10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 2
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 74,175 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.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
While I was driving my 2007 Ford Focus, I noticed that it was making unusual noises but didn't think anything of it until the noises grew progressively louder and more alarming. Initially I thought that I was perhaps in the wrong gear so when I came to a stop light, I put my car in park and turned it off, then back on again. That seemed to alleviate the sounds momentarily and I drove a distance before the sounds started to occur again. As I started to pay more attention to these noises, I noticed that the gas pedal was trembling so I pulled over to the side of the freeway and contacted my uncle, who is a fisherman by trade. He has done a lot of mechanical work on the engines inside of his 32-foot, commercial-sized fishing boat, so I frantically asked him what I should do. He had me do a series of checks including checking the transmission fluid levels, the color, and the odor. I reported to him that the fluid levels seemed adequate and the color normal but there was perhaps a slight burnt smell. The "od is off" light was also flashing and so he thought it was most likely a transmission problem but that it could be a belt issue as well. He said that it would be safest to get back into the car and off the freeway, onto surface streets and return home until I was able to take the car into the Ford dealership to check if the transmission could be covered under warranty. He thought it was quite strange that I was having these issues and I was only at 86,000 miles. I cautiously drove the whole way home, not quite sure if I was going to make it back. I then arranged an appointment to have my car serviced by the Ford dealership and contacted aaa.
- Santee, CA, USA
Without any indication of a low battery, the car began to lose electrical power while driving. At first, I was on my way to work when I noticed my radio stopped playing. Upon looking at my radio, I realized the lights were completely off, including the clock--which stays on even if I turn the radio off. I noticed I was very cold, and my defrost had stopped working. Thinking it was hopefully just a blown fuse, I continued on my way to work, driving cautiously. My car did sound like it was not shifting gears as much as it should have been. I made it to work fine, and even checked on it during my lunch hour--it started up fine, lights and everything was working, with no indicator lights illuminating on the dash. Thinking it was fine, I drove home that night with the intention of bringing it to the shop to check the battery over the weekend. While driving home (in the dark) that evening, I made it almost to my apartment. I noticed again that my radio suddenly stopped playing. I looked at the radio, at which point I saw the text display "low battery." I began to notice everything dimming--the dashboard, interior lights, and even my headlights. I was close enough to get to my apartment ok. The next morning I had an appointment to get to the shop. After reading the other complaints of similar drivers of 2007 Ford focuses having identical issues, I was nervous about driving to the shop. Not knowing if my car would suddenly die on me, and if I would be able to use my hazard lights, or turn signals to indicate to other drivers if my battery started to go again. Luckily my car made it the 3.1 miles to the shop, before giving out. Same thing--no earlier indications that the battery was low, the power just starts shutting down. This is incredibly dangerous, and I was lucky that I read up on the issue and was only driving locally, and not on a highway.
- Stamford, CT, USA
Alternator suddenly failed while driving. I had no control of the car while in traffic including the steering. The alternator was replaced. Approximately 3 years later on July 2, 2012, the same thing happened. Sudden alternator failure while driving with no ability to control the vehicle. Because the electrical system had a total failure I could not steer the vehicle, turn on the hazard flashers, or signal the traffic behind me that I was slowing down because the brake lights could not function. Terribly dangerous. On July 6, 2013, alternator #3 failed and burned out the battery as well. Ford Motor Company apologized for the inconvenience and said it was my problem because it was out of warranty and there was no recall. Inconvenience? that takes the cake. I don't know why there is not a recall on this defect and it is clearly a safety issue. Sudden electrical failure on a highway at high speed with no way to steer the car or warn other drivers merits a recall. The web is awash with complaints about sudden and repeated failure of the electrical system in the 2007 Ford Focus.
- Glen Mills, PA, USA
The vehicle had issues with the engine 'surging' on its own for a few of weeks. This was especially noticeable when slowing down or braking for a turn. A visit to the local Ford dealer did not find a source of the problem. Eventually while on the freeway the vehicle's engine was racing to over 65 mph without accelerating and then it died. It was towed to the local Ford dealer and after a couple of days it was diagnosed as a faulty noise capacitor. They did fix the problem but it is two years later and it is also exhibiting the same 'surging' issues again. I have not had this problem with any other car I have owned and this can't be a normal thing. Thank you.
