Ford Focus Complaints (2008)
250 consumer complaints on file.
- #11082074March 29, 2018SERVICE BRAKES
THE BREAK MASTER CYLINDER HAS BEEN LEAKING SINCE 70,000 MILES. SINCE THEN, THE BREAK OIL HAS BEEN ADDING WHENEVER A PARKING BREAK LIGHT WAS TURNED ON. I HAVE DRIVEN MORE THAN 10 DIFFERENT USED AND NEW CARS IN DOMESTIC AND IMPORT. THIS IS FIRST TIME TO HAVE THE BREAK MASTER CYLINDER ISSUE. IT IS NOW 156,000 MILES. THE LEAKING BREAK OIL SEEMED TO BE DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF THE BREAK PUSHING. THE OIL DOESN'T SEEM TO BE LEAKING WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARKING. FOR EXAMPLE, I PARKED THE CAR MORE THAN 3 WEEKS BECAUSE I TRAVELED. WHEN I CAME BACK, I DIDN'T NOTICE THE BREAK OIL LEVEL CHANGED. THE SHORTEST REFILLING THE BREAK OIL WAS WITHIN A WEEK. ONE OCCASION, IT LASTED OVER 3 MONTH. THERE WAS NO CAR ACCIDENT INVOLVED IN THIS CAR. THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MODIFICATION DONE ON ANY OF THE PART. THIS WAS EXACTLY THE SAME CAR THAT CAME OUT FROM THE FACTORY. THE DRIVING CONDITION WAS USUALLY A CITY BOUNDARY WITH WELL PAVED ROAD. THE LONGEST DRIVING WAS 300 MILES. THE LEAKING OIL USUALLY WENT DOWN CLUTCH PEDAL THAT MADE THE PEDAL SLIPPERY. IF I HAD A HAND TOWEL TO ABSORB THE LEAKING OIL, I HAD TO CHANGE IT ONCE A MONTH OR TWO MONTH. THE BREAK OIL DIDN'T SEEM TO LEAK OUTSIDE OF THE CABIN. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS CLEAN AND DRY.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11060681January 5, 2018UNKNOWN OR OTHER
STARTING ISSUES RELATED TO IGNITION HOUSING AND OR SWITCH. HAD TO PAY $500 TO HAVE REPLACED. WAS TOLD BY REPAIR SHOP THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD VEHICLES ESPECIALLY THE FOCUS SERIES. THERE ARE ALSO NUMEROUS YOUTUBE VIDEOS DOCUMENTING THE SAME ISSUE AS WELL AS SEVERAL FORUMS AND ARTICLES THAT CAN ALL BE FOUND WITH AN EASY SEARCH ON THE WEB. MY CAR STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING AT AROUND 100,000 MILES UNTIL IT WOULD START AT ALL.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11047947November 21, 2017SUSPENSION, WHEELS
I HAVE REPLACED THE TIRES ON THIS VEHICLE 5 TIMES IN 6 YEARS. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED IN 2010, ONLY 2 YEARS OLD, AND THE FIRST SET OF TIRES WAS REPLACED IN 2011. EACH TIME THE TIRES ARE REPLACED IT'S BECAUSE THERE IS ABNORMAL WEAR ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRES; SO MUCH DAMAGE, THE STEEL RADIAL FROM TIRES IS STICKING OUT. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED NEW SWAY BAR LINKS; REPLACED THOSE AS WELL, BUT HAVE SINCE PUT ANOTHER NEW SET OF TIRES ON THIS CAR. WHEN I REPLACED THESE TIRES, I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE 3 LUG NUTS WHICH WERE BROKEN AS WELL. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM; MANY OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS SAME ISSUE. TWO MECHANICS HAVE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THE TIRES TO WEAR PREMATURELY AND UNEVENLY, AND I STILL HAVE NO ANSWER. MY TIRES WHICH ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD FOR 45,000 MILES OR MORE, DEPENDING ON WHAT I BUY, AND NO MATTER WHAT BRAND I BUY, NONE HAVE LASTED 20,000 MILES. THE ONLY OPTION I HAVE IS TO REPLACE MY TIRES APPROXIMATELY ONCE A YEAR WHICH IS UNACCEPTABLE. I REFUSE TO SPEND MONEY REPLACING PARTS TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM BY "PROCESS OF ELIMINATION" BECAUSE NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IS. THE PREMATURE, UNEVEN TIRE WEAR IS SIMPLY A "SYMPTOM" OF A DEFECT THAT NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY. THE FIRST THING YOU WILL NOTICE IS THE VIBRATION; WHICH CONTINUES TO GET WORSE EVEN AFTER ALIGNMENTS AND TIRE ROTATIONS. ALSO, THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT WILL GO ON BECAUSE THE TIRES LOSE AIR SINCE THEY ARE WEARING PREMATURELY AND UNEVENLY. ONCE THIS STARTS HAPPENING, YOU MAY AS WELL START SAVING FOR A NEW SET OF TIRES; UNLESS FORD COMES CLEAN AND ADMITS THE DEFECT AND DOES A RECALL; BUT DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH. ON THIS FORM, THERE IS A QUESTION THAT SAYS "WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?" I HAD TO CHOOSE A YEAR SO I JUST PICKED ONE; IT HAS HAPPENED IN 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, AND 2016.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11035717October 23, 2017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
