NHTSA (USA)Critical
This page covers 18 recalls, 3781 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2012 Ford Focus.
105 MPGe combined
Compact Cars
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 4 tested variants for this model year.
4/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
Complaints about the 2012 Ford Focus cluster heavily around two systems: the powertrain and steering. On the powertrain side, owners frequently report problems tied to the dual-clutch PowerShift automatic transmission, shuddering, hesitation, jerking during acceleration, and delayed or rough engagement are the most common descriptions. Many owners report that software updates offered at dealerships did little to resolve the behavior. Steering complaints are nearly as common, with owners describing sudden loss of power assist and, in some cases, the steering wheel becoming very difficult or nearly impossible to turn while driving, often without any warning light. A smaller but notable share of complaints concerns the sunroof, with multiple owners reporting the glass separating or shattering unexpectedly while driving at highway speeds.
3,781
Total Complaints
108
Crash-Related
15
Fire-Related
72
With Injuries
By System
The 2012 Ford Focus has 18 recalls, the most serious being a canister purge valve defect that can stall the engine without warning while driving and prevent it from restarting, raising the risk of a crash.
This stall issue appears across several filings, including cases where earlier software repairs were not completed correctly and required follow-up fixes. Focus Electric models have their own powertrain concern: a software problem in the powertrain control module can cause a sudden loss of drive power while the vehicle is moving. The 120V convenience charge cord supplied with Focus Electric vehicles can overheat if the connection at the wall outlet is poor, potentially melting the cord and creating a fire risk.
Door latches are another recurring theme. A component inside the latch mechanism can break and allow a door to appear closed while remaining unlatched, and prior repair attempts under earlier recalls did not fully resolve the issue for all vehicles, requiring additional fixes.
On the visibility side, certain vehicles are missing a seal in the wiring harness connector for the passenger-side wiper motor, allowing moisture to collect and cause that wiper to work intermittently or stop entirely. On some trims with high-intensity discharge headlights, the front side marker lights may not function, making the vehicle harder to see at night.
Two lower-severity recalls affect Focus Electric models: the push-button start system does not sound a door chime when the vehicle is still running and the driver opens the door, which could lead to the vehicle being left unattended while powered on.
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Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
At a glance
What can fail
The canister purge valve may malfunction in certain 2012-2018 Focus vehicles that received an incorrect repair under recall 18V735, causing the engine to stall unexpectedly while driving.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the powertrain control module software at no cost to address the valve malfunction.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A door latch component may break, making doors hard to close or allowing doors to appear closed when they're actually unsecured.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect door latches and replace them if needed at no cost. Owners can also check latch date codes online to verify if repair was done correctly.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The Powertrain Control Module software wasn't fully updated during a previous recall repair. This prevents it from detecting a faulty Canister Purge Valve, which can cause the check engine light to come on, fuel gauge to read incorrectly, and/or the engine to stall.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you instructions to bring your vehicle to a dealer for a PCM software update.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The engine control module wasn't updated as planned. This can cause the canister purge valve to fail, creating too much vacuum in the fuel vapor system.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the engine control module software, check for fault codes, and replace the canister purge valve if needed. Related components will be inspected and replaced as necessary.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The canister purge valve may get stuck open, creating excessive vacuum in the fuel system that could warp the fuel tank. This may cause a warning light to turn on, fuel gauge to read incorrectly, or the engine to stall.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the engine computer software and replace the canister purge valve. If replaced, they will inspect and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank, and fuel pump module as needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The canister purge valve may stop working properly, creating too much vacuum in the fuel vapor management system.
What the fix does
Dealer will reprogram the engine control module and check for fault codes. Canister purge valve, carbon canister, fuel tank, or fuel delivery module will be replaced if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The 120V charging cord lacks a thermistor. If your home's outlet or wiring has high resistance, the cord can overheat and melt during charging.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace your cord with a new 120V convenience cord that includes a thermistor, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The 120V charging cord supplied with certain plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles may overheat if the connection at the outlet is poor, risking melting, fire, and property damage or injury.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the factory 120V convenience cord with an updated version that includes thermal protection.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The spring tab inside your side door latch can break, stopping the door from latching properly. In some cases, the door may appear closed but only partially latched and could open while driving.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace all four door latches with a more durable part.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A component inside the door latches can break, causing doors to fail to latch or appear closed when they are actually unsecured.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software issue in the powertrain control module may cause the engine to stall unexpectedly while driving.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module at no cost to restore normal operation.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The engine may suddenly lose power while driving, which could cause a crash and injure occupants or damage property.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module to restore normal power delivery.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The door chime does not sound when the vehicle is running and the driver's door opens, failing to alert the driver to an open door.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the door chime software at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
When a door opens while the electronic key is in the ignition, no chime sounds to alert the driver. This may not meet safety standards for theft protection and rollaway prevention.
What the fix does
Dealers will install a software update to your vehicle.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A wiring incompatibility in HID headlamp assemblies prevents the front side marker lamps from working properly on certain 2012–2013 Focus BEV and 2013 Focus ST vehicles.
What the fix does
Dealers will modify the headlamp assembly wiring at no cost to correct the marker lamp function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
HID headlamps may fail to meet safety standards. Front side marker lights may not work, and the daytime running lamp indicator may not light up. This reduces vehicle visibility to other drivers.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the headlamp assemblies and reconfigure the daytime running lamp system.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The wiring connector seal for the passenger side wiper motor may be missing, which could allow moisture to enter and cause the wiper motor to stop working.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the passenger wiper motor connector, clean it, and install a proper seal. Any non-working wiper motors will be replaced at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A seal plug in the passenger wiper motor connector may have come loose during assembly, allowing water and contaminants to enter and damage the connector, causing the passenger wiper to work intermittently or stop working.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and clean the passenger wiper motor connector, seal it properly, and replace any inoperative wiper motors.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
