IllustrationKEY GOT STUCK IN IGNITION AND WON'T COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. HAD TO LOCK KEY IN CAR AND USE REMOTE TO LOCK CAR. SECOND INCIDENCE OF THIS ON HERE SO LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE A RECALL IN THE FUTURE FOR THE 2005 FORD FOCUS. *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
Latches/locks/linkages complaints
50 reportsDRIVER'S SIDE PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT LOCK WITH REMOTE OR MANUALLY WITH ROCKER SWITCH. *TR
KEY STUCK IN IGNITION AND WILL NOT LOCK INTO KEY POSITION #; THEREFORE, GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT LOCK APPROPRIATELY WHEN CAR IS OFF. *TR
OUR KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION OF OUR CAR. WE CAN"T GET IT OUT. I'M AFRAID THAT WE MAY HAVE OUR CAR STOLEN BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LEAVE THE KEY PERMANENTLY IN THE IGNITION
2005 FORD FOCUS HAS BACK DOOR THAT NO LONGER LOCKS (POWER LOCKS). DEALER STATES DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR NEEDS REPLACING ($400.00). WENT ON INTERNET TO SEE ACTUAL COST OF PART AND HOW INVOLVED TO FIX. AMAZED TO FIND THE NUMBER OF CASES WHERE LOCK ACTUATORS HAVE GONE OUT ON FORD FOCUS. SOME PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN LOCKED IN THEIR CARS AND…
Read full complaint
2005 FORD FOCUS HAS BACK DOOR THAT NO LONGER LOCKS (POWER LOCKS). DEALER STATES DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR NEEDS REPLACING ($400.00). WENT ON INTERNET TO SEE ACTUAL COST OF PART AND HOW INVOLVED TO FIX. AMAZED TO FIND THE NUMBER OF CASES WHERE LOCK ACTUATORS HAVE GONE OUT ON FORD FOCUS. SOME PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN LOCKED IN THEIR CARS AND HAD TO CLIMB OUT WINDOWS OR OUT THEIR TRUNK. OUR CONCERN IS THAT SOMEONE COULD CRAWL INTO THE BACK OF OUR 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER'S VEHICLE AND ATTACK HER - BECAUSE HERS IS STUCK IN THE UNLOCKED POSITION. OR WHAT IF THE OTHER DOORS GET STUCK IN LOCKED POSITION AND SHE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND COULDN'T GET OUT OF HER CAR.
MY "ENGINE LIGHT" HAS BEEN "FLASHING" INTERMITTENTLY SINCE THE DAY I DROVE THE CAR HOME BRAND NEW! THIS IS A "MISFIRE" CODE. IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN UNDER HARD ACCELERATION (LIKE TRYING TO PASS A CAR)...YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE THE "SAFETY CONCERNS" INVOLVED , WHEN 7 OUT OF 10 TIMES I TO TRY TO PASS A CAR.....I GET HALFWAY BY THE …
Read full complaint
MY "ENGINE LIGHT" HAS BEEN "FLASHING" INTERMITTENTLY SINCE THE DAY I DROVE THE CAR HOME BRAND NEW! THIS IS A "MISFIRE" CODE. IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN UNDER HARD ACCELERATION (LIKE TRYING TO PASS A CAR)...YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE THE "SAFETY CONCERNS" INVOLVED , WHEN 7 OUT OF 10 TIMES I TO TRY TO PASS A CAR.....I GET HALFWAY BY THE VEHICLE...THEN MY CAR "MISFIRES"....LOSES ALL POWER....AND I COAST BACK INTO POSITION "BEHIND" THE VEHICLE I TRIED TO PASS!..WHILE I WAIT FOR THE CAR TO RECOVER AND START TO RUN CORRECTLY AGAIN!....IF I DIDN'T LOSE MY POSITION!..WHICH HAS HAPPENED!....MY CAR HAS BEEN "REPAIRED" 4, GOING ON 5 TIMES FOR THIS SAME ISSUE....EACH TIME I BRING IT TO BE FIXED...IT DOESN'T GET FIXED...OR AS I WAS TOLD ON MY FIRST COMPLAINT, AND MY SECOND COMPLAINT (THERE'S NOTHING WRONG)....THE LIGHT CONTINUES TO FLASH.....MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY YARD SINCE JANUARY...AFTER THE LAST TIME THEY "FIXED IT"...CANT EVEN DRIVE IT NOW....IT DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT HOME AFTER THE LAST REPAIR! *TR
2005 FOCUS KEY STUCK IN THE IGNITION. I DISCONNECTED THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF THE BATTERY AND THE KEY CAME OUT. *TR
KEY WON'T TURN IN THE IGNITION. CAN NO REMOVE KEY. *TR
MY KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WILL NOT RELEASE FROM IT. I HAVE TO LEAVE THE KEY IN IGNITION AND LOCK THE VEHICLE WITH THE ALARM. *TR
THE LEFT REAR DOOR ON MY 2005 FORD FOCUS DOES NOT LOCK. EVEN WHEN I LOCK THE CAR WITH THE REMOTE AND THE ALARM IS ARMED, THE RIGHT REAR DOOR WILL OPEN. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE SEARCHED ON THE WEB AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE '05 FOCUS. *TR
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.