- Farmington Hills, MI, USA
The lock on the rear passenger side door will not lock. Doesn't lock with the rest of the doors and I cannot lock manually. Anyone could come open it at any time and take whatever they want. It is not safe. I am afraid if someone rides back there it will pop open if they lean on it.
- Mesa, AZ, USA
The contact owns a 2007 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 15 mph, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was moved to the shoulder to be restarted. The vehicle had to be pushed to a garage to park it. The contact removed the ignition transformer capacitor and the vehicle started again. The contact did not take the vehicle to a dealer or local mechanic. The failure mileage was 47,000.
- Los Angeles, CA, USA
Dashboard and running lights going out. Replaced blown fuse and then fuse blows again. Opening and closing the hatchback the lights came on and then off again and the replaced fuse was blown. Located a bundle of wires within a rubber hose that runs from the interior roof headline outer rim of the vehicle across to the interior top of the hatchback. We pulled down this rubber protector to find to our complete amazement that the bundle of wires that run to the hatchback brake light and the hatchback windshield wiper was broken and burnt. Thought that there was a possible loose connection that just needed to be snapped back together, but only to find a bundle of broken and burnt wires wrapped tightly together, plus there was no black wiring tape around the wires for extra protection. Just the wires tightly bound together. Little to none flexibility for the bending or movement for these wires. These wires are located in an area where there would be movement due to opening and closing the hatchback. Contacted the local dealership and spoke with the service manager. He stated that the wire bundle have been made short in some vehicles. Our concern:potential fire hazard and still maybe until fixed; concern are for other individuals who may own this type of vehicle that may be transporting passengers (to include children in car seats) in the back seat (which there is no back side passenger doors) that could have a difficult time exiting this vehicle should it go on fire due to these bundle of wires possibly catching on fire and igniting the interior roof headliner of the vehicle. We have not taken our vehicle into the dealership as we are waiting on a response from Ford Motor Company. Additionally, the dealership stated that we would have to pay a portion to repair (what we believe to be a faulty design and defect) to correct this problem. Pictures available. ## VIN failed ##
- Anchorage, AK, USA
My 2007 Ford Focus rear passenger door lock will not lock. This is a real safety issue because I have children who can pull on the door and open it while I am driving down the road. I can not even "child lock" it. In addition, on Tuesday night I was robbed of all my christmas presents that were in the trunk of my car because the door will not lock and someone accessed my car through the rear door and popped the trunk. They also stole my usps rain gear and important paperwork I had in my car ( I am a union representative). There is several complaints about this issue and we should not wait until a child dies from falling out on the freeway to recall these vehicles.
- Salina, CA, USA
At 41,833 I was driving on the freeway at 60 mph. The ABS warning light went on, the radio went off and 60 seconds later I lost all power. Speedometer went from 0 to 60. Towed car. Replaced alternator. At 45, 296 miles the same thing happened-lost power within 60 seconds of ABS light going on the freeway. Towed car. The shop said that the previous alternator had been installed incorrectly and also the PCM had burned out. Replaced alternator and PCM. At 45, 536 red charging light came on. Took car in, replaced alternator. At 45, 641 red charging light came on. Took car in. Replaced alternator. All repairs done at Ford dealers.
- Seattle, WA, USA
Alternator went out on way home from Missouri to norman, ok. Replaced it in joplin, mo. Alternator went out again 7/17/12 on my way home from mo. Took it to Ford dealership in norman, ok and got it replaced on 7/25. Cost over $500. Battery light started coming on again 8/3 and I took it back in. Ford dealershio stated they couldn't find an alternator within 3 hour drive and would call me when they got one. The guy at Ford indicated maybe there was a problem with them since he couldn't find one. Got it replaced again 8/7/12.
- Norman, OK, USA
The contact owns a 2007 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle decelerated to 40mph and stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the alternator was defective and needed to be replaced. The failure recurred a week later. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who verified the alternator had become defective again and added that the shift solenoid needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not offer any assistance. The contact was referred to NHTSA. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 77,000 and the current mileage was 78,000....updated 09/12/12 updated 09/18/2012
- Boise, ID, USA
The driver side rear door will not lock. Did not realize this until I was with a friend and his son driving down our street and my friends son open the rear door on the drivers side when it should of locked with the rest of the doors. Can't get the door to lock now.
