08:54 24-12-2025

NHTSA opens probe into Ford Fiesta and Focus 1.0 EcoBoost manuals

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into Ford Fiesta and Ford Focus models equipped with the 1.0-liter EcoBoost turbo engine and a manual transmission. The probe covers 2015–2018 Focus vehicles and 2015–2017 Fiesta cars.

The move follows owner complaints about drops in oil pressure and a resulting loss of power, with some cases escalating to complete engine failure. According to the regulator, fragments from the rubber timing belt, which operates in an oil bath, can accumulate in the lubrication system. These particles may clog the oil pickup, triggering oil starvation and ultimately seizing the engine.

Authorities have recorded 44 reports, all involving cars with manual gearboxes. That count stands out against the recall of nearly 140,000 vehicles with automatic transmissions in 2023. At the time, Ford acknowledged an issue with the oil pump belt tensioner linked to a different vibration profile in automatic versions.

Previously, the absence of a balance shaft in manual models was cited as the reason those cars were not included in the recall. Now, however, NHTSA does not rule out a more systemic issue. Potential actions could affect around 10,000 vehicles.

In the U.S., Ford has long stepped away from the Fiesta and Focus in favor of crossovers, yet this EcoBoost story remains a telling sign for the used-car market—attention to how belts run in oil and what that means over time is unlikely to fade.