7.5

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$260
Average Mileage:
91,050 miles
Total Complaints:
23 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. replace motor/regulator (14 reports)
  2. not sure (8 reports)
  3. replace control switch (1 reports)
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problem #23

Oct 122012

Focus SE 2.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 97,000 miles

I bought this car from my friend who bought it new in 2001. I have owned this for now about 8 years. I must say it, I hate this car for its poor mechanical/design issues. My car's trunk is locked out past 1 year. The rear window on the right side never worked perfectly (even after getting it fixed once at the dealer, costing $250 few years back). I have been living with this until yesterday night all of sudden the rear window just fell off like a falling stone. Rain and cold weather is right here. I can't keep the window open like this. I am going to get a new car probably by next week. But. never buying Ford again. This is just a shame for company as big like Ford to make such a poor car. I would expect Ford to pull out all of its Focus car off the road right away. One time hit is better than loosing all of its customers.

- Shailesh D., Cleveland, OH, US

problem #22

Aug 222012

Focus SE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 127,000 miles

So it started making this weird noise when putting my rear window down. Bam!! Disappears because the window ate the entire window. Not only is the regulator cable jumbled everywhere but it is almost impossible to get into door panel. There are like six layers of crap inside there. They purposely do that so you'll take it to them I swear!! More stuff in the way bigger by hour charge! Now I have two broken rear windows. In the end my dad rigged it with wires and screws that weren't there, until I get repair kit.

- carrier_violet, Constantine, MI, US

problem #21

Oct 182008

Focus SE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 130,000 miles

My passenger side window messed up (the motor is burning out) & now the back passenger window is doing the same thing.

- Susan C., Carrollton, KY, US

problem #20

Apr 152010

Focus SE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 160,000 miles

So both rear electric windows stopped working within just a couple months of each other. At this point this car is 11 years old and I am just going as long as I can till I can get a new one.

* Possible cheap solution*

I actually had my mechanic go into the doors and just wedge the windows in the upright position (at next to nothing cost) so I don’t have to worry about rain ect.

- edie, Antioch, TN, US

problem #19

Jun 012008

Focus ZTS

  • Automatic transmission
  • 144,000 miles

Both rear windows failed within a week of each other. Talk about planned obsolescence.

- jetmechdc10, Acworth, GA, US

problem #18

Jul 222009

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 79,000 miles

Okay, so my back driver's side window went a couple of months ago. I don't have the money to get it fixed, so I wedge cardboard in the window to keep it up. Effective, but not real attractive. What can you do when you're broke, right?

Today, I'm driving down the street and rolling up my window when all of a sudden it drops like a stone into the cavernous depths of my car door. That''s just great. I pull over, wrestle the window out of the depths of the door, steal some cardboard from the back window and now I have 2 broken windows in my car. This. I cannot live with. This, totally sucks and from what I've already read...I am not alone with this window issue. My sister was a passenger in the car and she wanted to roll down her window and my first thought was that I wondered if I had more cardboard in the car! How many complaints does a recall make?

- alazarus, Newtown, PA, US

problem #17

Nov 062008

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 111,000 miles

There's so many things wrong with this piece of crap car. The door handle(passenger) won't open and now its happening with the drivers side. My trunk won't shut/open sometimes. The drivers side window won't open 1/2 the time. Leaks,brakes,then recently the car would stop right in the middle of driving. I was on a 50mph street and it just felt like someone hit the brakes slowly. The car didn't shut off just lost power. I saw the recall and it was the fuel pump. I should have sued if someone rear ended me. Now they say my car is idling when its at a light. I'm about to drive this car into the wall its such a piece of crap.

- Wendy K., Manchester, CT, US

problem #16

Jan 222008

Focus SE Wagon

  • Automatic transmission
  • 98,000 miles

My problem seems to be a common one. The right rear passenger side window simply won't stay up--it drops down into the door. I can hear the motor working. I spoke to a mechanic about this and he said it was a typical problem. Obviously, this is a manufacturing/design defect. After all the years Ford has been making cars, you'd think they could design power windows that don't routinely fall down into the door.

The solution seems to be to buy a replacement regulator and pay somebody $75-100 to install it.

- bigdancehawk, Kansas City, MO, US

problem #15

Feb 112003

Focus SE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles

Two years after owning my Focus one of the back windows stopped working, shortly thereafter the second back window stopped working. Now my driver side window has stopped working. I have looked inside the panels and found that the plastic parts driving the mechanism simply broke. That�s 3 out of four windows failed.

Ford.. Extremely Poor quality!

- Hamby K., Dallas, TX, US

problem #14

May 152007

(reported on)

Focus SE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 89,000 miles

One of my friends rolled down the front passenger window, only to find it wouldn't roll back up. Within a week, I had lost the back passenger window also.

- Stephen G., Madison, MS, US

problem #13

Jul 102007

(reported on)

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 59,995 miles

driver side window switch only puts the windows up. this is a pain in the arse.

