Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Ford Focus, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train1,102
- Engine344
- Electrical system276
- Steering273
- Fuel/propulsion system209
- Unknown or other196
- Vehicle speed control112
- Structure84
- Latches/locks/linkages53
- Fuel system, gasoline53
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 28 injuries and 3 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 129 2013 Focus vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 75 people died inside them, and 19 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2013 Ford Focus failed the safety check 3.44% of the time — 44% more often than the average 2013 passenger car (2.38%). Median odometer at inspection: 104,700 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2013
214,096 new Ford Focus cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2013; the largest markets were the United Kingdom (86,777), Germany (45,417), the Netherlands (13,071).
- Average mass
- 1,384 kg
- Average power
- 94 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 51% · Petrol 48% · LPG 0.6%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Engines
The most common engines in 2013 Ford Focus cars on Dutch roads are the 1.0 petrol (92 kW, 123 hp), 1.6 diesel (77 kW, 103 hp) and 1.0 petrol (74 kW, 99 hp), out of 11 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 petrol | 92 kW 123 hp | 2,949 |
| 1.6 diesel | 77 kW 103 hp | 2,859 |
| 1.0 petrol | 74 kW 99 hp | 2,334 |
| 1.6 petrol | 110 kW 148 hp | 461 |
| 2.0 petrol | 184 kW 247 hp | 295 |
| 1.6 petrol | 92 kW 123 hp | 245 |
| 1.6 petrol | 134 kW 180 hp | 90 |
| 1.6 diesel | 85 kW 114 hp | 81 |
| 1.6 diesel | 70 kW 94 hp | 24 |
| 1.6 petrol | 77 kW 103 hp | 21 |
| 2.0 diesel | 103 kW 138 hp | 20 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
9,439 first registered in 2013 are on Dutch roads; 28% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €26,956.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde5,147
- Band onvoldoende profiel4,097
- Richtingaanwijzers kleur wijkt af/niet toegestaan3,201
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld2,449
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)2,287
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm2,030
- Veer gebroken of gescheurd1,918
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage1,201
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
68,175 cars built in 2013 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 2,718 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 75,619 of these cars first registered in 2013 took their annual MOT test. 64% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2013 the figure was 68%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2013 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 17.3% | 12.5% |
| Suspension | 13.9% | 10.4% |
| Tyres | 7.3% | 6.7% |
| Brakes | 4.9% | 6.8% |
| Visibility | 4.3% | 4.7% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 3.5% | 2.7% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
2,310 of these cars first registered in 2013 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 183,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
1,737 2013 cars are on the New Zealand register; 23% arrived as used imports, 75% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 3 variants; 3 of 3 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 Ford Focus 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | 11.6 % |
| 2013 Ford Focus 5 HB FWD | ★★★★★ | 11.6 % |
| 2013 Ford Focus BEV 5 HB FWD | ★★★★★ | 10.1 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 9 variants: combined 7.2–10.5 L/100 km (about 22–33 mpg US), CO₂ 162–207 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus SFE FFV · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.4 | 5.8 | 7.2 |
| Focus FFV · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.7 | 6.2 | 7.6 |
| Focus FFV · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.7 | 6.2 | 7.6 |
| Focus FFV · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.1 | 6.6 | 8.0 |
| Focus · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.2 | 7.4 | 9.0 |
| Focus FFV · Compact · E85 ethanol | 11.6 | 8.2 | 10.1 |
| Focus FFV · Compact · E85 ethanol | 11.6 | 8.2 | 10.1 |
| Focus SFE FFV · Compact · E85 ethanol | 11.6 | 8.3 | 10.1 |
| Focus FFV · Compact · E85 ethanol | 11.9 | 8.8 | 10.5 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