- Montgomery, IL, USA
While driving on the interstate the car had total failure of its electrical system. All dashboard functions failed, lights, radio, anything electrical. Within 5 minutes the car stalled and would not started again. The car was towed to a local Ford dealership. Tests indicated that the alternator was defective. Prior to this incident there was absolutely no warning indicating a problem with the charging system. The car is 5 years old and only has 30,630 miles on it.
- Brookhaven, PA, USA
Passanger rear door lock will not lock with manual operation or the remote. This is a safety issue because our kids can just open the rear door because you have no ability to lock the door with the child safety lock feature. The lock is jammed in the unlock position. There is a recall on the 2005 Focus door locks but not the 2007? the latch lock assembly is the same from 2000-2007 Ford model years. There are a lot of people reporting this issue all over the web. I hope people start reporting this more on this site. The dealer wants to charge me $500 to replace the jammed unlocked door latch that requires the complete latch assembly to be replaced. I'm also not happy that anyone can get at my child by just pulling on the door handle. If you can't lock the rear door it makes it real easy for someone to harm our children. I also can't imagine our children unknowingly pulling on the handle and falling out of the car because I was not able to lock the rear door. I can't afford the $500 bucks-- our children are at risk. Ford should be ashamed of themselves for not recalling this issue and will suffer dearly from the lawsuits that come their way. Last Ford I ever buy period!!! protect the consumer Ford!!!
- St. Ann, MO, USA
The contact owns a 2007 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the radio and all of the lights on the instrument panel began to operate intermittently. The vehicle then stalled. The vehicle coasted to the shoulder and was towed to an auto body shop. The auto body shop stated that the alternator needed to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired. The failure recurred once and the vehicle would not start. The dealer was not made aware of the second occurrence. The vehicle was not taken back for additional repairs. The failure mileage was 58,120 and the current mileage was unknown.
- Aurora, CO, USA
Auto door lock does not function. I can hear what sounds like something happening or electric motor running when I push the button but nothing happens.
- Oklahoma City, OK, USA
While traveling on interstate 24 East between nashville and chattanooga, I had an electrical problem that caused my engine to shut down while my car was still traveling at 65 mph. The first sign of a problem was when my radio shut off unexpectedly. There were no warning lights on the dashboard to indicate that my engine was about to shut down. After traveling another 3 to 5 miles, all the warning lights illuminated on my dashboard and a few seconds later my engine shut down. I was still traveling at approximately 60 mph and was able to stop the car in the emergency lane. After stopping the car, the engine would not start. Me and my family were stuck on the side of the highway until we could have the vehicle towed to the nearest Ford dealer. The Ford dealer ran electrical tests and discovered the battery had failed. The dealership replaced the battery and the car drove fine. On December 1, 2011, only four months later, I was traveling trough the city when my radio shut off and a few miles later the engine died and would not restart. The battery was tested and found to have failed again. Both batteries that failed were motorcraft 1bxt. Since this problem occurs while driving with no apparent warning lights, and causes the engine to shut down, it needs to be investigated.
- Chattanooga, TN, USA
Alternator failed without prior warning, please note that the charging system failure never once was indicated by the illumination of the battery idiot light before the vehicle stalled at 15 mph and in a drive thru at a mcdonald's... the vehicle could not be restarted due to depleted battery charge level..... note battery passed testing phase after alternator replacement.... please note that the battery idiot light does illuminate during the key on engine off prestart system check.....once the battery was sufficiently jump charged the vehicle restarted and ran without any apparent problem from any system (no idiot lights illuminated and no check engine light). However when a charging system check was performed, the test revealed the alternator had failed and was not maintaining a voltage output sufficient to sustain vehicle operation. Please note that this alternator failure also caused the whole electrical system to shut down including all lights..... does this or does this not present a sever safety problem caused by the stalling of the vehicle at any speed and or traffic condition since the circuit that should activate the idiot light when the charging system begins to fail and/or fails completely does not illuminate said idiot light system....
- Clio, MI, USA
Our alternator failed in our Ford Focus ZX3 2007 today while driving - got the car to Ford service station with spare battery and jumper cables and did some on-line research only to find out that several other folks have experienced the same problem: www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Focus/2007/electrical/alternator_dead.shtml alternators shouldn't fail this often on a car with less than 30K miles. Ford should recall and reimburse. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
- Ormond Beach, FL, USA
- Houston, TX, USA