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2011 Ford Focus

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2011 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

91 reports with mileage · 22 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 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports0 fire reports6 injury reports

What owners actually said

113 reports
89,000 miles · Mar 29, 2017
Seat BeltsUnknown Or Other

"TAKATA RECALL" WE HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE ONE OF THE SEAT BELTS BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT LATCH AND ALSO THE PASENGER DOOR HAS ISSUES WITH LOCKING AND UNLLOCKING. IT WORKS OCCASSIONALLY BUT NOT ALWAYS. THE 2012 FOCUS WAS REACALLED FOR THIS ISSUE AND 2011 SHOULD BE TOO.

NHTSA ODI #10969218

70,000 miles · Feb 12, 2017
Structure

MY RIGHT REAR DOOR FLEW OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AS I WAS TURNING ON TO A CITY HIGHWAY NEAR MY HOME. LUCKILY, I WAS CLOSE ENOUGH THAT I MADE IT HOME SAFELY, HOWEVER THE DOOR WOULDN'T LATCH AT ALL AFTER THIS INCIDENT. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I NORMALLY HAVE MY CAR SERVICED, THEY SAID THERE ARE MANY RECALLS …

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MY RIGHT REAR DOOR FLEW OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AS I WAS TURNING ON TO A CITY HIGHWAY NEAR MY HOME. LUCKILY, I WAS CLOSE ENOUGH THAT I MADE IT HOME SAFELY, HOWEVER THE DOOR WOULDN'T LATCH AT ALL AFTER THIS INCIDENT. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I NORMALLY HAVE MY CAR SERVICED, THEY SAID THERE ARE MANY RECALLS FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH MANY FORD MODELS, MY MODEL INCLUDED, HOWEVER MY CAR DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER AND THAT IT WAS ONE YEAR OLDER THAN THE OTHER MODELS THAT QUALIFIED FOR THE RECALL. THEY COULDN'T GET IT SCHEDULED TO REPAIR THE DOOR LATCH FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS, AND OBVIOUSLY IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE WITHOUT THIS PROBLEM BEING FIXED. I ENDED UP TAKING IT TO A DIFFERENT CAR SERVICE COMPANY WHO CONFIRMED IT WAS DEFINITELY A PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT REAR DOOR LATCH, AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI #10954117

Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2017
Unknown Or Other

TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD AS YOU DRIVE WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON.

NHTSA ODI #10945844

51,604 miles · Dec 29, 2016
Unknown Or Other

EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR. WENT TO ROTATE TIRES AND FOUND WEAR BANDS SHOWING. LESS THAN 19,000 MILES ON 60,000 MILE TIRES. ORIGINAL TIRES WORE OUT FAST, AND THOUGHT IT TO BE PREVIOUS OWNER OR CHEAP TIRES. WAS ABLE TO REPLACE ON TIRE WARRANTY, BUT FAILURE WAS IMMINENT WAS DOWN TO STEEL BANDS ON INSIDE OF WHEEL. PER ISSUES ON INTERNET …

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EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR. WENT TO ROTATE TIRES AND FOUND WEAR BANDS SHOWING. LESS THAN 19,000 MILES ON 60,000 MILE TIRES. ORIGINAL TIRES WORE OUT FAST, AND THOUGHT IT TO BE PREVIOUS OWNER OR CHEAP TIRES. WAS ABLE TO REPLACE ON TIRE WARRANTY, BUT FAILURE WAS IMMINENT WAS DOWN TO STEEL BANDS ON INSIDE OF WHEEL. PER ISSUES ON INTERNET FORUMS, WHY IS THIS BEING OVERLOOKED?? DO I HAVE TO FRICKEN DIE BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE?? AT $110 A POP PER TIRE AT A MINIMUM, THE BURDEN ON DRIVERS BECAUSE THIS IS OVERLOOKED IS OVERWHELMING. IS ANYTHING EVER GOING TO BE DONE??

