2016 Ford FOCUS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1,180 owner complaints analyzed
10 distinct recall campaigns
61,397 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 776 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 622 of 1,180 complaints (52.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 570 | 48.3% |
| Engine operation | 246 | 20.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 73 | 6.2% |
| Steering behavior | 59 | 5.0% |
| Braking behavior | 46 | 3.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 34 | 2.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 622 |
| Engine | 233 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 165 |
| Unknown Or Other | 105 |
| Electrical System | 80 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 54 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 50 |
| Steering | 44 |
Power Train: 622; Engine: 233; Fuel/Propulsion System: 165; Unknown Or Other: 105; Electrical System: 80; Fuel System, Gasoline: 54; Engine And Engine Cooling: 50; Steering: 44
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 156 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 135 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 195 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 143 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 128 |
| 150,000 and above | 19 |
Under 25,000: 156; 25,000 to 49,999: 135; 50,000 to 74,999: 195; 75,000 to 99,999: 143; 100,000 to 149,999: 128; 150,000 and above: 19
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (195). 404 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 15 |
| 2017 | 54 |
| 2018 | 78 |
| 2019 | 196 |
| 2020 | 132 |
| 2021 | 94 |
| 2022 | 169 |
| 2023 | 156 |
| 2024 | 168 |
| 2025 | 89 |
| 2026 | 29 |
2016: 15; 2017: 54; 2018: 78; 2019: 196; 2020: 132; 2021: 94; 2022: 169; 2023: 156; 2024: 168; 2025: 89; 2026: 29
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 570 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 246 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 73 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10864438 · 2016-05-11 (May 11, 2016)
THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS VEHICLE SHUDDERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN CORNERING . THIS SHUDDER HAS BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED,
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10864438 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10899350 · 2016-08-29 (August 29, 2016)
I BOUGHT THE CAR IN APRIL 2016. I HAD IT LESS THAN TWO WEEKS BEFORE I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP OVER THE TRANSMISSION. I DON'T THINK I'D EVEN PUT 500 MILES ON IT YET. OF COURSE THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT BACK AFTER 1,200 MILES SINCE THE THAT'S THE TRANSMISSIONS "GREENBELT PERIOD". IT'S BEEN BACK, NEEDLESS TO SAY I'M STILL HAVING THE ISSUE. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS GREEN, I HIT THE GAS AND THE CAR GOES NOWHERE. IT REVS UP TO ABOUT 2,000 RPM, THEN DROPS BACK DOWN, ENGAGES THE GEAR AND STARTS TO MOVE. AND WHEN IT FINALLY DOES START TO MOVE, IT CRAW…
Owner-reported narrative. 125 miles reported. Look up ODI 10899350 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10896374 · 2016-08-16 (August 16, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHUTTERED AND EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THE CHECKING ENGINE AND SERVICE CAR SOON WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER FOR A SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE DEALER OF THE RECURRING FAILURE AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE PERFORMED AS INTENDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10896374 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10980144 · 2017-04-24 (April 24, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. ALSO, THE OVERHEATING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE ENTERED INTO "LIMP HOME" MODE, WHICH ALLOWED THE USE OF THE VEHICLE BUT NOT OVER 5 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE ENGINE FAILURES AND THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE TRANSMISSION WARNING INDI…
Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10980144 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10993302 · 2017-06-05 (June 5, 2017)
RODENTS ATE THROUGH WIRING EFFECTING EMISSION CABLE (LOCATED AT REAR OF VEHICLE--JUST BELOW GAS TANK)--THIS HAD TO BE REPLACED COSTING APPROX $500.--PARTS TOTALED ONLY $15. LABOR COSTS TOTALLY RIDICULOUS--
Owner-reported narrative. 22,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10993302 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11035325 · 2017-10-20 (October 20, 2017)
JUST FILLED MY GAS TANK UP THEN AS I LEFT THE GAS STATION GOT ABOUT 1 MILE UP THE ROAD THEN WHILE SITTING AT A STOPLIGHT I TURNED THE AC ON AND IDLE DIPPED, CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE(WHICH IT DID) THEN AS I TRIED TO RE-START, CEL CAME ON AND CAR WOULD NOT START. ABOUT 2 MORE TIMES AND IT FIRED UP ALONG WITH A SERVICE ENGINE SOON MESSAGE ... LUCKILY FOR ME I WAS A BLOCK AWAY FROM FUTURE FORD LINCOLN WHERE I ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. 3 DAYS LATER I GOT A CALL SAYING MY VEHICLE WAS READY FOR PICK UP. I GET THERE AND THEY TELL ME TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 29,890 miles reported. Look up ODI 11035325 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10984435 · 2017-05-09 (May 9, 2017)
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION SHUTTER RELATING TO SERVICE BULLETIN 16-0109. PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORST AND I AM SCARED IT WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. TOOK VEHICLE IN 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME ISSUE. ALSO ISSUES WITH DISPLAY AND PHONE UNABLE TO HANG UP DURING CALLS WHILE USING DISPLAYS BUTTON AND STEERING BUTTON.
Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10984435 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11020974 · 2017-08-31 (August 31, 2017)
WHEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING FAILS WITHOUT WARNING. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATES AND BEEPS S (DRIVER ASSIST FAILURE TAKE IN IMMEDIATE FOR SERVICE). THE CAR IS IS STILL MOVING. THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. THE STEERING WHEEL IS TIGHT AND HARD TO TURN. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPEN, I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I PUT MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS ON AND PROCEED WITH CAUTION TO THE PARKING LOT. WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE THE POWER STEERING WAS WORKING. THE SECOND TIME THE POW…
Owner-reported narrative. 31,426 miles reported. Look up ODI 11020974 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10940360 · 2017-01-07 (January 7, 2017)
I AM WRITING TO REPORT A PROBLEM WITH DELAYS IN GAS PEDAL RESPONSIVENESS. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS IN THE FOLLOWING SCENARIOS: (1) THE CAR CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE AFTER THE GAS PEDAL IS LET OFF (2) THERE IS A DELAY BETWEEN PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL AND RECEIVING ACCELERATION (THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR BEING UNDER POWERED, IT CAN ACCELERATE FINE AT THE SAME RPM. HERE, IT WILL SIMPLY ACT AS IF THE ACCELERATOR IS NOT DOWN) (3) 3-POINT TURNS OR PARALLEL PARKING IN TRAFFIC CANNOT BE DONE QUICKLY/SMOOTHLY, SINCE …
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10940360 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10944607 · 2017-01-12 (January 12, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD FOCUS. WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE CONTACT REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS. ALSO, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A SLIP IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE DRIVING STYLE OF THE VEHICLE'S OPERATOR WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173.
Owner-reported narrative. 173 miles reported. Look up ODI 10944607 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10928501 · 2016-11-29 (November 29, 2016)
VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TWICE TO THE DEALER TO REPAIR ISSUE WITH THE COOLANT SENSOR AND ASSOCIATED WIRING HARNESS. FAULTY COOLANT SENSOR/WIRING HARNESS/OTHER CAUSES CEL TO ILLUMINATE. DURING NORMAL DRIVING, VEHICLE WILL GO IN TO 'FAILSAFE MODE' WHICH DRASTICALLY LOWERS POWER OUTPUT. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AND RANDOMLY. VEHICLE MUST BE RESTARTED FOR IT TO FUNCTION NORMALLY AGAIN. ONLY TO GO BACK IN TO 'FAILSAFE MODE' SHORTLY AFTER. THIS PRESENTS A SAFETY ISSUE DURING MERGING, PASSING, STEEP UPHILL DRIVING, AND ANY OTHER INSTANCE WHICH REQUIRES…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10928501 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10950074 · 2017-02-07 (February 7, 2017)
RODENTS CHEWED THROUGH WIRING BECAUSE THE WIRE IS MADE FROM SOYBEANS. POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. MAKES CAR INOPERABLE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS PRIOR TO 2016. MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE FIXED THIS PROBLEM BY SUBSTITUTING WIRING THAT DOES NOT ATTRACT RODENTS. MANUFACTURER (FORD) SHOULD MAKE THIS RIGHT. THE COST OF REPAIRS SHOULD NOT BE BORNE BY CUSTOMERS.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10950074 at NHTSA ↗