2013 Ford Focus Electric Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Feb 26, 2024 · 69 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Focus Electric years
Far more complaints than other years 1st of 6 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Ford Focus Electric. That is the most of any Focus Electric model year in the database (6 years). The most reported problem area is power train (37 complaints, 54%), typically at around 4,800 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 injury. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.

Ford Focus Electric
2012 Ford Focus Electric at the 2011 LA Auto Show. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: skinnylawyer (Rachel So), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2013 Ford Focus Electric problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Power Train37 · ~4,800 mi
Electrical System27 · ~5,021 mi
Engine16 · ~5,700 mi
Fuel/propulsion System15 · ~4,171 mi
Steering9 · ~19,500 mi
Vehicle Speed Control5 · ~3,800 mi
Service Brakes4 · ~5,700 mi
Electronic Stability Control (esc)3 · ~17,400 mi
Unknown or Other3 · ~33,000 mi
Exterior Lighting1
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Power Train3754%4,800——
Electrical System2739%5,021——
Engine1623%5,700——
Fuel/propulsion System1522%4,171——
Steering913%19,500——
Vehicle Speed Control57%3,800——
Service Brakes46%5,700——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)34%17,400——
Unknown or Other34%33,000——
Exterior Lighting11%———

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2013, with 35 complaints
2013: 352013352014: 102014102015: 5201552016: 5201652017: 6201762018: 4201842019: 2201922021: 1202112024: 120241

n = 69 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2013 Ford Focus Electric recalls (3)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Equipment:electricalSep 10, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V592000 · 49,197 vehicles

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 120V Convenience charge cords that were supplied with and sold for use with 2013-2015 Ford C-Max Energi and Fusion Energi vehicles and 2012-2015 Ford Focus Electric vehicles. Cords with part numbers FM58-10B706-AA, FM58-10B706-AB, FM58-10B706-AC, FM58-10B706-AD, FM58-10B706-AE and FM58-10B706-AF were manufactured without thermistors, and during vehicle charging, increased resistance in the house's outlet or wiring can cause the cord to overheat and melt.

Risk: An overheated cord can increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current cord with a new 120V convenience cord with a thermistor, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S24.

Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)Oct 30, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V523000 · 2,456 vehicles

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Focus Electric vehicles manufactured September 15, 2011, through August 23, 2013. In the affected vehicles, a powertrain control module software problem may result in a stall-like condition.

Risk: An unexpected loss of power while driving increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the power control module, free of charge. The recall beganon November 22, 2013. Ford's recall campaign number is 13S09. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.

Equipment:electrical:anti-theft devices; electrical system:ignition:anti-theft:control moduleOct 17, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V475000 · 23,000 vehicles

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Focus Electric vehicles and 2013 C-Max vehicles equipped with the Intelligent Access Push Button Start System. In the affected vehicles, there is no audible chime when the vehicle is operational and the driver's door is opened. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Risk: Without an audible door chime, a vehicle owner may open the door and exit the vehicle without being reminded that the vehicle is still operational, leaving the vehicle susceptible to theft.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the door chime, free of charge. The recall began on October 30, 2013. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13C07.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

NHTSA defect investigations

  • Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
  • Door Latch Failures (RQ19005) — opened Dec 19, 2019, closed Feb 7, 2022, led to recall 20V177000.
  • Door Latch Failure (PE16001) — opened Jan 16, 2016, closed Oct 29, 2016, led to recall 16V643000.
  • Electric powertrain propulsion failure (PE13031) — opened Sep 6, 2013, closed Nov 15, 2013, led to recall 13V523000.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus Electric. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start while the battery was fully charged. The message "Stop Safely Now" was displayed. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under Ford…

Electrical System · received Feb 26, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11574025

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus Electric. The contact stated while turning off the vehicle, the lights and radio remained operational which resulted in the battery being drained. The vehicle was diagnosed and repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not informed of the…

Electrical System · received Aug 5, 2021 · NHTSA complaint 11427840

Car stopped on motion with an alarm stop safely now, wheels lost power, steering wheel was able to function so car had to be pushed to the side of the road.

Power Train · received Jul 11, 2019 · NHTSA complaint 11231056

So i was driving home last night in the rain and the speedometer was jumping around a little and the traction control flashed a couple times and i thought 'oh it's just cause the rain' well today the same thing was happening while i was driving. Then i got a warning light saying 'low brake fluid'…

Electrical System · received Apr 3, 2019 · NHTSA complaint 11193717

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STOP ENGINE NOW WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VANCOUVER AUTO GROUP (6804 NE 40TH ST, VANCOUVER, WA 98661, [redacted]) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE…

Engine · received Nov 30, 2018 · NHTSA complaint 11155246

Other Ford Focus Electric years

← 2012 Focus Electric · 2014 Focus Electric →

See all Ford Focus Electric problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2013 Ford Focus Electric?

Owners most often report power train, electrical system, engine problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 37 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2013 Ford Focus Electric?

Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2013 Ford Focus Electric a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Focus Electric model years, the 2013 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.