Ford Focus recall: Company is recalling 1.5 million vehicles for an engine stalling issue

Ford Motor Company is recalling nearly 1.5 million Ford Focus vehicles to fix a problem that may cause the vehicle to stall.

In an Oct. 24 letter from Ford to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the company says the problem is with what’s known as the canister purge valve and, if it malfunctions, it could cause “excessive vacuum” in the fuel vapor management system. The excessive vacuum could cause the engine to stall without warning — while the vehicle is moving — and without the ability to be restarted, which could increase the risk of a crash.

Ford says it’s not aware of any reports of accidents or injury related to the recall.

According to the NHTSA, the recall applies to certain 2012-2018 Ford Focus vehicles with a 2.0L GDI or 2.0L GTDI engine. Owners of affected vehicles may notice an indicator light or that their fuel gauge is not showing accurate levels of gas.

The recall process began in May when the NHTSA contacted Ford regarding consumer complaints about 2012-2014 Ford Focus vehicles. Focus owners complained to the agency about their fuel gauges being inaccurate, their “check engine” lights coming on, issues driving their vehicles and loss of motive power.

Ford says it will notify affected owners, who should take their vehicle to a dealer for reprogramming of the powertrain control module at no cost to the owner. They say dealers will also check for fault codes and replace the canister purge valve as needed. If the valve is replaced, dealers will then inspect and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary.

The recall is expected to begin Dec. 10, but if you have an affected vehicle, Ford is advising owners to keep the fuel tank at least half full until you can get your car in to be repaired.

If you have questions or want more information, you can call Ford Customer service at 1-866-436-7332. The reference number for this recall is 18S32.

More Recall News From Ford

This isn’t the first recall Ford has faced this year. In September, the automaker said it would recall close to 2 million F-150 trucks due to a possible fire risk.

The trucks involved in the recall included regular cab and supercrew cabs from model years 2015 to 2018. Ford said seat belt pretensioners could create “excessive” sparks, which could then lead to a fire. At the time, the company said there had been 17 reports of smoke or fire in the U.S. and six in Canada, none of which had led to injuries or accidents.

Owners affected by the recall were instructed to visit Ford’s website for more information. Do you or someone you know have a vehicle that may be affected by either of these recalls?