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2006 Ford Focus

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2006 Ford Focus are lower than the model-year median of 864.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

173 reports with mileage · 31 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 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

22 crash reports3 fire reports15 injury reports

Power Train complaints

14 reports
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Mileage unknown · Nov 26, 2011
Air BagsEngine And Engine CoolingPower Train

I PURCHASED 2006 FORD FOCUS ZX3 IN MAY OF 2006. IT WAS A BRAND NEW CAR WITH ONLY 8 MILES ON IT. WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IT WAS VERY LOUD AND ROUGH. I THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS NEW AND NEEDED SOME TIME TO BE DRIVEN. AFTER THREE AND HALF YEARS NOTHING HAS CHANGED. I CALLED FORD COMPANYAND WAS TOLD TO TAKE IT TO FORD DEALER.…

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I PURCHASED 2006 FORD FOCUS ZX3 IN MAY OF 2006. IT WAS A BRAND NEW CAR WITH ONLY 8 MILES ON IT. WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IT WAS VERY LOUD AND ROUGH. I THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS NEW AND NEEDED SOME TIME TO BE DRIVEN. AFTER THREE AND HALF YEARS NOTHING HAS CHANGED. I CALLED FORD COMPANYAND WAS TOLD TO TAKE IT TO FORD DEALER. (I TOOK IT TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I ALSO STATED THAT IT STOPS SHIFTING INTO 4TH GEAR AND WILL NOT SHIFT UP IF I HAVE TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY. THE DEALER INFO: FORD BREDEMANN 2038 WAUKEGAN ROAD GLENVIEW, IL 60025 (847) 510-5585). I LEFT THE CAR FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND WHEN I CAME TO PICK IT UP I WAS TOLD THAT ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION WERE ON GOOD CONDITION. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE CHANGED LIKE TIRES..ETC.. HOWEVER, I HAVE HAD INSTANCES ON THE ROAD WHERE I ALMOST COULD HAVE ENDED UP KILLED JUST BECAUSE THE CAR WONT ACCELERATE. IT HAPPENED TO ME ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. 2ND PROBLEM IS STEERING WHEEL. IT IS SO STIFF THAT ITS HARD TO TURN IT LEFT AND RIGHT. I FEEL LIKE IT IS SO UNSAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE THIS CAR..NOT JUST UNSAFE FOR ME BUT FOR OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD WAS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10437315

56,000 miles · Jul 1, 2011
Power Train

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY DOES NOT KICK INTO GEARS WHEN ACCELERATING. I WENT TO GET ON THE HIGH WAY,(SPEED LIMIT 65MPH), GOT UP TO 55 AND THE TRANSMISSION JUST STARTED REVVING AS IF I WAS LOCKED IN NEUTRAL, ALMOST CAUSED 2 ACCIDENTS FROM MOVING TRAFFIC, AS MY CAR WAS DRIVING CONSIDERABLY SLOWER THAN TH…

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TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY DOES NOT KICK INTO GEARS WHEN ACCELERATING. I WENT TO GET ON THE HIGH WAY,(SPEED LIMIT 65MPH), GOT UP TO 55 AND THE TRANSMISSION JUST STARTED REVVING AS IF I WAS LOCKED IN NEUTRAL, ALMOST CAUSED 2 ACCIDENTS FROM MOVING TRAFFIC, AS MY CAR WAS DRIVING CONSIDERABLY SLOWER THAN THE REST GOING THE SPEED LIMIT). VERY DANGEROUS AND VERY SCARY. PULLED OFF AT NEXT EXIT(WAS CONSIDERABLY CLOSE). CAR WOULD THEN NOT GO OVER 25 MPH. IT'S LIKE IT WOULD NOT SWITCH INTO THE NEXT GEAR. HAD TO CALL A TOW. FORD GARAGE SAYS TRANNY DEFINITELY HAS PROBLEMS AND NEEDS REBUILT/REPLACED. IT HAD HAPPENED A FEW TIMES BEFORE WHERE I WOULD GO TO ACCELERATE AND WOULD GET STUCK IN ONE GEAR, BUT AFTER A FEW SECONDS WOULD FINALLY KICK INTO GEAR - WHEN IT DID FINALLY KICK INTO GEAR, IT WAS A STRONG JERK AS IF I PUNCHED THE GAS. AFTER LOOKING AROUND ONLINE, APPARENTLY MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME YR MAKE MODEL HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10410278

84,000 miles · Feb 26, 2011
Power Train

KEY WOULD NOT REMOVE FROM IGNITION. AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT LOCKING WHEN IN PARK. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO PUSH IN THE SAFETY BUTTON FOR IT TO GO INTO GEAR. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE TO ME SINCE MANY FOCUS OWNERS HAVE SIMPLY GONE TO LEAVING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AFTER IT STICKS THERE AND …

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KEY WOULD NOT REMOVE FROM IGNITION. AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT LOCKING WHEN IN PARK. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO PUSH IN THE SAFETY BUTTON FOR IT TO GO INTO GEAR. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE TO ME SINCE MANY FOCUS OWNERS HAVE SIMPLY GONE TO LEAVING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AFTER IT STICKS THERE AND FIND OUT THE COST FROM THE DEALER TO FIX. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10384611

60,253 miles · Apr 11, 2008
Power Train

FORD 2006, FOCUS ZXW, WHEN PARKING THE CAR, THE MOVING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STICK TO PARK DOES NOT LOCK IN ALL THE TIME. IT DOES SEEMS TO PARK, CAR DOES NOT ROLL, BUT TRANS MISSION STICK EASILY MOVE AWAY AND FLL INTO OTHER GEARS, AND THE CAR MOVES. WHEN IT DOES NOT LOCK UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY. MOST OF THE TIME AFTER ABOU…

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FORD 2006, FOCUS ZXW, WHEN PARKING THE CAR, THE MOVING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STICK TO PARK DOES NOT LOCK IN ALL THE TIME. IT DOES SEEMS TO PARK, CAR DOES NOT ROLL, BUT TRANS MISSION STICK EASILY MOVE AWAY AND FLL INTO OTHER GEARS, AND THE CAR MOVES. WHEN IT DOES NOT LOCK UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY. MOST OF THE TIME AFTER ABOUT UP TO 3 MIN LATER YOU HEAR A TING SOUND THEN IT LOCKS. ONCE IT LOCKS KEY CAN BE REMOVED. I ALSO HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH 2003 FORD FOCUS 2 YEARS EARLIER, DEALER REPLACED THE LOCK THEN IT WOULD RELEASE THE KEY, EVERY TIME I PARKED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10224250

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.