10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
22,580 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #17

Jul 102010

Focus 4-cyl

  • 73,100 miles
My 2002 Ford Focus has a plastic grommet that holds the base of the hood prop in place. This is a engineering defect, because our grommet broke and the hood fell on my husband and I. I ordered the part from the parts department at the dealer and was surprised it was a $5 part that I am sure will break again over time. In fact all new focuses have this cheap $5 part. I hope no child is ever near the hood when it breaks. Most cars have metal bases for the hood prop that swivel and last a lifetime. I plead with somebody out there to get Ford to take responsibility for this. I tried.

- Oklahoma City, OK, USA

problem #16

Jul 082010

Focus

  • 78,000 miles
The hood prop (holder) broke and fell and the hood fell on our heads.

- Oklahoma City, OK, USA

problem #15

Sep 012007

Focus 4-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
My front passenger side floorboards leak a water when it rains. After being "fixed" 3 times, my car is now rusting!

- Collingswood, NJ, USA

problem #14

Aug 152006

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 42,000 miles
Water leaks into passenger side floor board everytime it rains.

- Mission, KS, USA

problem #13

Oct 212005

Focus 2-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
I recently purchased a used 2002 Ford Focus. I have been having trouble with the brakes, the radio, and water leaking in through the front passenger side. The brakes squeak everytime I apply them. The radio only works for one minute and then it fades out, all you can hear is static. The most important of these problems is the leak. It has rained really hard three times in the past month, and all those times I have found the carpet in the front passenger side soaking wet. I have taken it back to the dealership from which I bought it, but they say that it is not covered under the 90 day warranty. I have reaserched on the web and have found that there are many complaints like mine. The Ford company should be made responsible since they are the manufacturers of the car.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #12

Jul 252005

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 74,040 miles
Driver side airbag in steering wheel cracking open in my 2002 Ford Focus. This may be a problem in deployment of the airbag if it is ever activated. These should be recalled and replaced.

- Allen, TX, USA

problem #11

Jan 032005

Focus

  • miles
Multiple failures; continual issues with brakes. Correct water leak and patch tire. The alternator needed to be replaced.

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #10

Aug 212004

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,320 miles
Water leaks into trunk and floor car was torn apart in attempt to fix water leaks. Hood, right fender, front windshield, rear window, dashboard, steering wheel. Ll removed from car then reinstalled, to try to fix water leaks. We now fill nothing will work correcty and car is not safe to drive, since steering wheel was removed then reinstalled, Ford dealership service department did all this work. Car is a lemon.

- Stratton, OH, USA

problem #9

Oct 152003

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 2,000 miles
There is a line that went straight into the engine's intake that has been leaking fluid since 2,000 miles and was inspected by deler who told to me that it was nothing. But the engine case should not have a large leak of fluid that soon. Finally now, they have done something on this and replaced the hose, as it was seen once more and knows of all the times reported. I hope this is just not a easy fix or this now hasn't caused any damange to the inside of the engine itself, as the engine has been in the shop for riding rough. They told me last time that the part of the transmission that was fixed would fix this. I think it is due to the oil leak on the top of the engine case since it was new. A new car should never have a oil leak on a engine case.

- Lancaster, CA, USA

problem #8

Jan 152003

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 0 miles
I have had the car. For only 4 months. I had problem with it in October it was the car moving when I am driving it moves like a swerving motion and then in December 13, 2002. I took it back in with the same problem of the back sways when hitting bumps and the tire rod was loose. The repair was 1,140 on a new car. I had water coming in the passenger side and they said they fixed the problem. On Dec 31, 2002 it rained and my whole floor is wet. I am very discussed with this car. Because it is a brand new car. And I have the same problem out of it going on two times with the water, two times with the hitting of bumps and the car moving side ways almost into another lane, and one more thing I took the car in to Ford on 12/26/02 to talk to the sales person about my problems I have been dealing with and how very dissatisfied I am the car has been still swaying when I am driving and coming across bumps railroad tracks and on the expressway. They said I would have to put money down for another car, which is so unfair because it is a new car and they should put me in another car if they see the problems. I will never send any one to but a car from them because they should stand behind there promise when they express the importance of customer satiation when they see that the car is a problem

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #7

Jul 152003

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,000 miles
I bought this car brand new in September. The first problem the car had was that the pollen filter became blocked and it had been raining out so all the water from outside came right into my car and I got about an inch of water in the passenger side of my car all over the floor. The enxt thing that happened was my driver side front tire blew while driving down a road, there were no potholes and no curbs that I could have hit for this to happen. About a month after this I noticed that the plastic had started bubbling up and peeling on the lower B pillar on the passenger side of the car, also the carpet had come unglued (from when my car flooded) and had now pulled away from the sill. Also, the wetherstripping had come unglued from the windshiel and you can now see the sharp edge of the windsheild. My car is in service today getting that fixed. There is also, still a rattling noise coming from where the speedometer is. This has been going on since I bought the car and has not stopped. However, every time I take it to the dealership, it does not make this noise, so they cannot fix it.

- Alloway, NJ, USA

problem #6

Oct 152002

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1,650 miles
Other - lose fender wheelshield/told part on recall as defective body - dings in fender panel/told part defective replaced under warranty

- Pendleton, OR, USA

problem #5

Nov 072003

Focus 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 12,000 miles
Water on passenger side floor when rains.

- Garner, NC, USA

problem #4

Jun 112003

Focus

  • miles
While driving a "pop" noise was heard and vehicle stopped running. It looked like the front end of the vehicle was coming off or loosened. Vehicle is currently at the dealer. No determination of the problem has been made.

- Jackson, MS, USA

problem #3

Apr 262003

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,594 miles
I purchased a 2002 Ford Focus SE. At 10,956 miles I had to replace the front brakes. I was billed $256.06 for this repair. I also had a water leak that occurred on the front passenger side. The leak was fixed. The problem was said to be the pollen filter. The center console was loose, that was also fixed asap. And lastly the fuel economy is far from what Ford claims it to be. Please visit www.fordfocusbrakeproblems.com for more info.

- Long Beach, NY, USA

problem #2

Sep 012002

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 150 miles
Every time it rained the car would leak water on passenger side floor from behind glove box. Dealership attempted to fix 5 times. Ford agreed car was a lemon and bought it back after 6 months and 31 days of being out of service.

- North Providence, RI, USA

problem #1

Oct 122002

(reported on)

Focus

  • miles
Dash board sticks out so far that I hit my leg on it when entering the car.

- New Brunswick, NJ, USA