Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
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's daughter owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while the transmission was in reverse(R), and the vehicle rolled backwards downhill while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle came to a stop once the vehicle was steered over into the grass, and the vehicle rolled into bushes and stopped. During the failure, the contact's nephew exited the vehicle in a panic and sustained a scrape to the left hip. No medical attention was sought. The contact's daughter experienced severe mental anguish, and the one-year-old child was also inside the vehicle. No Police report was filed. The vehicle was not towed. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V369000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). …
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle eventually resumed normal operation and was driven to the residence. The contact informed the dealer of the failure by phone and informed the dealer that NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) recall repair had not been performed. The dealer researched and confirmed that the recall repair was not completed. The dealer stated the vehicle was only inspected. The dealer advised the contact to contact the manufacturer for approval to reopen the recall on the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. …
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that on various occasions after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle would not immediately restart and required multiple attempts. The contact also stated that when she was able to restart the vehicle soon after refueling, the vehicle stalled and then lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure was reoccurring. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the canister purge valve (CPV) needed to be replaced. The contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V479000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in either recalls. The vehicle remained at the dealer awaiting repair. …
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle failed to immediately start. The contact stated after several attempts the vehicle restarted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while her daughter was at a complete stop, the vehicle was making an abnormal pumping sound. Additionally, the vehicle would shudder and would hesitate to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact also stated that the engine was making abnormal knocking sounds while driving. The contact stated that the vehicle then failed to start and was towed to her residence. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) as the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V369000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the failure occurred after the recall repair. While starting and driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle stalled after refueling, and the RPM fluctuated while idling. The contact turned off the vehicle and waited before restarting the vehicle. Additionally, the contact discovered that the fuel tank was deformed. The contact retrieved DTC: P1450. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the canister vent valve needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the failure was not associated with the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 57,800.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the engine would stall while idling causing the driver to restart the engine while in traffic. The vehicle was then taken to the local dealer who performed a reprogramming of the powertrain control module under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). Approximately one week later the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer who diagnosed that the canister purge valve was faulty and needed to be replaced. The contact was told that the repair cost was not covered under the recall although the failure and the failure part was listed in the recall that was previously serviced the week before. The manufacturer was then contacted regarding the failure but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 92,800.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who informed her that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact called the dealer and was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The independent mechanic then gave the contact a car fax report which showed that the vehicle was taken to Al Packer's White Marsh Ford LLC (9801 Pulaski Hwy, Middle River, MD 21220) where the vehicle was inspected but never serviced for the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and the contact was informed that the recall was closed. No assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the vehicle failed to respond and seemed as if the vehicle was in neutral(N). The contact also stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact used a code reader and retrieved a fault code on the transmission. The contact was also informed that there was an extended warranty on the vehicle for the failure. The manufacturer was notified, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was no longer under warranty and was previously serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to operate as designed with the fuel tank half empty. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and diagnosed with a defective canister purge valve and provided an estimate. The contact was also informed that her vehicle had been serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and that she no longer qualified for a free repair under the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the purge valve needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where the purge valve was replaced. After the vehicle was repaired, the contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.
Related recalls
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.
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.
NHTSA investigations
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.
Fuel System complaints in other Focus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2015 Ford Focus?
NHTSA has 172 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2015 Ford Focus, 17% of the model year's 1,022 complaints. The component named most often is storage › evaporative emissions › canister (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2015 Ford Focus fuel system problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 26V-369 (canister, Jun 9, 2026); NHTSA recall 18V-735 (canister, Oct 22, 2018). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2015 Ford Focus fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 68,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 0 injuries to fuel & propulsion system 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.