Ford Focus Complaints (2004)
387 consumer complaints on file.
- #10293036November 20, 2009SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE SEATING IN A BOOSTER SEAT IN THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR SEAT, THE CHILD WAS ABLE TO TIE THE SEAT BELT AROUND HIS HEAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY JUST LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND SUGGESTED THE CONSUMER CONTACTED NHTSA. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 85342. UPDATED 12/22/09.*LJ THE CONSUMER HAD TO CUT THE STRAP. UPDATED 12/29/09.*JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10290211October 29, 2009EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE PREPARING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE BURNING AND MELTING OF THE TURN SIGNAL BULB SOCKET. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $300.00. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON A THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND REIMBURSED FOR THE PRIOR SERVICE REPAIR. ALSO, PERFORMED ONE FREE REMEDY REPAIR ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10287055October 12, 2009LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
KEY WILL NOT TURN ON IGNITION WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR NOR WILL THE STEERING WHEEL TURN AT ALL!!!, COMPLETELY LOCKED IGNITION CAR IS ONLY FIVE YEARS OLD AND NOT DRIVEN VERY MUCH W/ ONLY 68K MILES ON IT!, 2004 FORD FOCUS ZX3. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10286716October 7, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH, STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
I HAVE TWO ISSUES WITH MY FORD FOCUS (2004) FIRST, I RAN INTO A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH AND IT WILL NOT TURN. I LEFT THE KEY IN FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS WHEN THIS INITIALLY HAPPENED BUT, IT WORE OUT MY ALTERNATOR AND I HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED. I REMOVED THE KEY ONCE THE NEW ALTERNATOR WAS INSTALLED. I HAD SOME MINOR SUCCESS WITH INSERTING THE KEY AND HAD TO BANG ON IT WITH MY HAND TO GET IT TO TURN. THIS WORKED SUCCESSFULLY FOR 2 WEEKS. THE IGNITION SWITCH IS NOW FROZEN. I AM BACK TO SQUARE ONE. SECONDLY, THE TRUNK LATCH DOESN'T CLOSE PROPERLY AND I HAVE TO USE MY REMOTE TO REOPEN THE MECHANISM IN ORDER TO GET IT TO CLOSE. VERY AGGRAVATING. I WILL NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER FORD IF THESE ISSUES ARE NOT RECALLED. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10286376October 5, 2009VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE VEHICLE HAS 54,000MI AND DRIVEN WITHIN NORMAL DRIVING LIMITS. THE HINGE PEG THAT CREATES A PIVOT POINT FOR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BROKE ON ONE END CAUSING IT TO FALL COMPLETELY OUT OF THE PEDAL AND BRACKET. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON A BUSY ROAD DURING RUSH HOUR AND CAUSE COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL TO ACCELERATE. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT YET BEEN CORRECTED HAPPENING ONLY HOURS AGO. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10284850September 22, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I OWN A 2004 FORD FOCUS ZX5, I WENT INTO WORK, CAME OUT AND FOUND MY IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED, THE KEY WOULD NOT BUDGE, THE BRAKE WOULDN'T EVEN PUSH IN ALL THE WAY, AS WELL AS MY CAR WOULDN'T COME OUT OF PARK. I LOOKED UP THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND SAW IT WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND I'M VERY DISPLEASE THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN. I BOUGHT THIS CAR ABOUT A YEAR AGO FROM A DEALERSHIP! I'M GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE MY CAR TO A LOCKSMITH OR DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THE ENTIRE IGNITION SYSTEM REPLACED. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10282708September 2, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS LEFT STRANDED ONE EVENING WHEN THE KEY WOULDN'T TURN IN THE IGNITION OF HER 2004 FORD FOCUS SO SHE COULDN'T GET THE CAR STARTED. I HAD JUST SIGNED UP FOR A CLASS AT OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE AT A CAMPUS 25+ MILES AWAY. I WAS IN CLASS WITH MY PHONE OFF, SO I COULDN'T HELP HER. IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR A YOUNG GIRL TO BE STRANDED ANYWHERE. IN ADDITION, WE LIVE IN TEXAS WHERE WE'RE UP TO 65 DAYS OF TEMPERATURES IN THE TRIPLE DIGITS. THIS COULD BE A MAJOR HEALTH CONCERN FOR ANYONE WHO BECAME STRANDED IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY. I UNDERSTAND THIS PROBLEM IS QUITE COMMON IN 2000-2004 MODELS. WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO GET SOMEONE TO GET THE KEY TO TURN SO SHE COULD DRIVE HOME. HOWEVER, ONCE THERE, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. WE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. THEN I LEARNED THAT THE PART WASN'T EVEN COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY I HAD PURCHASED. FOR WHATEVER REASON, FORD DOESN'T CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND HAS FAILED TO ISSUE A RECALL. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10282035August 28, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
IGNITION COMPLETELY LOCKED UP. I COULD NOT START CAR. I WAS STRANDED AND HAD TO GET TOWED TO A FORD DEALER. COST WAS $500 TO FIX. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10281636August 25, 2009POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ON 8/19/09, I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 FORD FOCUS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING, IT FELT LIKE PRESSURE (OR HAVING TO FORCE CAR TO GO) WITH MY FOOT ON GAS PEDAL. AFTER I EASED MY FOOT OFF GAS PEDAL, CAR WOULD SWITCH IN TO GEAR. THIS SAME PATTERN OF PRESSURE AND EASING FOOT OFF GAS PEDAL SO THAT CAR WOULD GO INTO GEAR HAPPENED EACH TIME I WOULD MAKE A STOP. CAR IS CURRENTLY AT SHEEHY FORD DEALERSHIP AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED WITH 2ND AND 4TH GEAR NOT WORKING & THAT I COULD NOT DRIVE CAR HOME UNTIL TRANSMISSION IS REPLACED BECAUSE ALSO TRANSMISSION IS READY TO FALL OUT OF CAR DUE TO WEAK SUPPORT IS HOLDING TRANSMISSION IN PLACE. CAR HAS APPROX ONLY 83,000 MILES. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10279500August 5, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2004 FORD FOCUS KEY IGNITION IS A FAULTY DESIGN IN SEEMINGLY ALL FOCUS MODELS ACCORDING TO MY DEALER AND MANY SOURCES. THIS LEFT ME STRANDED IN 100 DEGREE WEATHER WITH MY PET AND NO IDEA WHAT TO DO. THE REPAIR IS QUOTED AT $550 TO REPLACE IT AT THE DEALER AND FORD HAS DONE NOTHING TO RECALL THEIR POORLY DESIGNED IGNITION. MY DEALER SAID EVERY FORD FOCUS WILL EVENTUALLY NEED THIS REPAIRED, WHY THEN ISN'T FORD ACCOUNTABLE? *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10279527August 5, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT
IGNITION AND STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED UP WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN WHILE HEADING OUT ON MY LUNCH BREAK. I'M REALLY DISTURBED THAT THE NHTSA HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO MAKE THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY FIX THIS PROBLEM WHICH IS A CHRONIC, WELL-DOCUMENTED SAFETY HAZARD. MY CAR IS NOW COMPLETELY IMMOBILE AND HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO MY RESIDENCE. LUCKILY MY FATHER IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIX IT, BUT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE THIS OPTION AND HAVE TO SPEND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX A PROBLEM CAUSED BY FAULTY MATERIALS KNOWINGLY USED BY FORD. I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10278836July 30, 2009LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
1. THERE WAS NO WARNING SIGN 2. MY KEY WOULDN'T TURN THE IGNITION, I WAS STUCK AT MY JOB 11:00 PM. 3. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIPS AND HAD THE IGNITION REPLACED COSTING ME $382.00. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10277284July 18, 2009STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I TRIED TO START MY 2004 FORD FOCUS ZX3 ONE NIGHT ONLY TO FIND THAT THE STEERING WHEEL AND IGNITION WERE LOCKED UP. IT FELT AS IF THE WHOLE STEERING MECHANISM WAS FROZEN. I'M STILL RESEARCHING HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUES SINCE I CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR. ON-LINE RESOURCES HAVE TAUGHT ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD FOCUS' YET THERE IS NO RECALL AVAILABLE AND WE ARE STUCK PAYING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10276582July 13, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THERE IS A DEFECT WHICH CAUSES THE IGNITION LOCK TO FAIL, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE KEY OR START THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE. THE FORM SAYS IT'S INVALID BUT I CHECKED BOTH PLACES IN THE CAR AND THAT IS WHAT IT SAYS. THE FORM DID NOT HAVE, "ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION," AS AN OPTION FOR COMPONENT NAME WHICH BETTER DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM AREA. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10275366June 30, 2009AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WAS INVOLVED IN REAR-ENDING A CHEVROLET IMPALA STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS GOING 55-60 MPH AND HIT THE BRAKES AT THE LAST SECOND. AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED AND HAD $7000-8000 WORTH OF FRONT END DAMAGE. THE ONLY THING I SUFFERED FROM WAS WHIPLASH. *TR
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10275093June 27, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2004 FORD FOCUS - KEY WILL NOT TURN IN IGNITION. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS 6/27/09 @ 1:15 AM, LEAVING MOVIE THEATER, HAD TO LEAVE VEHICLE THERE. AGAIN @ 7 AM (FINALLY GOT CAR CRANKED AFTER 15 MINUTES). WHEN GOT HOME THIS OCCURRED AGAIN. REPEATED TIMES. CANNOT CRANK VEHICLE WITH KEY IN IGNITION. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10274775June 23, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
OUR 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER STOPPED AT A SEVEN-ELEVEN STORE AND WHEN SHE TRIED TO RETURN HOME THE IGNITION KEY IN OUR 2004 FORD FOCUS WOULD NOT TURN. THIS LEFT OUR DAUGHTER STRANDED AND REQUIRED HER TO WAIT FOR A TOW TRUCK. BEING A 17 YEAR OLD GIRL STRANDED OUTSIDE A SEVEN-ELEVEN WAS NOT A GOOD FEELING! I BELIEVE FORD IS AWARE OF MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEIR FOCUS IGNITION LOCKS. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10274187June 17, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2004 FORD FOCUS. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION AND THE IGNITION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO TONS OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR AND ISSUE AND FORD HAS NOT RECALLED IT BECAUSE THEY ARE CHEAP.*TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10272893June 4, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE VEHICLE IGNITION STARTER FAILS TO START THE VEHICLE. YOU MUST HIT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION IN ORDER TO ACTUALLY START THE CAR. THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME THAT I ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE THAT RECURS EVEN AFTER YOU REPLACE THE PARTS. THIS IS A MECHANICAL ERROR THAT WILL CONSTANTLY BREAK DOWN. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10272460May 31, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1. FORD FOCUS (2004) HAS FOR THE PAST MONTH HAD TROUBLE WITH THE KEY TURNING IN THE IGNITION. APPARENTLY IT IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE AND FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. HOWEVER, I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE THAT BEING STRANDED SOMEWHERE AT NIGHT IS VERY MUCH A SAFETY ISSUE - WHETHER OR NOT FORD ADMITS THIS POSSIBILITY. 2. THE KEY DOES NOT TURN BECAUSE OF A DEFECT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH (OR SO I'VE READ ONLINE). THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED THOUSANDS OF TIMES ACCORDING TO ONLINE COMPLAINTS AND PETITIONS, WITHOUT FORD RECOGNIZING IT AND TAKING ACTION. THIS PROBLEM RENDERS THE CAR COMPLETELY UNUSABLE UNTIL FIXED AND THE REPAIR CAN BE VERY COSTLY AND TIME CONSUMING. IT IS MOST CERTAINLY A SAFETY ISSUE - WHAT IS SAFE ABOUT BEING UNABLE TO START ONE'S CAR IF ONE IS ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, AT NIGHT IN AN UNKNOWN CITY, ETC? 3. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET BECAUSE I AM WAITING TO SEE IF FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE CAN EXPLAIN WHY THE COMPANY REFUSES TO ADMIT THE ISSUE AND REIMBURSE IT'S CUSTOMERS FOR THEIR FAULTY DESIGN. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0