Illustration2005 FORD FOCUS AIRBAG SYSTEM INOPERATIVE AT AROUND 23,000 MILES AND 1.5 YEARS OF SERVICE. DEALERSHIP ADVISED WIRING HARNESS SEVERED BY RODENT. NOT COVERED BY FORD WARRANTY REMAINS UNCORRECTED. *NM
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 reportsDT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT STAY LATCHED AND BOTH DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCKS WERE HARD TO DISENGAGE. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V030000, REGARDING THE LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
2005 FORD FOCUS STRUT BROKE WHICH CAUSED THE AXLE TO BREAK. THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND FLIPPED OVER. *KB *JB
I OWN A 2004 AND 2005 FORD FOCUS. ONE IS AN SE AND ONE A ZX3. THE FRONT BRAKES ON THE 2004 WENT OUT AT 32,000 MILES AND THE 2005 WENT OUT AT 40000 MILES. BOTH VEHICLES ARE DRIVEN NICELY. ON BOTH THERE WAS A SLIGHT GRINDING FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND THEN TOTAL PAD FAILURE IN THE RIGHT INSIDE PAD. FORD SAYS THE PADS I BOUGHT FROM …
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I OWN A 2004 AND 2005 FORD FOCUS. ONE IS AN SE AND ONE A ZX3. THE FRONT BRAKES ON THE 2004 WENT OUT AT 32,000 MILES AND THE 2005 WENT OUT AT 40000 MILES. BOTH VEHICLES ARE DRIVEN NICELY. ON BOTH THERE WAS A SLIGHT GRINDING FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND THEN TOTAL PAD FAILURE IN THE RIGHT INSIDE PAD. FORD SAYS THE PADS I BOUGHT FROM THE DEALER ARE LIFETIME WARRANTY BUT THE SYSTEM WHEN NEW CARRIES NO WARRANTY. BY THE TIME PROBLEMS ARE NOTICED, IT'S TOO LATE AND BOTH THE PADS AND ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED. *JB
2005 FORD FOCUS. THE KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. IT WILL NOT COME OUT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE IGNITION. SINGLE MOM HERE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY. *JB
2005 FORD FOCUS, HAS LOST TO 7 SPOKE WHEEL COVERS IN 3 MONTHS. *NM
WHILE DRIVING IN THE EARLY MORNING OR EVENNGS I NOTICE THAT THE ABS LIGHT AND BATTERY LIGHT GLOW ON. THEY COME ON AND GO OFF. LAST EVENING THE CAR WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE DOORS LOCKED AND WINDOWS UP. THE DOME LIGHT CAME ON AND WENT OFF SEVERAL TIMES. I LOOKED INTO THE CAR AND FOUND THAT THE OIL LIGHT AND THE DOOR AJA…
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WHILE DRIVING IN THE EARLY MORNING OR EVENNGS I NOTICE THAT THE ABS LIGHT AND BATTERY LIGHT GLOW ON. THEY COME ON AND GO OFF. LAST EVENING THE CAR WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE DOORS LOCKED AND WINDOWS UP. THE DOME LIGHT CAME ON AND WENT OFF SEVERAL TIMES. I LOOKED INTO THE CAR AND FOUND THAT THE OIL LIGHT AND THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT WERE ON WHEN THE DOME LIGHT WAS OFF. ALSO, WHEN THE DOOR AJAR AND OIL LIGHT ARE ON, THE WIRELESS REMOTES DO NOT WORK. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE ABS AND BATTERY LIGHT 2 TIMES WITH NO RESOLVE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE TODAY WITH VIDEO OF THE DOME LIGHT, OIL LIGHT, AND THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE MOLDING ON THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD WAS COMING LOOSE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PRESS THE MOLDING BACK INTO PLACE. WATER LEAKED INTO THE VEHICLE FROM THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD WHEN IT RAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER FOR REPAIR.
THE VEHICLE HAS A CHRONIC FAILURE IN THE REAR BRAKES, THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES SINCE OCTOBER 2005. THE VEHICLE IS A 2005 FORD FOCUS WAGON. THE REAR BRAKES DO NOT ENGAGE, THE CAR SKIDS, AND THEY SQUEAL. I HAVE HAD THE CAR IN THE SHOP OVER A HALF A DOZEN TIMES. *JB
INTERMITTENT STALLING ISSUES WITH MY 2005 FORD FOCUS WAGON. IT WILL STALL WITHOUT WARNING BOTH GOING OVER 50 MPH AND IDLING IN TRAFFIC. IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES WITH NO RESOLUTION AND IS GOING BACK IN 2 DAYS. *NM
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.