Ford Focus Complaints

22,326 consumer complaints on file.

#10259371February 19, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
KEY KEEPS GETTING STUCK IN IGNITION, HAVING TO LEAVE KEY IN CAR. HAPPENS MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE DAY AND DURING THE WEEK. WILL HAVE THE IGNITION REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259220February 18, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, A FOCUS, I TRIED TO STOP FOR A RED LIGHT; WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR ACCELERATED MOMENTARILY. I PUSHED HARDER ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR DID STOP. HOWEVER, THIS HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH (MID JANUARY TO MID FEBRUARY, 2009), AND THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED, I CAME WITHIN INCHES OF REAR-ENDING A STOPPED CAR.--THIS WAS AFTER I LEFT ABOUT DOUBLE THE STOPPING SPACE THAT WOULD BE NORMAL FOR A STOP.. THE CAR IS NOW AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SECOND TIME AND THEY ARE TRYING TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM,WITH NO LUCK SO FAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258944February 17, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
BATTERY POSITIVE TERMINAL CORROSION ON MY 2001 FORD FOCUS HAVE REPLACED BATTERY TWICE AND ALTERNATOR ONCE BECAUSE OF NO START, DEAD BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR. BATTERY CABLE SHOWS BATTERY CORROSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259102February 17, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I WENT SHOPPING GOT IN MY CAR AND PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND I COULDN'T TURN THE KEY BECAUSE THE IGNITION WAS LOCKED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259127February 17, 2009
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
WINDOWS FELL DOWN WHILE DRIVING DRIVER WINDOW AND BOTH BACK WINDOWS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258707February 15, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
KEY IGNITION WILL NOT TURN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258647February 14, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2003 FORD FOCUS ZX3 IGNITION RANDOMLY FAILS. INSERT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND IT WILL NOT TURN. YOU CANNOT START YOUR CAR FOR AN INDETERMINABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. MAJOR FLAW IN FORD IGNITIONS WITH NO REMEDY FROM FORD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258547February 13, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1-2. IGNITION ON MY FORD FOCUS HAS LOCKED UP; APPARENTLY THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT ALMOST EVERY FOCUS OWNER HAS. THE KEY CANNOT BE TURNED, SO THE CAR WILL NOT START, LEAVING ME STRANDED WHEREVER MY CAR HAPPENS TO BE. SINCE I DRIVE BACK AND FORTH TO SCHOOL SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR (A 4 HOUR DRIVE) THIS LEAVES THE POTENTIAL TO BE STRANDED IN BACKCOUNTRY INDIANA AT ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT, WITH NO WAY TO START MY CAR AND NO ONE I KNOW NEARBY TO PICK ME UP. 3. I WILL BE REPLACING THE IGNITION CYLINDER TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, SINCE ALL FORD FOCUS 2000-2003 IGNITION CYLINDERS ARE DEFECTIVE AND HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM, IT IS VERY LIKELY TO HAPPEN AGAIN, AND INSTEAD OF BEING STRANDED AT A FRIEND'S APARTMENT, I MIGHT BE STRANDED MUCH FARTHER FROM HOME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258557February 13, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I DROVE MY CAR TO WORK THURSDAY MORNING AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FINE WITH THE CAR AND IGNITION. AS I TRIED TO CRANK MY CAR TO GO TO LUNCH THAT DAY, I NOTICED THAT I COULD INSERT MY KEY INTO THE IGNITION BUT COULD NOT TURN IT TO START THE CAR. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE SINCE THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. I HAD TO CALL AAA FOR THEM TO SEND A LOCKSMITH OUT TO REPAIR MY IGNITION SWITCH IN MY CAR. I HAVE ALREADY HEARD SO MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND NOT EVEN THREE MONTHS AGO, MY MOM WHO HAS THE EXACT SAME MAKE AND MODEL CAR AS ME, HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO HER. MY BROTHER HAS THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL CAR AS ME ALSO AND NOW I AM WORRIED HE IS GOING TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE OCCUR TO HIM SOON TOO. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258564February 13, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WON'T COME OUT. I HAVE TO REMOVE ONE OF THE BATTERY CABLE FROM THE BATTERY, REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, THEN REPLACE THE BATTERY CABLE BACK. THIS HAS HAPPEN MORE THAN ONCE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258437February 12, 2009
AIR BAGS
