IllustrationTHE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION AT ALL. A LOCKSMITH WAS CALLED OUT TO SEE IF HE COULD FIX THE PROBLEM. HE TOLD ME THAT THIS HAPPENS VERY FREQUENTLY FORD FOCUSES. *TR
2002 Ford Focus
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 Ford Focus do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 864.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Focus years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
1480–25K
13425–50K
13950–75K
8375–100K
74100–150K
26150K+
604 reports with mileage · 335 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 277 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 109 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 103 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
82 crash reports20 fire reports60 injury reports
What owners actually said
939 reportsFORD FOCUS 2002 - IGNITION FAILURE. HAPPENED THREE TIMES. THE THIRD TIME WAS STRANDED IN THE COLD WEATHER WITH 9 MONTH OLD BABY UNTIL I COULD GET HELP. MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND I DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. IT COST 350 TO GET FIXED. I DON'T FEEL AN IGNITION SHOULD BREAK AND THEN BE REPLACED WITH A POORLY MANUFAC…
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FORD FOCUS 2002 - IGNITION FAILURE. HAPPENED THREE TIMES. THE THIRD TIME WAS STRANDED IN THE COLD WEATHER WITH 9 MONTH OLD BABY UNTIL I COULD GET HELP. MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND I DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. IT COST 350 TO GET FIXED. I DON'T FEEL AN IGNITION SHOULD BREAK AND THEN BE REPLACED WITH A POORLY MANUFACTURED IGNITION. I HAVE READ THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS. THIS IS A PROBLEM AND FORD SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. *TR
THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REGARDS TO A 2002 FORD FOCUS AND THE FAILURE OF THE IGNITION MODULE FROM ALLOWING MY KEY TO TURN. FORTUNATELY ENOUGH WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED I WAS NOT IN A BAD NEIGHBORHOOD OR STUCK OUT ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE DESERT. IT HAS OCCURRED EACH TIME I'VE TRIED TO TURN THE KEY, AND IT'S ONLY AFTER SIGNIFICANT E…
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THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REGARDS TO A 2002 FORD FOCUS AND THE FAILURE OF THE IGNITION MODULE FROM ALLOWING MY KEY TO TURN. FORTUNATELY ENOUGH WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED I WAS NOT IN A BAD NEIGHBORHOOD OR STUCK OUT ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE DESERT. IT HAS OCCURRED EACH TIME I'VE TRIED TO TURN THE KEY, AND IT'S ONLY AFTER SIGNIFICANT EFFORT AND NEAR INJURY TO MY WRIST AND INDEX FINGER WAS I ABLE TO GET THE KEY TO TURN. I HAVE RESEARCHED ONLINE AND NOTED MANY DISCUSSION BOARDS STATING THE OTHER CONSUMERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. THERE IS A PETITION CIRCULATING THAT CURRENTLY HAS OVER 2800 ONLINE SIGNATURES REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. IT COULD OCCUR IN THE WRONG NEIGHBORHOOD OR IN THE MOST ISOLATED PLACES AND ISN'T SAFE FOR THE CONSUMER WHEN THEY GET STRANDED BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY PART THAT FORD DOES NOT TRY TO FIX WITH PROPER MATERIALS. *TR
WHEN THE KEY IS INSERTED, THE IGNITION WILL NOT ALLOW IT TO TURN FORWARD TO START THE CAR. ALTHOUGH THIS JUST STARTED WITHOUT ANY WARNING SIGN ON MY CAR, I HAVE HEARD OF IT HAPPENING TO MANY OTHER CARS OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT COULD RESULT IN MYSELF AND MY PASSENGERS BEING STRANDED IN AN…
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WHEN THE KEY IS INSERTED, THE IGNITION WILL NOT ALLOW IT TO TURN FORWARD TO START THE CAR. ALTHOUGH THIS JUST STARTED WITHOUT ANY WARNING SIGN ON MY CAR, I HAVE HEARD OF IT HAPPENING TO MANY OTHER CARS OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT COULD RESULT IN MYSELF AND MY PASSENGERS BEING STRANDED IN AN UNSAFE AREA. *TR
KEY LOCKS UP IN THE IGNITION AND WILL NOT TURN. THE CAR WOULD NOT START. *TR
LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRES (3 OUT OF 4 SO FAR) DUE TO FAULTY VALVE STEMS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE TIRES. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE DUE TO A ROLLOVER CRASH. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE ON THE TIRE WAS 700. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 75 MPH, THE DRIVER FELT A SHIFT IN THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING. THE TIRES WERE INSPECTED,…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE TIRES. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE DUE TO A ROLLOVER CRASH. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE ON THE TIRE WAS 700. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 75 MPH, THE DRIVER FELT A SHIFT IN THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING. THE TIRES WERE INSPECTED, BUT NO FAILURES WERE FOUND. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE SEPARATED IN TWO LOCATIONS. THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY ROLLED OVER WHILE MAKING THE LEFT TURN. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP AND THEY STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURED DATE OF THE TIRE WAS TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE POLICE FILED A REPORT AND VERIFIED THAT THE DRIVER WAS NOT SPEEDING AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN, TIRE SIZE, AND TIRE LINE WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 92,000.
KEYS WONT RELEASE FROM IGNITION , REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH AND STILL CONTINUES TO NOT RELEASE KEY, ITS EVIDENTLY AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM SINCE WHEN I DISCONNECT THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TO STEERING COLUMN THE KEYS RELEASE. *TR
THE IGNITION KEY CONTINUED TO GET STUCK IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND REFUSING TO TURN UNTIL I'D CONTINUE TO FIDDLE WITH IT, SOMETIMES FOR OVER 30 MINUTES. VERY FRUSTRATING. THE KEY HAS FINALLY QUIT TURNING AT ALL. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT HOWARD'S TOWING BEING REPAIRED. THE ENTIRE COLUMN IS BEING REPLACED. VERY EXPENSIVE. VERY U…
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THE IGNITION KEY CONTINUED TO GET STUCK IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND REFUSING TO TURN UNTIL I'D CONTINUE TO FIDDLE WITH IT, SOMETIMES FOR OVER 30 MINUTES. VERY FRUSTRATING. THE KEY HAS FINALLY QUIT TURNING AT ALL. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT HOWARD'S TOWING BEING REPAIRED. THE ENTIRE COLUMN IS BEING REPLACED. VERY EXPENSIVE. VERY UNHAPPY. *TR
I DROVE MY CAR TO DOWNTOWN AS I NORMALLY DO EXCEPT THIS TIME I HAS THE COMPANY OF MY 3 SONS. IT WAS 4 AM IN THE MORNING. I PARKED THE CAR TAKING THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND EXITED. AT ABOUT 5:15 I TRIED TO START THE CAR BY PLACING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TRYING TO TURN IT. THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. I TRIED AGAIN BUT AGAIN …
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I DROVE MY CAR TO DOWNTOWN AS I NORMALLY DO EXCEPT THIS TIME I HAS THE COMPANY OF MY 3 SONS. IT WAS 4 AM IN THE MORNING. I PARKED THE CAR TAKING THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND EXITED. AT ABOUT 5:15 I TRIED TO START THE CAR BY PLACING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TRYING TO TURN IT. THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. I TRIED AGAIN BUT AGAIN THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. I CALLED AAA AND THE REP ASKED ME TO TRY TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL A LITTLE AND THEN THE KEY, THIS STILL DID NOT WORK. HE CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO COME OUT TO HELP. MEANWHILE MY CHILDREN AND I WERE LEFT TO SIT IN THE COLD AND WAIT FOR THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER. WHILE WAITING I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE REALLY HARD AND PULLED ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND TRIED THE KEY AGAIN, LUCKILY IT WORKED. SPOKE TO THE AAA REP AGAIN AND CANCELLED THE TOW. I WOKE UP THIS MORNING TO TRY THE IGNITION AGAIN AND IT STUCK AGAIN SO I DID THE SAME THING THAT SEEMED TO WORK YESTERDAY, BUT IT DID NOT. FORTUNATELY I WAS AT HOME THIS TIME AND NOT ON A MOUNTAIN SOMEWHERE WITH MY CHILDREN. THIS IS A SCARY THING TO HAPPEN ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE WITH YOUR CHILDREN IN A STRANGE PLACE. WHAT IF I WERE SOMEWHERE WITHOUT A CELL PHONE SIGNAL? WOULD WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE HAPPENS BY OR WALK IN THE COLD TO GET A SIGNAL. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO ANYONE. *TR
Official recalls
105V030000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Feb 1, 2005
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES WITH FOUR OR FIVE DOORS AND ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A BUILD-UP OF CORROSION AT THE PAWL PIVOT AREA OF THE REAR DOOR LATCH CAN CAUSE A BINDING CONDITION OF THE PAWL THAT MAY AFFECT PROPER ENGAGEMENT OF THE PAWL INTO THE CATCH. THE OCCUPANT MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY OPENING OR CLOSING A REAR DOOR, AND EVENTUALLY THE REAR DOOR MAY NOT LATCH PROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF NOT LATCHED PROPERLY, THE DOOR MAY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. IF AN OCCUPANT FELL OUT OF THE VEHICLE, PERSONAL INJURIES COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL HAVE A LOWER ROCKER SEAL ADDED TO THE DOOR AND HAVE THE REAR DOOR LATCHES EVALUATED FREE OF CHARGE. A LATCH THAT PASSES THE EVALUATION WILL BE LUBRICATED TO PREVENT FUTURE CORROSION. A LATCH THAT DOES NOT PASS THE EVALUATION WILL BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, A STICKER WILL BE AFFIXED TO THE REAR DOORS ADVISING THE OWNERS TO USE THE RECOMMENDED LUBRICANT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 9, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
