Electrical System. Review the 522 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 82 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 73 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

52 crash reports17 fire reports37 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

15 reports

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38,000 miles · Mar 30, 2007

Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

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TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FOR FOCUS WITH A CURRENT AND FAILURE ODOMETER READING OF 38,000 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 35 MPH UNDER DRY CONDITIONS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. BUT, WHEN SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST HER WITH THIS PROBLEM. WHEN THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE AT DEALER FOR SERVICE THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLE MELTED, CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHT TO FAIL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10186572

64,980 miles · Nov 2, 2006

Exterior Lighting

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AFTER DRIVING MY 2003 FORD FOCUS 5XW (5 DOOR HATCHBACK) THOUGH HEAVY RAIN ON THE HIGHWAY, THE NEXT DAY I NOTICED ONE HEAD LIGHT AND ONE FOG LIGHT WAS OUT. AFTER INVESTIGATION TO THE CAUSE. MY FOG LIGHT HAD JUST NORMALLY BURNED OUT. BUT THE HEAD LIGHT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WHILE REPLACING THE BULB NOTICED ALL THREE NYLON CONNECTOR COVERS FOR EACH OF THE THREE WIRES HAD MELTED? CHANGING THE LIGHTS AS A SET THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HEAD LIGHT? WITH THE REPLACEMENT BULBS NOW INSTALLED THE DRIVERS SIDE STILL DOES NOT LIGHT , ONLY THE PASSENGERS. THERE IS NO POWER COMING TO THE DRIVERS SIDE HEAD LIGHT FOR NORMAL MODE. IT WILL ONLY LIGHT WITH THE BRIGHTS ON. AS TO THE MELTING OF THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR COVERS I'M SURE THAT IS NOT NORMAL OPERATION.? I AM STILL INVESTIGATING WHERE THE POWER LOSS IS COMING FROM AND WHY THE INSULATION ON THE CONNECTORS OF BOTH HEADLIGHTS MELTED AWAY? FYI

NHTSA ODI #10172506

Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 2004

Exterior Lighting

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OR RUNNING THE BRAKES LIGHT FAILED TO COME ON. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10096785

Mileage unknown · Jan 14, 2004

Exterior Lighting

HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10054011

1,418 miles · Jul 3, 2003

Exterior LightingLatches/locks/linkagesPower Train

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE BUT SOON AFTER THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN. AFTER DOING THIS FOR THE FOURTH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PCM FAILED. THE LEFT BRAKE LIGHT BULB BURNED OUT. THE POWER DOOR LOCKS WERE INOPERATIVE. *NLM *CB *NL…

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NHTSA ODI #10020310

Official recalls

05V030000 · 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

AQ10001 · 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.