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2005 Ford Focus

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Ford Focus do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 864.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

344 reports with mileage · 97 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 113 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

43 crash reports9 fire reports32 injury reports

Tires complaints

15 reports
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27,774 miles · Dec 20, 2006
TiresInjury

I WAS WESTBOUND ON 5TH ST. IN OLIVEHURST, CA, AND HEADED TO OLIVEHURST DRIVE. THE CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND COOL, AND THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 25 MPH. I HAD NOT YET COME UP TO THE SPEED LIMIT (BELOW 10 MPH) WHEN MY FRONT END BEGAN TO SHAKE. SECONDS LATER, MY PASSENGER AND I HEARD A LOUD BANG, AND THE FRONT END SWERVED SHARPLY TO THE…

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I WAS WESTBOUND ON 5TH ST. IN OLIVEHURST, CA, AND HEADED TO OLIVEHURST DRIVE. THE CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND COOL, AND THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 25 MPH. I HAD NOT YET COME UP TO THE SPEED LIMIT (BELOW 10 MPH) WHEN MY FRONT END BEGAN TO SHAKE. SECONDS LATER, MY PASSENGER AND I HEARD A LOUD BANG, AND THE FRONT END SWERVED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. I TRIED TO CORRECT TO THE LEFT, AND ENDED UP CLIPPING A POLE (ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD) INSTEAD OF HITTING IT HEAD ON. MY PASSENGER SUSTAINED A BLOW TO HIS KNEE. NO OTHER INJURIES OCCURRED, AND WE DID NOT FEEL IT NECESSARY TO CALL AN AMBULANCE. AS THERE WAS MINIMAL SCRAPES ON THE POWER POLE, AND MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED FOR COLLISION DAMAGE, I DID NOT NOTIFY THE AUTHORITIES. MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS BENT INWARD, AND THE TIRE WAS BLOWN DOWN THE CENTER OF THE TREAD. UPON REPLACING THE TIRE WITH THE SPARE, WE FOUND THAT THE A ARM HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ROTOR, AND THE RIGHT CV AXLE HAD PULLED AWAY FROM THE TRANSMISSION, EFFECTIVELY DISABLING MY CAR. THE TIRE IN QUESTION IS A GOODYEAR EAGLE RS-A P195/60R15; THE ORIGINAL TIRE FROM THE PURCHASE DATE OF 9/13/05, AND WITH LESS THAN 27,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE TIRES WERE CLOSE TO BALD PRIOR TO THE BLOWOUT, AND I HAD BEEN CONSIDERING TAKING THEM IN FOR A WARRANTY REPLACEMENT DUE TO THEIR SHORT LIFESPAN. I HAVE HAD PRIOR TIRE ROTATIONS DONE AT LARRY GEWEKE FORD IN YUBA CITY, AND THEY HAD NOT INFORMED ME OF ANY TREAD WEAR PROBLEMS AT THE TIME FOR THIS PARTICULAR TIRE. THIS TYPE OF DEFECT COULD HAVE EASILY KILLED MYSELF AND MY PASSENGER IF IT HAD OCCURRED AT HIGHER SPEEDS. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10176689

20,000 miles · Jul 21, 2006
Fuel System, GasolineTires

MY CAR KEPT STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND AT STOP SIGNS AND WHERE EVER IT FELT LIKE. THIS STARTED AT ABOUT 20,000 MILES. THEN JUST BEFORE IT GOT TO 36,000 MILES IT WOULD STALL WHEN EVER IT BECAME HOT. AS I WAS GOING UP AND DOWN THE MOUNTAIN PASSES IN WASHINGTON, OREGON AND CALIFORNIA IT WOULD JUST STOP RUNNING EVERY MIL…