5AQ10001 · Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
Opened Nov 18, 2010 · Closed Dec 28, 2015
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Unknown Or Other
On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three (3) major motor vehicle manufacturers (Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors) and requested data regarding completion figures for fifteen (15) discreet safety recalls.Analysis of this data demonstrated that rental car recalls completion was neither complete nor consistent.The rental car companies representing the largest market share in the industry were then queried as to their respective policies for the rental, lease, and sale of vehicles with open recalls.The data and responses from the manufacturers and the rental car companies can be found in the document repository by accessing the ?Associated Documents link above.In December 2015, Congress enacted the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.One section of the Act prohibits rental car companies from renting, leasing, or selling motor vehicles subject to open safety recalls.With the passage of the FAST Act and its prohibition, there is no continuing need for the agency to investigate rental car recall completions.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The agency reserves the right to open any future investigations, including audits of individual recalls, or groups of recalls, or rental car companies, to examine more closely safety recalls performance and completion issues in this area.
EA02022 · Engine Stalling
Opened Sep 9, 2002 · Closed Jan 16, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump; Fuel System, Other:delivery:fuel Pump; Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
CLOGGING OF THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE (FDM) FILTERS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES CAN LEAD TO STALLING AND OTHER RELATED SYMPTOMS.THESE SYMPTOMS BECOME INCREASINGLY OBVIOUS TO THE DRIVER AS THE CLOGGING GRADUALLY INCREASES OVER EXTENDED PERIODS OF DRIVING.STALLING IN THESE VEHICLES IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN ACCELERATING THROUGH A RIGHT HAND TURN SUCH AS MERGING INTO FREEWAY TRAFFIC WHEN THE FUEL LEVEL IN THE FUEL TANK IS LESS THAN 1/4 FULL.MORE THAN 90% OF THE STALLING COMPLAINTS PERTAIN TO THE ORIGINAL DESIGN FDM INSTALLED IN MY 2000 AND 2001 (PARTIAL YEAR) FOCUS VEHICLES. FORD HAS DECIDED TO CONDUCT A CAMPAIGN (03V-482) TO ADDRESS STALLINGIN THESE VEHICLES.THE SMALLER NUMBER AND RATE OF COMPLAINTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE INTERIM AND CURRENT FDM DESIGNS INDICATE IMPROVEMENT BUT ALSO REFLECT A SHORTER TIME IN SERVICE FOR THESE DESIGNS. ACCORDINGLY, ODI WILL MONITOR THE STALLING PERFORMANCE OF MY 2001 - 2002 FOCUS VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH INTERIM AND CURRENT DESIGN FDMS.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump
CLOGGING OF THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE (FDM) FILTERS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES CAN LEAD TO STALLING AND OTHER RELATED SYMPTOMS.THESE SYMPTOMS BECOME INCREASINGLY OBVIOUS TO THE DRIVER AS THE CLOGGING GRADUALLY INCREASES OVER EXTENDED PERIODS OF DRIVING.STALLING IN THESE VEHICLES IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN ACCELERATING THROUGH A RIGHT HAND TURN SUCH AS MERGING INTO FREEWAY TRAFFIC WHEN THE FUEL LEVEL IN THE FUEL TANK IS LESS THAN 1/4 FULL.MORE THAN 90% OF THE STALLING COMPLAINTS PERTAIN TO THE ORIGINAL DESIGN FDM INSTALLED IN MY 2000 AND 2001 (PARTIAL YEAR) FOCUS VEHICLES. FORD HAS DECIDED TO CONDUCT A CAMPAIGN (03V-482) TO ADDRESS STALLINGIN THESE VEHICLES.THE SMALLER NUMBER AND RATE OF COMPLAINTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE INTERIM AND CURRENT FDM DESIGNS INDICATE IMPROVEMENT BUT ALSO REFLECT A SHORTER TIME IN SERVICE FOR THESE DESIGNS. ACCORDINGLY, ODI WILL MONITOR THE STALLING PERFORMANCE OF MY 2001 - 2002 FOCUS VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH INTERIM AND CURRENT DESIGN FDMS.
