10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
14,946 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 #13

Mar 202007

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 34,000 miles
Driver's side seat belt pretensioner malfunctioned. Seat belt did not function - pulled all the way out from the door pillar and did not retract. Carwas dangerous to drive. Vehicle should be recalled.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #12

Nov 012005

Focus 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 44,000 miles
Seat belt does not stay snug around my body while buckled, becomes loose and does not take up any of the slack. When the seat belt is unbuckled it does not recoil, just lays there like a dead snake. I have to feed the seat belt back into the seat belt tier to avoid slamming the door on the seat belt. This seat belt malfunction occurred on the drivers side front seat. I had to pay $216 dollars to get it fixed, the dealership was not willing to cover its safety equipment.

- Corbett, OR, USA

problem #11

Sep 302005

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
The consumer complained about front driver's side seat belt which will not pull out. This happened on September 30, 2005. When the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, they said that it was locked. The consumer then took the vehicle to a mechanic, who suggested that the problem was probably due to the fact that vehicle hit a bump in the road. Also, the mechanic took the seat belt apart and unlocked it so that the consumer could wear the seat belt until the replacement was placed in the vehicle..

- Basrop, LA, USA

problem #10

Jul 072004

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 54,000 miles
Seat belt retractor on passenger side did not retract once it was pulled out, and was not to be used. Vehicle was takenn to the dealer, who sprayed a lubricant, and the retractor was now worksing. However, the consumer was concerned that it will fail again.

- Canada, 00, USA

problem #9

Nov 082003

Focus 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 37,300 miles
Seat belt retractor is jammed and does not allow the seat belt to be withdrawn for proper use.

- W. Lafayette, IN, USA

problem #8

Mar 112003

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Driver's side seat belt does not retract. If pulled out, it stays out unless fed back in by hand (which must be done constantly while driving to keep it tight on your shoulder). I was told by the dealer I purchased the car from that this was a common problem and most of the Focus' they have sold have had the same problem.

- Kearns, UT, USA

problem #7

Mar 202003

Focus

  • miles
The drivers seat belt just hangs and does not retract. The dealer had been notified.

- Kearns, UT, USA

problem #6

Nov 152001

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 25,000 miles
I sent this letter to Ford in may of 2000 I purchased a Ford Focus, thinking it would be a safe, low maintenance car, considering it had been in europe since 1997. I would think this would be plenty of time to work out any bugs you may have. Or, should I call them recalls. I think a car that has 16 recalls, most of them which I would consider safety issues, should be recalled entirely. I have had other issues with this car as well. My key would not turn, seat belts locking for no reason, door handles not opening the door (this is all happening again). And one that has not been addressed, brakes. I am now on my third set of front rotors since I have purchased the car. The same thing has happened every time. The driver side rotor and pad will wear completely down yet the passenger side will be just fine. I have talked to other Focus owners and the same thing is happening. I still have my last set of rotors just to prove it. I got smart this time and bought replacements that were not made by you. Stop tech cross drilled rotors and ebc greenstuff kevlar pads. I also replaced the driver side caliper with a non-Ford replacement. I want out of this car because I feel it is unsafe. I also would like to warn other Focus owners that this car is unsafe. You also had better not send me to the dealership again. What does the dealership have to do with the production of an unsafe car? nothing, except that they sell it. I am not putting up with Ford pushing me around or giving me the run around either. This car is extremely unsafe and should not be on the road. I did not do this before but this time you leave me no choice. This letter will be sent to as many bad product websites as I can find. It will also be sent to NHTSA, consumer reports and the better business bureau. You did not do anything with my previous complaint and now there are more issues with this product that not only concern safety, but the life of the car. Something will be done.

- Bristol, TN, USA

problem #5

Dec 152001

Focus

  • miles
Passenger side seatbelt will not retract back into the retractor. Contacted dealer please add VIN.

- Dublin, IN, USA

problem #4

Sep 062001

Focus

  • miles
Seat belt/shoulder restraint failed to restrain front seat passenger in collision. Air bag deployed, but the front seat passenger's seat restraint failed to hold passenger in seat. Passenger hit the windshield.

- Diamond Bar, CA, USA

problem #3

Jul 112001

Focus

  • miles
Ford Focus 2000. Facts about this accident include that the impact was head on with the damage to left front of the vehicle. The passenger, jacob, was belted, but the seat belt failed to restrain him. The air bag did not open until he hit the wind shield of the vehicle. When the air bags opened the steering wheel caught fire and burned..combustion was subsequent to the air bag opening and there was a great deal of smoke that the driver inhaled before the passenger in the rear seat, michael williams, got out of the car and put the fire out. She was trapped in the car by the seat belt, it would not release but it failed to restrain her and she hit the windshield..not nearly as bad as jacob, but it is broken. The steering wheel was burned. Michael saw some sort of sparks that he thought was from the seat belt.

- Springdale, AR, USA

problem #2

Oct 011999

Focus

  • miles
Driver's side seat belt retractor does not take up any slack in belt.

- Calabasa, CA, USA

problem #1

Jan 152000

Focus

  • miles
Both front plastic housing covers foe seat belt retractors are breaking/falling aparts. Dealer notifed and making repairs. Please provide further details:

- Leeburgs, VA, USA