RECENTLY, MY 2007 FORD FOCUS SES WAGON BEGAN EXHIBITING A PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM. WITH MY WIFE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT ON THE DASH WILL ILLUMINATE INDICATING THAT THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IF WE WERE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. THIS OCCURS AT RANDOM TIMES. I HAVE TWICE HAD THIS VEHICLE IN TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR DURING THE FIRST TWO YEARS WE OWNED THE VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING REGULARLY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS. IF THE INDICATOR DOES ILLUMINATE AND THE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ARE SUCH THAT WE CAN DO THIS SAFELY, MY WIFE CAN UNBUCKLE THE SEAT BELT AND LET IT RETRACT. SHE CAN THEN RE-BUCKLE HER SEAT BELT AND THE INDICATOR WILL TURN OFF. OUR TRIPS HAVE BEEN SHORT ENOUGH THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE LIGHT TURN BACK ON SO I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS RESOLVES THE ISSUE FOR THAT PARTICULAR TRIP OR IF IT WOULD TURN BACK ON IF THE TRIP WERE LONGER. SOMETHING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT CONTROLS SEEMS TO BE BAD. WHETHER THAT IS THE PASSENGER WEIGHT SENSOR, THE SEAT BELT SENSOR, OR THE CONTROL MODULE CANNOT BE DETERMINED AS WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET TO THE DEALER WHEN THIS OCCURS SINCE MOST OFTEN IT IS THE EVENING WHEN MY WIFE IS WITH ME. BY THAT TIME, THE DEALER IS CLOSED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258506February 12, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. THE SAME MAJOR PROBLEM EVERYONE ELSE IS HAVING WITH THE FORD FOCUSES. IGNITION CYLINDER LOCKED UP ON ME WITHOUT WARNING. STOPPED TO GET GAS AND WHEN I WENT TO PUT KEY BACK INTO IGNITION IT WOULDN'T EVEN GO IN AT FIRST. I THOUGH I WAS IN THE WRONG CAR. FINALLY FORCED KEY IN IGNITION. IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME BUT I FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO FINALLY JIGGLE IT FREE AND GET ENGINE STARTED. FIRST WARNING SIGN WAS IN 2006 WHEN IT TEMPORARILY GAVE ME A PROBLEM, BUT NOW IT WAS BEING A CONSTANT PROBLEM. I HAD DONE MY RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AS WELL AND CALLED AROUND TO DIFFERENT LOCKSMITHS. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE VEH TO A LOCKSMITH AND HAVE A NEW IGNITION CYLINDER REPLACED. THEY DID NOT HAVE TO REPROGRAM THE KEYS AS I SEE FORD IS CHARGING ALL OF THESE PEOPLE BESIDES THEIR RIDICULOUS LABOR ON THEIR DEFECTIVE PARTS, IN WHICH THEY ARE STILL REPLACING DEFECTIVE PARTS. IT COST ME UNDER $100 TO HAVE REPAIRED WITH REASSURANCE THE IGNITION WOULD OUTLAST ANY KEYS THAT I HAVE TO THE VEH. FORD IS PATHETIC FOR NOT ADMITTING THIS DEFECT AND HAVING A RECALL. YES IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE!!!!!! WHEN YOU NEVER KNOW THAT UNSUSPECTING YOUR KEYS LOCK UP AND WON'T TURN THE IGNITION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258522February 12, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
YESTERDAY, FEB. 11, 2009, I CAME HOME FROM SCHOOL, PARKED, AND TURNED OFF MY CAR(2000 FORD FOCUS) ONLY TO FIND THAT MY KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. SO IN TURN I JUST LEFT THE KEY THERE OBVIOUSLY AND WENT IN MY HOUSE. FOLLOWING DAY BEFORE SCHOOL I TRY ONCE MORE TO REMOVE THE KEY, NO LUCK, I DRIVE TO SCHOOL, PARK, TURN OFF CAR AND AGAIN TRIED REMOVING THE KEY AND ONCE AGAIN NO LUCK. LATER ON I CAR PULLED WITH MY FRIEND IN HIS CAR TO WORK, AFTER WORK HE DROPPED ME OFF AT MY CAR TO GO HOME. I GET IN MY CAR ONLY TO FIND THAT NOW IT WONT EVEN START. I CALLED MY FRIEND WITH MY CELL PHONE THAT I WAS BLESSED TO HAVE AND HE CAME BACK SO I WAS SPARED FROM BEING STRANDED. WE HOOKED UP THE CABLES TO JUMP THE CAR AND NO LUCK WHAT SO EVER, ALL WE MERELY GOT WAS A NICE CLICKING SOUND. THE BATTERY WAS DEAD, ALL BECAUSE THE KEY COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION THANKS TO FORD'S SELFISHNESS AND NOT ISSUING A RECALL. ALL IN ALL MY CAR REMAINS IN THAT PARKING LOT AND I AM LEFT WITHOUT A CAR. THANK YOU FORD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258524February 12, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
UPON LEAVING A GROCERY STORE THE IGNITION KEY WOULDN'T TURN. I WAS UNABLE TO START THE CAR AND CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT THEY WOULD CHARGE $391 PLUS TAX, AND THAT IF THEY DAMAGED THE STEERING COLUMN IN THE PROCESS I WOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT COST OF THE COLUMN AS WELL. NOT WILLING TO TAKE MY CHANCES WITH SUCH AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT WOULD LEAVE ME WITH A NEW PART THAT WOULD POSSIBLY FAIL IN THE SAME MANNER, NOT TO MENTION POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL COSTS OF REPAIRING OR REPLACING THE COLUMN I CONDUCTED A BRIEF INTERNET SEARCH I FOUND THAT THIS WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH 1999 THROUGH 2007 FORD FOCUS CARS. I ALSO LEARNED THAT A COMPETENT LOCKSMITH COULD REPAIR THE SWITCH FOR BETWEEN $150 AND $200. I WAS ABLE TO GET MY VEHICLE REPAIRED FOR $152, AND THERE WAS NO POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGING THE STEERING COLUMN. THE ORIGINAL PART WAS REMOVED BY THE LOCKSMITH, REBUILT THE SWITCH AND REPLACED IT THUS REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258153February 10, 2009
