How many recalls does the 2013 Ford Focus have?

The 2013 Ford Focus has 11 NHTSA safety recall campaigns on record.

How do I check if my 2013 Ford Focus has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's official recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see open, unrepaired recalls for your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are free.

What do owners complain about most on the 2013 Ford Focus?

Of 2,913 NHTSA complaints on file, the most-reported component is power train.

2013 Ford Focus Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2013 Ford Focus has 11 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 6,124,045 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 2,913 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 26V369000 2026-06-09 255,404 affected

Defect

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.

Consequence

An engine that stalls while driving increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 6, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S40. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will…

EQUIPMENT 26V011000 2026-01-15 116,672 affected

Defect

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 plugged in.

Consequence

An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy

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 block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying…

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 20V331000 2020-06-08 2,147,323 affected

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210,…

Consequence

A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the…

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 19V515000 2019-07-05 57,488 affected

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 and 2017 Focus vehicles equipped with 2.0L GDI gasoline engines and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles equipped with 2.0L GTDI engines, previously recalled under 18V-735. The affected vehicles did not have the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) updated as intended. …

Consequence

The excessive vacuum may result in an engine stall while driving, without warning and without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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 inspect and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall began July 29, 2019. …

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 18V735000 2018-10-22 1,282,596 affected

Defect

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.

Consequence

The excessive vaccuum may result in an engine stall while driving, without warning and without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 16V698000 2016-09-28 64,038 affected

Defect

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 single press of the interior latch release button. As such,…

Consequence

With only a single press needed, the driver may accidently unlatch the hatchback, increasing the risk of injury to any unsecured passengers in the back.

Remedy

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 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C13.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 16V643000 2016-09-06 2,046,297 affected

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the driver or a…

Consequence

A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S30.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 15V813000 2015-12-02 9,017 affected

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured January 11, 2012, to April 1, 2013, and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles manufactured May 03, 2012, to October 14, 2013. Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor…

Consequence

The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began on January 7, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S17-S1.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 14V495000 2014-08-11 133,227 affected

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to April 1, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines and Focus ST vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to October 14, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines. Insufficient compression in the…

Consequence

The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S17.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING 13V335000 2013-08-01 6,308 affected

Defect

Ford is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Focus BEV vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured September 15, 2011, through May 6, 2013; and model year 2013 Focus ST vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured February 16, 2012, through May 7,…

Consequence

Without the proper illumination of the side maker lamps, the vehicle may be less visible in night time conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will modify the headlamp assembly wiring, free of charge. The recall began on August 16, 2013. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13C04.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 13V085000 2013-03-07 5,675 affected

Defect

Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Focus and C-Max vehicles built from November 16, 2012, through November 21, 2012; and model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from November 14, 2012, through November 21, 2012. The left rear door child lock was built incorrectly. As a result, the child lock may not…

Consequence

The operator may incorrectly believe the child lock is engaged. However, the door may be opened from the inside, increasing the risk of injury to an unrestrained child.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected rear door latches, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN

1,050

151101

ENGINE

341

7662

STEERING

268

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

264

454

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

206

4311

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

195

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

110

STRUCTURE:BODY

411

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

Total complaints2,913

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“I had my purge valve replaced under 24n07 ford costumer satisfactory program and the faulty purge valve damaged my catalytic converter and caused my engine light to illuminate with p0420.”

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM · reported 2026-05-20

“Transmission problems and my car is still under 100000 and itâ€™s a 2013 ford focus”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2026-05-18

“While driving home from work, I was attempting to accelerate my rpms showed 4000. However, my speed did not match the car. He hesitated and was doing a lot of jerking after I got home turned off the car turned it back on my check engine light came on and it threw a code p07a5.”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2026-05-14

“The "shift tower" typically refers to the external mechanism on top of the transmission where the shifter cables connect. Problems with this part, which is a broken internal pin, result in a shifter that moves freely without engaging any gears. The gear become in operatable when driving down the…”

POWER TRAIN · reported 2026-04-29

“The "shift tower" typically refers to the external mechanism on top of the transmission where the shifter cables connect. Problems with this part, which is a broken internal pin, result in a shifter that moves freely without engaging any gears. The gear become in operatable when driving down the…”

ENGINE · reported 2026-04-29

“The "shift tower" typically refers to the external mechanism on top of the transmission where the shifter cables connect. Problems with this part, which is a broken internal pin, result in a shifter that moves freely without engaging any gears. The gear become in operatable when driving down the…”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2026-04-29

“Steering wheel became hard to turn and then no steering and steering loss stop safely came on the instrument panel, had car towed home and have had no one look at it yet”

STEERING · reported 2026-03-17

“The vehicle was serviced at bartow ford in bartow, florida, where approximately $1,100 was paid for the installation of a body control module (bcm). Less than two weeks after this repair, the vehicle was returned to the same dealership due to issues involving the windshield wipers. According to…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2026-03-06

Defect investigations

Investigation PE16001 Opened 2016-01-16 · closed 2016-10-29

Door Latch Failure

In January, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation based on consumers' allegations of doors failing to latch and/or inadvertently opening on model year (MY) 2012-2013 Ford Focus vehicles (subject vehicles).ODI has received 464 unique reports related to the alleged problem, with…

Investigation PE16001 Opened 2016-01-16 · closed 2016-10-29