Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2015 Ford Focus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a red light, the vehicle failed to move or respond as needed. The vehicle hesitated and the vehicle then worked as designed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The accelerator pedal was depressed but failed to accelerate. The RPM increased to high. The message that the engine was running hot was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that a clutch replacement was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 41,180.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle started to decelerate without warning. After stopping and restarting the vehicle, the vehicle regained normal functionality. The contact stated that the failure recurred while attempting to accelerate from a stop light. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission shift lever failed causing the clutch to fail. The contact was informed that the shift lever and clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 101,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle hesitated while responding. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal was depressed to the floorboard, but the vehicle was sluggish. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving at various speeds. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the canister purge valve had malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration with the air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,778.
Regrettably, the 2015 Ford Focus hatchback I purchased has been plagued by a series of critical issues. These include recurring starting problems, erratic gear behavior, such as hesitating to move in Drive and unexpectedly moving forward in Reverse, sudden and dangerous deceleration while on highways, and an incessantly illuminated tire pressure warning light. These issues have left me profoundly concerned about the overall safety and reliability of this car. Over the past four months of ownership, the last two have been marred by stress and anxiety. A harrowing incident almost transpired when the car inexplicably slowed down to a mere 15 miles per hour on a highway, placing me at great risk, with a truck narrowly avoiding a collision. What's particularly distressing is that these problems aren't unique to my vehicle alone. …
The car would not shift into a gear, would not shift gear to propel itself in traffic causing a safety issue. A warning light would come on saying the transmission was getting overheated. Ford of Glenwood Springs Colorado refused to look at the car because of its age despite the recall on the clutch for the year, make and model of the car. A NAPA shop determined the clutches were out. NAPA quoted $4,253 to fix the problem. I called Ken Garff Ford in Fort Collins Colorado at 4809 S. College Avenue to get this fixed under the recall. They said my VIN number wasn't covered, and the cost would be $6,000. I called Ford [phone] spoke to Ron employee #2192738 and was told he would document the call but could not do anything. …
2015 Ford Focus, 67,000 miles would jerk , shudder & shut off completely , it would not accelerate or reverse half of the time. Stops in the middle of no wear.. the engine light would come on for a few days then go off and come up again.. the music stopped working& the RPM's would go pass the 6,7 or 8 at only 10-15 miles & jerk while goin forward .. a safety problem would pop up " transmission overheating stop safety " my air would blow hot some days and it would smell like something burning.. confirmed by dealership it's the clutch .. no warnings for these problems besides jerking / not accelerating at a reasonable speed and safety problem stating to " stop safely transmission overheating " &a burning smell & 2 safety recalls for the clutch & TCM with extended warranty. Warranty would not cover for the clutch problem they stated.
I just bought this car 2 months ago after saving for a whole year. I've been having problems week into the purchase due to the transmission. My car has been overheating with the transmission (almost every 4 miles), going on limp mode (when pressing the gas), jerking (while driving), not reversing and not starting right away. Im trying my hardest to get on my feet after a being in a domestic abuse relationship that affected my and my daughters life. I just want to get my baby back and fourth from school. So I BEG you to approve the transmission recall for Ford Focus. PLEASE!!!
There have been several instances, while driving highway speed limits and when braking, the car accelerates for a few seconds before the vehicle brakes and slows down. This can be very dangerous especially if traffic stops unexpectedly. I have a couple close calls. There weren't any warning lamps given and I have not taken it in to dealership to examine. I have not inquired with dealership mechanic if this was an occurrence they have encountered.
On June 15th 2019 I was involved in my first accident. I was at a stop going straight and in front of me was a car turning to go south on the street in front of me. As I was getting my first gear ready to go my car suddenly accelerated forward and I t-boned the person turning. I had my children with me and after this accident I feel very unsafe in my car, I lost trust in Ford keeping me and my family safe. I know there has been recalls but when I take it in they say it just a software update or something about a fuel tank. I have seen a recall in regards to my transmission and I have mentioned it to the dealership but they give me the run around and say that they don't show that in their systems so they can't do anything about that. Now I'm hearing about the Ford employees speaking out on faulty clutches.
Acceleration complaints in other Focus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2015 Ford Focus?
NHTSA has 42 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2015 Ford Focus, 4% of the model year's 1,022 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2015 Ford Focus acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2015 Ford Focus, though it has 9 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2015 Ford Focus acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 45,000 miles, and 28% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.