2013 Ford Focus FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
There was a past recall for the purge valve canister and the fuel pump and I was never notified from Ford about the recall when it was open. Now they are asking me to pay out of pocket for these repairs the dealership is asking $1400 to repair. Ford shoild honor there recalls even if the recall is closed. Now that I have the problem with the fuel system it is affecting my fuel tank as well. I have been buying Ford cars for over 20 years. The least they can do is offer financial assistance. If this is affecting my fuel tank now my car can catch on fire. I can't drive my vehicle more than two miles before it starts to slow down. At the time of the recall my vehicle had 83,000 miles. it now has 140,000.
The canister purge valve has failed. Was not defective when recall #19S22 was performed. Car failed to start repeatedly and would not idle after refilling the tank from low (fuel light on) to approximately 75%. Eventually, the car did start and after keeping the RPMs at 2000 for a few minutes, the car is back to idling normally. Check engine light did not appear until 3 days after the stall at the gas station, which had a DTC P1450 code indicating inability for the car to bleed the fuel tank, suggesting the canister purge valve. Ford should offer the free replacement of the defective purge valve and inspection of the carbon canister and fuel tank even after the 19S22 recall was performed (which was just a software update and inspection at the time of service). The possibility of the car stalling not just at the gas station is a safety issue for others and the occupant because of the possibility of a sudden loss of power/becoming an obstruction/or abruptly stopping on the road.
On 4/20/23 while driving home from work on the highway my car stalled and after pulling over would not start. The check engine ight had come one. On 4/21/23 I took my car to a mechanic who found the p0456 fault in the PCM which was tied to an active recall on my vehicle. The mechanic printed out the recall information and recommended replacing the cannister purge valve, fuel tank and fuel pump assembly. They suggested I take it to the local ford dealer to have the recall work done as it would be covered. On 4/27/23 I took my car to the dealership to have the recall work done. The dealer reprogrammed the PCM and replaced the vapor canister purge solenoid. On 5/15/23 while driving home from work on the highway my car stalled again and after pulling over would not start. The fuel tank has deformed, but less than the 1 inch ford is requiring to replace it and the distance to empty is still inaccurate. On 5/16 I dropped the car back off at the dealer. They looked at the car the next day and refused to address the outstanding issues.
Faulty canister purge valve caused vehicle to stall and shut down while driving on public roads. Canister purge valve is also causing check engine code P0420. Catalytic converter is also giving out while operating causing a lot of white smoke from the exhaust and catalytic converter.
Daughter's car has hesitation when driving, took to son who is mechanic. He said it has hesitation, cough idle, loss of power and the gas tank is malformed. He said he looked up the vin and it showed recall 18532-51. I looked on fords website and see that this is recall for their reference number 19S22. My son said this is dangerous because that issue with the fuel tank vacuum could cause the gas tank to crack. I called ford service center to schedule a recall repair but they told me her vin does not show that recall. This car has all the symtoms of the recall, the vin showed up for my son, and the recall is mentioned on fords werbsite. We need to have this repaired. It is a known issue for 2012-2013 ford focuses. Why wouldn't her car be covered??
The car stalled several times while driving. After a mechanics evaluation it was determined that there was a fuel delivery problem. After further evaluation it was confirmed that the problem was a defective purge solenoid. This item was recalled by Ford. However, they did not include this vehicle (by date) in the recall. The recall lists cars made until July 2012 and this vehicle was manufactured in May of 2013. The effect of the defective purge solenoid caused damage to other components of the fuel delivery system. I am now forced to pay for the repairs out-of-pocket. For a problem that is known by (and recalled by) Ford but is excluded from the recall. NOT FAIR
CAR FILING HARD, STALLING OUT WHEN ACCELERATING. COMPLETE STALL/FAILURE UNABLE TO RESTART WHILE DRIVING AT 55+ MPH. ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED. MORE ISSUES THE LESSGAS THE CAR HAS.
MY CAR WHEN AT IDLE OR DRIVING AT LOW RPM (900-2000) WILL STALL OUT AND NOT START FOR A WHILE. IVE REPLACED FUEL PRESSURE SENSORS AND THE INJECTION PUMP, AND IT STILL STALLING.