Fuel System, Other:delivery:fuel Pump
CLOGGING OF THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE (FDM) FILTERS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES CAN LEAD TO STALLING AND OTHER RELATED SYMPTOMS.THESE SYMPTOMS BECOME INCREASINGLY OBVIOUS TO THE DRIVER AS THE CLOGGING GRADUALLY INCREASES OVER EXTENDED PERIODS OF DRIVING.STALLING IN THESE VEHICLES IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN ACCELERATING THROUGH A RIGHT HAND TURN SUCH AS MERGING INTO FREEWAY TRAFFIC WHEN THE FUEL LEVEL IN THE FUEL TANK IS LESS THAN 1/4 FULL.MORE THAN 90% OF THE STALLING COMPLAINTS PERTAIN TO THE ORIGINAL DESIGN FDM INSTALLED IN MY 2000 AND 2001 (PARTIAL YEAR) FOCUS VEHICLES. FORD HAS DECIDED TO CONDUCT A CAMPAIGN (03V-482) TO ADDRESS STALLINGIN THESE VEHICLES.THE SMALLER NUMBER AND RATE OF COMPLAINTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE INTERIM AND CURRENT FDM DESIGNS INDICATE IMPROVEMENT BUT ALSO REFLECT A SHORTER TIME IN SERVICE FOR THESE DESIGNS. ACCORDINGLY, ODI WILL MONITOR THE STALLING PERFORMANCE OF MY 2001 - 2002 FOCUS VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH INTERIM AND CURRENT DESIGN FDMS.
Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
CLOGGING OF THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE (FDM) FILTERS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES CAN LEAD TO STALLING AND OTHER RELATED SYMPTOMS.THESE SYMPTOMS BECOME INCREASINGLY OBVIOUS TO THE DRIVER AS THE CLOGGING GRADUALLY INCREASES OVER EXTENDED PERIODS OF DRIVING.STALLING IN THESE VEHICLES IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN ACCELERATING THROUGH A RIGHT HAND TURN SUCH AS MERGING INTO FREEWAY TRAFFIC WHEN THE FUEL LEVEL IN THE FUEL TANK IS LESS THAN 1/4 FULL.MORE THAN 90% OF THE STALLING COMPLAINTS PERTAIN TO THE ORIGINAL DESIGN FDM INSTALLED IN MY 2000 AND 2001 (PARTIAL YEAR) FOCUS VEHICLES. FORD HAS DECIDED TO CONDUCT A CAMPAIGN (03V-482) TO ADDRESS STALLINGIN THESE VEHICLES.THE SMALLER NUMBER AND RATE OF COMPLAINTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE INTERIM AND CURRENT FDM DESIGNS INDICATE IMPROVEMENT BUT ALSO REFLECT A SHORTER TIME IN SERVICE FOR THESE DESIGNS. ACCORDINGLY, ODI WILL MONITOR THE STALLING PERFORMANCE OF MY 2001 - 2002 FOCUS VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH INTERIM AND CURRENT DESIGN FDMS.
EA02023 · Front Susp Collapse/wheel Separation
Opened Sep 9, 2002 · Closed Feb 19, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension:front; Suspension:front:control Arm; Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm; Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
SEE ATTACHED REPORT.
Additional source detail variants (4)
Suspension:front:control Arm
SEE ATTACHED REPORT.
Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm
SEE ATTACHED REPORT.
Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
SEE ATTACHED REPORT.
Suspension:front
SEE ATTACHED REPORT.
EA02014 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Jul 31, 2002 · Closed Nov 13, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
PE02044 · Front Suspension Lower Control Arm
Opened May 1, 2002 · Closed Sep 9, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available