2015 Ford Focus Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Focus years
- About as many complaints as other years 7th of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 9 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 1,022 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Ford Focus. That ranks 7th out of 20 Focus model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (559 complaints, 55%), typically at around 60,000 miles. Complaints mention 31 crashes, 4 fires, 28 injuries. There are 9 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 5 defect investigations involving it.
- 1,022owner complaints
- 9safety recalls
- 5NHTSA investigations
- 31complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2015 Ford Focus problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 559 | 55% | 60,000 | “transmission clutch” (11%) | $2,650 |
| Engine problems | 173 | 17% | 65,000 | “purge valve” (7%) | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 138 | 14% | 64,000 | “purge valve” (16%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 120 | 12% | 51,658 | — | — |
| Steering problems | 93 | 9% | 61,610 | “steering assist” (20%) | $2,900 |
| Electrical System problems | 64 | 6% | 50,000 | “popping noise” (8%) | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 42 | 4% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 34 | 3% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 18 | 2% | 43,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 16 | 2% | 17,900 | — | — |
| Wheels | 12 | 1% | 31,224 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 10 | 1% | 27,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 9 | 1% | 22,650 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 8 | 1% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 7 | 1% | 63,782 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 1% | 103,603 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 1% | 49,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 0% | 29,285 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 0% | 34,100 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 0% | 71,250 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 0% | 28,283 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 16,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2015 Ford Focus recalls (9)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:evaporative emissions:canister
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Focus vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 18V735. The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, causing the engine to stall unexpectedly while driving.
Risk: An engine that stalls while driving increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S40. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6,2026.
Power train:manual transmission
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Focus and 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 18V169 and 18V845. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
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.
Fix: Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will inspect Focus vehicles and replace the clutch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S43. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6,2026.
Equipment:electrical:engine block heater
Problem: 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.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: 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.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:evaporative emissions:canister
Problem: 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.
Power train:manual transmission
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Fusion vehicles equipped with a 1.6L GTDI engine and 6-speed manual transmission and 2015-2016 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with a 1.0L GTDI engine and 6-speed manual transmission. Also included are four 2017 Ford Focus vehicles that had clutch replacements with potentially affected parts. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
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.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Focus vehicles with software that detects and prevents prolonged clutch slip, and will replace the clutch, as necessary, free of charge. Owners of Fusion vehicles will have their clutch assembly replaced free of charge. The recall began August 3, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S07.
Latches/locks/linkages:hatchback/liftgate:lock; structure:body:hatchback/liftgate
Problem: 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.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: 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.
Electrical system:ignition
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured April 1, 2014, to June 12, 2015, Ford Focus vehicles manufactured June 17, 2014, to June 12, 2015, and Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured April 22, 2014, to June 12, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the engine may continue to run after the key or the START/STOP engine button is turned to off. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Risk: If the engine does not turn off as expected, someone could move the transmission shifter out of park and the vehicle may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. The recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C06.
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
- Timing Belt Failure (EA26004) — opened Jul 31, 2026, still open.
- Timing Belt Failure (PE25020) — opened Dec 18, 2025, closed Jul 31, 2026.
- Loss of Motive Power (RQ23006) — opened Sep 15, 2023, closed Dec 20, 2024.
- 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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My Car purge valve canister is bad and i reported the situation to a ford dealership near me for over 2 weeks now and nothing has been done.They claim they are expecting parts but nothing yet up until now.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V369000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the failure occurred after the recall repair. While starting and driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light…
I am NOT filing in regards to the clutch fracture recall on previous page . I AM filing a complaint regarding the 1.0 L Ecoboost engine "wet timing belt " system which is currently under NHTSA Engineering Analysis . My vehicle has 147,000 miles and still has the original wet timing belt . Ford`s…
Back in July 2026 there was a rerecall for the 2018 recall that was not done correctly and my vehicle was not recalled for this when in fact that my vehicle should have it shows n I have proof that the recall number for that recall is the same recall they did on my vehicle but yet logged in under…
My 2015 Ford Focus SE with the 1.0L EcoBoost engine and 6-speed manual transmission is experiencing a loss of engine lubrication/oil flow. The camshafts are not receiving adequate oil, there appears to be insufficient oil flow/pressure reaching the cylinder head. I am concerned that continued…
Other Ford Focus years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Focus | 837 | 7 |
| 2017 Focus | 899 | 10 |
| 2016 Focus | 1,183 | 10 |
| 2015 | 1,022 | 9 |
| 2014 Focus | 2,603 | 12 |
| 2013 Focus | 2,112 | 11 |
| 2012 Focus | 3,769 | 7 |
| 2011 Focus | 113 | 0 |
| 2010 Focus | 287 | 0 |
| 2009 Focus | 229 | 0 |
| 2008 Focus | 250 | 1 |
| 2007 Focus | 391 | 0 |
| 2006 Focus | 205 | 0 |
| 2005 Focus | 441 | 1 |
| 2004 Focus | 387 | 1 |
| 2003 Focus | 977 | 1 |
| 2002 Focus | 939 | 1 |
| 2001 Focus | 1,761 | 7 |
| 2000 Focus | 3,686 | 11 |
| 1999 Focus | 11 | 0 |
See all Ford Focus 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 2015 Ford Focus?
Owners most often report power train, engine, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 559 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2015 Ford Focus?
Yes, 9 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2015 Ford Focus a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Focus model years, the 2015 has about as many complaints as a typical year, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.