. You'll need to steer the car manually, which requires significantly more effort. The issue likely involves the power steering pump, belt, or hydraulic fluid system, and will require professional diagnosis and repair.
Parts you may need:
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Power Train,vehicle Speed Control →1 issue
Your 2014 Focus has a dual-clutch automatic transmission (PowerShift) that may experience rough or jerky shifting, shuddering when accelerating, gear slipping, grinding noises, hesitation before accelerating, or unexpected gear popping. These problems can recur even after repairs to the transmission control module or clutch assemblies, and may create safety risks like unpredictable acceleration or failure to downshift when braking. Fixing this typically involves replacing or reprogramming the transmission control module, replacing clutch and seal assemblies, or in severe cases, full transmission replacement.
Parts you may need:
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