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 2018 Ford Focus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact continued to drive. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the emission system had failed. The canister purge valve and the vapor vent valve were replaced; however, the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the canister vent valve and the canister vent solenoid needed to be replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to independent who provided the same diagnostic; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the canister vent valve and the canister vent solenoid needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light, the low oil pressure warning light, and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart even though the fuel gauge indicated that there was a quarter gallon of fuel remaining in the fuel tank. The contact stated that after his friend added fuel to the vehicle, the vehicle restarted and operated as needed. The contact stated that the failure recurred while at a complete stop at a traffic light. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drove to the nearest gas station, where the vehicle completely lost power. The contact refueled the vehicle and the vehicle responded as needed. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the failed to start. The contact stated that upon revving the engine, the vehicle was able to start. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 50 MPH after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle failed to respond upon depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle went into Safe Mode and stalled. The check engine warning light and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, he noticed that the fuel tank had collapsed. Additionally, the contact scanned the vehicle with an OBD-2 reader and retrieved a diagnostic test code indicating that there was excessive vacuum pressure in the fuel vapor management system. …
My vehicle has had 3 Evap Canister Valve Recall repairs since 2021, I purchased my 2018 Ford Focus Titanium brand new in January 2019. I have all receipts. I recently had the 3rd Evap canister valve repair January 15,2025. My vehicle had pending codes P144A and P1450 which would have prevented it from passing Texas Emmissions. My Vehicle has also had a Transmission Control Module Recall repair -TCM twice, once in 2022 and 2023. My car has had intermitten stalling in the middle of a intersection due to this recall putting me at risk for an accident. My vehicle currently has a pending code P2867 which is the TCM code. I have AAA tow truck history of my vehicle being towed to Classic Ford for these repeat repairs. I have taken my car to Classic Ford several times in Galveston, TX in which they have not successfully repaired these recalls. Which has turned into repeat repairs. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving and exceeding 45 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and hesitated to respond. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and made a whining sound. The vehicle was towed to an Auto Parts store, where it was diagnosed with high-pressure fuel pump failure. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving at highway speeds, causing the vehicle to be towed several times. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline), 18V845000 (Power Train), and 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. However, the failure reoccurred increasingly while at a complete stop. The contact stated that the vehicle would jerk, would shudder, and would hesitate to respond when accelerating from a complete stop. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the failure was associated with the fuel line and the fuel tank. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however the VIN was not included. The local dealer and other unknown dealers were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that on numerous occasions upon acceleration, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The contact then stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. Additionally, the contact stated that after the vehicle stalled, she was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure recurred, and another vehicle provided a jumpstart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the caliper and fuel tank needed to be replaced. The contact was then informed that her vehicle was included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and she advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for the repair. The undisclosed dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull over and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated she was not aware of any warning lights being illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle also stalled at slower speeds, and there were times when the vehicle failed to restart. The contact towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the Canister Purge Valve (CPV) needed to be replaced. The mechanic advised the contact that there was a manufacturer's recall associated with the failure; NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact was referred to a dealer by the mechanic to have the vehicle repaired. The contact was informed by the dealer that the VIN was not included. The vehicle had not been repaired. …
The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving 35-40 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jerked and hesitated to respond. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Randy Redinger and Sons Auto Service, where it was diagnosed. The mechanic retrieved DTC codes: P0456 and P144A and determined that the canister purge valve was stuck open, which caused excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system and caused the fuel tank to become deformed. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer was not notified of the failure. …
The purge valve has been an ongoing continuous problem since we bought the vehicle. I have fixed it multiple times. It's caused the vehicle to stall after putting gas in the tank, and just recently stalled while driving, causing me to hit a curb leading to the passenger front tire popping, the rim being dented, the tire rod bent, alignment out of wack, and the valance ripped off. It also caused a dashboard light to pop up saying Hill Start is Not Available. I was in the car thankfully alone and not with my children. The windshield wipers are a fairly newer issue, they come on whenever they want with the switch being touch. But won't come on when I try to do it myself. I had my mom take a photo of the steering wheel/road while I was driving to show the severity of the alignment needed, it's causing extra wear and tear EXTREMELY fast on tires. …
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 2018 Ford Focus?
NHTSA has 196 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2018 Ford Focus, 23% of the model year's 837 complaints. The component named most often is storage › evaporative emissions › hoses/valves/sensors (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2018 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 2018 Ford Focus fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 57,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 2 fires and 2 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.