2013 Ford Focus Problems And Complaints

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Rating8.3

Ranked #1 in 

Compact Sedan
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$16,200 - $24,200
Starting Price 

Users Opinions on 2013 Ford Focus

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  • A

    Ash

    09/09/2023

    Rating:

    (1 Out Of 5 stars)

    ... It's an automatic trans) at 100k miles. After that though, problems got worse. I ended up stranded on a major interstate! The car shuddered, all gauges flashed, engine light came on, and then it stalled out and died. Extremely unsafe! I thought that was a fluke until I was accelerating at a green light and it did it again! Thank goodnessRead More

    Source: edmunds

  • C

    cat

    06/04/2023

    Rating:

    (1 Out Of 5 stars)

    ... off over the years including both mirror covers, sunglass storage, pieces of the dash and radio, and the center console. The light switch dial on the left side of my steering wheel (also made of plastic) actually broke off and fell inside the dash. So every time I had to open the trunk or switch my lights off, I had to stick my arm inside the gaping hole where the dialRead More

    Source: edmunds

  • P

    Paul

    08/02/2023

    Rating:

    (1 Out Of 5 stars)

    In the first year, the engine had to be rebuilt due to an oil leak and it never got better. Multiple recalls. Jerky shifting and poor acceleration. The Ac had to be replaced at 60k and the transmission failed atRead More

    Source: edmunds

2013 Ford Focus Sedan Problems, Issues, Complaints, Recalls, and which year to avoid?

10

Recalls

3

Investigations

2091

Complaints
Overall Safety Rating
Nathan Dyer's image
Nathan Dyer 

Senior Editor,

Updated on August 7, 2024

The recent third-generation update has brought in a spike in demand for Ford’s compact sedan, the Focus. Priced in the vicinity of segment favorites like the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla, or even the cheaper alternates like Chevrolet Cruze and Kia Forte, Ford has managed to hit a commendable sales number with this car this year. But what surprised us was the fact that, despite the popularity, the 2013 Ford Focus was one of the least performing sedans in the segment when it comes to overall build and reliability. Lodging a massive 10 recalls and 1872 user complaints about the 2013 model year, this compact sedan is far from what we call an ideal purchase in its current state. Even though the complaints have seen a falling trend, the recall numbers stay high as ever. So should you be spending a minimum of $17,950 knowing all these problems exists with this sedan? Well, this section should give you a brief idea of when to go for one or not.

2013 Ford Focus Sedan User Complaints and Problems

Mechanical Complaints

  • Engine problems- Although the engine on the 2013 Ford Focus Sedan is a decently reliable unit mechanically, faults with the wiring harness have been reported to cause a range of problems, like rough idling, no-start condition, random stalls, hesitations, and a loss on acceleration usually coupled with a “Stop Safely Now” warning. Even though these issues were dealt with on a customer basis initially, it was later found that most cars had an issue with the canister purge valve or loss of electrical connection with the MAF sensor. The manufacturer was made aware of this and several recalls (IDs- 19V515000, 18V375000, 15V813000, and 14V495000) have been conducted over multiple years to rectify all these problems. 

  • Transmission Problems- Transmission problems have been pretty widespread on the 2013 Ford Focus and over 50% of the officially reported complaints fall in this category as per NHTSA reports. Users report experiencing problems like miss-shifts, slipping out of gear, shuddering, grinding noise, overheating, and incorrect shifter indication, mostly combined with a “transmission Failure; Service Now” warning. While the manual transmission is known for clutch actuator failure resulting in premature clutch wear, the automatics have issues traced to a faulty transmission control module (TCM). Though clutch replacements have been recorded on the manual unit at mileages as low as 67,000 miles, total gearbox failures are rare and if recorded, would be on vehicles with mileages north of 150,000 miles.

 Electric System Complaints

  • Radio issues- The media system on the2013 Ford Focus is reported to exhibit a few issues with the main problem being static or popping noise from the speakers when the head unit is turned on without any audio being played. No remedy has been provided by the dealer for this issue apart from the replacement of the entire unit on the car which is still under factory warranty. Bluetooth connectivity issues, blank center screen (if equipped), and random restarts are other complaints recorded on this unit.

Structural Complaints

  • Steering issues- Steering rack and power steering module failure is a rather common occurrence on the 2013 Ford Focus. The indications of a failing steering rack are tight spots when steering, loss of assistance, noise, or even complete lock-up in some instances. If diagnosed, the unit does need a replacement and a module firmware update. The replacement cost is around $1,700 to $2,100 and multiple users do complain about not being provided a warranty on the replacement part. The average failure mileage recorded is around 70,000 miles.

  • Door locks/latch problems- Faulty door latches have been a common issue on the 2013 Ford Focus as seen with many Fords of this time. A manufacturing error with the locks causes them to fail prematurely which in turn causes the doors to stay locked in place or swing open unintendedly when driving. The manufacturer is aware of this issue and has initiated a couple of recalls (22V331000 and 16V634000) to replace the affected units.

2013 Ford Focus Sedan Recalls

S. No

Date

NHTSA ID

Issues Noticed

Additional Remarks

Remedy

1

8th June 2020

20V331000

Doors may open while driving

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, which increases the risk of injury to occupants.

The 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. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020.

2

5th July 2019

 

19V515000

A stuck canister purge valve may stall the engine

The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system, causing an engine stall, and increasing the risk of a crash.

 

The dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module. Dealers will also check for fault codes and replace the CPV as needed. If the CPV is replaced, dealers will inspect and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank, and fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall began on July 29, 2019.

 

3

22nd October 2018

18V735000

A stuck canister purge valve may stall the engine

The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system, causing an engine stall, and increasing the risk of a crash.

 

The dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module. Dealers will also check for fault codes and replace the CPV as needed. If the CPV is replaced, dealers will inspect and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank, and fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall began on August 19, 2019.

4

28th September 2016

16V689000

The hatchback can be unlatched with one button press

The hatchback of the affected vehicles may be unlatched with a single press of the interior latch release button, increasing the risk of injury to unlatched passengers in the back.

The dealers will reprogram the Body Control Module with updated software, free of charge. The recall began on February 10, 2017.

5

6th September 2016

16V634000

Doors may unexpectedly open.

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, increasing the risk of injury to occupants.

The dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017.

6

2nd December 2015

15V813000

Engine wiring splice may cause engine stall.

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), causing an engine stall and increasing the risk of a crash.

The dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began on January 7, 2016.

7

11th August 2015

14V495000

Engine wiring splice may cause engine stall.

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), causing an engine stall and increasing the risk of a crash.

The dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014.

8

1st August 2013

 

13V335000

Side lights inoperable

Due to a wiring incompatibility, the front side marker lamps may not function, reducing the visibility of the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.

The dealers will modify the headlamp assembly wiring, free of charge. The recall began on August 16, 2013.

9

7th March 2013

 

13V085000

Driver-side child lock may not function

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, increasing the risk of injury.

The dealers will inspect the affected rear door latches, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2013.

10

2nd October 2012

12E035000

Vehicle rooftop rack system

Certain combined Q-Tower and Q128 Clip rooftop rack systems, part numbers 8000124 and 8000728, do not fully contact the door frame, causing it to slide off from the vehicle and possibly become a road hazard.

Yakima will notify the owners, and Yakima or a Yakima dealer will refund the purchase of the Q-Tower and Q-128 Clip system. There is no replacement system available for the 2012-2013 model year Ford Focus. The safety recall began on October 15, 2012.

 Should you buy a used 2013 Ford Focus Sedan?

As an overall package, the Ford Focus Sedan is a practical, decently equipped, and probably the most fund driving car in its segment. For those reasons, the 2013 model year ranks the highest in our lists, based on the short initial tests with the vehicle. However, things have changed hugely since then as the 2013 Ford Focus sedan started to see a dramatic rise in complaints and problems. Ford has been on their toes fixing stuff, but the recent updates do show recalls for this car extending to the year 2020. Given the popularity of this compact sedan, we are aware that a lot many of you will buy this vehicle no matter what. Even if you do, make sure that the recalls pertaining to engine fires and structural problems have been dealt with for a safer user experience.

  • Complaints
  • Recalls
  • Investigations
  • Manufacturer Communications

September 9, 2025, NHTSA ID Number: 11686017

Components: 100000 POWER TRAIN

NHTSA ID Number:
11686017

Incident Date:
September 9, 2025

Vehicle Identification Number:
1FADP3J25DL

Consumer Location:
HASTINGS, MN

Summary
erratic shifting and eratic slipping gears , first happened while on highway and then it wouldnt go in an...

August 19, 2025, NHTSA ID Number: 11681687

Components: 010000 STEERING

NHTSA ID Number:
11681687

Incident Date:
August 19, 2025

Vehicle Identification Number:
1FADP3F20DL

Consumer Location:
FRIENDSWOOD, TX

Summary
While driving, the electric power steering went out. I purchased this vehicle on Aug 15 2025 and the Ca...

August 11, 2025, NHTSA ID Number: 11679967

Components: 103000 POWER TRAIN

NHTSA ID Number:
11679967

Incident Date:
August 11, 2025

Vehicle Identification Number:
1FADP3K26DL

Consumer Location:
TULARE, CA

Summary
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle...

July 31, 2025, NHTSA ID Number: 11677529

Components: 103100 POWER TRAIN

NHTSA ID Number:
11677529

Incident Date:
July 31, 2025

Vehicle Identification Number:
1FADP3F22DL

Consumer Location:
CORDOVA, TN

Summary
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH on two occasion...

July 23, 2025, NHTSA ID Number: 11675667

Components: 100000 POWER TRAIN

NHTSA ID Number:
11675667

Incident Date:
July 23, 2025

Vehicle Identification Number:
1FADP3K29DL

Consumer Location:
CLEVELAND, TN

Summary
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle ...

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