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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

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

45 reports
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10,000 miles · Dec 27, 2006
Vehicle Speed Control

TL* - ON DECEMBER 23, 2006 THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE IGNITION WHILE SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK. AFTER SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE WITH THE BRAKES STILL APPLIED THE RPMS BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AS THOUGH THE THE ACCELORATER PEDAL HAD BEEN DEPRESSED. A SIMILAR INCIDENT OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS …

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TL* - ON DECEMBER 23, 2006 THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE IGNITION WHILE SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK. AFTER SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE WITH THE BRAKES STILL APPLIED THE RPMS BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AS THOUGH THE THE ACCELORATER PEDAL HAD BEEN DEPRESSED. A SIMILAR INCIDENT OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, BUT SHE DIDN'T FEEL THE NEED TO COMPLAIN AT THAT TIME. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10177107

27,850 miles · Nov 21, 2006
Vehicle Speed Control

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE LANES ON PARKWAY ACCELERATOR" FELL" TO FLOOR AND STUCK THERE SPEEDING UP CAR UNTIL IGNITION KEY WAS REMOVED TO SHUT OFF ENGINE. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10173995

Mileage unknown · May 20, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control

2005 FORD FOCUS BEGIN TO SPEED UP QUICKLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THERE SEEM TO NO PATTERN WHEN THIS WOULD HAPPEN. THE DEALER SAID THE BRAKES WERE FINE. IT HAS HAPPENED PERHAPS A HALF-DOZEN TIMES AND THE ONLY RECOURSE IS TO QUICKLY SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND PRESS DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR. THE ENGINE…

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2005 FORD FOCUS BEGIN TO SPEED UP QUICKLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THERE SEEM TO NO PATTERN WHEN THIS WOULD HAPPEN. THE DEALER SAID THE BRAKES WERE FINE. IT HAS HAPPENED PERHAPS A HALF-DOZEN TIMES AND THE ONLY RECOURSE IS TO QUICKLY SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND PRESS DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR. THE ENGINE THEN WILL SLOW DOWN. *BF *NM

NHTSA ODI #10122654

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

Mileage unknown · Jan 20, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control

ENGINE ACCELERATED WHEN I WAS AT A STOP. THE ENGINE BEGAN RACING. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, AND THEN ON AGAIN AND IT STILL RACED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. AT NO TIME WAS MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. THE ENGINE WAS RACINGBY ITSELF. I MADE A COPY OF THE NHTSA THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURING WITH THE FORDS BUT THE DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRO…

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ENGINE ACCELERATED WHEN I WAS AT A STOP. THE ENGINE BEGAN RACING. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, AND THEN ON AGAIN AND IT STILL RACED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. AT NO TIME WAS MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. THE ENGINE WAS RACINGBY ITSELF. I MADE A COPY OF THE NHTSA THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURING WITH THE FORDS BUT THE DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. MY SON HAS A FORD ESCAPE AND HE JUST RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM THE NHTSA ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. THE ACCELERATOR CABLE HAS TO BE RELACED. I HAVE A FORD FOCUS. SINCERELY, MIKE PAGLIA. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10107633

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.