At a glance

Reported mileage10,867 mi

LocationGa, USA

ColorBlack

Last listed price$11,000

Open recalls8

Vehicle identity & specifications

Make

Ford

Model

Focus

Year

2012

Trim

SE

Body style

Hatchback/Liftback/Notchback

Vehicle type

PASSENGER CAR

Engine

2.0L 4-cyl 160 hp

Cylinders

4

Fuel type

Gasoline

Doors

5

Assembly plant

WAYNE, MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES (USA)

Manufacturer

FORD MOTOR COMPANY

What's a 2012 Ford Focus worth?

What comparable 2012 Ford Focus vehicles are listed for — a quick gut-check before you negotiate.

Low

$7,000

Typical price

$9,415

High

$11,800

Most 2012 Ford Focus listings fall between $7,000 and $11,800, from 2,338 comparable cars.

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Full vehicle history report

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What a full report checks for VIN 1FAHP3K26CL259888

⚠️ 8 open safety recalls — shown above, free 🔒 Title & brand records 🔒 Accident & damage history 🔒 Salvage, total-loss & theft 🔒 Odometer & owner count 🔒 Liens & market valuation

A full report searches national title databases (NMVTIS) and licensed history providers for this VIN and shows whatever records are on file — not every vehicle has every record type. The decode, safety recalls and owner complaints above are always free.

📜 Title status Clean, salvage, rebuilt, junk, flood or lemon

🏷️ Title brand history Every brand ever applied, by state

🧾 Number of owners How many registrations on record

🛞 Odometer readings Reported mileage over time

🔎 Rollback check Mileage inconsistency / tamper flags

💥 Accident & damage Reported collisions and damage events

🚧 Total-loss records Insurance total-loss declarations

♻️ Salvage & auction Salvage-yard and auction history

🚓 Theft records Reported / recovered theft events

🏦 Liens & impounds Outstanding liens or impound records

🏷️ Sale & listing history Past marketplace and dealer listings

💰 Market valuation Estimated value for this exact spec

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Safety recalls 8

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE

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.

Remedy: 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 and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall began

NHTSA Campaign #18V735000 · 22/10/2018

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE

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 intended. Therefore, the Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacu…

Remedy: 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 and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall began

NHTSA Campaign #19V515000 · 05/07/2019

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

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 driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.

Remedy: 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 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S30.

NHTSA Campaign #16V643000 · 06/09/2016

EQUIPMENT

This recall involves aftermarket parts sold by Yakima Products, Inc. for use on model year 2012 and 2013 Ford Focus vehicles. This recall is being conducted by Yakima, not by Ford. Certain combined Q-Tower and Q128 Clip rooftop rack systems, part numbers 8000124 and 8000728, do not fully contact the door frame.

Remedy: Yakima will notify owners, and Yakima or a Yakima dealer will refund the purchase of the Q-Tower and Q-128 Clip system. There is no replacement system available for the 2012-2013 model year Ford Focus. The safety recall began on October 15, 2012. Only vehicles equipped with the vehicle rack syste

NHTSA Campaign #12E035000 · 02/10/2012

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 FOCUS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1, 2010, THROUGH OCTOBER 18, 2011. A SEAL IN THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR TO THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER MOTOR MAY BE MISSING.

Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND AS NECESSARY, CLEAN AND PROPERLY SEAL THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER MOTOR CONNECTOR. ANY INOPERATIVE WIPER MOTORS WILL BE REPLACED. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 21, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE FORD

NHTSA Campaign #12V149000 · 05/04/2012

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Ford is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Focus BEV vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured September 15, 2011, through May 6, 2013; and model year 2013 Focus ST vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured February 16, 2012, through May 7, 2013. Due to a wiring incompatability, the front side marker lamps may not functi…

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will modify the headlamp assembly wiring, free of charge. The recall began on August 16, 2013. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13C04.

NHTSA Campaign #13V335000 · 01/08/2013

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. 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. A component within the door la…

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to

NHTSA Campaign #20V331000 · 08/06/2020

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTER

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Focus vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 18V735. The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, causing the engine to stall unexpectedly while driving.

Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 6, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S40. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in t

NHTSA Campaign #26V369000 · 09/06/2026

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Common problems & what to inspect

Based on 3,783 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Ford Focus, here are the most-reported problem areas — and exactly what to check before you buy.

Steering 5 reports

🔍 Steering should be tight and centered — no play, clunks or wandering. Test at low and highway speed; listen for power-steering whine.

Power Train 5 reports

🔍 Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.

Engine 4 reports

🔍 Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.

Fuel/propulsion System 3 reports

🔍 Check for fuel or battery warnings, hard starts and stalling. On a hybrid/EV, confirm charging and range behave normally.

Structure 1 report

🔍 Inspect for rust, fresh undercoating, mismatched paint, uneven panel gaps and any sign of prior collision or frame repair.

Electrical System 1 report

🔍 Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.

Pre-purchase checklist

Match the VIN on the dash, door jamb and title — they must be identical.
Cold-start the engine; listen for knocks and check for blue or white exhaust smoke.
Test-drive through all gears at low and highway speed — no slipping, shudder or pulling.
Confirm every warning light clears at startup (none should stay on).
Check fluids — oil, coolant, transmission — for level, color and leaks.
Look underneath for rust, fresh undercoating or signs of collision repair.
Always get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a trusted mechanic.

Owner complaints 3783

Complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of the 2012 Ford Focus.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

For months in early 2025, I was unable to fill gas tank without gas pump stopping ( so gas dispensers work to prevent gas from leaking?) Got progressively worse so less fuel could be put in gas tank. I took car into dealership to diagnose and fixed on April 25, 2025. I was at risk because the car can’t be filled and then unable to operate. Fuel filler nec…

NHTSA ODI #11743754

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

For months in 2025 the car fan would continue to run for several minutes after the engine was turned off. I took the car in a two times to diagnose and couldn’t replicate . I sent video of the fan running even after short trips and in cold weather. Finally after catastrophic cooling system failure was the faulty fan module diagnosed. It was a safety issue …

NHTSA ODI #11743763

STRUCTURE

While driving on the highway the sunroof suddenly blew off. The sunroof had not been opened prior. The frame bent upwards from the front, and the glass completely flew out onto the highway.

NHTSA ODI #11736311

STEERING

Electric power steering failed at 65,000 miles. No power assist in the steering. Trying to steer the car with no power assist is very difficult and not safe.

NHTSA ODI #11735104

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

Beginning in approximately May 2025, the vehicle began displaying diagnostic trouble codes identified by independent auto parts retailers and service providers. These codes indicated potential issues within the engine, electrical, and powertrain systems. The vehicle was subsequently brought to a dealership for diagnostic evaluation and remained there from a…

NHTSA ODI #11734286

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The Powershift for the transmission is the issue. Got two notices about a software update and followed through with updates. When done my Ford dealership said they couldn’t do anything else and that I was just going to be like it was. I never received any more recalls or even a Class Action letter! I recently called Ford motor headquarters and they found my …

NHTSA ODI #11730708

STEERING

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn while driving. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The app…

NHTSA ODI #11726736

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I filled up my gas tank and a couple minutes later experienced shuddering while parked so I decided to turn the vehicle off and turn it back on but it struggles to turn back on. I then drove back home and as I was driving the acceleration was going up and down and then to 0. As i stopped on a red light the car completely shut down while the light then turned…

NHTSA ODI #11726335

+ 3775 more complaints on record.