NHTSA ODI #10938554

45,000 miles · Nov 21, 2016
Seats

HEADREST ANGLE CAUSES NECK AND BACK PAINS. I'M ONLY 5'5" AND MY WIFE IS 5'4" THE HEADREST LEANS TOO FAR FORWARD GIVING US POOR SUPPORT AND STRAINS OUR NECK, BACK, AND ARMS BECAUSE IT FORCES OUR HEAD TO CONSTANTLY BE PUSHED FORWARD. REMEDIED THIS BY TURNING THE ENTIRE HEADREST BACKWARDS. POOR DECISION BY NHTSA TO MAKE IT A REGULA…

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HEADREST ANGLE CAUSES NECK AND BACK PAINS. I'M ONLY 5'5" AND MY WIFE IS 5'4" THE HEADREST LEANS TOO FAR FORWARD GIVING US POOR SUPPORT AND STRAINS OUR NECK, BACK, AND ARMS BECAUSE IT FORCES OUR HEAD TO CONSTANTLY BE PUSHED FORWARD. REMEDIED THIS BY TURNING THE ENTIRE HEADREST BACKWARDS. POOR DECISION BY NHTSA TO MAKE IT A REGULATION BASED ON WHIPLASH STUDY WITHOUT CONSIDERING 99.99% WE ARE JUST NORMALLY DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI #10927113

5,000 miles · Aug 31, 2016
Suspension

SINCE NEW THIS CAR HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE ON SLICK ROADS. THE REAR END ROUTINELY STEPS OUT OR SLIDES OUT UNEXPECTEDLY EVEN WHEN DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. EVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT THE REAR END HAS A SENSATION OF STEPPING OUT WHEN CORNERING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RE-ALIGNED BY THE DEALER TWICE BUT THE PROBLEM REMAIN…

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SINCE NEW THIS CAR HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE ON SLICK ROADS. THE REAR END ROUTINELY STEPS OUT OR SLIDES OUT UNEXPECTEDLY EVEN WHEN DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. EVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT THE REAR END HAS A SENSATION OF STEPPING OUT WHEN CORNERING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RE-ALIGNED BY THE DEALER TWICE BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINS. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH THE OEM TIRES AS WELL AS REPLACEMENT PIRELLI TIRES. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING ISSUE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW AND EVERY WINTER SINCE. AS DESCRIBED ABOVE THE HANDLING ISSUE IS ALSO ON DRY PAVEMENT IN SUMMER, JUST NOT AS DANGEROUS THEN.

NHTSA ODI #10899853

Mileage unknown · Aug 26, 2016
Power Train

THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW BUT THE TRANSMISSION HAS ALWAYS SHIFTED ROUGH. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS BECAUSE FORD HAD REDESIGNED THE TRANSMISSION SO IT WOULD SHIFT BETTER AND BE MORE FUEL EFFICIENT. EVEN THOUGH WE COMPLAINED THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. CONSEQUENTLY, THIS PROBLEM HAS EFFECTED THE CA…

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THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW BUT THE TRANSMISSION HAS ALWAYS SHIFTED ROUGH. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS BECAUSE FORD HAD REDESIGNED THE TRANSMISSION SO IT WOULD SHIFT BETTER AND BE MORE FUEL EFFICIENT. EVEN THOUGH WE COMPLAINED THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. CONSEQUENTLY, THIS PROBLEM HAS EFFECTED THE CARS OVERALL PERFORMANCE AND HAS NOW BECOME SO BAD THAT THE CAR IS DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ROUGH, JUMPS OR LAUNCHES OUT , SHAKES, HAS HESITATION AND EVEN ROLLS BACK IF YOU ARE ON A HILL. CONSEQUENTLY, THE CAR SEEMS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS IT FEELS AT TIMES LIKE THE CAR MIGHT JOLT OUT BECAUSE OF THE ROUGH SHIFTING. WHEN THE CAR SHIFTS ROUGH AT HIGH SPEEDS IT TENDS TO PULL IT TO ONE SIDE.

NHTSA ODI #10899038

Mileage unknown · Jul 11, 2016
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE WAS CORRODED AND WATER ENTERED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10884025

Mileage unknown · Jun 15, 2016
Power Train

MY VEHICLE SLIPS WHEN CHANGING GEARS..FIRST STARTED WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND..IT'S AUTOMATIC TRANS. THAT WAS YESTERDAY NOW IT STALLS GOING INTO ANY GEAR

NHTSA ODI #10874368

30,369 miles · Jun 3, 2016
StructureVisibility/wiper

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE DASHBOARD CRACKED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING AN OIL CHANGE, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENTIRE REAR WINDOW NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. TH…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE DASHBOARD CRACKED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING AN OIL CHANGE, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENTIRE REAR WINDOW NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,369. UPDATED 07/12/16*LJ *CN

NHTSA ODI #10872332

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.