2013 Ford Focus problems: recalls, complaints and whether this is a year to avoid
The 2013 Ford Focus has 2,112 owner complaints on record with NHTSA, which ranks it 2 of 3 Ford Focus model years by complaint volume. The worst year is 2014 (2,658); the cleanest is 2018 (835). 12 recall entries cover this year.
Is 2013 a good year for the Ford Focus?
The spread across this nameplate is wide: the 2014 draws 3 times the complaints of the 2018. On a run like that the model year you buy matters more than the badge, and 2013 sits in the middle of it.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall entries |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 835 | 7 |
| 2014 | 2,658 | 12 |
| 2013 ← this page | 2,112 | 12 |
Older years have been on the road longer and collect more complaints for that reason alone, and a year that sold in higher volume collects more while being no worse.
This retrieval holds 3 of the nameplate’s model years. 2015, 2016, 2017 are absent, which means no records came back for them — not that they were clean. The ranking above is among the years shown.
The 2013 accounts for 38% of every complaint filed against the Ford Focus in this retrieval, which works out to 162.5 complaints per year on the road across the 13 years since it was sold new — the figure to compare against other years, because it removes the advantage a newer car gets simply from having had less time to accumulate reports.
Which recalls cover the 2013?
Fuel System, Gasoline
The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in fuel vapor management system.
Free remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module. Dealers will also check for fault codes and replace the CPV as needed.
Fuel System, Gasoline
The affected vehicles did not have the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) updated as…
Free remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module. Dealers will also check for fault codes and replace the CPV as needed.
Latches/Locks/Linkages
A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading…
Free remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Take the campaign number to any franchised Ford dealer. Recall repairs are free with no mileage or ownership limit, and they follow the car rather than the owner, so a used 2013 with an unrepaired campaign is a free repair you can claim. How recalls work.
Recall text is abridged from the NHTSA record. Search the campaign number at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the full notice and affected VIN ranges.
What do owners report on the Ford Focus?
Across every Ford Focus year, not the 2013 alone — NHTSA does not split component totals by model year.
- Power Train — 2,902 reports
- Steering — 530 reports
- Engine — 356 reports
- Electrical System — 352 reports
Which other Ford Focus years should you compare?
2014 Ford Focus → · All Ford Focus years
If you are deciding between years, the table above is the short answer and the Ford Focus page carries the full run with the component breakdown. Before money changes hands, run the VIN for open recalls and read the inspection checklist — ten minutes in the seller’s driveway finds most of what matters.
Check a 2013 before you commit
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