Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here.
Owners have filed 2,655 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Ford Focus, and it carries 12 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 1,130 | 43% |
| Steering | 163 | 6% |
| Unknown or other | 125 | 5% |
| Engine | 122 | 5% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 112 | 4% |
| Power train | 91 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 73 | 3% |
| Power train | 43 | 2% |
| Power train | 42 | 2% |
| Power train | 35 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Car has been cutting off while idleing, or at a stop light. It has also cut off while driving. It has also lost a form of power while going down the highway. The car doesn’t cut off, but pressing the gas does nothing and
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle jerked and shuddered abnormally. A
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH and coming to a stop, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled, and the transmission was slipping with the message “Transmission Over
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The transmission over heating light comes on and says stop safely or wait 5 mins you can be going down the road and it jumps out gear and want go anywhere and it very dangerous.and I want no if ford fixes the problem.
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that upon reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a blank screen. The message "See the Dealer" was displayed, and the check engine warning light remained illuminat
NHTSA complaint: Steering
I own a 2014 Ford Focus Titanium with approximately 75,000 miles and the DPS6 automatic transmission. The transmission has developed a serious and recurring problem. The vehicle began violently jerking/shuddering while
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking erratically, and the vehicle stopped independently. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehic
NHTSA complaint: Power train
When I turned on my car the power steering said at fault and normally I could turn it off then turn it back on and it worked but after that time it never turned back on
NHTSA complaint: Steering
NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for the 2014 Ford Focus. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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.
Fix: 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
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 i
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.
Fix: 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
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 Pres
Risk: The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 1-866-43
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
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.
Fix: 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-
| Reliability raw | 30 | below average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 56 | average |
| Maintenance | 79 | good |
| Depreciation | 97 | excellent |
| Performance | 45 | below average |
| Efficiency | 53 | average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 2,655 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 1,130 of them (43%). There are 12 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 30/100 (below average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 56/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2014 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: skip, because the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here. Its overall ownership score is 62/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.