2016 Ford Focus Fuel/propulsion System Problems

NHTSA component category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM · data through 07/12/2026

165Fuel/propulsion System complaints

14.1%Of all 1,174 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How fuel/propulsion system ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN620 · 52.8%

ENGINE231 · 19.7%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM165 · 14.1%

Unspecified / other103 · 8.8%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM80 · 6.8%

Share of the 1,174 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2016 Ford Focus overview page.

What owners report

“ENGINES STALLS OUT WHEN DE-ACCELERATING. ENGINE VERY HARD TO START AFTER REFUELING”NHTSA complaint 11120740 — filed 08/17/2018

“WHEN YOU STEP ON GAS PEDAL IT ISATATES AND RPM JUMPS UP AND IT SHAKES BEEN DOING IT SENSE I BOUGHT IT”NHTSA complaint 11111294 — filed 07/14/2018

“BOUGHT THIS CAR THIS SPRING AND BEEN HAVING SHIFTING PROBLEMS. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT IS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR. IT FEELS LIKE A MISFIRE BUT…”NHTSA complaint 10909859 — filed 09/27/2016

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Fuel/propulsion System complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2016 Ford Focus have fuel/propulsion system problems?

Fuel/propulsion System is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2016 Ford Focus: 165 of 1,174 complaints on file (14.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2016 Ford Focus have in total?

1,174 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 27 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, 24 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's fuel/propulsion system category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.