Most common 2014 Ford Focus problems
Share of the 2,604 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Focus complaints by model year
Best Focus years: 2011, 2006, 2009. Years to avoid: 2012, 2014, 2013, 2016, 2017. Compare all years →
2014 Ford Focus recalls (12)
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Evaporative emissions › Canister
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.
Remedy: 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.
Equipment › Electrical › Engine block heater
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.
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.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
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.
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.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Evaporative emissions › Canister
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.
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.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Evaporative emissions › Canister
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.
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.
Latches/locks/linkages › Hatchback/liftgate › Lock
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.
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.
Show 6 more recalls
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
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.
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.
Electrical system › Wiring
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.
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.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Ford Motor Company (Ford) notified the agency on January 8, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured April 15, 2014, to May 8, 2014, and 2015 Lincoln MKC vehicles manufactured April 21, 2014, to May 15, 2014.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S30.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014 Ford Focus vehicles manufactured May 1, 2014, to May 24, 2014, 2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured on June 6, 2014, and 2015 Lincoln MKC vehicles manufactured June 4, 2014, to July 7, 2014.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the FDM, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S20.
Steering
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014 Focus and C-Max vehicles manufactured August 8, 2014, to August 15, 2014. The affected vehicles may have steering gears that were incorrectly assembled.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gears, free of charge. The recall began on November 11, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673.
Electrical system › Wiring
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.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2014 Ford Focus:
Loss of Motive Power
On September 15, 2023, the Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) opened this Recall Query (RQ) after receiving 98 consumer complaints alleging loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2012-2018 Ford Focus vehicles. The RQ focused on the effectiveness of the remedies of Recall 18V-735 and 19V-515.
Door Latch Failures
In December 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 235 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging doors failed to latch when closed, and/or inadvertently opened while driving, on model year (MY) 2012-2014 Ford Fiesta, and 2013-2014 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ.
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 over 200 claiming that the door(s) opened inadvertently while the vehicle was in motion.One consumer…
What 2014 Ford Focus owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 1,576 →
The contact's wife owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle had been shuddering, hesitating, and lunging while driving. The vehicle was taken to several unknown dealers and the dealers informed the contact that it was a known failure and that the TCM was reprogramed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the transmission clutch was replaced in 2019; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled. The check engine warning light and the warning message "Service transmission immediately" illuminated. The contact's wife was able to restart the vehicle after several minutes and veered to the side of the road. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated to 10 MPH. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact continued to depress the accelerator pedal and pulled into the parking lot of her apartment. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed however, the vehicle was not repaired. The dealer informed the contact to take the vehicle to a transmission specialist as they did not have a transmission mechanic or parts. The contact contacted other unknown dealers who advised as the first dealer. The vehicle was towed to a transmission specialist where the transmission was taken apart and the transmission assembly was replaced. The transmission specialist drove the vehicle to the contact's residence and informed her that the steering rack might have failed. …
Engine & cooling all 448 →
The contact owned a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH the vehicle overheated, lost power, and caught on fire. The contact stated that the warning "HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURE STOP SAFELY" was displayed. The contact stated that smoke was seen coming from the front of the hood. The contact stated that she opened the hood and flames were seen coming from the driver's side rear of the engine. The contact stated that the police and fire department was notified. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The contact stated that a fire department report was filed. The vehicle was first towed to the police impound lot and then towed by the dealer. The contact stated that she had purchased the vehicle 2 days prior to the failure. The vehicle was at the dealer awaiting diagnosis. The insurance company deemed the vehicle a total loss. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact received a call from a family member who was driving by the contact's residence. The family member informed the contact that the vehicle was on fire. The local fire department was contacted and arrived and extinguished the fire. A fire report was filed. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 201,000.
Fuel & propulsion system all 354 →
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. Upon investigation, the contact found notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 18V735000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) and 20V331000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES) associated with the VIN. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was shifted into neutral(N) and coasted to the side of the road. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact waited for one to two hours before restarting the vehicle. The accelerator pedal was depressed at the same time while starting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the contact was informed that the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) in 2019. The vehicle was not inspected, diagnosed, or repaired. …
Jan.26th 2018 I purchased a 2014 Ford Focus SE from Pacifico Ford. I was told by salesman No Recalls and No safety Issues. The car was on the lot with new inspection stickers. I was given a clean car fax. I was deceived. The car was returned the next day for driving improperly. It gave too much gas or not enough, was shuddering and sticking, steering issues, drifted to the right, and steering wheel had to be crooked to park to adjust the wheels, and car had a burn smell. Ford found transmission problem, engine leaking oil, clutch problem, cpu issues, failed road test and leaky seals. A week later, I was told all was fixed as new. April 23rd 2018 the car malfunctioned disabling me for life. While I was parking, the car accelerated forward, slammed into a barrier, roared up in the air, slammed down a slope and into a tree. …
2014 Ford Focus engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | Single-speed | FWD | 110 / 99 / 105 MPGe | 76 mi |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 6-speed dual-clutch | FWD | 28 / 39 / 32 | — |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 27 / 36 / 30 | — |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 26 / 35 / 29 | — |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed manual | FWD | 23 / 31 / 26 | — |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2014 Ford Focus a good car?
Based on 2,604 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2014 Focus rates avoid: 3.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the Focus at the same age. It is one of the Focus years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2014 Ford Focus?
The transmission & drivetrain — 1,576 complaints, 61% of all complaints for this model year, most often about clutch assembly. Next are the engine & cooling (448) and fuel & propulsion system (354).
How many recalls does the 2014 Ford Focus have?
There are 12 recalls for the 2014 Ford Focus, the most recent from June 9, 2026 (canister). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Focus?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2006 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2012, 2014, 2013, 2016 and 2017. See the full Ford Focus years comparison.
At what mileage do 2014 Ford Focus problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 48,000 miles; 51% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.