2016 Ford Focus Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,566 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Ford Focus, alongside 10 recall campaigns and 4 defect investigations. It scores 24/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 65,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2016 sits among all Focus years
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the transmission and engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Focus
“It is my transmission problem, there is an engine light on and the shifting is very rough and it also jumps gears, i know ford had a recall for this problem i believe it should be under warranty it is the TCM”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Focus
“Vehicle will stale after driving for some time engine light shows fuel system issue similar similar to other Ford focus models.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Focus
“My 2016 ford focus se has stalled while driving on the freeway twice in the past two weeks. In addition, the transmission is very jerky and the engine studders and makes loud noises when shifting into 2nd and 3rd gears. The car only has 53,000 miles on it, yet the transmission is defective.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Focus
“My driver side headlight kept giving out and to find out the wire of the socket to the low beam light is melting causing my headlight not to work. I replaced it now it's still melting again i'm afraid that's there something wrong with the wiring.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Focus
“Continuously get the message steering fault assist service required. It’s impossible to turn the steering wheel.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Focus
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 960 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 61,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 35,080 and 90,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (10)
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.
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 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…
Fix: Dealers will update the software, 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.…
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…
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…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Focus, 2019 Explorer, and 2024 Explorer vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
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…
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.
Fix: Dealers will replace the oil pump tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt, free of charge. If engine failure occurs due to a damaged oil pump belt and/or oil pump belt tensioner, Ford has…
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 a transmission fluid…
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update vehicles with software that detects and prevents prolonged clutch slip, and will replace the clutch, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began…
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.
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…
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…
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…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Focus and C-Max vehicles. The floor pan may have improperly welded left-hand apron joints.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the apron joints, repairing the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at…
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…
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…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 23V905.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2016 Ford Focus reliable?
The 2016 Ford Focus drew 1,566 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 24/100, scored against the model's worst year (2000).
What are the most common 2016 Ford Focus problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Ford Focus are transmission & drivetrain (675 complaints), engine (282), and fuel system (227).
At what mileage do 2016 Ford Focus problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Ford Focus problems around 61,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 35,080 and 90,000 miles.
Does the 2016 Ford Focus have recalls?
10 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 Ford Focus. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.