2018 Ford Focus: engine failure

Filed Sep 14, 2026 · Engine · FL

My Ford vehicle has experienced repeated and significant engine problems that have never been successfully resolved despite numerous repair attempts at multiple Ford dealerships. The engine has been repaired/rebuilt multiple times, yet the underlying issue has continued and the engine has now seized. Most concerning, the vehicle unexpectedly shut off. Fortunately, it started again yesterday, but I do not consider it safe to drive because I am concerned it could shut off again while being driven, causing a sudden loss of power and creating a serious safety risk. Ford is declining further assistance because the vehicle odometer is approximately 105,000 miles. However, the engine has been rebuilt multiple times and has substantially fewer miles since its most recent rebuild. This is not simply an engine that failed for the first time at 105,000 miles; it is an ongoing problem that Ford dealerships have repeatedly attempted and failed to correct. Ford has advised that its assistance for this known issue is a "program," not a warranty. If Ford is aware of an engine condition that can result in repeated failures, engine seizure, or an unexpected shutdown/loss of power, I believe the safety implications should be investigated. I am asking the federal safety agency to determine whether this is part of a broader safety defect affecting this Ford model/engine and whether a safety recall or other action is warranted. I have extensive dealership repair records and Ford correspondence documenting the history.

Filed Aug 4, 2026 · Engine · WA

at 72000 miles the vehicle stopped running no power no warning lights on indication of any issue. luckily it was on a side road. hade it towed to the ford dealer diagnosed with a broken timing belt and needed a new engine. the quote off $7000.00 to replace the engine with a new long block after paying the lone on the car I replaced the long block myself just last week on 07/20/2026 at a cost off around $5000.00

Filed Jul 19, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · IL

An authorized dealership performed a mandatory manufacturer safety recall repair on my vehicle for the Engine Oil Pump Belt and Tensioner (Ford Recall 23S64 / the federal safety agency Campaign 23V‑905). While performing this specific recall, the initial facility negligently compromised the cooling system and created a severe leak, directly causing complete and total engine destruction. A subsequent independent diagnostic inspection by a separate authorized dealership confirmed this negligence. The vehicle became instantly disabled while driving, creating a severe road hazard. Total documented property damages are $14,448.31. Furthermore, the dealership and Ford Corporate have explicitly refused to repair the vehicle, despite Ford's dealer bulletins authorizing long-block engine replacements for failures related to this recall. They have also refused to reimburse me for the totaled vehicle or the out-of-pocket expenses incurred. Ford customer service has employed shady tactics, denying liability and stonewalling my attempts to reach a resolution, completely failing to provide the remedy mandated by this safety recall. The vehicle and all documentation are available for inspection upon request.

Filed Jun 4, 2026 · Engine · OH

I had an oil pressure light come on while driving and it was followed by the car shutting off and not starting back up. It was towed to a mechanic who told me the timing belt broke while driving and the car requires a new engine. The car was the towed to a ford dealer who confirmed his diagnosis. The car has the 1.0l ecoboost engine and manual transmission. I saw that there is an open investigation on this exact problem and a recall would be greatly appreciated. I'm shocked they are allowed to use a wet timing belt and not a chain.

Filed May 15, 2026 · Engine · FL

Last July my car was overheating and breaking down as I was driving on I4 to work one morning which it overheated and broke down which was the precursor the last time My engine blew in December 2024 which the engine was already repaired January 2022 (Dumphy Ford,Pa), December 2022 (Tropical Ford, Fl) then I got notices there is a recall with the oil pump and belt since February 2023 however the remedy parts were not available and kept getting notices that the parts would be in by fall 2024 then it kept getting pushed back when they would be available, meanwhile my car broke down again July 2024 which the engine needed to be replaced and was covered because oil and coolant was leaking into the engine due to the recall and they still didn’t have parts available and then car broke down again December 2024 which Tropical Ford covered because the recall parts were still not available. So in July 2025 they attempted to fix it and I picked it up and it overheated again and they kept it till September 2025 and fixed a bunch of things like transmission, recall and other things and now the car began to overheat again and took it to [XXX] and now they are saying the engine is blown again… I believe the recall failed and I shouldn’t have to pay for the 5Th engine replacement INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Mar 10, 2026 · Engine · MD

All a sudden struggling to start. Crankshaft was bad and replaced. Still had issues. Checked plugs and they needed replaced less than 18.5k miles since engine and plugs replacement (under previous owner). Still had trouble starting. At least 12 different codes. Dropped off for diagnostics and now they're saying they found coolant in the cylinders and I need a whole new UPDATED engine. If the engine was replaced just under 2 years ago, why was the updated engine NOT used?? Engine replaced at 65k miles in April 2024. I bought the car used in July 2025 with 78k. Car now has 84k. I can tell you the exact miles I was able to get out of it was 7887. That's it. I have not had my car since thanksgiving 2025. This issue is STILL ongoing.

Filed Feb 7, 2026 · Engine · NY

At 80000miles I noticed misfires and replaced original spark plugs per spec At 107578, misfires occurred, when I pulled plugs pos 1 was completely worn out, as well as pos 4.Codes were seen P0304 and P0301. Car ran well after replacement. I have been troubled by loss of coolant lately and could find no leaks. Also temp gauge in dash “wanders” Being retired I can’t afford to go to dealership. I believe spark plugs should not wear out after approx 25000 miles No overheating of engine has occurred . I drive about 12000/yr. Car is available to be seen. Dealer has not seen car Concerned problem could cause engine failure. Thank you

Filed Jan 2, 2026 · Engine · 74,947 miles · NY

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact received a notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number:Â 23V905000(Engine and Engine Cooling), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. The dealer informed the contact that the engine was replaced; however, the contact stated that after the recall repair, the vehicle started to overheat. The contact added coolant to the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle was not experiencing the failure prior to the recall repair. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant contamination. The dealer replaced two reservoirs and cleaned out the coolant. The contact stated that upon attempting to start the vehicle in the driveway, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the spark plugs were removed, and the mechanic noticed that there was coolant leak on the spark plugs. The mechanic determined that the engine had seized. The contact sent pictures of the failure to the dealer, who advised that they would need to diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, but was not yet diagnosed due to the cost. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,947.

Filed Oct 2, 2025 · Engine · MA

On August 26, 2025, my 2018 Ford Focus suffered an engine failure and had to be towed by AAA to [XXX] of Saugus. Prior to the tow, service advisor [XXX] confirmed the vehicle could be inspected for secondary engine damage connected to Ford recall 23S64 (oil pump drive belt). On August 29, [XXX] texted me that the engine required replacement due to engine failure but that Ford would not cover it since the oil pump belt itself had “not failed.” He claimed Ford only covers engine replacement if the belt breaks outright. This is inaccurate: recall obligations extend to secondary damage caused by the defect, which in my case left the car inoperable. When I requested inspection documentation, technician notes, and photos, Service Director [XXX] and [XXX] told me “there is no checklist” and insisted the car was “drivable,” which was false—I have the AAA tow receipt. Internal correspondence shows [XXX] asking if photos “must have been taken for SSSC contact,” yet the case was never escalated to Ford’s Special Service Support Center as required. On Sept. 30, [XXX] emailed me that he would no longer respond, accused me of manipulating details, threatened storage fees, and refused to perform recall repairs. On Oct. 1, in person, he told me [XXX] “does not need to follow Ford recall protocol” because it is a private dealer and that he blocked my vehicle in Ford’s system to prevent any [XXX] location from performing recall work. I believe [XXX] of Saugus and Ford Motor Company have failed to comply with federal recall obligations, misrepresented the condition of my vehicle, refused escalation, and retaliated against me. I respectfully request the federal safety agency investigate Ford and enforce compliance with recall 23S64 so my vehicle has both the recall and the secondary engine damage repaired, ensuring that my car is safe to drive INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 26, 2025 · Engine · 83,900 miles · ME

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that while his son was driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The contact's son was able to coast to the side of the road; however, the vehicle failed to restart. 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 not yet repaired. The contact stated that the engine had been replaced before at approximately 35,000. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 83,900.

Filed Jul 15, 2025 · Engine · VA

The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact’s daughter received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Additionally, the contact's daughter was fearful of driving the vehicle with the open recall. The contact stated that previously the vehicle experienced engine failure and the failure had occurred without warning. The contact stated that his daughter was traumatized and afraid of the failure reoccurring while driving. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unavailable. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Jul 13, 2025 · Transmission · AZ

Most recently, my transmission stopped working leaving my [XXX] daughter and I stranded at an airport, in congested traffic, right around a bend where traffic was exiting in Phoenix, Arizona. It was 111 degrees outside and we had to be towed by the airport contracted tow company to a little area where we could only stay for 20 minutes. They were originally going to tow us to the top of the parking garage, where the sun blazes down, but decided since I had my daughter with me that they would take us to a shaded area. I’m a [XXX], her father [XXX] and hasn’t been any help her entire life. I don’t have any family besides my sister which lives in California. I couldn’t afford a tow truck back to Kingman, AZ which is a which is a 3 1/2 hour drive. My car ended up starting and I was able to park in the parking garage so we got her flight moved back a couple of hours. Again, I was able to get the car started and it drove fine until it cut out about two hours from Phoenix in Wikieup Arizona where I stayed for 12 hours in my vehicle waiting for somebody to come and pick me up with a tow dolly. Now it’s at Anderson Ford in Kingman with an $8000 bill for a new transmission. This transmission issue is a known issue with many of the Ford focuses and I think that Ford needs to fix it and or give me a new vehicle because I’ve already had two new engines put in and I’m waiting on the third engine for the oil pump failure the first time the oil pump went out again. The first time the engine failed at 47,000 miles just outside of Wikiup Arizona, it was hot outside, I had two young girls with me and we were driving 65 mph up a hill in the car just lost power and we were stuck on the side of the road with no tow trucks even available for over 4 hours to come and help us. It was a mess. I included the repair invoices from both times the engine was replaced and then verbal communication between the dealership and I about the current transmission issue INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 55