THE FUEL GAUGE AND MILES TILL EMPTY IS ALWAYS WRONG SO I CONSTANTLY RUN OUT OF GAS WHILE DRIVING ANYWHERE. WHEN I PUT THE FUEL NOZZLE IN MY TANK IT MAKES A HISSING NOISE (COMPRESSED AIR) OR IT SPRAYS FUEL OUT OF THE TANK. I HAVE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT WON'T GO OFF.
THE VEHICLE WILL STRUGGLE TO START OR FAIL TO START ONCE REFUELED. WHEN IDLE THE CAR WILL INCREASE TO 1,500-2000 RPM WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. AT TIMES WHILE IDLE, THE VEHICLE WILL ALSO FLUTTER AROUND 400-500 RPM THREATENING TO STALL (HAS DONE MORE THAN ONCE). THE FUEL GAUGE READS INACCURATE MEASURING A QUARTER TANK MORE THAN ACTUAL. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FOR A CANISTER PURGE VALUE ISSUE.
MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN IT CAME TO A STOP FROM LOSING POWER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HER FRIEND WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE CONTACT STATED HER FRIEND HAD TO PUT ON HER EMERGENCY HAZARD LIGHTS ON TO SAFELY DRIVE TO A GAS STATION. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V735000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KEN WILSON FORD LOCATED AT (769 CHAMPION DR, CANTON, NC 28716) BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
THE FUEL TANKED IS DEFORMED AND THE FUEL GAUGE REFLECTS ONE-QUARTER TO ONE-HALF OF A TANK OF FUEL WHEN IT IS ACTUALLY EMPTY. THE RECALL NOTICE INDICATED THE FUEL TANK COULD BE REPLACED IF DEFORMED. MY FUEL TANK IS DEFORMED AND I MENTIONED THAT TO THE SERVICE ADVISOR. HE DIDN'T SEEM INTERESTED IN MY CONCERN. NOT KNOWING HOW MUCH FUEL IS REMAINING IN THE TANK IS A REAL PROBLEM. THE TANK IS DEFORMED AND SHOULD BE REPLACED AS PER THE RECALL.
I HAVE BEEN CALLING MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP (TAMIAMI FORD IN NAPLES, FLORIDA) TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR RECALL 18S32 FOR MONTHS NOW AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH ME. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TAKES DOWN MY INFORMATION AND TELLS ME THEY WILL CALL ME BACK TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT, AND THEN TO REPEAT ALL MY INFORMATION AGAIN TO A VOICE MESSAGE. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A CALL BACK TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. I HAVE CALLED AND ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE SERVICE MANAGER SEVERAL TIMES, ALWAYS GETTING VOICEMAIL SAYING HE IS CURRENTLY ON A CALL WITH A CUSTOMER AND WILL CALL ME BACK URGENTLY. I HAVE LEFT SEVERAL MESSAGES ON THE SERVICE MANAGERS VOICEMAIL. THE SERVICE MANAGER HAS NEVER CALLED ME BACK. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE AUGUST 2019 AND I AM RECEIVING LETTERS FROM FORD REMINDING ME I HAVE A RECALL AND TO GET IT FIXED WITH MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP, WHILE I LITERALLY CANNOT SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT.
I HAD MY TRANSMISSION RECALL WORKED ON AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND EVERY TIME AFTER THAT ANYTIME I GET GAS MY CAR STALLS AND HAS ISSUES STARTING. I HAVE TO SIT AND WAIT FOR 20 OR 30 MINS BEFORE MY CAR WILL START. IF I TRY TO DRIVE OFF I HAVE TO PUSH DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR AND SHIFT INTO DRIVE AND IF I STOP THE CAR WILL SHUT OFF.
IVE CALLED NOT ONE BUT TWO DEALERSHIPS AND THEY KEEP SAYING THEY CAN ONLY FIX THE DOORS ON MY CAR BUT THE FUEL HAS HAD A RECALL ON IT FOR JUST AS LONG I CAN NOT CONTINUE TO BE AFRAID TO PUT MY 4 MONTH OLD SON IN MY VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY REFUSE TO FIX OR EVEN ATTEMPT TO FIX THE ISSUE MY VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY CUTS OFF AT RANDOM TIMES ANYWHERE EVEN GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE I ALWAYS KEEP IT ABOVE HALF A TANK AND IT STILL CUTS OFF IM PUTTING MY HOLE FAMILY AT RISK DUE TO A ISSUE FORD REFUSES TO FIX AND I CAN NOT AFFORD TO GET A NEWER CAR OR EVEN A DIFFERENT CAR. I ALSO CAN NOT DRIVE A RENTAL WHILE IT SITS AT A SHOP FOR MONTHS. IT CUTS OFF TAKING OFF SLOWING DOWN AND EVEN RUNNING AT SPEED.
THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT. THE MECHANIC STATES THAT IT IS A MALFUNCTION INVOLVING THE PURGE VALVE AND FUEL PUMP. DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTION, THE O2 SENSOR AND FUEL TANK NEEDS REPLACED AND THE PCM NEEDS REPROGRAMMED. THE MECHANIC STATES THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER RECALL 18S32 AND 19S22 BUT FORD IS SAYING THAT MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. WHY???
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING AND LOST ALL POWER WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RE-STARTED. WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TOWED AND LOOKED AT BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP SINCE THE FORD DEALERSHIPS WERE TOO BUSY TO LOOK AT A VEHICLE THAT WAS 3 HOURS AWAY FROM THE HOME ADDRESS. THE CAUSE OF THE ISSUE WAS THE EVAPORATOR VACUUM CANISTER. THE FAILURE OF THE CANISTER ALSO CAUSED THE FUEL TANK TO DEFORM AND DAMAGED THE FUEL PUMP/LEVEL SENSOR. THE CANISTER WAS REPLACED AND THE FUEL TANK POPPED OUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR IS STILL READING INCORRECTLY DUE TO THE DEFORMED TANK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN, SHOOK, AND STALLED. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ACADEMY FORD SALES (13401 BALTIMORE AVE, LAUREL, MD 20707, (800) 658-7794) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK CANISTER, AND FUEL VAPOR PURGE VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURES RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,025.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V735000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. FORD COUNTRY (280 N GIBSON RD, HENDERSON, NV 89014, (888) 360-8509) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FUELED ABOVE HALF A TANK AND THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO ADJUST TO THE UPDATE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,142.
RECALL 18V735 WAS ISSUED ALMOST A YEAR AGO. HOWEVER, FORD SEEMS UNINTERESTED IN CORRECTING THE ISSUE. SAFECAR.GOV REPORTS: "RECALL STATUS: RECALL INCOMPLETE. REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE." I'M STILL WAITING AND WAITING ON A FIX., DRIVING A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS VEHICLE IN THE MEANTIME.
I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL IN DEC. 18 FOR CPV VALVE AND DEFORMED GAS TANK. THEY SAID PARTS WOULD BE IN BY END OF MARCH 2019 AS PER LETTER FROM FORD. I CALLED FORD TODAY AND THEY ARE APPARENTLY STILL WORKING WITH THEIR PARTS SUPPLIER AND THEY HAVE NO DATE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A FOCUS ST AND THEY SAY ONLY FILL UP THE GAS TANK HALFWAY. WHY HAVE A RECALL IF THEY DON'T FIX THE PROBLEM? WHO IS PROTECTING THE CONSUMER? IS THERE AN ACTUAL TIME LIMIT TO GET THIS DONE?
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V735000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) ON JANUARY 2, 2019. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART AFTER BEING FUELED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER A WHILE, BUT FAILED TO START AGAIN THREE DAYS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED: JOHN KENNEDY FORD (888-377-1951, LOCATED AT 1403 RIDGE PIKE, CONSHOHOCKEN, PA 19428). THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED THE PURGE VALVE ASSEMBLY, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE DAYS LATER. AFTER THE FUEL TANK WAS REFILLED, THE VEHICLE SHOOK, SHUDDERED, AND STALLED. ALSO, THE BATTERY AND CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER AND THE FUEL CANISTER WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,153.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS DETECTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MARTIN DODGE JEEP CHRYSLER (2209 SCOTTSVILLE RD, BOWLING GREEN, KY 42104, (270) 216-5185) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP RELAY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, A DIAGNOSTIC WAS NOT PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
"TAKATA RECALLS" TOOK IN FOR RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVEN, ABOUT TO STALL WHEN IT SLOWS DOWN, LIKE AT STOP, IT SOUNDS LIKE A LITTLE GAS BEING TAKEN WHILE IN MOTION, CITY STREET, COUNTRY ROAD, THEN HIGHWAY
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Quick Summary
The 2013 Ford Focus has 86 FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.