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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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Engine complaints

14 reports
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68,500 miles · Oct 24, 2014
EnginePower Train

I PURCHASED MY FORD BACK IN MAY OF 2014, IT HAD 60,000 MILE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. THE CAR PASSED ALL INSPECTIONS. I DID PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. FOR THE PAST WEEK I NOTICED THE CAR FELT AS IF IT WAS IDLING HIGH AND NOT ACCELERATING PROPERLY, ON AND OFF. ON OCTOBER 23, 2014, WHILE DRIVING AT 20-25 MILES PER HOUR, THE CA…

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I PURCHASED MY FORD BACK IN MAY OF 2014, IT HAD 60,000 MILE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. THE CAR PASSED ALL INSPECTIONS. I DID PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. FOR THE PAST WEEK I NOTICED THE CAR FELT AS IF IT WAS IDLING HIGH AND NOT ACCELERATING PROPERLY, ON AND OFF. ON OCTOBER 23, 2014, WHILE DRIVING AT 20-25 MILES PER HOUR, THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE AND IT FELT AS IF IT WAS GOING TO BE LOOSING POWER, THE CAR NEVER SHUT OFF, IT REDUCED IN SPEED AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, SOON AFTER THE WRENCH SIGN APPEARED. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT, THE WRENCH SIGN WAS GONE AND THE CAR DROVE AS IT HAD PRIOR TO THE LIGHT APPEARING. I TOOK THE FORD INTO MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS BEING THE THROTTLE BODY AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THAT MY WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THE THROTTLE BODY AND WAS QUOTED $840.00 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10649701

80,000 miles · Jul 13, 2014
Electrical SystemEngine

THE IGNITION SWITCH,WHEN I TURN THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION IT SOMETIMES STICKS IN THIS POSITION AND STICKS IT DOES THIS EVERY OTHER TIME WHEN I TURN ON THE VEHICLE IT FEELS THE KEY IS GOING TO GET STUCK IN THE STARTING POSITION IT DON'T SPRING BACK THE WAY IT SHOULD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10610186

54,203 miles · Jun 5, 2014
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS ON ENGINE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS ON ENGINE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,203 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,400.

NHTSA ODI #10596283

68,000 miles · May 23, 2012
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND THE CURR…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,000.

NHTSA ODI #10459373

Official recalls

1

07V541000 · 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

1

PE08060 · 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