Electrical System. Review the 183 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

34 crash reports13 fire reports24 injury reports

Wheels complaints

4 reports

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50,759 miles · Nov 30, 2007

Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 55-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING WHEEL BOTH BEGAN TO SHAKE. WHEN THE SPEED IS BELOW 55 MPH, THE SHAKING WILL STOP OR DECREASE. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT HEARD METAL ON METAL FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE FINE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,019 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,759. UPDATED 01/02/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SQUEAKED AND VIBRATED AND WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE. THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS REPLACED, DUE TO IT BEING BROKEN. THE SHIFTER SQUEAKED. THE RIMS WERE BENT AND THE TIRES WERE OUT OF BALANCE. UPDATED*JB

NHTSA ODI #10210391

60,000 miles · Mar 6, 2006

Wheels

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING DURING WINTER CONDITIONS IN THE NORTH EAST, THE SALT, SAND AND SNOW ACCUMULATE ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEELS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE WHEELS WERE SO FLAT ON THE INSIDE THEY WERE UNABLE TO SHED THESE ELEMENTS. THE CONTACT IS UNABLE TO REMOVE THES…

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NHTSA ODI #10152016

27,200 miles · Feb 28, 2005

WheelsCrash

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE HIT A POTHOLE, AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE RIM BENT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10113154

Mileage unknown · Mar 12, 2004

Wheels

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOMEONE INVESTIGATE THE MATERIAL USED IN THE REAL WHEEL COVERS OF THE 2004 FORD FOCUS ZTW WAGON. I BELIEVE THIS PRODUCT DOES NOT PROTECT THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING OBJECTS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10062033

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.