IllustrationAIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *TR
2008 Ford Focus
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2008 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
310–25K
4325–50K
4250–75K
3075–100K
35100–150K
18150K+
199 reports with mileage · 51 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 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
21 crash reports0 fire reports18 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
26 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED AS SHE WAS DRIVING SOMEONE REAR ENDED HER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HUGGED HER TIGHT ENOUGH. THE CONTACT HIT HER HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE SHE RECEIVED A CUT ABOVE HER EYE AND HAD TO HAVE STITCH…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED AS SHE WAS DRIVING SOMEONE REAR ENDED HER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HUGGED HER TIGHT ENOUGH. THE CONTACT HIT HER HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE SHE RECEIVED A CUT ABOVE HER EYE AND HAD TO HAVE STITCHES. THERE IS A POLICE REPORT IF NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED SHE INFORMED THE DEALER BUT HAD NOT CALLED THE FORD MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. UPDATED 03/18/10 *BF UPDATED 05/05/10.*JB
2008 FORD FOCUS AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING AFTER ACCIDENT GOING 65 MPH. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR-ENDED AND DESTROYED BY A HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. AN OCCUPANT IN HER VEHICLE SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES. BOTH THE CONTACT AND OCCUPANT WERE WEARING THEIR SEAT BELTS AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE S…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR-ENDED AND DESTROYED BY A HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. AN OCCUPANT IN HER VEHICLE SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES. BOTH THE CONTACT AND OCCUPANT WERE WEARING THEIR SEAT BELTS AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONSUMERS SON LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STRUCK A GUARDRAIL AND ROLLED ONCE. THE VEHICLE CAME TO REST IN A CREEK. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACTS SON SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE LOWER BACK AND ANKLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FA…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONSUMERS SON LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STRUCK A GUARDRAIL AND ROLLED ONCE. THE VEHICLE CAME TO REST IN A CREEK. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACTS SON SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE LOWER BACK AND ANKLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 17,000. UPDATED 6/4/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST ACCIDENT WHERE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. UPDATED 06/09/09.*JB THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD STATING THE IMPACT WAS NOT SEVERE ENOUGH TO WARRANT AIR BAD DEPLOYMENT. UPDATED 06/02/11
I WAS MERGING INTO THE CENTER LANE WHEN A CAR FROM THE RIGHT SIDE WAS DRIVING IN MY LINE. I MOVE BACK IN MY LANE AND THE CAR STARTED FISH TALING AND WENT OUT OF CONTROL. I HIT THE GUARD RAIL TWICE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY MY SPEED WAS 55-60 MPH. THE CAR WAS TOTALED BECAUSE THE WALL OF THE FIREWALL AND ENGINE WAS DAMAGED…
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I WAS MERGING INTO THE CENTER LANE WHEN A CAR FROM THE RIGHT SIDE WAS DRIVING IN MY LINE. I MOVE BACK IN MY LANE AND THE CAR STARTED FISH TALING AND WENT OUT OF CONTROL. I HIT THE GUARD RAIL TWICE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY MY SPEED WAS 55-60 MPH. THE CAR WAS TOTALED BECAUSE THE WALL OF THE FIREWALL AND ENGINE WAS DAMAGED. THIS WAS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. HELP!
Official recalls
107V541000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
Nov 21, 2007
CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE DRIVER AIR BAG MODULE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY ASSEMBLED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION MAY PREVENT THE DRIVER AIR BAG FROM PROPERLY DEPLOYING AND REDUCE OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE YOUR DRIVER AIR BAG MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 20, 2007. 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
1PE08060 · Tire Valve Cracking
Opened Oct 14, 2008 · Closed Apr 9, 2009
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Tires:valve
ON OCTOBER 14, 2008, ODI OPENED PE08-060 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CRACKED AND LEAKING SNAP-IN TIRE VALVES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY.THE VALVES WERE SUPPLIED TO FORD BY TOPSEAL AUTO-PARTS, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SHANGHAI BAOLONG AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION IN CHINA.VALVES MADE BY TOPSEAL FOR AFTERMARKET SALE WERE THE SUBJECT OF TWO RECENT SAFETY RECALLS BY TECH INTERNATIONAL (08T-018) AND DILL AIR CONTROLS (08T-028), THE LATTER OF WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY ODI IN PE08-036 AND EA08-022.THE DEFECT CONDITIONS ADDRESSED BY THE AFTERMARKET TIRE VALVE RECALLS BOTH INVOLVED INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE SUPPLY OF ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS TO TOPSEAL FOR A PERIOD FROM JULY TO MID-NOVEMBER 2006.THE AFTERMARKET VALVES WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A BLEND OF EPDM AND NATURAL RUBBER, USING A RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF EPDM (EPDM PROVIDES INHERENT RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING).HENCE, THE NEED FOR ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS AND THE PROBLEMS WITH CRACKING WHEN THOSE CHEMICALS WERE MISSING OR OUT OF SPECIFICATION IN SOME LOTS OF VALVES.BOTH RECALL CAMPAIGNS INVOLVED INSPECTION PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY AND REPLACE VALVES WITH VISIBLE SURFACE CRACKING.ALTHOUGH THE TOPSEAL VALVES SUPPLIED TO FORD ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ANTI-OZONANT SUPPLY ISSUES IN MID TO LATE-2006, FORD INDICATED THAT ITS VALVES WERE MADE AT A DIFFERENT TOPSEAL PRODUCTION LINE AND WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF EPDM RUBBER TO MEET MORE STRINGENT SPECIFICATIONS FROM FORD.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED BY FORD SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH CRACKED TIRE VALVES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FOR MY 2007 VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007.FORD RESPONDED BY IMPLEMENTING CHANGES IN ITS MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SNAP-IN RUBBER TIRE VALVES AND ALSO INCREASING THE QUALITY AND ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS FOR VALVES IMPORTED FOR USE IN ITS VEHICLES.WHILE THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM RATES ARE ELEVATED FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007, THE RATES OF LEAKING VALVES ARE WELL BELOW ONE PERCENT OF PRODUCTION FOR EACH OF THE PEAK MONTHS FOR ALL OF THE AFFECTED MODELS.A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS (TPMS) WHICH WARN THE DRIVER WHEN ANY TIRE PRESSURES DROPS BELOW 25 PERCENT OF RECOMMENDED INFLATION PRESSURE. AS OUTLINED IN A LETTER TO ODI DATED APRIL 6, 2009, FORD HAS AGREED TO SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS OF CERTAIN MY 2007 AND 2008 FORD, LINCOLN AND MERCURY VEHICLES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRACKING CONCERN. LETTERS WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 2006 THROUGH MAY 2007.OWNERS CAN OPT FOR A FREE DEALER INSPECTION.VALVES EXHIBITING SURFACE CRACKS OR AIR LEAKAGE RELATED TO OZONE ATTACK WILL BE REPLACED BY FORD UNDER ITS NORMAL WARRANTY TERMS.FORD EXPECTS TO SEND THE LETTER BY APPROXIMATELY MID-MAY 2009. BASED ON THE USE OF TPMS IN THE MAJORITY OF SUBJECT VEHICLES AND THE RELATIVELY LOW RATES OF REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING VALVES AND RESULTANT TIRE DAMAGE, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE ACTIONS FORD HAS AGREED TO TAKE WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND EXPEDITIOUS RESOLUTION FOR VEHICLES THAT WERE BUILT DURING THE PERIOD WHEN VALVES WITH INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING WERE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN USED IN VEHICLE PRODUCTION.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO