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How Many Miles Can A Ford Focus Last? [ Know Here ]

How Many Miles Can A Ford Focus Last? [ Know Here ]

Ford is the world’s biggest automaker brand headquartered in Michigan. Out of all its renowned and customer-first models, its Focus, first manufactured in July 1998, continues to rule over its fans.

Ford Focus is available in 2 main styles – hatchback and sedan. Both are on top of each other in terms of safety, style, reliability, ride comfort, among others.

The sole thing that matters the most to the buyers who will invest over $17,000 on the car is its reliability!

How long can the car survive? How many miles can I derive from the Ford Focus?

If you want to purchase a Ford Focus and are curious to know about all these things, this article is your companion in this.

How many miles can a ford focus last?

Be it any car; its reliability is something you can’t assume as the same as guaranteed by its manufacturers.

While in some cases, a car will easily exceed the miles as promised by its makers, in other cases, the car may break down well before its stipulated time.

There are many factors behind both these scenarios, and the same is true for your Ford Focus.

A brand new Ford Focus can easily promise you 200,000 to 250,000 miles before breaking down, provided it’s maintained well.

Note that the above figure is just an average figure, with the actual figures subject to the level of maintenance you provide to your Focus.

Depending on this, your car may well exceed 250,000 miles or touch the milestone of 300,000 miles.

That means if you usually drive 15,000 miles annually, your car isn’t going anywhere for the next 13-16 years. That’s also the mark Ford Motor Company has set for all its models.

Is a Ford Focus a reliable car?

Years barring 2000-2003 and 20012-2014 were still the best years for Ford Focus in terms of reliability when it managed an impressive 4 out of 5 stars in reliability. However, the other years proved disastrous for the automakers in terms of reliability.

Although Ford Focus successfully delivered over 13 million units by 2019, being a hot pick for its sporty look and elegant interiors, you can’t sideline the reliability issues its customers had to face.

For example, the following are a few common reliability issues owners experienced with their Ford Focus.

Fluctuating RPM in the 2018 models

According to the Ford Focus forums, the models manufactured between 2011-2018 suffered from major powershift transmission issues, which got cleared very soon.

But, a few other issues like fluctuating engine RPM made their appearance in the car’s 2018 models. Owners noticed a sharp elevation in the RPM upon changing gears in the park mode.

Issues in the exhaust and fuel system

Around a million Ford Focus models manufactured between 2012-2018 suffered through major exhaust and fuel system issues due to faulty purge valves in the exhaust system. It likewise hurt the car’s fuel system.

For example, common issues include sudden power loss, malfunctioning fuel gauges, difficulty starting the car, etc.

Transmission problems

Until 2011, the Ford Focus ran smoothly on the roads with slight issues in its transmission system’s dry & dual clutches. However, with an update afterward with the powershift transmission, the situation worsened further, leading to Focus’s drop in the reliability rankings.

Steering issues

The Ford Focus models from the years 2012-2014 posed a new headache for the car owners who experienced a whole lot of issues, this time related to the car’s electronic power steering.

While some owners believe in having withstood low power to the steering wheel, others said that their car’s steering locked on its own while driving.

In the worst cases, this sudden locking came out as the major road mishap involving the Ford Focus.

Keys not turning or getting trapped inside the ignition

It might sound strange; however, it is true in all senses. After the complicated powershift transmission system, this ignition-key issue is what the majority of the car’s 2003 model owners went through.

For example, while the key won’t turn smoothly inside the ignition, in other cases, it will get trapped and refuse to come out of the ignition.

Such issues left the owners baffled and their Ford Focus undrivable. It made a huge impact on the sales of Ford Focus in the subsequent years and impacted its reliability ratings.

Engine stalling issue

While other cars experience engine stalling after a few miles, the 2000 model of Ford Focus experienced the same pretty quickly within the first few miles.

In this, customers reported issues like the engine falling during operation and the blown-out engine. Both of these required extensive repair work that again became a talking point in the customer’s circle.

So, these are the common set of problems commonly associated with Ford Focus, and it tells a lot about its reliability.

However, you should know that today, the same Ford Focus is among the several cars in the list of the most reliable cars of 2022. Thanks to the various updates introduced in the car.

Factors that can impact the longevity of ford focus

Several factors affect the longevity of your Ford Focus. For example, here are a few of them for reference.

How frequently you change the engine oil

Frequently changing the engine oil is vital to keep the car in good condition.

Since the engine oil lubricates the car’s various components besides regulating their temperatures, avoiding its frequent top-up or change can negatively affect the car’s longevity.

2. How you take care of the other fluids in the car

It’s worth noting that engine oil isn’t the only fluid in your car.

Besides that, other fluids like transmission oil, radiator coolant, brake fluid, and power steering fluid require equal attention when it comes to the longevity of your Ford Focus.

3. How you take care of the various filters in your car

Filters like air filters and oil filters have distinct roles in your car.

While the former prevents the dust particles present in the air from entering the engine, the latter takes care of the sediments in the fuel.

Thus, you’d monitor their condition on a timely basis and replace them as and when the situation demands.

4. How you take care of your car’s tires

It’s a myth that the condition of the tires has not much to do with the longevity of a car.

The tire pressure and its state affect the mileage of the car and hamper its safety. Thus, it is vital to inspect the tires regularly and swap if required.

5. Your driving style

It is perhaps the top factor that affects the longevity of your Ford Focus.

If you drive roughly with constant starts & stops, this will badly affect your car. On the other hand, if you drive smoothly without any frequent stops, you will increase the longevity of your car.

So, these are a handful of the factors that affect your car’s longevity.

Is the Ford Focus Expensive to Maintain?

Yes, Ford Focus is expensive to maintain. The total cost of repairing and maintenance escalates to over $770, which is even higher than what you pay for other American brands like Dodge and Chevy.

The cost will vary depending upon the number of miles driven, as it will include or exclude certain things like the following.

  • Oil change,
  • Swapping items like wiper blades and filters
  • Multi-point inspection,
  • Tire rotation,
  • Brake pads inspection,
  • Spark plugs inspection,
  • Engine belts, etc.

Further, Ford service centers may have certain service plans to help you out with your Ford Focus’s repair & maintenance work.

Conclusion

There are many reasons why Ford Focus is still the first pick of car lovers or Ford lovers.

Its sporty look, comfortable ride quality, vibrant color variants, mileage, and driving modes are the top features everyone likes.

However, you should know that the car isn’t as reliable as its competitors and usually associated with high repair and maintenance costs, as discussed above.

If you wish to own a Ford Focus one day, you should prepare your mind for the same.