IllustrationWHEN BRAKES GET WET, THEY MAKE A WHISTLING SOUND; THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED BEFORE WHEN TURNING; THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN CUT AND THE BRAKE PADS REPLACED; THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 4,000 MILES ON IT. *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 reportsCLUTCH BEGAN SLIPPING, CAUSING THE FLYWHEEL TO BREAK. THE CLUTCH CAME APART AND HIT THE BELL HOUSING. THEN, BELL HOUSING SEPARATED AND BROKE INTO THE RADIATOR. *AK
2003 SVT FORD FOCUS: FLYWHEEL, PRESSURE PLATE, CLUTCH ASSEMBLY FAILURE. MULTIPLE CASES HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO DEALERS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR 15 BUSINESS DAYS WITH NO END IN SIGHT. I HAVE ALSO HEARD OF BELLHOUSING CRACKING HOWEVER I'M NOT SURE IF THIS WAS A CASE WITH MY CAR, NO INFORMATION ABOUT THAT FROM DEALER.*AK
DRIVER'S SEAT HAD A PIECE OF METAL WHICH WAS EXPOSED, AS A RESULT, THE CONSUMER CUT HER LEG. *AK (SEVERAL OTHERS HAD BEEN HURT AS WELL) THE METAL WAS ONLY EXPOSED WHEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS PUSHED FORWARD TO ALLOW THE PASSENGER IN THE BACK TO EXIT. IF THE SEAT WAS BACKED FOR A TALL DRIVER, IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY IMPOSSIBLE…
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DRIVER'S SEAT HAD A PIECE OF METAL WHICH WAS EXPOSED, AS A RESULT, THE CONSUMER CUT HER LEG. *AK (SEVERAL OTHERS HAD BEEN HURT AS WELL) THE METAL WAS ONLY EXPOSED WHEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS PUSHED FORWARD TO ALLOW THE PASSENGER IN THE BACK TO EXIT. IF THE SEAT WAS BACKED FOR A TALL DRIVER, IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE PASSENGER TO BECOME INJURED. *SCC *JB
"CHECK BATTERY" LIGHT COMES ON WHEN DRIVING SLOWLY OR STOPPED. WHEN DRIVEN FOR MORE THAN 45 MINUTES SPEEDOMETER JUMPS WILDLY AND DASH LIGHTS GO ON AND OFF. ELECTRICAL BUZZING NOISE FROM DASHBOARD. DEALER REPORTS THAT THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *LA
WHILE APPLYING BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL EXCEEDED TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL. CONSUMER STATED SHE HAD TO PUT VEHICLE INTO THE PARK POSITION TO STOP IT. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH A DOG RAN INTO THE STREET AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT THE DOG. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE BAGS DEPLOYED, AND CONSUMER SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES. IN ADDITION, DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED, IT LOCKED THE DRIVER IN AFTER THE IMPACT. HOWEVER, PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT AND REAR SEAT BELTS FUNCTIONED P…
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WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH A DOG RAN INTO THE STREET AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT THE DOG. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE BAGS DEPLOYED, AND CONSUMER SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES. IN ADDITION, DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED, IT LOCKED THE DRIVER IN AFTER THE IMPACT. HOWEVER, PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT AND REAR SEAT BELTS FUNCTIONED PROPERLY.*AK
THE BRAKES ARE SQUEEKING AND MAKING THUMPING NOISES AT ONLY 6000 MILES. *LA
MY WIFE BARBARA PURCHASED A NEW 2003 FORD FOCUS. SHE BROUGHT IT HOME ON FRI. OCT.10TH. 2003, SHE PUT ON ABOUT 100 MILES. SHE PARKED IT IN OUR DRIVEWAY. ON MONDAY OCT. 13, 2003 WHEN I WENT OUT TO THE CAR I NOTICED THAT THE REAR WINDOW WAS CRAZED. WITH A CLOSER INSPECTION I SAW THAT THE WINDOW WAS COMPLETELY CRACKED. THE WINDOW WA…
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MY WIFE BARBARA PURCHASED A NEW 2003 FORD FOCUS. SHE BROUGHT IT HOME ON FRI. OCT.10TH. 2003, SHE PUT ON ABOUT 100 MILES. SHE PARKED IT IN OUR DRIVEWAY. ON MONDAY OCT. 13, 2003 WHEN I WENT OUT TO THE CAR I NOTICED THAT THE REAR WINDOW WAS CRAZED. WITH A CLOSER INSPECTION I SAW THAT THE WINDOW WAS COMPLETELY CRACKED. THE WINDOW WAS INTACT WITH NO SIGN OF IMPACT. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY ASKED ME TO BRING IT IN TO THEIR SERVICE CENTER. I DID AND THEY ARE REPAIRING IT. WE LIVE IN A REMOTE AREA WITH NO TRAFIC. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY WITH THE REAR WINDOW FACING AWAY FROM THE ROAD. THE TEMPERTURE WAS 38 DEG. F.AT NIGHT AND 70 DEG. F DAYTIME. WE LIVE IN ALPINE, AZ ELLEVATION 8050 FT. *LA
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WHILE DRIVING AT 25/30 MPH. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER PASSENGER'S SIDE NOR DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURES. *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.