← New search

2010 Ford Focus

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2010 Ford Focus are lower than the model-year median of 864.5.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

249 reports with mileage · 38 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.

  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 43 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 reports4 fire reports16 injury reports

What owners actually said

287 reports
37,000 miles · Mar 9, 2015
Steering

THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT AND I CAN NOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10693130

59,000 miles · Mar 4, 2015
Engine

THE ENGINE HESITATES, AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, IT SEEMS LIKE IT CUTS OUT, BUT THERE IS NO LOSS OF POWER, EVERYTHING FUNCTIONS. IT HAPPENS AT IRREGULAR INTERVALS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10692035

40,000 miles · Feb 25, 2015
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages

THE DOORS, RANDOMLY, DO NOT UNLOCK. EVERY DOOR HAS HAD THIS ISSUE...RANDOMLY. THE WEATHER IS NOT THE ISSUE, THIS HAS HAPPENED IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS , VIA GOOGLE, AND I AM NOT THE FIRST TO REPORT THIS. WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL FIX? THE PASSENGER SIDE BACK DOOR HAS NOT UNLOCKED FOR THREE WEEKS.…

Read full complaint

THE DOORS, RANDOMLY, DO NOT UNLOCK. EVERY DOOR HAS HAD THIS ISSUE...RANDOMLY. THE WEATHER IS NOT THE ISSUE, THIS HAS HAPPENED IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS , VIA GOOGLE, AND I AM NOT THE FIRST TO REPORT THIS. WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL FIX? THE PASSENGER SIDE BACK DOOR HAS NOT UNLOCKED FOR THREE WEEKS. TODAY THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK, CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO CLIMB OVER TO EXIT THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR...NOT SAFE. I CALLED THE DEALER, NO SURPRISE, THEY HAD HEARD OF THIS ISSUE. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, I EXPECT TO BE CHARGED, BETWEEN $400 & $1200 TO FIX A MANUFACTURES DEFECT...SO VERY WRONG! NOR WILL I BE PAYING FOR IT! AGAIN, WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO TO REPORT THIS THOUSANDS OF TIMES, WHEN THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR AT LEAST 15 YEARS, AT A COST TO THE CONSUMERS? *JS

NHTSA ODI #10690746

123,000 miles · Feb 22, 2015
Power TrainSteeringVehicle Speed ControlInjury

WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR IT JERKS WHEN I DRIVE A CERTAIN MPH.. I WAS ON THE FREE WAY AND IT FELT LIKE I WASN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO STOP OR DIDN'T NO IF MY CAR WOULD STOP... MY POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING WHEN I TURN A CORNER IT MAKES A GRINDING NOISE AND WHEN I FOUND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WHICH WAS MY POWER STEERING PUMP I GOT IT FI…

Read full complaint

WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR IT JERKS WHEN I DRIVE A CERTAIN MPH.. I WAS ON THE FREE WAY AND IT FELT LIKE I WASN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO STOP OR DIDN'T NO IF MY CAR WOULD STOP... MY POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING WHEN I TURN A CORNER IT MAKES A GRINDING NOISE AND WHEN I FOUND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WHICH WAS MY POWER STEERING PUMP I GOT IT FIXED AN NOW THE POWER STEERING LEAKS OUT AN STILL MAKES THE NOISE.. I FEEL REALLY UNSAFE IN MY CAR AN AM AFRAID TO DRIVE WITH MY SON IN IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10689865

86,000 miles · Feb 9, 2015
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

WHEN DRIVING THIS CAR AND THE SPEED REACHES ABOUT 40 MPH THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR REDUCES SPEED AND YOU CAN PUSH THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN AND IT WILL GO NO FASTER THAN 30 MPH. THE ONLY FIX IS TO HIT THE TRACTION CONTROL SWITCH ON THE DASH AND THIS TURNS THE TRACTION OFF AND ALLOWS YOU NOT TO GET KILLED. …

