THE DOOR LOCK, LOCKS AND YOU CANT OPEN THEM TO GET IN OR OUT OF THE CAR IF YOU WONT IN OR OUT YOU HAVE TO CRAWL THROUGH THE WINDOWS. THE FRONT END OF THE CAR WILL NOT STAY ALIGNED EATS UP TIRES. HEAD LIGHTS. WE HAVE HAD THIS CAR IN THE DEALERS MANY TIMES THEY TELL ME THAT ITS NORMAL. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A LEMON SINCE THE DAY I DR…
Read full complaint
THE DOOR LOCK, LOCKS AND YOU CANT OPEN THEM TO GET IN OR OUT OF THE CAR IF YOU WONT IN OR OUT YOU HAVE TO CRAWL THROUGH THE WINDOWS. THE FRONT END OF THE CAR WILL NOT STAY ALIGNED EATS UP TIRES. HEAD LIGHTS. WE HAVE HAD THIS CAR IN THE DEALERS MANY TIMES THEY TELL ME THAT ITS NORMAL. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A LEMON SINCE THE DAY I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT BUT THEY WOULD NEVER FIX THE PROBLEMS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10349430
5,272 miles · Aug 9, 2010
Latches/locks/linkages
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE DOORS LATCHES BEGAN STICKING MAKING UNABLE TO BE OPENED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER WHO REPLACED THE DOOR LATCH BUT THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD CONTINUOUSLY TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE LATCH REPLACED. THE CONTACT …
Read full complaint
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE DOORS LATCHES BEGAN STICKING MAKING UNABLE TO BE OPENED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER WHO REPLACED THE DOOR LATCH BUT THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD CONTINUOUSLY TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE LATCH REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE LATCH AND WAS INFORMED TO LUBRICATE THE LATCHES, BUT THAT HAS NOT REMEDIED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT SINCE THE ROAD WAS MADE OF GRAVEL IT COULD ALSO HAVE CAUSED THE LATCHES TO FAIL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF A CHILD WAS LEFT INSIDE THE VEHICLE IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TO GET INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND THE ONLY OPTION WAS TO BREAK THE WINDOW. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. UPDATED 10/25/10
NHTSA ODI #10348196
26,222 miles · Aug 9, 2010
Latches/locks/linkages
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR LATCHES WERE STICKING WHICH MADE UNABLE TO BE OPENED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE DOOR LATCHES BUT THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD CONTINUOUSLY TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE LATCHES REPLACED. T…
Read full complaint
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR LATCHES WERE STICKING WHICH MADE UNABLE TO BE OPENED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE DOOR LATCHES BUT THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD CONTINUOUSLY TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE LATCHES REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE LATCHES AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT TO LUBRICATE THE LATCHES BUT THAT HAS NOT REMEDIED THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE GRAVEL ROAD CAN ALSO CAUSE THE DOOR LATCHES TO FAIL. THE CONTACT STATED IF A CHILD IS LEFT INSIDE THE VEHICLE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET IN THE VEHICLE AND THE ONLY OPTION IS TO BREAK THE WINDOW. THE CONTACT STATED THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. UPDATED 10/21/10. *LJ UPDATED 10/25/10
NHTSA ODI #10348192
23,000 miles · Apr 13, 2010
Latches/locks/linkages
I BEEN LOCKED IN MY CAR 2X. I HAVE A FORD FOCUS 2008. WHERE THE DOOR LATCHES DUST BUILDS UP TO WERE I CANT GET OUT. I WENT TO DEALERSHIP THEY NEVER SEEN THIS IN 18 YRS. I HAVE TO SPRAY COMPUTER CLEANER/BRAKE CLEANER WHICH I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10325544
38,000 miles · Sep 21, 2009
Latches/locks/linkagesStructure
CONCERNING A '08 FOCUS, 4 DOOR SE. CAR IS APPROXIMATELY 18MONTHS OLD AND HAS COVERED 38,000 APPROX.. REAR PASSENGER DOOR FAILED TO OPEN. WHEN USING POWER LOCKS, THE DOOR BUTTON WOULD FAIL TO MOVE. ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS (LUCKY) THE DOOR COULD BE OPENED. THEN THE SAME HAPPENED TO THE OTHER REAR DOOR. SO NOW BOTH REAR DOORS WERE…
Read full complaint
CONCERNING A '08 FOCUS, 4 DOOR SE. CAR IS APPROXIMATELY 18MONTHS OLD AND HAS COVERED 38,000 APPROX.. REAR PASSENGER DOOR FAILED TO OPEN. WHEN USING POWER LOCKS, THE DOOR BUTTON WOULD FAIL TO MOVE. ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS (LUCKY) THE DOOR COULD BE OPENED. THEN THE SAME HAPPENED TO THE OTHER REAR DOOR. SO NOW BOTH REAR DOORS WERE INOPERABLE. CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL MONTANA FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS EXPLAINED. CAR WAS KEPT IN SHOP FOR FOUR DAYS WHILST BITS WERE ORDERED, AND PROBLEM RECTIFIED. WAS CHARGED $100 AND TOLD THIS WASN'T COVERED BY THE WARRANTY (ALTHOUGH A RENTAL CAR WAS PROVIDED FOR THIS PERIOD). IN HINDSIGHT I SHOULD HAVE CHECKED BOTH DOORS, AS LATER I FOUND OUT THAT THE OTHER DOOR HADN'T BEEN FIXED. CAR NOW HAS TO GO INTO SHOP FOR FURTHER RECTIFICATION. I REALIZE THAT IN '05 FORD RECALLED APPROX 359,000 01-02 FOCUS FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH OTHER DOOR LATCHES ON VARIOUS VEHICLES. FOR THIS TO HAPPEN ON A 08 FOCUS, WHICH HAS BEEN DRIVEN CAREFULLY BY ONE OWNER, FAIL TO SEE HOW THE FORD DEALER CAN SAY IT'S NOT A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT? ARE THEY WORRIED THAT IT'LL COST MORE FOR A RECALL THAN ANY LAWSUITS? *TR
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
2008 Ford Focus Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
Illustration