IllustrationNOTHING LEAD UP TO THE FAILURE, IT JUST HAPPENED QUITE ABRUPTLY. I PUT MY KEY IN THE IGNITION AND IT WOULDN'T TURN FORWARD. ALSO, THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED IN PLACE. *NM
2003 Ford Focus
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2003 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
1350–25K
17525–50K
18850–75K
10775–100K
107100–150K
41150K+
753 reports with mileage · 224 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 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
What owners actually said
977 reportsTRAVELING EAST-BOUND ON I-10. FORCED ONTO LEFT SHOULDER BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MOVE BACK ONTO THE FREEWAY WAS HIT SQUARE ON THE DRIVERS DOOR BY A PICKUP TRUCK TRAVELING IN THE SAME DIRECTION. VEHICLE ROLLED 3-4 TIMES BEFORE COMING TO STOP. NONE OF THE FRONT OR SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED IN THE 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE C…
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TRAVELING EAST-BOUND ON I-10. FORCED ONTO LEFT SHOULDER BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MOVE BACK ONTO THE FREEWAY WAS HIT SQUARE ON THE DRIVERS DOOR BY A PICKUP TRUCK TRAVELING IN THE SAME DIRECTION. VEHICLE ROLLED 3-4 TIMES BEFORE COMING TO STOP. NONE OF THE FRONT OR SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED IN THE 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CAR ONLY HAD 5000 MILES ON IT. *NM
THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE VEHICLE HAD A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *NM *TC *JB
BOUGHT A 2003 FORD FOCUS IIN JULY 04 AND ON 1/4/05 (28,406 MILES) WENT TO START VEHICLE AND KEY WENT INTO IGNITION HARD AND WOULD NOT TURN AT ALL. IGNITION HAD LOCKED UP. NOTHING WOULD WORK AND WHEELS WERE LOCKED. HAD TO BE TOWED AND TECHNICIAN HAD TROUBLE DUE TO WHEELS LOCKING. FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET OF THIS PROBL…
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BOUGHT A 2003 FORD FOCUS IIN JULY 04 AND ON 1/4/05 (28,406 MILES) WENT TO START VEHICLE AND KEY WENT INTO IGNITION HARD AND WOULD NOT TURN AT ALL. IGNITION HAD LOCKED UP. NOTHING WOULD WORK AND WHEELS WERE LOCKED. HAD TO BE TOWED AND TECHNICIAN HAD TROUBLE DUE TO WHEELS LOCKING. FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET OF THIS PROBLEM IN THE FOCUS. CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND IT WAS FIXED BUT IF SAME FAULTY IGNITION CYLINDER IS INSTALLED THE PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND AGAIN.*AK
BOUGHT A 2003 USED FORD FOCUS IN JULY 04 AND ON TUESDAY, JAN. 4 WENT TO START VEHICLE AND KEY WOULD NOT GO INTO IGNITION. NOTHING WORKED WHEELS WERE LOCKED. HAD TO BE TOWED AND TECH HAD TROUBLE DUE TO WHEELS LOCKED. FOUND MANY MORE COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET ABOUT THIS TROUBLE IN FOCUSES. *AK
THERE IS SERIOUS PROBLEMS W/ THE FRONT END OF THIS VEHICLE. IT WAS PURCHASED APPROX. 17 MONTHS AGO. SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD 3 MAJOR BRAKE JOBS. TWICE, THE PADS WERE REPLACED AND ONCE BOTH THE PADS AND THE ROTORS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE ALSO RESONATES AT HIGH SPEEDS. EVERYTHING SHAKES INCLUDING THE STERRING WHEEL AND …
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THERE IS SERIOUS PROBLEMS W/ THE FRONT END OF THIS VEHICLE. IT WAS PURCHASED APPROX. 17 MONTHS AGO. SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD 3 MAJOR BRAKE JOBS. TWICE, THE PADS WERE REPLACED AND ONCE BOTH THE PADS AND THE ROTORS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE ALSO RESONATES AT HIGH SPEEDS. EVERYTHING SHAKES INCLUDING THE STERRING WHEEL AND THE STATES. IT APPEARS MY TWO FRONT TIRES ARE OUT OF ROUND. FORD ORIGINALLY SAID IT WAS DEFECT IN THE TIRE, WHICH I REPLACED, HOWEVER THE NEW TIRE IS OUT OF ROUND AS WELL. AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE SAYS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT STRUTS. FORD HAS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM ME REGUARDING BOTH THE BRAKES AND THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. ALSO THE VEHICLE IS VERY LOUD AND IT APPEARS TO BE AIR COMING IN WHEN. FORD INITIALLY RESEALED THE WINDSHIELD, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED.*AK
IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WOULD NOT TURN AFTER THE KEY WAS INSERTED THE KEY WAS HARD TO GET INTO THE CYLINDER BEFORE IT SEIZED. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND ON THE AUTOMOTIVE TALK NET I WAS ABLE TO PRINT OUT 35 PAGES OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS WITH 3 TO 4 COMPLAINTS ON EACH PAGE. A FEW OF THE COMPLAINTS SAID THAT TOW TRUCK DRIVERS HAD…
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IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WOULD NOT TURN AFTER THE KEY WAS INSERTED THE KEY WAS HARD TO GET INTO THE CYLINDER BEFORE IT SEIZED. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND ON THE AUTOMOTIVE TALK NET I WAS ABLE TO PRINT OUT 35 PAGES OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS WITH 3 TO 4 COMPLAINTS ON EACH PAGE. A FEW OF THE COMPLAINTS SAID THAT TOW TRUCK DRIVERS HAD TOLD THEM THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL CALLS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, AS DID THE LOCK SMITH I CALLED TO FIX MINE. THE COST WAS $200.00*JB
THE HEAT WARMER BURNED THROUGH THE FABRIC BURNING THE SEAT AND CAUSING A FIRE. THE CONSUMER WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *JB
WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK.....*AK
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
1AQ10001 · 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.