Lemon Law Check › 2016 Ford Focus

2016 Ford Focus Problems, Recalls & Complaints

The 2016 Ford Focus has 8 NHTSA recall campaigns and 1183 owner complaints filed with federal regulators, with complaints concentrated in power train. Owners whose Focus has needed repeated repairs for the same warranty problem may qualify for a buyback or compensation under state lemon laws.

Most-reported problem areas

Complaint counts by vehicle system, from 1183 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Ford Focus:

Power train653 complaints
Engine107 complaints
Fuel/propulsion system83 complaints
Unknown or other66 complaints
Fuel system58 complaints
Engine and engine cooling47 complaints

What owners told federal regulators

"The contact owns a 2016 ford focus. the contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. the driver was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. no warning ligh…"
— owner complaint filed with NHTSA, 12/31/2024
"Tl* the contact owns a 2016 ford focus. in december of 2018, the contact took the vehicle to an unknown dealer to be repaired per nhtsa campaign number: 18v735000 (engine); however, the repair did not correct the failure. when the contact attempted to start the engine, the veh…"
— owner complaint filed with NHTSA, 12/31/2018
"Vehicle will stale after driving for some time engine light shows fuel system issue similar similar to other ford focus models."
— owner complaint filed with NHTSA, 12/30/2023

NHTSA recall campaigns (8)

Fuel system, gasoline:storage
22/10/2018 · 18V735000
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.
Power train:manual transmission
28/11/2018 · 18V845000
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with a 1.0L Fox GTDI engine and a 6-speed manual transmission. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly …
Structure:body
24/01/2017 · 17V052000
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Focus and C-Max vehicles. The floor pan may have improperly welded left-hand apron joints.
Power train:manual transmission
12/03/2018 · 18V169000
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 transmis…
Latches/locks/linkages:hatchback/liftgate:lock
28/09/2016 · 16V698000
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 …
Engine and engine cooling:engine:oil/lubrication:pump
22/12/2023 · 23V905000
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure.

Recall repairs are performed free of charge at franchised dealers. Check your specific vehicle with the free VIN recall checker.

Has your Focus been in the shop repeatedly?

If the same warranty problem has needed 2+ repair attempts — or your Focus has spent 30+ days out of service — it may qualify for a buyback, replacement, or cash compensation under your state's lemon law. Manufacturers pay the legal fees in most states, so the case review costs you nothing.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2016 Ford Focus?

Based on 1183 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas for the 2016 Ford Focus are power train, engine, fuel/propulsion system.

How many recalls does the 2016 Ford Focus have?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2016 Ford Focus. Recall repairs are always free at franchised dealers regardless of warranty status.

Is the 2016 Ford Focus a lemon?

A specific vehicle qualifies as a lemon based on its own repair history, not the model's overall record. If your Focus has had power train or other warranty problems repaired 2–4 times without success, or has spent 30+ days in the shop, it may qualify under your state's lemon law — attorneys evaluate this free of charge.

Researching this car as a buyer instead? Read the full Carivo review of the 2016 Ford Focus.

All recall and complaint figures on this page come directly from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) federal records for this make, model, and year, fetched at page build time and cached daily. Complaint excerpts are owner-submitted reports to NHTSA, lightly truncated. Carivo is an independent data site, not a law firm; lemon law eligibility is determined solely by attorneys under your state's statute.