IllustrationWHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT ANY SPEED A SQUEAKING SOUND WAS HEARD. DEALER REPLACED FRONT PADS, THEN ON SECOND OCCURRENCE, FRONT ROTORS WERE REPLACED. THIS DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK
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 reportsHEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK
ENGINE CUTS OUT WHILE DRIVING FOR NO APPARENT REASONS AND WITH NO WARNING. *AK
THE REAR WINDOW IN MY 2003 FORD FOCUS SEDAN ZTS SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED OVERNIGHT WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE NEXT MORNING IT WAS FOUND COMPLETELY INTACT WITH NO SIGN OF IMPACT OR FORCED ENTRY. FORD REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR STATING THAT I SHOULD CONTACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND HAVE THEM SUE FORD.*AK
CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. SHE STATED SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE VEHICLE, SO NO ONE WAS INJURED. SHE STATED THERE WAS NO WARNING. *JB
REAR DRIVE WHEEL RIM IS BENT AND DAMAGED THE TIRE. DEALER STATED PROBABLY CONSUMER HIT A POTHOLE OR A CURB AND BENT THE WHEEL.*AK THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACED THE RIM UNDER THE WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED THE DENTED RIM CAME FROM THE VEHICLE HITTING A ROCK OR POTHOLE. THE BENT RIM CAUSED THE TIRE TO HAVE BUMPS…
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REAR DRIVE WHEEL RIM IS BENT AND DAMAGED THE TIRE. DEALER STATED PROBABLY CONSUMER HIT A POTHOLE OR A CURB AND BENT THE WHEEL.*AK THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACED THE RIM UNDER THE WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED THE DENTED RIM CAME FROM THE VEHICLE HITTING A ROCK OR POTHOLE. THE BENT RIM CAUSED THE TIRE TO HAVE BUMPS ON IT. *PH *NLM
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, HEAVY BLACK SMOKE AND FLAMES CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED TO INDICATE THERE WAS ANY KIND OF PROBLEM. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE SIDE AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES AS A RESULT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INVESTIGATION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH THE LEFT FRONT TIRE ON MY CAR SUDDENLY BLEW OUT. IT WAS A FAILURE OF THE SIDEWALL. THE TIRE WAS A GOODYEAR INTEGRITY SIZE P185/65/R-14. THE SUDDEN BLOWOUT CAUSED 900 DOLLARS DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND THE DEALER AND TIRE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO PAY. *LA
APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AGO, I WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC, AND MY 2003 FORD FOCUS QUIT ACCELERATING. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING.*AK I BEGAN PUMPING THE GAS PEDAL, THINKING A FUEL LINE MIGHT BE CLOGGED, BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM TO HELP. FINALLY, ALTHOUGH SOMEWHAT CHUGGING, I GOT ENOUGH ACCELERATION TO WEAVE OUT OF T…
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APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AGO, I WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC, AND MY 2003 FORD FOCUS QUIT ACCELERATING. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING.*AK I BEGAN PUMPING THE GAS PEDAL, THINKING A FUEL LINE MIGHT BE CLOGGED, BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM TO HELP. FINALLY, ALTHOUGH SOMEWHAT CHUGGING, I GOT ENOUGH ACCELERATION TO WEAVE OUT OF TRAFFIC AND EXIT AT AN OFFRAMP. I PULLED INTO THE FIRST PARKING LOT, PUT MY CAR IN NEUTRAL, AND LET IT IDLE. THE ENGINE SOUNDED SMOOTH. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I PUT THE CAR BACK IN DRIVE AND ALL WAS FINE. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE SAN DIEGO FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD NO PROBLEM COULD BE DETECTED. I WAS ADVISED TO LET THE GAS TANK GO TO EMPTY, ADD STP, AND SEE IF THE PROBLEM CEASED. I DID SO. NOW, SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 65MPH DOWN A DANGEROUS WINDING GRADE NEAR MY HOME IN MORONGO VALLEY. AGAIN, MY CAR LOST ACCELERATION. I BEGAN PUMPING THE GAS PEDAL, BUT THE MOTOR JUST REVVED. IT WAS AS THOUGH MY CAR HAD SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL. I GLANCED DOWN AT THE AUTOMATIC SHIFT LEVER, TO SEE IF I HAD ACCIDENTALLY KNOCKED IT OUT OF GEAR. IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE. I BEGAN LOSING SPEED AND HAD TO COAST DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE GRADE, WHERE THERE WAS PARKING ACCESSIBILITY. THE SAME AS BEFORE, I PLACED MY CAR IN PARK, LET IT IDLE FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES, PUT IT IN DRIVE, AND IT WAS FINE. I TOOK IT TO PALM SPRINGS FORD, WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW. I RECEIVED A PHONE MESSAGE FRIDAY EVENING, AFTER WORK, AND I WAS TOLD THE CAR HAS CHECKED OUT FINE. I HAD ASSUMED THIS WOULD HAPPEN, BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS SO INTERMITTENT. THE SERVICE ATTENDANT, MIKE BRUNI, STATED HE HAD DOCUMENTED THE PROBLEM AND I COULD PICK UP MY CAR. I LEFT A MESSAGE ON HIS VOICEMAIL, EXPLAINING MY FEAR OF A COLLISION. THERE IS DEFINITELY A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT MUST BE FIXED, OR I FEEL MY SAFETY IS IN JEOPARDY. UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS ELIMINATED, I AM RELUCTANT TO TAKE MY CAR HOME. I SEE THE 2000-2001 FOCUS HAD A STALLING PROBLEM ALSO. ANY RELATION?
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.