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MY CAR KEPT STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND AT STOP SIGNS AND WHERE EVER IT FELT LIKE. THIS STARTED AT ABOUT 20,000 MILES. THEN JUST BEFORE IT GOT TO 36,000 MILES IT WOULD STALL WHEN EVER IT BECAME HOT. AS I WAS GOING UP AND DOWN THE MOUNTAIN PASSES IN WASHINGTON, OREGON AND CALIFORNIA IT WOULD JUST STOP RUNNING EVERY MILE. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AS I HAD CARS BEHIND ME AND TRUCKERS ON ALL SIDES AND THE CAR WOULD JUST QUIT AT 65 MPH OR WHAT EVER SPEED I WAS AT. I HAD MAD TRUCKERS AND MAD CARS AND TRUCKS, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. WHEN I LIMPED HOME (780 MILES) I GOT THE CAR IN TO BE CHECKED AND FOUND THAT IT WAS THE FUEL RAIL SENSOR. I CALLED FORD AND THEY REFUSED TO COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS FORCED TO PAY FOR A FAULTY PART OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. THEN LAST WEEK I SAW ON THE NEWS THAT TOYOTA AND ANOTHER COMPANY HAD RECALLED THEIR VEHICLES FOR THE SAME EXACT PART. I CALLED FORD TODAY AGAIN AND THEY ARE STILL REFUSING TO ADMIT THAT THIS IS DANGEROUS ON THEIR CARS. IT SEEMS TO BE OK TO RECALL OTHER VEHICLES, BUT FORD THINKS THEIR '!@#$% DOESN'T STINK AS WE SAY ON THE FARM. I WANT THIOS RECTIFIED. IF OTHER MANUFACTURERS THINK THIS IS A PROBLEM. I THINK FORD SHOULD BUCK UP AND ADMIT THAT THEIR VEHICLES COULD POSSIBLY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD IF THIS IS THE WAY THEY TREAT CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE FORD CARS. GAYLE SORENSEN *TR

NHTSA ODI #10163112

200 miles · Aug 17, 2005
SuspensionTires

'05 FORD FOCUS ZXW. VEHICLE LESS THAN 2 WEEKS OLD. IN SHOP 4TH TIME FOR VIBRATION IN FRONT END AND PULLING TO RIGHT. DEALER REPLACED 1 FRONT TIRE, BALANCED ALL 4, CHANGED CAMBER ANGLE AND RE-ALIGNED STEERING WHEEL. CAR STILL VIBRATES AT 65 AND NOW PULLS TO LEFT. BACK TO DEALER AGAIN FOR 5TH TIME. APPEARS TO ORIGINATE FROM RIGHT …

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'05 FORD FOCUS ZXW. VEHICLE LESS THAN 2 WEEKS OLD. IN SHOP 4TH TIME FOR VIBRATION IN FRONT END AND PULLING TO RIGHT. DEALER REPLACED 1 FRONT TIRE, BALANCED ALL 4, CHANGED CAMBER ANGLE AND RE-ALIGNED STEERING WHEEL. CAR STILL VIBRATES AT 65 AND NOW PULLS TO LEFT. BACK TO DEALER AGAIN FOR 5TH TIME. APPEARS TO ORIGINATE FROM RIGHT FRONT. WILL PRESS FOR STRUT AND SUSPENSION INSPECTION. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10133136

Mileage unknown · May 20, 2005
Air BagsLatches/locks/linkagesTiresCrashInjury

HOOD LATCH WAS NOT ATTACHED PROPERLY TO BODY. CAUSED HOOD TO BRAKE FREE AND FLY UP UPSTRUCKING VISION AND CAUSING A WRECK. NO AIR BAGS DEPLORED AND CRUSE CONTROL STUCK ON. NEW VEHICLE VIN # DID NOT MATCH VEHICLE DESCRIPTION.

NHTSA ODI #10121743

4,523 miles · Apr 22, 2005
Service Brakes, HydraulicTires

2005 FORD FOCUS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE EQUIPMENT AND THE TIRE TREAD ON THE FRONT TWO TIRES.*MR THE BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS WHERE BAD. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER ALL FOCUS DISC BRAKES WEAR LIKE THAT, WITH GROOVES ON ROTORS AND PADS . CONSUMER'S SON WAS ON I-95 AND HAD TO STOP FAST AND TIRES GOT SOFT SPOTS AND FLATTEN OUT …

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2005 FORD FOCUS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE EQUIPMENT AND THE TIRE TREAD ON THE FRONT TWO TIRES.*MR THE BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS WHERE BAD. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER ALL FOCUS DISC BRAKES WEAR LIKE THAT, WITH GROOVES ON ROTORS AND PADS . CONSUMER'S SON WAS ON I-95 AND HAD TO STOP FAST AND TIRES GOT SOFT SPOTS AND FLATTEN OUT AND TREAD CAME APART. MANUFACTURER WOULDN'T WARRANTY THE 2 FRONT TIRES AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO BUY NEW ONES. *BF

NHTSA ODI #10119228

Official recalls

1

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

1

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.