IllustrationWITH NO PREVIOUS EVENTS, MY KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION. *TR
2005 Ford Focus
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2005 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
740–25K
6725–50K
7350–75K
5175–100K
50100–150K
29150K+
344 reports with mileage · 97 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 113 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
43 crash reports9 fire reports32 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
113 reportsTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CONTACT PULLED OFF THE ROAD. A NEARBY MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED CORROSION AROUND THE BATTERY CABLES. HE JUMPED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE FOLLOWING DAY, A LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VE…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CONTACT PULLED OFF THE ROAD. A NEARBY MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED CORROSION AROUND THE BATTERY CABLES. HE JUMPED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE FOLLOWING DAY, A LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS OVERCHARGING THE BATTERY IN THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE MECHANIC CALLED TO ORDER THE PART, HE WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS THE FOURTH COMPLAINT REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR COMPONENT IN THE LAST FOUR WEEKS. THE DRIVER HAS NOT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ON JULY 17, 2008 BY A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,814 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,862. UPDATED 09/16/08. *LJ UPDATED 09/17/08. *JB
NOTHING IN PARTICULAR HAPPENED I JUST PARKED MY CAR YESTERDAY AND MY KEY HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO COME OUT OF THE IGNITION SINCE. I WORK AT A CAR DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM(NOT A FORD DEALER) AND I CALLED FORD AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST $100 TO LOOK AT IT AND THEY EVEN SAID IT IS VERY COMMON IN FOCUS'...YET I…
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NOTHING IN PARTICULAR HAPPENED I JUST PARKED MY CAR YESTERDAY AND MY KEY HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO COME OUT OF THE IGNITION SINCE. I WORK AT A CAR DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM(NOT A FORD DEALER) AND I CALLED FORD AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST $100 TO LOOK AT IT AND THEY EVEN SAID IT IS VERY COMMON IN FOCUS'...YET IT IS NOT A RECALL AND COVERED MY WARRANTY ENDED A MONTH AGO ALSO..*TR
MY 2005 FORD FOCUS IGNITION KEEPS LOCKING UP ON ME, UNABLE TO TAKE KEYS FROM THE VEHICLE-LEAVING ME STRANDED OR CAR OPEN TO THEFT. I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT OVER A YEAR AGO, SINCE FORD WONT TOUCH VEHICLE-SAYS EVERYTHING WAS BECAUSE OF ACCIDENT WHICH WAS ONLY MINOR DAMAGE. SINCE THE ACCIDENT I HAVEN'T HAD A PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE UN…
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MY 2005 FORD FOCUS IGNITION KEEPS LOCKING UP ON ME, UNABLE TO TAKE KEYS FROM THE VEHICLE-LEAVING ME STRANDED OR CAR OPEN TO THEFT. I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT OVER A YEAR AGO, SINCE FORD WONT TOUCH VEHICLE-SAYS EVERYTHING WAS BECAUSE OF ACCIDENT WHICH WAS ONLY MINOR DAMAGE. SINCE THE ACCIDENT I HAVEN'T HAD A PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE UNTIL NOW. AT TIME OF ACCIDENT , THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY, NOW EVERYTIME I HONK ON HORN THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON FOR A DAY OR SO. *TR
WHEN I PURCHASED MY 2005 FORD FOCUS, I HAD NOTICED THAT MY KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. LATER I DISCOVERED, THAT IF YOU "CANNOT" PUSH THE BUTTON IN ON THE AUTOMATIC SHIFTER ON THE FLOOR TO PUT IT INTO GEAR, THE SHIFTER THEREFORE IS LOCKED AND THEN YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PULL YOUR KEY OUT. THIS WORKS FOR ME, HOPEFULLY I…
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WHEN I PURCHASED MY 2005 FORD FOCUS, I HAD NOTICED THAT MY KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. LATER I DISCOVERED, THAT IF YOU "CANNOT" PUSH THE BUTTON IN ON THE AUTOMATIC SHIFTER ON THE FLOOR TO PUT IT INTO GEAR, THE SHIFTER THEREFORE IS LOCKED AND THEN YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PULL YOUR KEY OUT. THIS WORKS FOR ME, HOPEFULLY IT HELPS SOMEONE ELSE WHO IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
I ATTEMPTED TO EXIT MY CAR (A 2005 FORD FOCUS) HOWEVER THE KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND WILL HAVE TO TAKE IT IN FOR REPAIR. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT AMONG FORD FOCUS OWNERS. IT'S PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE IF IT HAPPENS REPEATEDLY, IT CAN LEAV…
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I ATTEMPTED TO EXIT MY CAR (A 2005 FORD FOCUS) HOWEVER THE KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND WILL HAVE TO TAKE IT IN FOR REPAIR. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT AMONG FORD FOCUS OWNERS. IT'S PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE IF IT HAPPENS REPEATEDLY, IT CAN LEAVE THE CAR PRONE TO THEFT. *TR
MY IGNITION LOCKED UP ON MY FORD FOCUS. *TR
KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION, THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS REPAIR AS THE PROBLEM IS NOT AN ISOLATED INSTANCE. THERE ARE HUNDRED OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS, YET FORD WILL NOT ABSORB THE REPAIR. *TR
LIKE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS MY 2005 FORD FOCUS IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN IN A 2005 FOCUS AND I WAS LEFT STRANDED. THIS THANKFULLY WAS AT MY WORKPLACE AND I WAS NOT IN ANY IMMEDIATE DANGER. *TR
2005 FORD FOCUS WITH AIR BAG LIGHT ON, AND OTHER PROBLEMS. CUSTOMER STATES THAT ALONG WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WILL NOT CLOSE AND THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. *KB
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.