Dearborn, MI – July 7, 2026 – Ford (NYSE:F) is recalling 255,404 2012-2018 Ford Focus compact cars that may stall while driving. This defect ups the chances of a crash and injury, especially in dense traffic. 

These vehicles were recalled over the same issue in October 2018, but the repair was not actually performed. 

Recall summary

Gas fumes from the fuel tank are vented into the engine through an evaporative emission control system that keeps them from escaping into the atmosphere. The fumes’ flow is controlled by a purge valve that opens and closes during its operation.

In the affected vehicles, the purge valve may get stuck open. This would lead to the vapors and air filtering into the engine, disrupting the fuel mixture and causing the engine to stall.

Recall risks

A stalled vehicle may be hit by other motorists, increasing the risk of injury. 

Warning signs 

Apart from the malfunction indicator light (MIL) on the dashboard, drivers may also notice inaccurate fuel level and range readings or experience drivability issues. 

Previous Ford stuck purge valve recall

In October 2018, Ford recalled 1.3 million Focuses to address the issue, as reported. The software update intended to solve the problem, however, was not performed on all vehicles, despite being marked as completed. 

Other Ford recalls

In May 2026, Ford recalled 1.4 million F-150 pickups over faulty transmissions, as reported.

In February 2026, over 45,000 Mustang Mach E cars were recalled due to reduced visibility caused by faulty lights, also as reported.

The repair

The dealers will update the vehicle’s software free of charge. The updated software is set to catch when the valve gets stuck open and prevent the stall.

Notifications to the owners will be mailed between July 6, 2026 and July 10, 2026.  

Is your vehicle a part of this recall?

This Ford Focus stall recall affects more than a quarter of a million cars. To do a Ford recall check and see if yours is one of them, please use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.