IllustrationVEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING WHILE IN MOTION ON AVERAGE 5 TIMES MONTHLY. THE CAR SPENT A TOTAL OF 1 MONTH IN THE SHOP AT A FORD DEALER AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND FORD CORPORATE COULD NOT DETERMINE A CAUSE. *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
Fuel System, Gasoline complaints
17 reports2005 FORD FOCUS WITH FUEL FILTER FAILURE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS COMING OFF OF THE FILTER. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED OF A RECALL FOR THE FUEL FILTER. THE CONSUMER WAS CHARGED FOR RECONNECTING THE HOSE, BUT NOT THE FILTER. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WHEEL RIMS RUSTING. *JB
WE HAVE A 2005 FORD FOCUS WAGON WITH APPROXIMATELY 37,000 MILES. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH DUE TO AN IDLING PROBLEM THAT THE DEALER CANNOT REMEDY. THE THROTTLE SOMETIMES STICKS AND THE CAR ACCELERATES UNCONTROLLABLY ON ITS OWN. AT OTHER TIMES THE CAR DIES AT IDLE. THIS IS AN EXTREME…
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WE HAVE A 2005 FORD FOCUS WAGON WITH APPROXIMATELY 37,000 MILES. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH DUE TO AN IDLING PROBLEM THAT THE DEALER CANNOT REMEDY. THE THROTTLE SOMETIMES STICKS AND THE CAR ACCELERATES UNCONTROLLABLY ON ITS OWN. AT OTHER TIMES THE CAR DIES AT IDLE. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND THE ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE IN SEVERAL INTERNET CHAT ROOMS INDICATES THAT OUR CAR IS NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS SITUATION. APPARENTLY, FORD CONTINUES TO DENY THERE'S A PROBLEM, BUT IGNORING IT ONLY PUTS LIVES IN DANGER. *NM
INTERMITTENT STALLING ISSUES WITH MY 2005 FORD FOCUS WAGON. IT WILL STALL WITHOUT WARNING BOTH GOING OVER 50 MPH AND IDLING IN TRAFFIC. IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES WITH NO RESOLUTION AND IS GOING BACK IN 2 DAYS. *NM
MY CAR KEPT STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND AT STOP SIGNS AND WHERE EVER IT FELT LIKE. THIS STARTED AT ABOUT 20,000 MILES. THEN JUST BEFORE IT GOT TO 36,000 MILES IT WOULD STALL WHEN EVER IT BECAME HOT. AS I WAS GOING UP AND DOWN THE MOUNTAIN PASSES IN WASHINGTON, OREGON AND CALIFORNIA IT WOULD JUST STOP RUNNING EVERY MIL…
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MY CAR KEPT STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND AT STOP SIGNS AND WHERE EVER IT FELT LIKE. THIS STARTED AT ABOUT 20,000 MILES. THEN JUST BEFORE IT GOT TO 36,000 MILES IT WOULD STALL WHEN EVER IT BECAME HOT. AS I WAS GOING UP AND DOWN THE MOUNTAIN PASSES IN WASHINGTON, OREGON AND CALIFORNIA IT WOULD JUST STOP RUNNING EVERY MILE. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AS I HAD CARS BEHIND ME AND TRUCKERS ON ALL SIDES AND THE CAR WOULD JUST QUIT AT 65 MPH OR WHAT EVER SPEED I WAS AT. I HAD MAD TRUCKERS AND MAD CARS AND TRUCKS, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. WHEN I LIMPED HOME (780 MILES) I GOT THE CAR IN TO BE CHECKED AND FOUND THAT IT WAS THE FUEL RAIL SENSOR. I CALLED FORD AND THEY REFUSED TO COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS FORCED TO PAY FOR A FAULTY PART OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. THEN LAST WEEK I SAW ON THE NEWS THAT TOYOTA AND ANOTHER COMPANY HAD RECALLED THEIR VEHICLES FOR THE SAME EXACT PART. I CALLED FORD TODAY AGAIN AND THEY ARE STILL REFUSING TO ADMIT THAT THIS IS DANGEROUS ON THEIR CARS. IT SEEMS TO BE OK TO RECALL OTHER VEHICLES, BUT FORD THINKS THEIR '!@#$% DOESN'T STINK AS WE SAY ON THE FARM. I WANT THIOS RECTIFIED. IF OTHER MANUFACTURERS THINK THIS IS A PROBLEM. I THINK FORD SHOULD BUCK UP AND ADMIT THAT THEIR VEHICLES COULD POSSIBLY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD IF THIS IS THE WAY THEY TREAT CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE FORD CARS. GAYLE SORENSEN *TR
WHEN FUELING GAS TANK, PUMP KEEPS SHUTTING OFF. FIRST REPORTED 6-30-05 TODAY TOOK INTO MAITA FORD, AUIBURN AND RECEIVED INFORMATION OF A REPORT: OASIS SSM 18938 WITH NO NEW INFORMATION TO FIX PROBLEM.. WHY? *NM
I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND IT GETS THE WORSE GAS MILEAGE I HAVE EVER SEEN. I NEVER GET BETTER THAN 25 MPG HIGHWAY. I BOUGHT THIS CAR WITH THE FORD DEALER TELLING HOW GREAT IT WAS ON GAS. THAT I WOULD AVERAGE 32 MPG. I COMPLAINED TO MY DEALER WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND THEY SAID I WAS AVERAGING 31.7 MPG ACCORDING TO THERE COMPUTER…
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I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND IT GETS THE WORSE GAS MILEAGE I HAVE EVER SEEN. I NEVER GET BETTER THAN 25 MPG HIGHWAY. I BOUGHT THIS CAR WITH THE FORD DEALER TELLING HOW GREAT IT WAS ON GAS. THAT I WOULD AVERAGE 32 MPG. I COMPLAINED TO MY DEALER WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND THEY SAID I WAS AVERAGING 31.7 MPG ACCORDING TO THERE COMPUTER. THAT IS NOT TRUE! THEN THEY SAID IT NEEDS A BREAK IN TIME OF 5000 MILES. I HAVE 15000 MILES ON THE CAR AND I DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY EVERY DAY. MANY OTHER FOCUS OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED BUT FORD IGNORES US. *NM
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.