- Amanda M., Northwood, OH, US

problem #12

Dec 011998

Focus ZTS 2.0L

  • Manual transmission
  • 15,000 miles

My 2000 Focus which I bought new and to date (12-29-07) have 35,000 miles on it has had power windows fixed four times. Three windows once and one twice. The only window not involved and still working is the drivers window which I use all the time. I'm most always alone in the car and the other three windows get no use. I use the a/c or dash vents when hot. The car has been garaged since day one. I like the car, it drives nice, rides nice, gets decent mileage but it has and is getting to be a problem. Too bad Ford didn't test some of the systems more thoroughly.

- cheeto, Chandler, AZ, US

problem #11

Dec 032007

Focus SE Ztec

  • Automatic transmission
  • 115,000 miles

I actually really like my Ford Focus 2000. It drives well and rides smoothly. I've enjoyed it these past 7 years. (Yes, I bought it brand new.) However, in the past four weeks three windows have stopped working. They won't stay up. I had the rear, passenger side fixed for $318. When the rear driver side window did the same thing, I just let it go. That's a lot of money to pay just for a window to stay up. So, I just push it up with my hands whenever I park it. (It comes down when I drive again.) Then two days ago my front driver's side window fell completely down into the door, I was away from home and the first major snow storm of the year was about to hit. Blah!! I dug deep and paid $365 to fix it. At this point (and after the car has been hit a couple of times.) I expect some things to go wrong. However, it's strange that all three did this within a month, and it is VERY expensive to fix. Ford really needs to look into this.

- wjuls, Akron, OH, US

problem #10

Nov 092007

(reported on)

Focus SE 2.0L Dohc 16v Zetec

  • Automatic transmission
  • 119,000 miles

This one-owner vehicle purchased by two senior citizens who wanted to "Buy American" is causing us to reconsider buying any American car. There are only the two of us and we rarely open the rear windows. Imagine our surprise when both rear electric windows fail within a month of each other, causing the windows to drop. After removing the door panel and removing the window regulator I find that the cheap cable mechanism is hopelessly kinked and jammed. A replacement from Ford is about $120.00 per mechanism and the part seems to be unavailable anywhere else. What a piece of garbage! Ford should be ashamed!

- William W., Vacaville, CA, US

problem #9

Oct 062007

(reported on)

Focus SE 2.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 81,000 miles

Both rear windows quit working within 2 weeks of each other. The cable is intact, however it has broken loose from something.

- mlseala, Tujunga, CA, US

problem #8

Sep 132007

(reported on)

Focus ZX3 V4

  • Manual transmission
  • 78,000 miles

Ok, I have found that a number of other folks have had the same problem as I do: the passenger side window is stuck in the down position. The window motor sounds like it is still working, but I can't get the window back on its track. I tried taping it up and it didn't hold. Most places I've checked around for repairs have quoted the job around $300, which seems like an awful lot for just a window's functionality. It's a shame this has happened and no one seems to know a quick fix without having to replace all the parts (window regulator and window motor). What gyp; I'm never buying a Ford again as I've had my fuel pump kick out on me and all the plastic seat levers keep falling off.

The Ford Focus, though a somewhat amusing automobile, is really a cheap matchbox car made big. Affordable at first until repairs are needed.

- Adam F., St. Petetrsburg, FL, US

problem #7

Sep 112007

(reported on)

Focus SE 2.0L SOHC

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120,000 miles

I have 2000 focus se last year passenger rear window stopped working and fell for no reason. No one was using the window or anything it just fell. A month ago the driver front window did the same thing for no reason. Now I have to keep window up all the time with cardboard. Really a pain in the ass when it falls when its raining.

- mwills, Lawrenceville, GA, US

problem #6

Jun 302007

(reported on)

Focus ZTS

  • Automatic transmission
  • 39,000 miles

2000 Ford Focus ZTS, less than 39,000 miles. . . last month, drivers side rear window stopped working (stuck in closed position). This month. . . YESTERDAY. . . passenger side rear window "dropped" into the open position. Window was just sitting in open position. Physically able to pick up and remove from door. Shop had it it one full day and was not able to completely fix. Of course this has to happen on a weekend; they worked on it on Saturday, weren't able to finish, and now I'm stuck without a vehicle until Monday since they're closed on Sundays! How convenient for them! Estimated cost when initially looked at it: $390. Who's knows what the actual cost will be.

- Michelle P., Aston, PA, US

problem #5

Jul 012007

(reported on)

Focus SE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles

LAST YEAR MY FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW STOPPED WORKING. THEN THIS YEAR ONE BEHIND THAT DID THE SAME, YESTERDAY MY DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW DIED. THE DEALER WANTS $300 EACH TO FIX. THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT.

- Jessica G., Kennesaw, GA, US

problem #4

Dec 182005

(reported on)

Focus

  • 100,000 miles

I've had 3 of my automatic windows stop working. Both rear windows and the front driver side window. It is very frustrating because they happened almost all at once. I don't use my rear windows very often, so it's not from overuse. It seems like a manufacturer's defect. I will not buy another Ford product.

- Mike B., Guelph, Ontario, Canada

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