What breaks most · 2012 to 2017 model years
Ford Focus Electric problems by year
Owners have filed 163 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Ford Focus Electric across model years 2012 to 2017. Three years stand out: 2013 for powertrain and transmission complaints, 2014 for electrical system complaints and 2012 for electrical system complaints. The quietest years are 2015.
- Years to check closely: 2013, 2014, 2012
- Fewest complaints: 2015
- Complaints on file
- 1632012 to 2017, all trims
- Worst year
- 201366 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 41 fires · 3 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 7kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 11Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 1 | 3 | Electrical system (12) | |
| 66 | 1 | 3 | Powertrain and transmission (36) | |
| 53 | 1 | 2 | Electrical system (29) | |
| 11 | 1 | 2 | Powertrain and transmission (4) | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (1) | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (2) |
What fails on the 2013 Ford Focus Electric
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 55% |
36 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 38% |
25 | 0 | Shop all electrical system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 24% |
16 | 0 | Shop all engine parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 23% |
15 | 0 | Shop all fuel system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 14% |
9 | 0 | Shop all steering parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 8% |
5 | 0 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 6% |
4 | 0 | Shop all brakes parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 5% |
3 | 0 | — |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
This car, i have been trying to get help for a long time and it seem like not one has heard me , not even the dealer, and now hear it is my car is having trouble like the trunk wont open and we tide a stream on it and the lights stay on over a hour. And car jerk when takeing off in speed when change gears.
-
The vehicle has reported "stop safely now" and doesn't start. Luckily the car is parked in the garage. This is the second time of happening without any further diagnostic details or warning. Last time this happened in the middle of the road while driving and shut the power to the wheels completely.
-
The battery which is functional discharges even after the car has been driven recently and the car will not start until the battery is jumped. Which presents a problem in that you cannot sure if you get back from where you have gone. The battery and alternator are functioning.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Ford Focus Electric years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2013, 2014, 2012 carry the most filings on the Ford Focus Electric. The 2013 alone has 66 complaints, led by powertrain and transmission.
What is the most common Ford Focus Electric problem?
On the 2013 model year, the most-reported component is powertrain and transmission with 36 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Ford Focus Electric problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Ford Focus Electric complaints that include mileage is about 7,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.