IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 72 MPH CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND COLLIDED WITH A DEER. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION.*AK
2004 Ford Focus
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2004 Ford Focus do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 864.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Focus years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
620–25K
7725–50K
5050–75K
5575–100K
33100–150K
16150K+
293 reports with mileage · 94 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 183 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
34 crash reports13 fire reports24 injury reports
What owners actually said
387 reportsWHEN THE CAR HAD ~ 3000 MILES ON IT, WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN IT SUDDENLY BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND SHIMMY LIKE IT HAD MULTIPLE FLAT TIRES. WE PULLED OFF AND LOOKED FOR PROBLEMS BUT THE TIRES WERE FINE AND NOTHING WAS OBVIOUS. WHEN WE BEGAN DRIVING AGAIN THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED …
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WHEN THE CAR HAD ~ 3000 MILES ON IT, WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN IT SUDDENLY BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND SHIMMY LIKE IT HAD MULTIPLE FLAT TIRES. WE PULLED OFF AND LOOKED FOR PROBLEMS BUT THE TIRES WERE FINE AND NOTHING WAS OBVIOUS. WHEN WE BEGAN DRIVING AGAIN THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN AND WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THEY FOUND FEATHERING ON ALL TIRES AND REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES AND REBALANCED THEM. ABOUT A WEEK LATER WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY A LOUD BANG SOUNDED IN THE REAR OF THE CAR AND IT AGAIN BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND SHIMMY. AGAIN AFTER GETTING OFF THE ROAD AND LOOKING IT OVER, THE CAR SEEMED OK. WE AGAIN TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND REBALANCED THE FRONT TIRES. ABOUT 2000 MILES LATER AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE LOUD BANG AND VIBRATION RE-OCCURRED. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE CAR ALMOST WENT OUT OF CONTROL, SLIDING AND FEELING LIKE IT WOULD TIP OVER. WE AGAIN TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THIS TIME THEY DID NO WORK AND SAID THERE WAS NOT AN IDENTIFIABLE PROBLEM WITH IT. WE INFORMED FORD MOTOR OF THE PROBLEMS AND ARE WORKING WITH A LAWYER ON A LEMON LAW COMPLAINT AS THE CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEED, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHEN BRAKES ARE BEING DEPRESS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SWAY TO THE LEFT FLOWING A LOUD NOISE. DEALERSHIP SERVICE VEHICLE AND REPLACE BRAKES PADS AND ROTORS. *LA
MANUAL TRANSMISSION REVERSE AND FIRST GEAR FAILED, CAUSING CAR TO OVER REV ENGINE. CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHERE I WAS TOLD A PIN CLAIMED LOSE IN THE CLUTCH. DURING TOWING OF VEHICLE, TOW TRUCK DRIVER NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF RUST ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT YET RESOLVED. *NM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED TO ILLUMINATE PROPERLY. THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS FAILED. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY FOR THE DRIVER. *AK
2004 FORD FOCUS SVT *PURCHASED NEW ON APRIL 30; CAR IS LESS THAN 20 DAYS OLD *ENGINE EXHIBITS "SURGING" BETWEEN 2000-3500, ALL GEARS, ALL TEMPERATURES, LIGHT ACCELERATION *CONCERN THAT SURGING COULD THE CAR TO LUNGE FORWARD, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT OR FATALITY *CONTACTED FORD SVT TEAM (800-367-3788) AND WAS TOLD THEY ARE AWARE O…
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2004 FORD FOCUS SVT *PURCHASED NEW ON APRIL 30; CAR IS LESS THAN 20 DAYS OLD *ENGINE EXHIBITS "SURGING" BETWEEN 2000-3500, ALL GEARS, ALL TEMPERATURES, LIGHT ACCELERATION *CONCERN THAT SURGING COULD THE CAR TO LUNGE FORWARD, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT OR FATALITY *CONTACTED FORD SVT TEAM (800-367-3788) AND WAS TOLD THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT NOT CURRENTLY WORKING ON A FIX AS "NOT ENOUGH. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER MANAGED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT SPARK PLUGS AND THE HEAD OF THE ENGINE WERE WORN. MECHANIC REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AND THE HEAD ENGINE. *LA
FORD SPORT KA HAS PRODUCED A COMMERCIAL SHOWING A CAT BEING DECAPITATED AS ITSHEAD IS LOOKING INTO THE VEHICLE VIA THE POWER SUN ROOF.*AK AS THE SUNROOF CLOSES THE CAT'S HEAD IS SEVERED. THIS COMMERCIAL WHILE MEANT TO BE HUMOROUS ONLY TO FORD CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THE CLEAR DANGER OF SERIOUS INJURY AND DEATH TO PETS AND CH…
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FORD SPORT KA HAS PRODUCED A COMMERCIAL SHOWING A CAT BEING DECAPITATED AS ITSHEAD IS LOOKING INTO THE VEHICLE VIA THE POWER SUN ROOF.*AK AS THE SUNROOF CLOSES THE CAT'S HEAD IS SEVERED. THIS COMMERCIAL WHILE MEANT TO BE HUMOROUS ONLY TO FORD CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THE CLEAR DANGER OF SERIOUS INJURY AND DEATH TO PETS AND CHILDREN. I FORMALLY REQUEST THAT THIS COMMERCIAL BE SCENE AND REVIEWED AS A DEMONSTRATION BY FORD THAT IT'S SUNROOFS ON THIS VEHICLE AND POSSIBLY OTHER FORD VEHICLES IS INHERANTLY UNSAFE TO CHILDREN BUT NOT PROVIDING A RESISTANCE MECHANISM THAT WOULD RETRACT THE MOVING ROOF WHEN MET WITH RESISTANCE E.G. A CHILDS HEAD OR BODY PART.
VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN LESS THAN SEVENTY MILES AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM THE MANUFACTURER. WITHIN THAT TIME, UPON MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY, TRANSMISSION FAILED. TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING WITH ENGINE REVVING TO 3000 RPMS, AND VEHICLE SLOWLY ACCELERATED ONTO THE HIGHWAY. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED,BUT ONLY …
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VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN LESS THAN SEVENTY MILES AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM THE MANUFACTURER. WITHIN THAT TIME, UPON MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY, TRANSMISSION FAILED. TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING WITH ENGINE REVVING TO 3000 RPMS, AND VEHICLE SLOWLY ACCELERATED ONTO THE HIGHWAY. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED,BUT ONLY IN THE FIRST GEAR. THIS ENTIRE INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER THE MANUFACTURER HAD HELD THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF A QUALITY CONTROL ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP WANTED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION.*AK
IGNITION CYLINDER / LOCK SEIZED AND PREVENTED VEHICLE FROM STARTING.*AK
Official recalls
105V030000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Feb 1, 2005
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES WITH FOUR OR FIVE DOORS AND ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A BUILD-UP OF CORROSION AT THE PAWL PIVOT AREA OF THE REAR DOOR LATCH CAN CAUSE A BINDING CONDITION OF THE PAWL THAT MAY AFFECT PROPER ENGAGEMENT OF THE PAWL INTO THE CATCH. THE OCCUPANT MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY OPENING OR CLOSING A REAR DOOR, AND EVENTUALLY THE REAR DOOR MAY NOT LATCH PROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF NOT LATCHED PROPERLY, THE DOOR MAY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. IF AN OCCUPANT FELL OUT OF THE VEHICLE, PERSONAL INJURIES COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL HAVE A LOWER ROCKER SEAL ADDED TO THE DOOR AND HAVE THE REAR DOOR LATCHES EVALUATED FREE OF CHARGE. A LATCH THAT PASSES THE EVALUATION WILL BE LUBRICATED TO PREVENT FUTURE CORROSION. A LATCH THAT DOES NOT PASS THE EVALUATION WILL BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, A STICKER WILL BE AFFIXED TO THE REAR DOORS ADVISING THE OWNERS TO USE THE RECOMMENDED LUBRICANT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 9, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
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
1AQ10001 · Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
Opened Nov 18, 2010 · Closed Dec 28, 2015
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Unknown Or Other
On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three (3) major motor vehicle manufacturers (Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors) and requested data regarding completion figures for fifteen (15) discreet safety recalls.Analysis of this data demonstrated that rental car recalls completion was neither complete nor consistent.The rental car companies representing the largest market share in the industry were then queried as to their respective policies for the rental, lease, and sale of vehicles with open recalls.The data and responses from the manufacturers and the rental car companies can be found in the document repository by accessing the ?Associated Documents link above.In December 2015, Congress enacted the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.One section of the Act prohibits rental car companies from renting, leasing, or selling motor vehicles subject to open safety recalls.With the passage of the FAST Act and its prohibition, there is no continuing need for the agency to investigate rental car recall completions.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The agency reserves the right to open any future investigations, including audits of individual recalls, or groups of recalls, or rental car companies, to examine more closely safety recalls performance and completion issues in this area.