STEERING
RACK AND PINION DEVELOPED A LEAK. I BOUGHT MY CAR IN FEB 2004 AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE ON IT. LAST SPRING I NOTICED MY CAR WAS MAKING AN ODD SOUND AND I RAISED THE HOOD AND FOUND THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEVEL VERY LOW AND FILLED IT UP. THE NOISE WENT AWAY. WHILE CHANGING THE BRAKES ON IT MY HUSBAND FOUND THE RACK AND PINION LEAKING FLUID. THE WARRANTY WAS ONLY GOOD UP TO 36,000 MILES AND AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. I CURRENTLY HAVE ONLY 39,962 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE AND DRIVE IT VERY LITTLE OBVIOUSLY SINCE IT IS A 2003 AND WHEN WE BOUGHT IT FEB 2004 IT ONLY HAD 19,221 MILES ON IT. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND AS I SAID I HAVE ONLY PUT APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES ON IT IN 5 YEARS. THERE SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM WITH THE RACK AND PINION ON THIS VEHICLE WITH THIS LITTLE OF MILEAGE ON IT AND NOT DRIVEN THAT OFTEN, BUT THERE IS AND I HAVE NOT TO DATE BEEN ABLE TO GET IT FIXED AS THE TWO ESTIMATES I GOT TO GET IT FIXED IS BETWEEN 550 AND 600 DOLLARS TO GET IT FIXED. NO ONE OTHER THAN THE RICH PEOPLE CAN AFFORD A MAJOR REPAIR SUCH AS THIS WHEN IT IS OBVIOUS THAT FORD HAS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE ON THE RACK AND PINION ON THIS MODEL VEHICLE. IT WILL BE A TOTAL PAIN IF THIS GOES OUT BEFORE I CAN AFFORD TO FIX IT SINCE IT IS HAS POWER STEERING AND WILL CONVERT TO MANUAL STEERING IF IT GOES OUT BEFORE I CAN AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED. FORD SHOULD BE FORCED TO MAKE A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257994February 8, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2005 FORD FOCUS STATION WAGON- LOSS OF TAIL LIGHTS, HIGH MOUNT STOP LIGHT, DASH LIGHTS, RUNNING LIGHTS DUE TO SHORT IN LIFTGATE WIRING. THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE LIFTGATE FATIGUES AT THE BEND AREA. WIRES BREAK, RESULTING IN A OPEN OR SHORT WHICH BLOWS FUSE. THE BLOWN FUSE RESULTS IN NO HIGH MOUNT STOP LIGHT, RUNNING LIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, AND INSTRUMENT LIGHTS. IN ADDITION THE HEATED REAR DEFROST AND WINDSHIELD WIPER ALSO FAIL. THE HARNESS MUST BE REPLACED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS ISSUE WAS PART OF A RECALL IN 2000- NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V411000. MY CAR IS A 2005. THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED IN PRODUCTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257791February 7, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2000 FORD FOCUS ENGINE FIRE ON THE WAY TO WORK AT 4 AM. BY TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT THERE IT WAS FULLY IN FLAMES. BURNT EVEY THING BUT THE TRUNK BEFORE IT WAS PUT OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257802February 7, 2009
STEERING
THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED. DEALER SAYS THE TUMBLER LOCK FELL APART SO A NEW LOCK AND KEYS ARE NECESSARY. MID 400 DOLLAR COST. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257806February 7, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
UPON INSERTION OF THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILS TO ALLOW THE KEY TO TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT UNLOCK, IF IT IS LOCKED. "TAPPING" THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION WILL ALLOW THE CAR TO START AND THE STEERING WHEEL TO UNLOCK. CURSORY INTERNET SEARCHES REVEAL THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR OWNERS OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL. SOME OWNERS REPORT HAVING HAD THE SWITCH REPLACED 4 TO 5 TIMES AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE SAME RESULTS. THIS INDICATES THAT FORD HAS MADE NO EFFORT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, EVEN AT THE COST OF THE OWNER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257822February 7, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
OUT OF NOWHERE THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN MY IGNITION. I HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR 3 YEARS AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM, I STOPPED TO BUY XMAS GIFTS AT THE MALL, AND WHEN I RETURNED, I COULD NOT TURN THE KEY IN MY IGNITION. AND NOW EVERY DAY I SPEND 20 MINUTES OR MORE JUST TRYING TO START MY CAR. I HAVE BEEN LATE FOR WORK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE THIS HAPPENED. AND THE WORST THING IS NEVER KNOWING WHEN IT WILL BE REALLY BAD, OR IF I WILL END UP STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE! BEING THAT THIS COULD END UP IN BEING STRANDED, I BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL ON THE 2001 FORD FOCUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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