The Lemon Index2015 Ford Focus.
The 2015 Ford Focus is about average by owner complaints: 229 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 112, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, and it has 9 recalls. The best Ford Focus year is 2011.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
Fixes owners look up most.
From 100 YouTube videos about the 2012–2018 Ford Focus, 34.5M views. The 2015 is the same generation.
- Infotainment, battery & electrical2.3M views
2012-2015 Ford Focus Battery ReplacementNoneMechanic101 · 623K views · 9 videos - Transmission & shifter1.2M views
How to Reset Transmission ford focus 2013YTLIFE · 531K views · 4 videos - Gauges, lights & wiring748K views
How To: Change the Tail Lights on a 2011-2018 Ford FocusO'Reilly Auto Parts · 259K views · 4 videos - No-start: theft light, key & ignition651K views
2013 Ford Focus No Start/ Wont Start Issue SOLVED!Alek Timmons · 651K views
Show 4 more
- Intake, EGR & engine sensors400K views
Do I REGRET buying a 2017 Ford Focus RS? 15 month UPDATERaiti's Rides · 400K views - Oil changes & service370K views
HOW TO CHANGE ENGINE OIL ON FORD FOCUS 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019Auto Repair Guys · 238K views · 2 videos - Steering & suspension323K views
How to Replace Front Lower Control Arm 2012-2020 Ford FocusTRQ · 211K views · 2 videos - Fuel pump, filter & tank268K views
2014 Ford Focus Low Fuel Pressure P0087 FixedL8R-HP · 268K views
Before you buy, watch
Top 5 Problems Ford Focus Hatchback 2012-2020 3rd Generation1A Auto: Repair Tips & Secrets Only Mechanics Know · 850K views
Ford Focus ST 2015-2019 in-depth review - CarbuyerCarbuyer · 311K views
Ford Focus Estate 2015-2019 review - CarbuyerCarbuyer · 271K viewsViews show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.
How serious. Out of 1,034 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Ford Focus year. 2015 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 33K to 84K miles on the car (675 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 30K–86K miles
- engine complaints mostly came at 37K–89K miles
- fuel or ev drive system complaints mostly came at 44K–81K miles
Recalls 9
- fuel system, gasoline 2026
The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, causing the engine to stall unexpectedly while driving.
- transmission & drivetrain 2026
The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
- equipment 2026
The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Show all 9 recalls
- latches/locks/linkages 2020
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.
- fuel system, gasoline 2018
The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in fuel vapor management system.
- transmission & drivetrain 2018
Also included are four 2017 Ford Focus vehicles that had clutch replacements with potentially affected parts.
- latches/locks/linkages 2016
The hatchback of the affected vehicles may be unlatched with a single press of the interior latch release button.
- latches/locks/linkages 2016
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.
- electrical 2015
In the affected vehicles, the engine may continue to run after the key or the START/STOP engine button is turned to off.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Ford told dealers about
Ford sent dealers 131 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Transmission fluid leakage and excessive transmission
- 2011-2015 fiesta and 2012-2015 focus may show concerns of loss of transmission engagement…
- Dps6 - no start and/or transmission engagement or loss of power with dtcs u0100, u0101, u1013,…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- OpenTiming belt failure2026
- ClosedTiming belt failure2025–2026
- ClosedLoss of motive power2023–2024
- ClosedDoor latch failures2019–2022
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Focus 5 HB FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ford Focus 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ford Focus Bev 5 HB FWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | ★★★★★ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $700–2200 a year in electricity (EPA estimate).
In owners' words
2015 Ford Focus se shudders when starting from 1-2nd gear, I feel like this is a safety issue. It does everytime the car starts from stop position.
2015 Ford Focus owner · NHTSA complaint 11132228
More owner reports
When accelerating from a complete or almost complete stop the car jerks/ hesitates from first gear to second gear.
NHTSA complaint 11048873
Transmission shutters when taking off and when shifting gears. A poor excuse for a transmission when the rest of the car is great. Im sorry Ford but this is not normal! The NHTSA needs to quit stalling and do something about this.
NHTSA complaint 10984342
Quick answers
Is the 2015 Ford Focus reliable?
About average by government complaints. It drew 1.1× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 112; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Ford Focus year by this measure is 2011.
What are the most common 2015 Ford Focus problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (55%), engine (13%) and steering (11%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2015 Ford Focus have?
9 safety recalls (latest: transmission & drivetrain). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Is the 2015 Ford Focus safe?
NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2015 Ford Focus problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 33,600 and 84,000 miles. The middle report was at 60,000 miles, from 675 complaints.
Does the 2015 Ford Focus have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 55% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2015 Ford Focus cost in fuel a year?
About $700 to $2200 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What Ford Focus year is better than the 2015?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2011, 2010 and 2015.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works