While driving approximately 53 mph on a main road, my 2017 Ford Focus suddenly displayed the message “Engine Fault Service Now.” The vehicle immediately entered limp mode, downshifted into 2nd gear, and would not accelerate above approximately 31 mph. During the event, the engine shook noticeably and made abnormal noises. No check engine light appeared during this initial incident. This problem occurred multiple times over several days, most often when the fuel tank was below approximately half full. Each time, I was able to temporarily restore normal operation by shutting the vehicle off, waiting about one minute, and restarting it. After restarting, the vehicle would drive completely normally until the problem occurred again. A few days later, while sitting in my vehicle during a work break, I started the engine and it immediately entered limp mode without being driven. A check engine light then illuminated, and the engine stalled shortly afterward. The diagnostic trouble codes retrieved were: * P1674 (Stored, Pending, Permanent, and Enhanced) * U0100 (Enhanced ABS Code) A mechanic familiar with Ford vehicles suggested the symptoms could be related to the EVAP canister purge valve issue that has been investigated on similar Ford Focus models. He recommended keeping the fuel tank above half full as a test. Since keeping the fuel tank full, the limp mode condition has not reoccurred. I took the vehicle to a Ford dealership to have the purge valve issue evaluated. The dealership declined to perform any purge valve-related repairs because they believed the problem was transmission-related and stated the engine issue would need to be repaired first. I am submitting this report because the vehicle unexpectedly loses power while driving, creating a significant safety hazard when traveling at normal traffic speeds.
2017 Ford Focus engine complaints
Page 2 of 11: complaints 11 to 40 of 302, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The block heater on this car is leaking. The recall 26V011 does not apply to this VIN, even though it falls under the year, make, model category. How can I get my vehicle to have the recall done when it shows that it is not affected, even though it is clearly leaking.
engine failure - coolant entering engine cylinder #2, Internal engine failure. Car was stalled loss of power on highway and almost killed. Towed to nearest mechanic shop. Need to disassemble and confirm failure point. Ford law suits for coolant internal engine damage and failure. This is a known defect with Ford Ecoboost engines. Including coolant/antifreeze entering the engine. Also, the coolant intrusion into cylinders. Requesting good will assistance as unable to use car for over 2 months. Ford headquarters is acting like they know nothing about this.
●Unknown- transmition seem to slip or acted like stalling or about to die. Would jerk forward and shutter till finally would not start after being turned off. So had it towed because would not start again. ●myself and others in my 2017 Ford Focus titanium edition were traveling over a bridge at the time of the incident and very well have stalled out or quit running in the middle of traffic on a bridge causing a collision or worse loss of life ●No- no service center has addressed the issue not due to me not trying but merely, nothing's been done from where I've taken it to ●No- at the moment that is not required as of yet. ●Yes- the forward jerking and shuttering started a couple of years every now and then, until it turned into such a severe situation. ●No - no signs signals lights or anything on the dash showed any kind of sign of anything wrong with the vehicle.
Ford refuses to respond to emails nor return calls...... Cracked cylinder head caused from a known issue Ford failed to recall. The 2.0L Ecoboost uses an aluminum cylinder head with relatively thin casting areas between the combustion chamber and coolant passages. Coolant passages run very close to the exhaust valve seats. The turbocharged exhaust temperatures are EXTREMELY high. Thin aluminum sections are repeatedly exposed to rapid heating and cooling cycles. Over time this creates micro-fractures int he heat casting, which eventually grow into a crack between the combustion chamber and coolant jacket. This defect tends to occur between 60k - 100k miles. Safety: Car was smoking so bad that it could have caught fire. The car has been inspected by a Ford dealership and declared this to be the problem. The fix is a new engine that costs $12k. There were no warning lamps or symptoms prior to the failure. Car is still deemed inoperable as Ford refuses to help with the fix.
The engine oil light came on during late September or early October of 2024 while on the highway. There was a severe loss of power. I was able to get the car back to my residence and changed the oil filter and oil. The error persisted, I then changed the oil pressure switch to see if that was the issue, but it did not resolve. In approximately December of 2024, a friend who is a mechanic and has thousands of hours of experience offered to look at the issue. He pulled the engine and found that the oil pump belt and timing belt were severely degraded and had clogged the oil screen. He replaced the two belts and cleaned the screen hoping it would resolve the issue. In approximately late may or early June 2025 I got the car back and by the beginning of August the engine had seized due to damage received when the oil pressure had failed due to a clogged screen back in 2024. Thankfully I was not on the highway when the engine seized.
