2013 Ford Focus Recalls: 11 Safety Recalls
NHTSA lists 11 safety recalls for the 2013 Ford Focus. Here's what each one means for a used-car buyer.
11
Open recall campaigns (NHTSA)
No
“Park it” urgent warning
5
Vehicle systems affected
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Open recalls for the 2013 Ford Focus
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
NHTSA 18V735000
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Ford Focus vehicles with a 2.0L GDI or 2.0L GTDI engine. The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in fuel vapor management system.
Risk: The excessive vaccuum may result in an engine stall while driving, without warning and without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. If the CPV is replaced, dealers will inspect and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall bega…
Reported: 22/10/2018
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
NHTSA 19V515000
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 and 2017 Focus vehicles equipped with 2.0L GDI gasoline engines and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles equipped with 2.0L GTDI engines, previously recalled under 18V-735. The affected vehicles did not have the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) updated as intended. Therefore, the Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in the fuel vapo…
Risk: The excessive vacuum may result in an engine stall while driving, without warning and without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. If the CPV is replaced, dealers will inspect and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall bega…
Reported: 05/07/2019
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
NHTSA 16V643000
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles. 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.
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
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. Ford's number for this recall is 16S30.
Reported: 06/09/2016
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK
NHTSA 16V698000
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Ford Focus hatchback vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to August 26, 2016 and equipped with a manual transmission. The hatchback of the affected vehicles may be unlatched with a single press of the interior latch release button. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) num…
Risk: With only a single press needed, the driver may accidently unlatch the hatchback, increasing the risk of injury to any unsecured passengers in the back.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Body Control Module with updated software, free of charge. The recall began February 10, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C13.
Reported: 28/09/2016
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
NHTSA 15V813000
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured January 11, 2012, to April 1, 2013, and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles manufactured May 03, 2012, to October 14, 2013. 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).
Risk: The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began on January 7, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S17-S1.
Reported: 02/12/2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
NHTSA 14V495000
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to April 1, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines and Focus ST vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to October 14, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines. Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor may provide incorrect signals…
Risk: The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S17.
Reported: 11/08/2014
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
NHTSA 13V335000
Defect: Ford is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Focus BEV vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured September 15, 2011, through May 6, 2013; and model year 2013 Focus ST vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured February 16, 2012, through May 7, 2013. Due to a wiring incompatability, the front side marker lamps may not function. Thus, these ve…
Risk: Without the proper illumination of the side maker lamps, the vehicle may be less visible in night time conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will modify the headlamp assembly wiring, free of charge. The recall began on August 16, 2013. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13C04.
Reported: 01/08/2013
EQUIPMENT
NHTSA 12E035000
Defect: This recall involves aftermarket parts sold by Yakima Products, Inc. for use on model year 2012 and 2013 Ford Focus vehicles. This recall is being conducted by Yakima, not by Ford. Certain combined Q-Tower and Q128 Clip rooftop rack systems, part numbers 8000124 and 8000728, do not fully contact the door frame.
Risk: Without proper contact of the rooftop rack clip to the door frame, there is insufficient clamping pressure and friction. The system may slide off the vehicle when loaded with accessories, possibly becoming a road hazard to other vehicles or causing injury to pedestrians.
Remedy: Yakima will notify 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. Only vehicles equipped with the vehicle rack syst…
Reported: 02/10/2012
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
NHTSA 13V085000
Defect: Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Focus and C-Max vehicles built from November 16, 2012, through November 21, 2012; and model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from November 14, 2012, through November 21, 2012. 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.
Risk: The operator may incorrectly believe the child lock is engaged. However, the door may be opened from the inside, increasing the risk of injury to an unrestrained child.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected rear door latches, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.
Reported: 07/03/2013
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
NHTSA 20V331000
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break mak…
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and 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. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website t…
Reported: 08/06/2020
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
NHTSA 26V011000
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim let…
Reported: 15/01/2026
Is the 2013 Ford Focus safe to buy used?
11 open recalls doesn't automatically mean you should walk away — most recalls are repaired free of charge at a dealer. What matters is whether this specific car has had the work done. An unrepaired recall is both a safety risk and real negotiating leverage: you can make the repair a condition of sale or ask for money off to cover your time.
How buyers use recall data to negotiate
- Lead with the facts. Bring the NHTSA campaign numbers to the seller — it signals you've done your homework.
- Make repair a condition. Ask the seller to complete any open recall at a dealer before you pay.
- Trade it for price. If they won't fix it, ask for money off to cover the trip and downtime.
- Verify the VIN. A full ClearVIN Buyer Brief confirms which recalls are still open on the exact car.
Get the full Buyer Brief for your 2013 Ford Focus
Enter the VIN and we'll pull this car's exact open recalls, a fair market-value range, an inspection checklist, and a 5-point negotiation script — in about 30 seconds.
Run my VIN report — $9.99
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the 2013 Ford Focus have?
NHTSA lists 11 open safety recalls for the 2013 Ford Focus. Each campaign and its remedy is listed above.
Are Ford Focus recall repairs free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are performed free of charge at any authorized Ford dealer, regardless of the car's age or mileage and regardless of how many owners it has had.
How do I check if a specific 2013 Ford Focus had its recalls fixed?
You need the car's 17-character VIN. A ClearVIN Buyer Brief looks up the exact VIN against NHTSA's database and shows which recall campaigns are still open on that individual vehicle.
Should recalls stop me from buying a used 2013 Ford Focus?
Not necessarily. Most recalls are quick, free dealer fixes. Use any open recall as leverage: ask the seller to complete the repair before sale, or negotiate the price down to cover it.
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