Illustration2005 FORD FOCUS ZX3 TAILGATE WILL NOT LATCH CAUSING DOOR TO FLY OPEN WHEN I HIT A BUMP. *TR
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.
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
740–25K
6725–50K
7350–75K
5175–100K
50100–150K
29150K+
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
What owners actually said
441 reportsON THE DATE OF MY ACCIDENT, I WAS HEADED FOR WORK, I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65 M.P.H WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON HER BRAKES. I COULDN'T AVOID THE SITUATION, I RAN INTO THE BACK OF HER.. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
THE PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHEN AN ADULT SITS IN PASSENGER SEAT AND SECURES SEAT BELT. *TR
DURING COLD MORNINGS AND NOT EVERY COLD MORNING THE ACCELERATOR WILL BE STUCK SO YOU CANNOT ACCELERATE. ONCE THE CAR HEATS UP IT IS FINE. ON 10/22/14 A COOL MORNING (NOT COLD) THE ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AT 65 MPH. I HAD SLOWED DOWN FOR A CONSTRUCTION ZONE AND COULD NOT RE-ACCELERATE DUE TO…
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DURING COLD MORNINGS AND NOT EVERY COLD MORNING THE ACCELERATOR WILL BE STUCK SO YOU CANNOT ACCELERATE. ONCE THE CAR HEATS UP IT IS FINE. ON 10/22/14 A COOL MORNING (NOT COLD) THE ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AT 65 MPH. I HAD SLOWED DOWN FOR A CONSTRUCTION ZONE AND COULD NOT RE-ACCELERATE DUE TO THE STUCK PEDAL. MY SPEED WAS RAPIDLY DECREASING AND I HAD TRAFFIC BEHIND ME. FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO GET TO SHOULDER (AND NOT HIT) WHERE AFTER PUTTING MY FULL BODY WEIGHT ON THE ACCELERATOR SEVERAL TIMES TO FINALLY GET IT WORKING AGAIN. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. RESEARCH ONLINE SHOWS MANY OWNERS WITH SIMILAR ISSUE. *TR
I WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT WHERE I REAR-ENDED AN XTERRA SUV. I WAS TRAVELING BELOW THE ALLOWED SPEED LIMIT OF 35MPH, DUE TO WATER ON THE ROAD FROM A PREVIOUS RAINFALL. THE FRONT OF MY CAR WENT UNDERNEATH THE XTERRA. MY AIRBAG NEVER DEPLOYED. SINCE THAT TIME AND REPAIR TO MY VEHICLE, I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE RUSTY ECK FORD DE…
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I WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT WHERE I REAR-ENDED AN XTERRA SUV. I WAS TRAVELING BELOW THE ALLOWED SPEED LIMIT OF 35MPH, DUE TO WATER ON THE ROAD FROM A PREVIOUS RAINFALL. THE FRONT OF MY CAR WENT UNDERNEATH THE XTERRA. MY AIRBAG NEVER DEPLOYED. SINCE THAT TIME AND REPAIR TO MY VEHICLE, I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE RUSTY ECK FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY STATED THEY RESET MY AIRBAG LIGHT. THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS COME ON AGAIN FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND HAS NOT TURNED ITSELF OFF. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT IF I SHOULD BE IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT, MY AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, I BELIEVE THEIR MAY BE A DEFECT IN THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. *TR
THE CLOCK SPRING AND OTHER CIRCUITRY WAS REPAIRED AND REPLACED AT 50000 MILES BY MANTILLA FORD OF WEST HAVEN, CT AT 50,000 MILES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE. THE REPAIR WAS DONE UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON. I COMMUNICATED WITH FORD MOTOR CO. AT THEIR HEADQUARTERS BY EMAIL LAST WEEK AND THEY DID…
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THE CLOCK SPRING AND OTHER CIRCUITRY WAS REPAIRED AND REPLACED AT 50000 MILES BY MANTILLA FORD OF WEST HAVEN, CT AT 50,000 MILES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE. THE REPAIR WAS DONE UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON. I COMMUNICATED WITH FORD MOTOR CO. AT THEIR HEADQUARTERS BY EMAIL LAST WEEK AND THEY DID NOT RESPOND SO I CALLED THEM THIS MORNING THE SO CALLED REPAIR THAT WAS DONE WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BROKEN DOWN, HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND NEVER BEEN TOWED. TOLD FORD THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR WHAT I PERCEIVE AS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH COULD KILL ME. THE HAVE REFUSED TO CONSIDER COVERING THE REPAIR WHICH BRANFORD FORD OF BRANFORD ,CT ESTIMATES TO BE $502.00 I INTEND COMMUNICATE WITH THE LEGAL DEPT AT FORD HEADQUARTERS FOR. *TR
THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. FORD SAYS IT'S NOT PART OF THE TAKATA RECALL BUT I WANT TO BE SURE. I DON'T WANT TO DIE FROM IT EXPLODING AND I WANT IT CHECKED TO BE SURE. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED SO I HAVE NO IDEA IF IT MAY HAVE BEEN REPLACED BEFORE. I DON'T TRUST THE DEALERSHIP HERE. *TR
CAR STARTED NORMALLY. DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON AS USUAL. LIGHTS WENT OUT IN SEQUENCE AS USUAL. NORMAL DRIVING STARTED WITH NO ABNORMAL DASHBOARD DISPLAY. MOMENTS LATER ALL DASHBOARD LIGHT STARTED FLASHING OFF AND ON ERATICALLY. THERE WAS NO EFFECT ON DRIVING THAT COULD BE DISCERNED. ALL THE CAR HANDLING FEATURES SEEMED NORMAL.…
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CAR STARTED NORMALLY. DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON AS USUAL. LIGHTS WENT OUT IN SEQUENCE AS USUAL. NORMAL DRIVING STARTED WITH NO ABNORMAL DASHBOARD DISPLAY. MOMENTS LATER ALL DASHBOARD LIGHT STARTED FLASHING OFF AND ON ERATICALLY. THERE WAS NO EFFECT ON DRIVING THAT COULD BE DISCERNED. ALL THE CAR HANDLING FEATURES SEEMED NORMAL. AS DRIVING CONTINUED SOME OR ALL OF THE DASH LIGHTS WOULD COME ON AND OFF ERATICALLY. THE ONLY LIGHT THAT STAYED ON WHEN THE REST WENT OUT WAS THE ENGINE SYMBOL LIGHT. THE FUEL GAUGE ALSO INDICATED NO-FUEL ERATICALLY. *TR
DAUGHTER WAS HIT ON FRONT DRIVER SIDE BY SOMEBODY RUNNING A RED LIGHT AND PUSHING HER CAR INTO A METAL POLE AND EMBANKMENT THAT BENT THE PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL AND CAUSED FLUID TO GUSH FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR PLUS, NOT TO MENTION THAT SHE IS 6 MONTHS PREGNANT AND AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *TR
STICKING ACCELERATOR ALMOST CAUSE ME A CRASH. *TR
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.