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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.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Fuel/propulsion System complaints

6 reports
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79,000 miles · Feb 15, 2018
Fuel/propulsion System

THE CAR CUTS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC HE SAID WAS THE FUEL PUMP. I TOOK IT FOR ASECOND OPINION THIS MECHANIC SAID WAS A MODULE FOR THE FUEL PUMP. HE ALSO A CAR SAME MAKE AND MODEL WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I DID AM INTERNET SEARCH AND IT WAS TOO MANY CARS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. THERE SHOULD BE…

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THE CAR CUTS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC HE SAID WAS THE FUEL PUMP. I TOOK IT FOR ASECOND OPINION THIS MECHANIC SAID WAS A MODULE FOR THE FUEL PUMP. HE ALSO A CAR SAME MAKE AND MODEL WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I DID AM INTERNET SEARCH AND IT WAS TOO MANY CARS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. MY CAR CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI #11073028

210,000 miles · Aug 2, 2016
Fuel/propulsion System

ENGINE AND FUEL CAP LIGHT CAME ON DASH. AFTER REPLACING CAP WITH A FORD GAS CAP AND CLEARING THE CODE AT A FORD DEALERSHIP THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON THE NEXT DAY. ALL ATTEMPTS TO CLEAR THE CODE WITH ANOTHER GAS CAP AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP RESULTED IN THE SAME RESULTS.

NHTSA ODI #10892442

90,000 miles · May 4, 2016
EngineFuel/propulsion System

TAKATA RECALL FUEL LINE TOO CLOSE TO EXHAUT IT CAUSES VEHICLE TO STOP RUNNING WAIT 15 -20 MINUTES AND IT WILL START AND YOU CAN GO UNTIL IT DOES IT AGAIN IT IS FINE IN WINTER BUT WARM WEATHER IT DOES IT ALL THE TIME HAVE TRIED TO HAVE FIXED BUT STILL DOES IT

NHTSA ODI #10862968

58,816 miles · May 17, 2013
Fuel/propulsion System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS LEAKING INTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL LINE TO THE ENGINE HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT WOULD SMELL GASOLINE FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE ON …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS LEAKING INTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL LINE TO THE ENGINE HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT WOULD SMELL GASOLINE FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE DEALER THEN REPLACED THE O-RINGS TO THE FUEL LINE BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPAIRED THE DAMAGED FUEL LINE AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE FUEL LEAK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,816.

NHTSA ODI #10512514

94,000 miles · Feb 4, 2013
Fuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

ALL I CAN SAY IS THIS CAR HAS BEEN A PROBLEM. THE CAR STARTED THIS HARD STARTING ISSUE A WHILE AGO WHEN I CONTACTED FORD THEY TOLD ME THIS WAS NORMAL I HAD THE CAR FOR A FEW YEARS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS SOUND WHEN STARTING WILL COME FROM THE TRUNK AND TAKE AT LEAST 5 CRANKS TO START AND THIS IS NORMAL. AS OF THIS WEEK I …

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ALL I CAN SAY IS THIS CAR HAS BEEN A PROBLEM. THE CAR STARTED THIS HARD STARTING ISSUE A WHILE AGO WHEN I CONTACTED FORD THEY TOLD ME THIS WAS NORMAL I HAD THE CAR FOR A FEW YEARS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS SOUND WHEN STARTING WILL COME FROM THE TRUNK AND TAKE AT LEAST 5 CRANKS TO START AND THIS IS NORMAL. AS OF THIS WEEK I WAS DRIVING ON I-95 ON MY WAY TO WORK AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH. WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR STARTING REVVING AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL AND I COULDN'T ACCELERATE ONCE OFF THE HIGHWAY THE CAR WORKED FINE. AFTER WORK ON MY WAY HOME THE SAME THING HAPPEN BUT WHILE I WAS ON THE ENTRANCE RAMP I WAS ABLE TO GET UP TO 35MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WAS IN NEUTRAL I WAS ALMOST HIT FROM BEHIND. MY CAR ONLY HAS 94000 MILES ON IT AND IT NEEDS A TRANSMISSION. I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN 2008 WITH 49,000. AND FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING MORE THAN A PROBLEM. I WILL NEVER OWN OR RECOMMEND A FORD TO ANYONE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10496277

74,000 miles · Jan 8, 2013
Fuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS THE GAS THROTTLE STICKS (APP. 45-HIGHER). THE SPEED CONTROL ALSO GOT STUCK BEFORE. THE CAR ALSO HAS PROBLEMS STARTING. IN MORNINGS AND EVENINGS, REGARDLESS OF WEATHER THE CAR DOESN'T ALWAYS START. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10491869

Official recalls

1

05V030000 · 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

1

AQ10001 · 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.