2017 Ford Focus: won't start

Filed Aug 14, 2026 · Engine · OH

I was driving and during the drive I realized that if the accelerator pedal was pressed more than the lightest touch the car would stop accelerating. I decided that I had to turn back to go home, and during my return trip the engine oil pressure lamp started flashing at me. Soon after, I entered a roundabout and pressed the clutch. At this moment the engine stopped working (tach to 0 rpm) and I had to coast and pull over. The starter worked but the engine did not turn over--it was seized. Prior to that day, it seemed like the car was having trouble with its turbocharger--boost was delayed at first and later intermittent. Since I was on a mostly empty road this did not pose a safety threat to others, though I did slow down traffic as I pulled over on a two-lane road. If this same issue had happened later into my drive on a busier road or highway, mine and others' safety would have been put at risk due to my car suddenly not working with little warning. The engine is seized and needs to be replaced. It would be available for inspection as I have not yet replaced it. The current cost to repair has been quoted to me at between $9000 and $10000.

Filed Apr 3, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · FL

●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.

Filed Mar 11, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · WA

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.

Filed Sep 6, 2024 · Fuel system · WA

After filling up the car with gasoline, the car would not start. Once the car started, after several tries, it was shifted into drive. The car would not move, the pedals were all locked up. You could not push on the brake, gas, none of the pedals would work. The car is available to be looked at. It has been looked at by an independent mechanic who determined there was excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system. The check engine light is on, returning the EVAP code. My [XXX] daughter was stranded at night alone with a car that wouldn't start. This issue has happened multiple times. There is a recall in place for the 2017 ford focus that covers this exact issue, but excludes my car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Apr 15, 2024 · Engine, Transmission · MO

My car was running fine up till last Wednesday when I got to work and I pulled in and put it in park shut the car off went into work I came out nothing the battery wouldn't crank over nothing I had a jump started once it jump started it wouldn't go in reverse and barely went forward now they're telling me I need a TCM and a clutch and they're quoting me 4,600 but I can't just replace the TCM because the transmission case is cracked and it won't relearn you know I don't know what's what to do anymore I mean this car I only put $44,000 miles on it I mean I bought it used but yeah I had no warning that the battery was bad and they're telling me that that's what caused all this and it caused the TCM to fail which cracked the transmission case you know and I can't drive it they're saying because it's dangerous to drive but I have no choice I don't have a car and I got to get to my job and of course my van isn't covered under this TCM replacement that they got going on with 150,000 miles or 10 years cuz my car only has 144,000 miles on it so now I'm I don't know what to do about thisall I know is that this car was running perfectly fine and shifting perfectly fine all day Wednesday until I got to work and turned it off and went into work and came out that's when I got nothing no battery nothing it just I don't know what happened but it was running perfectly fine before that and there were no indications to me that the battery was bad or anything else was wrong with this car before any of this happened none whatsoever I wouldn't even have known cuz I had no problem it went in reverse just fine went drive just fine cranked up every time there was nothing wrong with the battery that I know of all I know is when it died it's caused all these problems

Filed Mar 28, 2024 · Engine · KS

I went out and started it to go to work in the morning back in January this year. It had trouble turning over and I thought it was just because it was really cold outside. I sat and waited for it to warm up before attempting to leave the parking lot. I backed out of my parking space and started out of the parking lot and it just had no power, sounded rough, then just died. I was able to start it one more time and got it back into my parking spot before it died again. It wouldn't start again after that. Nothing was wrong with it when I drove it home from work the night before that.

Filed Mar 18, 2024 · Engine · MO

In Jan. 2022, my car wasn't running right and Sam Scism's Ford put a new engine in it which was covered at the time by an extended warranty. In March 0f 2024, I tried to start my car and it would not start. I had it towed to Scism's and again they said the engine was bad. My warranty was out and they said the warranty on the motor was also out. After doing some research I found that this is a problem with the Focus. I feel that this should be covered since we've already had an engine put in and it certainly should have lasted longer than two years. I would appreciate any assistance or advice you could give me on this situation. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Mar 5, 2024 · Transmission · NY

The Ford Focus wouldn't start. Felt like the car wasn't in Park. After moving around the shift knob, we got it to start but had no reverse. Drove it to a garage and they said it need to go to a dealer. As of right now it's at the dealer with over $5,000 in repairs for a Transmission. I just put $3,000 in repairs for the transmission and others thing in Oct 2022. Put 10,000 ,=miles on it and needs more transmission work. Plus I still owe on the car.

Filed Jun 20, 2023 · Fuel system · FL

2017 Ford Focus; CNP valve issues; previous Safety Recall 19S22 was issued in 2019. The dealership where car was purchased performed recall; deformation of tank in Nov 2019. The 2017 Ford Focus never really idled very well even after recall was performed by dealership in 2019, as well as; increased RPM and sluggish at acceleration. Then early June 2023 fuel gauge was reading 44 miles to empty; so stopped to fill gas tank. Turned car off completely had keys in pocket; immediately after filling the gas tank the Ford Focus would not start; eventually able to start vehicle by continuous attempts and then finally punching the gas pedal once car was started kept car running for at least 40 minutes. Performed OBD scan shortly after which gave error code PO456. Recall 19S22 clearly states that a OBD scan of PO456 could very well be a CNP valve issue. Contacted dealership and made appt for 6/20/2023; at which time the dealership stated that recall has already been performed for the 2017 Ford Focus in Nov 2019. Contacted Ford Motor Company; who then stated that they are aware of the CNP issue but since there is no current recall that they are not liable and to contact the federal safety agency.

Filed May 6, 2023 · Fuel system · PA

The vehicle kept getting slower and slower was not able to use six gear had a hard time going up hills would lose its power engine light came on when I would get gas the car would not start afterwards went to a dealership on 5/6/20-23 and found out there were three codes that came up one was for a misfire detected on startup another was unable to bleed up fuel tank vacuum and a third was internal controls model sstart stop performance.

Filed Dec 6, 2022 · Transmission · GA

My husband and I bought a 2017 Ford Focus in April 2017. It had 9 miles on the car. within 6 months after purchase we had to get the automatic/manual clutch replaced. Then two more times after that within the next year. We still have the problems with that part. Which is recalled but my VIN number does not show it as a recall. Then last year in Fall 2021 we took the car in for oil change and engine light on and found out the Canister Purge Valve for the gasoline had failed and needed to be replaced. Which is also under a recall and of course my VIN number shows nothing. My car will not start after I put gasoline in it and I have to push my gas pedal to rev it up then when I put it in drive and to hit gas pedal it dies. So why cant I get these parts fixed on my 2017 Ford Focus when they are clearly a recall. I also have documentation at home and at the dealership where everything has been completed since we have gotten the car.

Filed Apr 27, 2022 · Fuel system · 83,000 miles · IL · fire

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus ST. The contact stated that when he proceeded to start his vehicle, the vehicle would not start. The contact stated that he then had his vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who was able to start his vehicle by placing air in the fuel tank. The contact stated that once the vehicle started, there was a huge amount of black smoke. The contact stated that he was advised by the mechanic that he had a deforming fuel tank that was causing the failure. The contact stated that no warning lights had illuminated the vehicle at the time. The contact stated that he was able to drive his vehicle back to his residence, however, when he attempted to restart the vehicle, it would not start. The contact stated that he then contacted both the dealer and manufacturer who advised him that there was a recall, however, his vehicle was not a part of the recall the federal safety agency campaign 19V515000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The failure mileage was 83,000.