13 Transport Canada recalls for the 2013 Ford Focus.
| 2026338 14 Jul 2026 | Fuel System Issue: On certain vehicles the recall repairs completed by a Ford dealer during recall 18S32 (Transport Canada recall no. 2018-577) may not have been done cor… |
| 2026004 9 Jan 2026 | Electrical Issue: On certain vehicles, the engine block heater could leak coolant. If this happens, the block heater could short circuit when it's plugged in. Note: Th… |
| 2019420 21 Aug 2019 | Other Issue: This recall is for aftermarket replacement rear window glass produced by Vitro Automotriz. Certain rear window glass may not have been properly tempere… |
| 2019338 8 Jul 2019 | Fuel System Issue: On certain vehicles repaired under recall 2018-577 (Ford Recall #18S32), the software for the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) was not properly updated.… |
| 2018577 23 Oct 2018 | Fuel System On certain vehicles, the Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may stick open and cause excessive vacuum in the fuel system that could deform the fuel tank. If this were t… |
| 2018443 23 Aug 2018 | Electrical Certain plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles were supplied with a 120V convenience charge cord that may be susceptible to overheating if there is a poor connect… |
| 2016475 27 Sept 2016 | Structure Certain vehicles equipped with manual transmissions fail to conform to Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 206 – Door Lock and Door Retention Component… |
| 2016432 6 Sept 2016 | Structure On certain vehicles, the pawl spring tab in the side door latch could break. This condition typically will prevent the door from latching. In certain situation… |
| 2014349 12 Aug 2014 | Electrical On certain vehicles, defective engine wiring harness splices could affect engine function, causing reduced engine power and/or hesitation, and also cause the en… |
| 2013371 30 Oct 2013 | Powertrain Certain Focus Electric vehicles may experience a sudden loss of motive power while driving, which could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damag… |
| 2013340 2 Oct 2013 | Electrical Certain vehicles may not comply with the requirements of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114 - Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention. No audible chime i… |
| 2013261 31 Jul 2013 | Lights And Instruments Certain vehicles equipped with high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps may not comply with Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 - Lighting System and Retr… |
| 2013075 6 Mar 2013 | Structure On certain vehicles, the left rear door child lock may not engage when the operator uses normal turning force to activate the child lock, and the operator may i… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
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. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
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. Therefore, the Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system.
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.
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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."
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. A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
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. Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor may provide incorrect signals to the powertrain control module (PCM).
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. Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor may provide incorrect signals to the powertrain control module (PCM).
Ford is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Focus BEV vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured September 15, 2011, through May 6, 2013; and model year 2013 Focus ST vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured February 16, 2012, through May 7, 2013. Due to a wiring incompatability, the front side marker lamps may not function. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Focus and C-Max vehicles built from November 16, 2012, through November 21, 2012; and model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from November 14, 2012, through November 21, 2012. The left rear door child lock was built incorrectly. As a result, the child lock may not engage when the operator uses normal force to activate the child lock.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Ford told its dealers about the 2013 Ford Focus: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11008948 | While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. |
| 10254138 | All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during initial delivery. Unlike the integrated (wired) factory keypad, the accessory keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is lost, follow these steps to recover the code. Dealer Key Code access is granted through the Dealer Program Enrollment System (DPES); dealership managemen |
| 10237441 | Certain 2011 through 2015 Model Year Fiesta and 2012 through 2016 Model Year Focus Vehicles Equipped with a DPS6 Automatic Transmission Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage REASON FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT Due to ongoing limited part availability, program terms have been revised. Vehicle pickup & delivery has been added. Labor allowance table has been updated. Additional repairs updated. Added Attachment VI Mobile Repair/Vehicle Pickup and Delivery Record. Added Attachment VII Mobile Repair Assessment. |
| 10235153 | For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a different vehicle. Most modules on these affected vehicles are VIN/vehicle specific and hardware variations between modules do exist. Swapping a module from a vehicle or ordering a module using a different vehicle/VIN can cause ineffective repairs and additional vehicle down time. Make sure all appropriate Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures are |
| 10226944 | Certain 2011 through 2015 Model Year Fiesta and 2012 through 2016 Model Year Focus Vehicles Equipped with a DPS6 Automatic Transmission; Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage REASON FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT Non-Ford Part Usage: Vehicles that are still covered by the 8 years/80,000-mile Emissions warranty coverage MUST be serviced with a NEW Ford Motor Company TCM. Vehicles outside of or exceeding the 8 years/80,000-mile coverage are authorized to use a used Ford Motor Company TCM, a refurbished original Ford TCM, or an aftermarket TCM that will successfully complete the re |