OUR CAR IN 2017 WHILE DRIVING ON ROAD SUDDENLY STOPPED WITH ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ON. CAR GOT STUCK AND WE COULD NOT START ENGINE IN NEXT FEW MINS. AFTER FEW MINS EVERYTHING BACK TO NORMAL. WE STARTED DRIVING AGAIN. AND DID NOT HAVE THAT PROBLEM AGAIN FOR A WHILE. FAST FORWARD TO OCTOBER 2018 IT HAS DONE IT 3 TIMES NOW WHERE THE LIGHTS COME ON WHILE DRIVING AND IT DIES NO POWER AT ALL I HAVE TO PUT IN PARK AND TURN OFF. IT THEN NORMALLY STARTS RIGHT UP AGAIN. THIS STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC IN BUSY STREETS NEVER KNOW WHEN IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. TOOK CAR TO LOCAL SHOP. THEY SAID SERIOUS PROBLEM BIT WHERE THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE. NEXT WENT TO FORD DEALER. SAME ISSUE HAPPENED IN FRONT OF THEM . THEY TOLD ME IT COULD BE IGNITION AS IT WAS OFF A LITTLE BUT THAT IT WOULD NOT START SO THAT WOULD NOT BE THE PROBLEM WITH IT DYING WHILE DRIVING. BUT AGAIN SAME PROBLEM. WE CALLED THEM AGAIN AND THIS TIME THEY HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WHILE DRIVING CAR BACK TO SHOP. BUT AFTER GOING THERE THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE PROBLEM. SO THEY SAID TO TAKE CAR BACK BUT ADVISED TO BE CAREFUL WHILE DRIVING AS CAR MIGHT STOP ANYTIME
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11034136October 17, 2017STRUCTURE:BODY, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR OPENED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. A LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11029932September 26, 2017AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH LITHIA FORD OF KLAMATH FALLS (2833 WASHBURN WAY, KLAMATH FALLS, OR 97603) WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO TSB OR RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V541000 (AIR BAGS). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11024677September 20, 2017ENGINE, SEAT BELTS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I HAVE AN 2008 FORD FOCUS SE I BOUGHT IN 2016 AND HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH PASSENGER SEAT BELT NOT LOCKING IN PLACE, DOORS NOT LOCKING/UNLOCKING PASSENGER SIDE, AND THE BIGGEST PROBLEM I HAVE EXPERIENCED TWICE IS THE ENGINE REVVENING UP AND MAKING STRANGE NOISES LIKE IT IS GOING TO BLOW UP THE CAR DOES NOT INCREASE WITH SPEED BUT ENGINE REVS AND WHEN BRAKING THE REV WILL SPEED UP THEN DECREASE TO BREAK. PLEASE RECALL BEFORE I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT!!!!!
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11022069September 7, 2017SEAT BELTS
THE DRIVER SEAT BELT NO LONGER BUCKLES. IT WILL GO INTO THE HOLSTER BUT DOES NOT CLICK.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11010646July 25, 2017UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DOOR LOCKS STICK AND LOCK. VARIES WITH TEMPERATURE/DUST. UNKNOWN ACTUAL CAUSE BUT HAPPENS TO BACK DOORS. SOMETIMES DRIVERS SIDE SOMETIMES PASSENGER. MOST RECENT BACK DOORS ARE UNLOCKED AGAIN BUT DRIVERS SIDE FRONT WILL NOT OPEN FROM OUTSIDE BUT WILL FROM INSIDE. WHEN IT WAS BACK DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUT. DOES NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF MOVING OR NOT. THIS STARTED WITH THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND THEN SWITCHED TO DRIVER SIDE OVER A YEAR AGO AND HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR ME. THE PASSENGER SIDE FINALLY RELEASED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO BUT DRIVERS SIDE WAS STILL LOCKED. AFTER A TRIP SHOPPING I HIT THE LOCK SWITCH BY ACCIDENT AND DOOR UNLOCKED. AFTER I OPENED THE DOOR IT DID NOT WANT TO LATCH. I FINALLY GOT IT TO CLOSE AFTER MESSING WITH THE LOCK BETWEEN COMPRESSED AIR, PB BLASTER AND GREASE. BOTH BACK DOORS ARE FREE NOW BUT MY DRIVERS SIDE FRONT DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE NOW. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE LOCKED BUT ITS NOT WORKING RIGHT. THE BACK PASSENGER WAS VERY SIMILAR BUT IT FREED ITSELF. NOT SO SURE I WILL HAVE ANY LUCK WITH THE NEW ISSUE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11002682July 2, 2017UNKNOWN OR OTHER
IGNITION SWITCH THE CAR IS HARD TO START GOT TO PUSH KEY IN TO START
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10980968April 26, 2017UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DOOR LATCH WILL NOT CLOSE.DOOR BOUNCED OPEN UPON TRYING TO CLOSE IT. THIS IS THE 3RD DOOR LATCH! NEEDS TO BE RECALLED!!!