Recall maintenance with regard to the federal safety agency ID Number: 19V515000 for a Purge Valve was completed 1/9/2025. Starting in October 12, 2025, driving on the freeway, a large "bang" was felt/heard. I pulled over, the dust cover under the car had ripped partially off and took a portion of my grill trim with it. The car still ran perfectly fine, so I continued the mile and a half to my house. I did not see anything that I may have hit on the highway and did not see anything eject behind my car when this incident happened. I noticed the oil light begin to flicker as I was ½ mile from home for maybe a second, then it was off and then flickered again, it did not stay lit. I filed a claim with my insurance-Progressive-they wanted to total my car without inspecting it. I negotiated and they had me take it to The Ford dealer who inspected it visually to see if the cause was internal combustion as my insurance claimed, or external damage. See photos. They recommended a full engine replacement after only a visual inspection and charged me $276.70. I had the oil-pan replaced as shown on my bank statement $1053.77, with Interstate Automotive who verified no engine damage was found. Next the LCD instrument panel showed distorted, or not at all, or perfectly fine at times, which made it hard to read, and no instrument warnings are given for any issue, just the check engine light. As of today, 3/10/26, car will no longer reverse or progress into 2nd gear, is sluggish and feels as though it has no power at all. This happened randomly on 3/9/26 after the car would not start and it was believed to be a battery issue. The battery was replaced 3/9/26 $148.08. When the diagnostic codes for the check engine light were tested, they showed a faulty CO2 module issue. New parts will be installed on 3/11/26. All of the above described issues seem as though they could be related to a major safety issue with this vehicle, but Ford insists any courtesy fixes are not available to my VIN.
My vehicles engine died in traffic and left me stranded in the middle of a busy road. Upon a mechanics review the issue is a siezed engine because of the oil pump pickup tube clogged with pieces of the oil pump or timing chain pulleys that had broken off.
UNKOWN my rpms rev up randomly I can’t shut my car off when I get gas and makes a raving up sound I can’t reverse
I am reporting a dealership conduct issue that directly affected vehicle safety and caused financial loss. Valley Ford of Columbus, Ohio told me by phone that a specific safety-related part for my vehicle was in stock and available. Based on that representation, I traveled to the dealership and took time away from work. When I arrived, I was told the part was not available and had not been there. Shortly after this, I went out of town. During that time, Valley Ford stated they were unable to reach me. After returning, I again contacted Valley Ford and was once more told that the same safety-related part was available. I again traveled to the dealership, taking additional time off work, and once again was told upon arrival that the part was not available. This resulted in the same situation happening twice. Because of this repeated misinformation, I lost wages and hard-earned paid time off (PTO), was delayed in repairing my vehicle, and had to continue driving while waiting for a safety-related component I was told was available. I use my vehicle for work every day for approximately eight hours per day. Being forced to continue operating my vehicle without this safety-related repair places myself and other motorists at risk. After these incidents, I contacted Germain Ford of Columbus, Ohio in an effort to resolve the issue. I was informed that the same safety-related part could take up to eight weeks to become available. This extended delay has further prolonged my inability to complete necessary safety-related repairs and has continued to place me in a potentially unsafe driving situation. I believe this repeated misinformation and prolonged unavailability of a safety-related vehicle component is dangerous and unacceptable. I am submitting this complaint so the federal safety agency is aware of the actions of Valley Ford of Columbus, Ohio and the ongoing delay reported by Germain Ford of Columbus, Ohio.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. While the contact's husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact ws unsure if any warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the replacement engine was purchased from the dealer. The contact later received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the dealer was contacted several times, and the contact was informed that parts were not available, and the call was disconnected. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the engine was previously replaced due to a cracked engine block. The contact was provided a loaner vehicle during the several weeks the vehicle was being serviced. The contact received the recall notice of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V905000(Engine and Engine Cooling). The local dealer was contacted, and confirmed the parts status. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified and confirmed the part availability. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the transmission downshifted between first and third gear. An abnormal sound could be heard coming from the transmission. After driving a short distance, the vehicle functioned as intended. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH on a separate occasion, the transmission downshifted between third and fourth gear, and the vehicle went into limp mode. In addition, an abnormal sound could be heard coming from the transmission, and the vehicle jerked. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle most recently, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone for a diagnostic test, and the contact was informed that the failure may be related to the transmission clutch. Additionally, the contact stated that the fan had turned on independently, and had failed to turn on while driving on other occasions, causing the vehicle to overheat. The vehicle was taken to a collision center, where the contact was informed that the transmission was failing. The cooling system was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that an unknown sensor had failed, and the sensor was replaced. The contact stated that the transmission failure was worsening. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
After recall Campaign 23S64 and the engine being replaced with G1FG-6006-DA and traceability Code [XXX] . Incident Description On Saturday [XXX], while driving on the freeway, my vehicle began sputtering and lost power. The RPMs increased but the speed did not. The check engine light illuminated briefly and then went out. This created an Immediate serious safety hazard to me my passenger and other drivers on the road as I was unable to maintain speed in traffic and had to leave the freeway Immediately. Diagnostic Findings •Initial AutoZone OBD-II scan revealed P0302 (Cylinder 2 Misfire). •Dealer’s own diagnostic later reported P0301 (Cylinder 1 Misfire), with carbon tracking on all spark plugs and ignition coil boots. •Dealer noted the locking tab on Cylinder 3 ignition coil connector was broken, requiring a new pigtail. •Dealer also identified a broken front motor mount, but is attempting to charge me for replacement despite the fact that the mount must be removed and reinstalled during an engine swap. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that there were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the temperature gauge was moving into the HOT zone and the speedometer displayed that the vehicle was decelerating. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer several times, and on several trips to the dealer, the vehicle had to be towed. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and advised the contact that the vehicle had been repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle was recently taken to the same dealer to be repaired under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the failure recurred after the recall repair. Additionally, the contact stated that the engine compartment of the vehicle was significantly hot after driving a short distance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