| 10218617 | Some 2013-2017 C-MAX Energi, 2013-2018 Focus battery electric vehicle (BEV), 2013-2020 Fusion plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), 2015-2017 MKZ/MKZ Hybrid/MKC, 2016-2017 MKX and 2017 Continental vehicles equipped with 8 inch or larger center display screen may be unable to complete modem authorization after 3G to 4G modem upgrade was performed. No Authorization Pop-up will be displayed on the center display screen during the Authorization process. The vehicle may also not have proper functionality of remote app features such as remote start, return odometer, fuel information, or vehicle lo |
| 10214758 | Some 2013-2017 C-MAX Energi, 2013-2018 Focus battery electric vehicle (BEV), 2013-2020 Fusion plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), 2015-2017 MKZ/MKZ Hybrid/MKC, 2016-2017 MKX and 2017 Continental vehicles equipped with SYNC screens 8 inch or larger may be unable to complete modem authorization after 3G to 4G modem upgrade was performed. No Authorization Popup will be displayed on SYNC infotainment screen during the Authorization process. The vehicle may also not have proper functionality of remote app features such as remote start, and return odometer and fuel information to the app. This m |
| 10205041 | Crunching or creaking type noise from front of vehicle - low speed turns and bumps |
| 10205027 | Inaccurate fuel gauge or distance to empty indication - built on or before 01/21/2015 |
| 10205010 | 2.0L Ecoboost - Fuel odor |
| 10205009 | DPS6 - no satart and/or transmission engagement or loss of power with DTCS u0100, U00101, U1013, U3003 AND/OR P0606 |
| 10204996 | 2.0L GTDO - Illuminated MIL with DTC p2096 - Built on 09/01/2012 and through 08/01/2013 |
| 10204987 | 49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - March 2016 Air bag warning light illuminated with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) B141B and/or B141C |
| 10204986 | 49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - January 2016 |
| 10204985 | 49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - March 2016 |
| 10204977 | Customer satisfaction Program 14M01 - Supplement #5 Certain 2011 thr ough 2014 Model Year Fies ta and Focus vehicles equipped with a DKPS6 Automatic Transmission Transmission Clautch Shudder/Transmission Input Shaft Seal warranty Extension |
| 10203850 | Various 2012-2015 vehicles equipped with a 3G modem may experience a lack of 3G modem performance. This may be due to the 3G cellular service functionality being decommissioned starting August 2021 and through March 2022. As the 3G cellular service is decommissioned, vehicles equipped with the 3G telematics control unit (TCU) will lose MyFord Mobile and MyLincoln Mobile app functionality/connectivity. Repair or Replacement of the TCU should no longer be performed using existing service stock. Replacement of the 3G TCU for this concern will result in programming concerns and repairs should not |
| 10199780 | Ford is extending the warranty coverage on the DPS6 automatic transmission TCM to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle, whichever occurs first. This extended warranty coverage will address intermittent symptoms of loss of transmission engagement while driving, no-start, or a lack of power. |
| 10183777 | Some 2012-2013 Focus vehicles built on or before 10/22/2012 and 2013 Escape vehicles built on or before 12/3/2012 may exhibit a crunching or creaking type noise from the front suspension on low speed turns and over bumps. |
| 10183763 | Some 2012-2015 Focus vehicles may exhibit inaccurate fuel gauge indication and/or inaccurate distance to empty. The vehicle may also exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0420, P1450, P0443, P0452, P0456, P0460 and/or P2196. |
| 10180371 | This customer satisfaction program updates the TCM software in affected vehicles to provide improved detection and over warning of electrical circuit failures in the TCM. As communicated in a previous Customer Satisfaction Program (14M02), electrical circuit failures within the TCM may develop and result in intermittent symptoms of loss of transmission engagement while driving, no-start, or a lack of power. Updating the TCM software will help ensure the vehicle operator is alerted to potential issues with the TCM prior to failure. |
| 10176123 | Some 2012-2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with a TCU may exhibit an inoperative remote start with a 'Vehicle Failed To Start' message when using MyFord Mobile/Ford Pass/Lincoln Way mobile applications. The cellular cloud systems will only allow two remote start requests from the MyFord Mobile/Ford Pass/Lincoln Way apps without a vehicle drive event occurring. If a third remote start request is received, a Vehicle Failed To Start message will be displayed quickly in the mobile app. Once the vehicle is driven, the remote start counter is reset and will allow remote start commands to be s |
| 10174403 | Some 2012-2016 Focus Electric vehicles built on 15-Sep-2011 and through 9-Dec-2015 may exhibit a Stop Safely Now message displayed in the instrument panel cluster (IPC) message center. This may be due to either an internal coolant leak on the upper or lower high voltage battery or corrosion on the lower high voltage battery connector caused by water ingress. If this occurs, the vehicle may not restart once it has been shut off. To resolve the condition, follow the Service Procedure to replace the upper and lower high voltage battery or apply corrosion protection. |
| 10170911 | Some 2012-2018 Focus Electric vehicles may exhibit a Stop Safely Now message displayed in the instrument panel cluster (IPC) message center. This may be due to either an internal coolant leak on the upper or lower high voltage battery or corrosion on the lower high voltage battery connector caused by water ingress. If this occurs, the vehicle may not restart once it has been shut off. To resolve the condition, follow the Service Procedure to replace the upper and lower high voltage battery or apply corrosive protection. |
| 10164620 | Certain 2011 through 2015 Model Year Fiesta and 2012 through 2014 Model Year Focus Vehicles Equipped with a DPS6 Automatic Transmission - Transmission Control Module Service Warranty Coverage |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Loss of Motive Power
Door Latch Failures
Door Latch Failure
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation