Problems · NHTSA complaints
2016 Ford Focus RS problems
Owners filed 1,143 complaints about the 2016 Ford Focus RS with NHTSA between Feb 2016 and Nov 2025. The most-cited component is power train (649).
Complaints
1,143
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
26
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
23
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Power train649
- Engine220
- Fuel/propulsion system157
- Electrical system77
- Fuel system, gasoline59
- Engine and engine cooling46
- Steering45
- Vehicle speed control34
- Wheels15
- Air bags14
- Structure14
- Electronic stability control (esc)12
- Visibility/wiper11
- Exterior lighting9
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 12, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
15
59
80
197
133
94
169
156
169
71
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 15 |
| 2017 | 59 |
| 2018 | 80 |
| 2019 | 197 |
| 2020 | 133 |
| 2021 | 94 |
| 2022 | 169 |
| 2023 | 156 |
| 2024 | 169 |
| 2025 | 71 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Power train
649 reports8 crashes
“It is my transmission problem, there is an engine light on and the shifting is very rough and it also jumps gears, i know ford had a recall for this problem i believe it should be under warranty it is the TCM”
Engine
220 reports6 crashes1 fire
“In the Ford 3 cylinder 1.0L Ecoboost engines there is a terrible wet belt system, there is a recall on the automatic models but nothing for the manual models, regardless of the fact that the manual models are designed far more poorly than the automatic models in the sense that the manual models have no tensioners and rely solely on the factory tension of the screws, keeping in mind that the belt is both rubber and sitting in hot oil when in use, if not a money grab, my best guess is that they hoped the wet rubber belt would simply not not stretch in good faith. 4 days after getting basic maintenance, the wet belt failed, clogging the oil pickup causing engine failure, and temporary loss of power steering, after the engine was given time to warm up, luckily the road was nearly empty, and i was driving at a slower pace. However the fact that Ford Motor Company has gone nearly a decade without dealing with the issue, and then denies having knowledge of this design flaw, is absolutely and abundantly absurd. I have all vehicle maintenance records, as well as mechanic testimony, all of which point to this incident being caused by poor engine design. In addition to…”
Fuel/propulsion system
157 reports2 crashes
“Went to refuel my car with gas. Got into my car and it didn’t start right away. When it finally did the check engine light came on. I took to go check it out and was told the fuel tank/canister purge valve was faulty. I tried contacting ford to see if under warranty and or recalled. But nothing has come out of it. My 2016 Ford Focus only has 67k miles on it”
Electrical system
77 reports2 fires
“The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, an alarm sounded, the message " Pull Car Over Safely " was displayed, and the vehicle turned off independently. The contact stated that the vehicle was turned off and was restarted several times; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate mileage was 67,855.”
Fuel system, gasoline
59 reports1 crash
“The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and the vehicle was coasted to the side of the road, and then towed to a certified mechanic. The contact believed that the mechanic had diagnosed a failure within the transmission and had completed a repair to the transmission; however, the contact was unaware of what parts were replaced. The contact stated that after the vehicle was repaired, the vehicle started hesitating and there was an abnormal revving noise coming from the engine compartment while accelerating. The contact would depress the accelerator a second time to accelerate as intended. The failure was intermittent. The message that the engine was overheating was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined that the fuel pump had failed. The contact was informed that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The recall repair was completed, and the fuel pump was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed a failure with the water pump and the water pump was…”
Engine and engine cooling
46 reports
“The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 109,420.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 12, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.