Car · Ford problems

2013 Ford Focus problems

2,112 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Ford Focus. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (52% of them). NHTSA also lists 127 service bulletins and 11 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 28. Deaths: 3.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 2,112 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Power train (transmission and drive)1,102 · 52%
• Engine and engine cooling358 · 17%
• Electrical system276 · 13%
• Steering273 · 13%
• Fuel system263 · 12%
• Other or unknown196 · 9%
• Speed control and throttle112 · 5%
• Body and structure84 · 4%

16 smaller areas not shown (250 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 127 repair bulletins from Ford for the 2013 Ford Focus. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. SSM 53040Received October 16, 2024

   While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.

2. SSM 51536Received May 4, 2023

   Body and structure

   For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended.

3. 14M02 06Received December 2, 2022

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Reason for this supplement non-Ford part usage:.

4. TSB 22-2309Received August 23, 2022

   Equipment

   Some 2013-2017 C-MAX Energi, 2013-2018 Focus battery electric vehicle (BEV), 2013-2020 Fusion plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), 2015-2017 MKZ/MKZ Hybrid/MKC, 2016-2017 MKX and 2017...

5. 14M01S5Received December 20, 2021

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Customer satisfaction Program 14M01 - Supplement #5 Certain 2011 thr ough 2014 Model Year Fies ta and Focus vehicles equipped with a DKPS6 Automatic Transmission Transmission Clautch...

6. 16B02MReceived December 20, 2021

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - March 2016.

7. LTR3756Received December 20, 2021

   Body and structure

   49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - January 2016.

8. TSB160001Received December 20, 2021

   Body and structure

   49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - March 2016 Air bag warning light illuminated with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) B141B and/or B141C.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for the 2013 Ford Focus. Recall repairs are free at a Ford dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 15V813000December 2, 2015

   Electrical system

   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).

2. 26V369000June 9, 2026

   Fuel system, gasoline

   The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, causing the engine to stall unexpectedly while driving.

3. 26V011000January 16, 2026

   Equipment

   The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

See all 11 recalls for the 2013 Ford Focus, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Focus will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Power train (transmission and drive) 1,102 complaints · 52%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Engine and engine cooling 358 complaints · 17%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 276 complaints · 13%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Steering 273 complaints · 13%

• Tie rod end replacement (one side)$130 to $380
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

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Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2013 Ford Focus: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2013 Ford Focus?

Of the 2,112 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Ford Focus, 1,102 (52%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 358 (17%) name engine and engine cooling. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2013 Ford Focus reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 49 of the 2,112 complaints as involving a crash and 12 as involving a fire. They also reported 28 injuries and 3 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2013 Ford Focus have?

NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for the 2013 Ford Focus. Recall repairs are free at a Ford dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 127 repair bulletins for the 2013 Ford Focus.

More

• 2018 Focus problems
• 2017 Focus problems
• 2016 Focus problems
• 2015 Focus problems
• 2014 Focus problems
• 2012 Focus problems
• 2013 recalls
• All Ford recalls
• Ford problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.