AI Damage2015 Ford Focus Electric: common problems
Owners of the 2015 Ford Focus Electric filed 12 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 12
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 33% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 33% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 25% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 25% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 25% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 8% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (33% of all).
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (33% of all).
- Engine: 3 complaints (25% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 3 complaints (25% of all).
- Steering: 3 complaints (25% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 12 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Car was pulling out of a parking lot when there was sudden maximal acceleration resulting in a crash with personal injury and property damage.
When driving my car the first day I bought it, the wrench icon illuminated, telling me to check the manual. I figured I would do so after work, but as I tried to start the car to leave work, I received a "Stop Safely Now" message and could not start the car.
I was driving to work just gotten off the freeway in the city of cerritos and all of a sudden a warning came on and said steering loss stop safely and then it locked up and pulled to the right. I almost hit the car next to me but was lucky.
Driving my vehicle in normal conditions with over 30 miles left to a charge on a suburban street going approximately 45 miles per hour, suddenly a red triangle warning appeared on the dash stating stop safely now.
It says the car would not start (when drained). I brought it in because it would not stop. After they installed a new module, they gave me the old defective one which I have in my possession.
Rack and pinion epas failed--gradually at first, then completely. This part has been recalled in other ford models but not in mine--yet. The repair bill was $2800. It happened within a few days of 3-yr warranty expiration and I filed a claim with ford.
The light in the instrument cluster correctly showed the gear that the lever was in, and when in reverse the backup camera came on as usual. There have been three instances of this malfunction happening in the past two weeks. Which prompted me to take it into the local ford service shop.
This engine on this vehicle sputters and hesitates on take off . As I continue to drive it tends to choke or like the transmission is not changing gears. I took it to the service dept twice and was told that the electronic engine has to to used to my handling the vehicle that was after 1600 miles.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 10,160 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 28% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Focus Electric has 30 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 12, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Ford Focus Electric?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, powertrain, engine. Total complaints: 12. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: jerking, harsh shifts (17%), rear-view camera (8%), hesitation when accelerating (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2015 Ford Focus Electric?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2015 Ford Focus Electric from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2015 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.