Read full complaint

WHEN DRIVING THIS CAR AND THE SPEED REACHES ABOUT 40 MPH THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR REDUCES SPEED AND YOU CAN PUSH THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN AND IT WILL GO NO FASTER THAN 30 MPH. THE ONLY FIX IS TO HIT THE TRACTION CONTROL SWITCH ON THE DASH AND THIS TURNS THE TRACTION OFF AND ALLOWS YOU NOT TO GET KILLED. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP TO SEE IF ANY TROUBLE CODES WOULD POP UP AND THE SCAN SAID THE CAR WAS FINE NO ISSUES. WHEN YOU DRIVE THE CAR IT TELLS A WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY .IT WILL NOT BE LONG UNTIL SOME ONE GETS TO AN INTERSECTION AND A TRUCK IS BARRING DOWN ON THEM AND THE CAR WILL NOT SAFELY ACCELERATE TO GET YOU OUT OF DANGER. I HAVE FOUND NOTHING THAT WILL FIX THIS PROBLEM SO I WILL TRY TO SELL IT BACK TO A DEALERSHIP. SAD THING IS WE STILL OWE $5000. ON IT BUT DON'T FEEL SAFE IN IT. NEW CAR TIME, SKIPPING FORDS THIS TIME UNTIL THEY TAKE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRY TO FIX THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10682362

120,000 miles · Jan 21, 2015
Engine And Engine Cooling

I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR THE 120K SERVICE. THE SERVICE WAS COMPLETED. A WEEK LATER I TOOK THE CAR BACK AND ASKED THEM THE CHECK A YELLOW CRUSTING UNDER THE DASHBOARD IN THE FRONT PASSENGER FOOTWELL. THEY DID AND SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS OR WHAT WOULD CAUSE IT. A WEEK LATER WE NOTICED A SMELL IN THE CABIN. THE CAR WAS…

Read full complaint

I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR THE 120K SERVICE. THE SERVICE WAS COMPLETED. A WEEK LATER I TOOK THE CAR BACK AND ASKED THEM THE CHECK A YELLOW CRUSTING UNDER THE DASHBOARD IN THE FRONT PASSENGER FOOTWELL. THEY DID AND SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS OR WHAT WOULD CAUSE IT. A WEEK LATER WE NOTICED A SMELL IN THE CABIN. THE CAR WAS NOW 3 YEARS OLD AND WE HAD A SIMILAR SMELL 18 MONTHS PRIOR THAT COST US $1800 TO REPLACE THE AC CORE. SURELY THIS COULD NOT BE ANOTHER AC CORE PROBLEM. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THEM AND THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG...EVEN THE SMELL HAD GONE. I TOOK THE CAR AND ON THE WAY HOME I NOTICED THE CAR WAS BEGINNING TO OVERHEAT...FORD WAS ALREADY CLOSED. I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED THE RADIATOR. I TOPPED IT UP AND IT TOOK A GALLON OF WATER. I WATCHED THE LEVEL FOR A FEW MINUTES AND IT DIDN'T MOVE. I DROVE HOME OK AND RECHECKED THE RADIATOR...SAME LEVEL. IT DROVE THE FOLLOWING DAY OK TOO. THEN IN THE EVENING I NOTICED IT WAS GETTING HOT AGAIN. THIS TIME I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 70MPH AND IT SUDDENLY CUT THE POWER ON THE ENGINE. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND HAD TO DODGE TRAFFIC TO COAST TO A HALT ON THE SHOULDER WITH THE ENGINE AT IDLE SPEED AND NO POWER. THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE AND MY FOOT WAS FLOORED, BUT THE ENGINE PRODUCED NO POWER WHATSOEVER...DIDN'T EVEN REV HIGH. WHEN I CHECKED THE RADIATOR AGAIN IT WAS VERY LOW AND TOOK ANOTHER GALLON OF WATER. I MANAGED TO DRIVE HOME AGAIN BUT NEITHER THE AC NOR THE HEATER WOULD WORK. WE ALSO NOTICED THE CARPET IN THE PASSENGER FOOTWELL WAS NOW WET AND THE SMELL WAS BACK WITH A VENGEANCE. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO FORD AND THEY TOLD ME THE HEATER CORE WAS THE PROBLEM AND HAD CUT THE POWER TO THE ENGINE BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING AND TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. IT COST ME ANOTHER $1800 FOR THE HEATER CORE AND THE CARPET TO BE REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10676916