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10979286April 19, 2017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE STATIONARY. UPON INSERTING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE DOES NOT START. THIS OCCURS WITH SEVERAL TURNS OF THE IGNITION. ONCE THE KEY IS STRONGLY INSERTED OR WIGGLES AROUND THE ENGINE STARTS. RECENTLY DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY IGNITION CYLINDER. IT HAPPENS DAILY!
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10972345April 13, 2017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
OUR CAR IN FEB 2017 WHILE DRIVING ON ROAD SUDDENLY STOPPED WITH ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ON. CAR GOT STUCK AND WE COULD NOT START ENGINE IN NEXT FEW MINS. AFTER FEW MINS EVERYTHING BACK TO NORMAL. WE STARTED DRIVING AGAIN. SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. TOOK CAR TO LOCAL SHOP. THEY SAID SERIOUS PROBLEM BIT WHERE THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE. NEXT WENT TO INVERGROVE FORD DEALER. SAME ISSUE HAPPENED IN FRONT OF THEM . THEY DID SOMETHING. GAVE CAR BACK. BUT AGAIN SAME PROBLEM. WE CALLED THEM AGAIN AND THIS TIME THEY HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WHILE DRIVING CAR BACK TO SHOP. BUT AFTER GOING THERE THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE PROBLEM. SO THEY SAID TO TAKE CAR BACK BUT ADVISED TO BE CAREFUL WHILE DRIVING AS CAR MIGHT STOP ANYTIME
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10968965March 28, 2017STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR HAD TO BE SECURED WITH A ROPE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10968458March 25, 2017AIR BAGS
I WAS DRIVING A FORD FOCUS 2008 AT APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MPH IN TRAFFIC AND DROVE DIRECTLY INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE WITHOUT BREAKING. THE OTHER VEHICLE, A LEXUS SEDAN WAS STOPPED. THE FORD FOCUS WAS UP TO DATE ON ALL SAFETY INSPECTIONS AND AIRBAGS WERE SET ON. IN SPITE OF THIS, NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND I SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY FROM THE COLLISION.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10954477February 14, 2017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. AFTER INSERTING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND TURNING THE SWITCH, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10948392January 30, 2017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED IN 2012 FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10946882January 21, 2017STRUCTURE:BODY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
HAVE PROBLEMS WITH PASSENGER DOOR AND BOTH REAR DOORS. DOOR WON'T LATCH AT TIMES AND POWER DOOR LOCK WON'T LOCK AT TIMES AND SOMETIMES WON'T UNLOCK OR BOTH.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10939245January 3, 2017SERVICE BRAKES
ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AND HITTING A BUMP AT THE SAME TIME THE PETAL WENT ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. THE FOURTH TIME THE PETAL DROPPED NEARLY TO THE FLOOR DURING HARD BRAKING. WITH THE ENGINE OFF PUMPING THE BRAKES A COUPLE OF TIMES THE PETAL CAME FIRMLY TO THE TOP. APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE PETAL AND TURNING ON THE ENGINE THE PETAL DROPPED NEARLY TO THE FLOOR. PUMPING THE PETAL SEVERAL TIMES RETURNED THE PETAL TO THE NORMAL OPERATING POSITION.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10939283January 3, 2017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
SWITCH TO START VEHICLE IS "STICKING" WHEN IT WORKS OR NOT STARTING AFTER 15+ ATTEMPTS. VERY ANNOYING & PERHAPS DANGEROUS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR. THE POP FEATURE, I BELIEVE , IS NOT ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO START OR REMOVE THE KEY. CAR LESS THAN 80K MILES. OTHERWISE, LOVE THE CAR. CAR HASNT BEEN FIXED OR REPAIRED YET, LOOKING FOR RE-CALLS BC SEEMS TO BE A COMMON SITUATION.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0