I purchased this vehicle 4 days ago. On the second day I noticed a shutter when accelerating, going uphill and often continuous. I have been told that it is the clutch. I am aware that the same issue on the 2017 focus has been recalled. I do not understand why it is just certain vehicles. Especially, since it is the same year and issue as the recalled ones. I am a police officer that has had some health issues with my heart. My parents gave me the money to buy this car. They do not have the money to repair it and neither do I. I called two Ford dealerships as well as the Ford manufacturer. Nobody was willing to help. I discovered that this is the place to file a complaint all on my own. Please try and help me.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the light changed, and the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle hesitated and then jolted into gear. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The contact stated that the engine symbol was displayed, and the vehicle failed to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the RPM gauge was RED-lined. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 10 MPH. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that at first, he was stopping the vehicle and turning off and restarting the vehicle to reset the transmission. The contact stated that turning off and restarting the vehicle no longer resets the transmission. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be rebuilt. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was 92,619.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while stopped at the bank drive-thru line, the vehicle stalled. After several attempts, the vehicle restarted. The failure was progressively worsening. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the fuel pump, AX Sender, and pump assembly, AA gasket, B sensor, and fuel injector pressure parts were replaced. The contact stated that on another occasion, while driving in heavy traffic at 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled with several warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that several months ago, on a separate occasion, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart, and the contact waited for approximately an hour before the vehicle restarted. The vehicle was taken to several dealers to be repaired. While an employee from one of the dealers was test-driving the vehicle, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that there were fuel vapors in the line, and that the high side sensor pressure dropped, and low side sensor pressure dropped. The vehicle was repaired. Most recently, the contact stated that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a claim. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V905000 ( ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the local dealer was contacted; however, the contact was informed that parts were not yet available to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about when parts would be available. The contact had not experienced a failure.
My car has been having on going issue with the canister purge valve causing my vehicle to stall I’ve had this replaced by an emissions approved mechanic and this issue still persists if the fuel isn’t above a half tank of gas it has stalled on highways and put me in dangerous conditions. I have been trying for years to resolve and I can’t
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The local dealer was contacted and refused to repair the vehicle. The contact was informed that, unless a failure occurred with the engine, the recall repair would not be performed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Vehicles Canister Purge Valve was replaced and acting up again.
I bought my car in early 2022 or 2023 and almost immediately the car started shuddering when accelerating. I took the vehicle in to the place I bought it from and one other Ford Dealer. Neither places could "duplicate the problem." Bith times I had to pay money just to have it looked at, and nothing was ever fixed. My horn keeps quitting and the shuddering has gotten so bad and now there are new issues like loss of power when accelerating. This car is starting to become a safety issue for me as I live in Washington State and the traffic here is very fast. I have almost been hit due to trying to pull out or merge and the car loses power or winds way out. I am a [XXX] who can't afford automotive bills. They will only give me $2700.00 as a trade in and I owe $12,000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Ford oil pump tensioner belt failed
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH in traffic, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the brake pedal was firm. There was no warning light illuminated; however, an engine message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed and determined that the oil pump drive belt had fractured and there were debris inside the engine, causing engine failure. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was 55,784.
Catastrophic engine failure, engine died and was unable to shift into gear My 16 year old daughter was driving on a busy highway when the engine died, causing her to stop completely on a 55 MPH road. She was unable to get the car into a gear to have it pushed to the side of the road and had to sit in the car with traffic flying by her until we could get a tow truck (approximately 30 minutes). She was unable to get out due to the traffic being so heavy. The vehicle had a limited warranty left on it, and it was towed to a facility where they diagnosed with blown head gasket and/or cracked cylinder head. It was towed to a dealership where it was discovered the car had an active recall that caused the engine failure. There was no warning signs previously.
On July 2nd my daughter was driving her car and the engine slowed and turned off. She tried to out it in reverse and it would not function. We took it to our mechanics and he got a P287A - code - I then spoke with Ford Customer Service and they stated the extended warranty on that same issue expired June 30th and advised me to reach out to you as the extended warranty was not listed for our vehicle I am hoping someone can help us since we are under the mileage and it was only a few days past the time frame. Thank you
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 20-25 MPH, the vehicle felt like it was struggling to accelerate. The contact pulled to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle; however, the fan remained engaged for approximately two minutes. The vehicle was taken to the residence, where the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V905000(Engine and Engine Cooling), which the contact related to the failure; however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair, but the dealer did not provide any assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
dual clutch on automatic transmission failure purchase vehicle in 2017 and has had to be replaced 4 times and it is going on its 5th time While driving the vehicle slowed down, check engine came on and off then I lost power completely. I had to pull to side of busy hwy on way home from work. When tried to turn back on again it jerked on and off. I had to figure out how to make it home. The dealership McRee Ford has replaced the clutch on various occasions. No signs prior until the day of when the check engine light flashed on and off.
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