62,000 miles · Jan 21, 2015
Engine And Engine Cooling

I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR ITS 60K SERVICE AT APPROX 62K. ALL WAS OK. ABOUT 2 DAYS LATER I NOTICED A FUNNY SMELL IN THE CABIN. I PUT IT DOWN TO WHATEVER CHEMICALS THEY USED ON THE 60K SERVICE. ABOUT 3 DAYS LATER THE SMELL WAS GETTING WORSE, BUT ALSO THE AC WASN'T COOLING LIKE IT USED TO AND MY THEN 9 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER PASSED O…

Read full complaint

I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR ITS 60K SERVICE AT APPROX 62K. ALL WAS OK. ABOUT 2 DAYS LATER I NOTICED A FUNNY SMELL IN THE CABIN. I PUT IT DOWN TO WHATEVER CHEMICALS THEY USED ON THE 60K SERVICE. ABOUT 3 DAYS LATER THE SMELL WAS GETTING WORSE, BUT ALSO THE AC WASN'T COOLING LIKE IT USED TO AND MY THEN 9 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER PASSED OUT IN THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE SMELL. I TOOK IT TO FORD AS THE INCIDENT HAPPENED STRAIGHT AFTER THE SERVICE AND THEY SAID NOTHING THEY DID WOULD HAVE CAUSED IT, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE THE AC CORE AND THE SMELL WAS PAG OIL. I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER GARAGE AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO FREON IN THE AC SYSTEM. THEY RECHARGED THE SYSTEM AFTER CHECKING FOR LEAKS AND NOT FINDING ANY. A WEEK LATER (TWO WEEKS AFTER THE INITIAL SERVICE) THE AC WAS NOT COOLING AGAIN. IT MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING FORD DID...AGAIN THERE WAS NO FREON IN THE SYSTEM. THEY GAVE ME THE SAME STORY AND THAT IT WOULD COST ME $1800 TO GET IT FIXED...WHY SHOULD I PAY $1800 ON A CAR THAT'S 18 MONTHS OLD? WELL, BECAUSE I NEEDED THE AC IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER AND ITS THE ONLY CAR I HAVE. I COMPLAINED TO FORD DIRECTLY ASKED THEM TO PAY HALF THE COST AND THEY SAID I WAS "NOT USING THE AC CORRECTLY" AND AS SUCH WOULD NOT PAY FOR ANYTHING. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO FORD AND THEY SHOWED ME THE "CORRECT WAY TO USE THE AC"...THE SAME WAY I USE THE AC. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10676901

90,000 miles · Jan 19, 2015
Air BagsWheels

I USE TO OWN A 2000 FORD FOCUS AND THE SAMETHING HAPPENED WITH IT..IT WILL CRANK GOOD FOR AWHILE AND THE IT WILL GET HARDER TO CRANK.NOW I OWN A 2010 SAME CAR. AND THE IGNITION DONE GOT HARD TO CRANK..SO I'M THINKING ITS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR THE AIR BAG DONE SLIPPED..COULD YOU PLEASE ME RESOLVE THUS MATTER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10676487

102,000 miles · Jan 14, 2015
Air BagsCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUF…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000. UPDATED 03/04/15*LJ UPDATED 6/17/2015 *JS

NHTSA ODI #10672370

130,000 miles · Dec 31, 2014
Structure

DOORS RANDOMLY FAIL TO OPEN FROM INSIDE. MOST OF THE TIME IT IS THE REAR DOORS AND CAN ONLY BE UNLOCKED FROM THE MASTER (FRONT) RELEASE. IT ACTS AS IF THE CHILD LOCK IS ENGAGED, BUT HAVE VERIFIED IT IS NOT. I SEE THIS IS A PROBLEM FROM NUMEROUS OWNERS, SO WILL HAVE IT CHECKED AT THE NEXT SERVICE VISIT. JUST WANTED TO ADD MY CA…

Read full complaint

DOORS RANDOMLY FAIL TO OPEN FROM INSIDE. MOST OF THE TIME IT IS THE REAR DOORS AND CAN ONLY BE UNLOCKED FROM THE MASTER (FRONT) RELEASE. IT ACTS AS IF THE CHILD LOCK IS ENGAGED, BUT HAVE VERIFIED IT IS NOT. I SEE THIS IS A PROBLEM FROM NUMEROUS OWNERS, SO WILL HAVE IT CHECKED AT THE NEXT SERVICE VISIT. JUST WANTED TO ADD MY CAR TO THE OTHER COMPLAINTS. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10669432

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.