FordFocus2016Overview/ford/focus/2016/base/

2016 Ford Focus

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 Focus.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2016 Ford Focus is a passenger car whose power‑train ranks as the most frequent source of owner complaints across its lineage. In its model year it generated 1,186 total owner complaints, a figure that sits well below the 2000 peak of 3,881 yet above the 1999 low of 11, and it was subject to 11 recalls. Consequently, the 2016 model reflects a mid‑range reliability position within the 1999‑2018 spectrum, suggesting modest but not negligible durability concerns.

Model year201820172016201520142013201220112010

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI NS · 760 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI NS · 760 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size225/50R17OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

BatteryBAGM48H6760

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length171.7 in
Overall width72 in
Overall height57.9 in
Wheelbase104.3 in
Curb weight2926 lb
Track (front / rear)61 / 60.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Focus of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

4.5–11.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 4.50 sec — 2016 RS 5-door Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2016RS 5-door Hatchback 2.3L Turbo I-44.50 sec13.30 sec350 hpAWD
2016RS 5-door Hatchback 2.3L Turbo I-44.60 sec13.40 sec350 hpAWD
2016RS 5-door Hatchback 2.3L Turbo I-44.60 sec13.40 sec350 hpAWD
2016RS 5-door Hatchback 2.3L Turbo I-44.70 sec13.40 sec350 hpAWD
2016RS 5-door Hatchback 2.3L Turbo I-44.80 sec13.60 sec350 hpAWD
2016RS 5-door Hatchback 2.3L Turbo I-45.00 sec13.60 sec350 hpAWD
2016Titanium 5-door Hatchback 2.0L I-48.50 sec16.50 sec160 hpFWD
2016SE 1.0L EcoBoost Sedan 1.0L Turbo I-39.70 sec17.20 sec123 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 21.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity1.3-2.0
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity1.9
Brake FluidDOT 4
Clutch FluidDOT 4
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Engine Coolant Capacity15.8 qt
Engine Coolant Capacity6.8 qt
Engine Coolant Capacity6.1 qt

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts7.4
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14.7
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head BoltsUniformly tighten fasteners. ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14.7
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head BoltsInstall new studs: 30 ft/lbs.
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug21.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap.028 in
Spark Plug Torque9 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap.035 in
Spark Plug Torque11 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.33 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.20-4.90 oz
RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.33 lbs
Oil Capacity5.20 oz

Service checks

Pressure Test21 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief17-21 psi
Residual Pressure82-102 engine running psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)72.5
Intake Valve Lash0.008-0.011 in
Intake Valve Lash0.009-0.013 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.012-0.016 in
Intake Valve Lash0.007-0.012 in

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 21; Rear: 21 /
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 129; Rear: 52 /; Front: 129; Rear: 52
ABS Sensor Torque7.0 / NS
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.118; Rear: 0.118 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .906; Rear: .354
Maximum Rotor Runout.002
Maximum Drum DiameterFront: NA; Rear:

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
166.0
Front Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
159.0 ft. lbs., 90 degrees. Do not tighten with vehicle on ground or bearings loaded.59 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Use new bolts coated with clean engine oil. Tighten all bolts to finger tight then continue on with the following procedure.

15.17 ft. lbs.5.17 ft. lbs
211.0 ft. lbs.11 ft. lbs
333.0 ft. lbs.33 ft. lbs
490 degrees90 degrees
590 degrees90 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Use new bolts coated with clean engine oil. Tighten all bolts to finger tight then continue on with the following procedure.

15.17 ft. lbs.5.17 ft. lbs
211.0 ft. lbs.11 ft. lbs
333.0 ft. lbs.33 ft. lbs
490 degrees90 degrees
590 degrees90 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 6 stages

Prep Do not reuse any bolts. Coat new bolts with specified engine oil

17.4 ft. lbs.7.4 ft. lbs
230 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
3Back off bolts 45 degrees45 degrees
422.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
590 degrees90 degrees
690 degrees90 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 10,000 miBrake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
Every 20,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 100,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Hybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant) · Timing Belt (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 200,000 miHybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2016 Ford Focus lands in the latter phase of a generation cycle that opened with a severe reliability crisis in 2012, when complaints spiked to 3,789 units—over thirty times the volume of the prior year. While 2016's 1,186 complaints reflect a significant decline from the 2012-2014 peak, they represent a reversal of the prior year's improvement, rising from 1,020 complaints in 2015 before dropping again to 889 in 2017. Power Train failures dominate the 2016 dataset with 507 complaints, though the federal records do not specify the underlying mechanical cause of these defects. With 11 recalls and 215 technical service bulletins—substantially higher than the 139 TSBs issued for 2015—this model year sits at a volatility point where service activity remains elevated despite declining complaint volumes. Given these sustained elevated risk metrics and the unresolved Power Train complaint concentration, 2016 is a marginal choice that offers slight improvement over earlier production years but remains well above the reliability baseline established in the previous generation.

11
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
215
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1,186
Owner complaints
27 involved a crash · 3 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1,186 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train507
Fuel/Propulsion System82
Engine81
Unknown Or Other53
Power Train,Engine41
Engine & Engine Cooling40
Fuel System, Gasoline39
Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System25

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 10 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V735000Fuel System, Gasoline:StorageReported 22/10/2018

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… 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…

18V845000Power Train:Manual TransmissionReported 28/11/2018

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with a 1.0L Fox GTDI engine and a 6-speed manual transmission. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission… Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update vehicles with software that detects and prevents prolonged clutch slip, and will replace the clutch, as necessary, free of charge…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 215 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
25B512026-05-08EngineCertain 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco, 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco Sport, 2020-2022 Model…
25H05 S12026-04-29Electrical SystemHarvest Program 25H05 – Supplement #1 Certain 2011-2021 Model Year Vehicles Software…
25N172026-03-25Unknown Or OtherAdvance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year…
25E052026-03-03Power TrainCertain 2015 - 2018 Model Year Focus Vehicles with 1.0L Engine Canister Purge Valve (CPV)…
SSM 546012026-02-23Electrical SystemFord and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Focus. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2016 Focus have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 11 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.