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2006 Ford Focus

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2006 Ford Focus are lower than the model-year median of 864.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

173 reports with mileage · 31 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 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

22 crash reports3 fire reports15 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

47 reports
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32,000 miles · Sep 28, 2009
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE CAN NOT REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. UPON CONTACT A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY $300.00 TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED BECAUSE TH…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE CAN NOT REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. UPON CONTACT A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY $300.00 TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 32000.

NHTSA ODI #10285517

Mileage unknown · Sep 17, 2009
Electrical System

ABOUT HALF TO 3/4 OF THE TIME MY IGNITION WILL NOT START ON MY FORD FOCUS. THIS PRESENTS A MAJOR PROBLEM WHEN I AM AWAY FROM THE HOME AND MY CAR WILL NOT START DUE TO IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEMS. AT TIMES I HAVE TO TURN THE KEY 20-50 TIMES FOR THE CAR TO COME ON. I AM 76 YEARS OLD AND THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE FOR ME. I DON'T WANT TO E…

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ABOUT HALF TO 3/4 OF THE TIME MY IGNITION WILL NOT START ON MY FORD FOCUS. THIS PRESENTS A MAJOR PROBLEM WHEN I AM AWAY FROM THE HOME AND MY CAR WILL NOT START DUE TO IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEMS. AT TIMES I HAVE TO TURN THE KEY 20-50 TIMES FOR THE CAR TO COME ON. I AM 76 YEARS OLD AND THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE FOR ME. I DON'T WANT TO EVEN DRIVE MY CAR FOR FEAR THAT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RE-START IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10284420

78,000 miles · Aug 31, 2009
Electrical System

THE FUSE FOR THE RUNNING LAMPS KEPT BLOWING. A FEW DAYS LATER I SMELT A BURNING SMELL, PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF THE CAR, REMOVED KEY, BUT CAR WAS STILL RUNNING. A FEW DAYS LATER, BATTERY LIGHT KEPT FLASHING, TURNS OUT, THE ALTERNATOR WAS FRIED. TOOK IT TO FORD, WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE MY POWERTRAIN WARRAN…

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THE FUSE FOR THE RUNNING LAMPS KEPT BLOWING. A FEW DAYS LATER I SMELT A BURNING SMELL, PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF THE CAR, REMOVED KEY, BUT CAR WAS STILL RUNNING. A FEW DAYS LATER, BATTERY LIGHT KEPT FLASHING, TURNS OUT, THE ALTERNATOR WAS FRIED. TOOK IT TO FORD, WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE MY POWERTRAIN WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER ELECTRICAL WORK. TOOK IT TO AN ELECTRICIAN, WAS TOLD A FEW WIRES TOUCHED METAL AND FUSED TOGETHER AND BURNT ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE FIREWALL. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WIRES, THERE IS METAL SITTING UNDER THEM....THERE ARE NO CLIPS TO HELP HOLD THE WIRES AWAY FROM THE METAL. THERE IS SOME FORM OF PROTECTION ON THE WIRES, I DESCRIBE IT AS A FOAM...BUT ITS WORN THROUGH. WHEN I ASKED HIM HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED, HE REPLIED WITH "GOING OVER BUMPS, RAILROAD TRACKS, OR HITTING A POTHOLE. HE ALSO TOLD ME IT WAS A FIRE HAZARD. AS A CONSEQUENCE TO THIS, MY CAR IS NOW JUST SITTING, AND I WILL NOT DRIVE IT WITH IT BEING LABELED A FIRE HAZARD. NOTHING WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10282399

18,000 miles · Aug 19, 2009
Electrical System

MY KEY BECAME LOCKED IN THE IGNITION AND COULD NOT BE REMOVED WHILE ON VACATION. I COULD TURN THE CAR ON AND DRIVE IT BUT COULD NOT REMOVE IT, THEREFORE HAD TO END VACATION EARLY TO TAKE CARE TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE CAR WAS 75 DAYS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO FIX THIS- COSTING ME OVER $300.00. THEY (FORD) SAID IT…

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MY KEY BECAME LOCKED IN THE IGNITION AND COULD NOT BE REMOVED WHILE ON VACATION. I COULD TURN THE CAR ON AND DRIVE IT BUT COULD NOT REMOVE IT, THEREFORE HAD TO END VACATION EARLY TO TAKE CARE TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE CAR WAS 75 DAYS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO FIX THIS- COSTING ME OVER $300.00. THEY (FORD) SAID IT WAS THE SAFETY SWITCH IN THE SHIFTER. VEHICLE HAD A LITTLE OVER 18,000 MILES. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED USED FROM AN ESTATE OF A LADY WHO HAD ONLY DRIVEN 8,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10280950

65,724 miles · Jul 13, 2009
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages

THE KEY HAS BECOME STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WILL NOT COME OUT BECAUSE THE CAR DOES NOT THINK IT IS PARK EVEN THOUGH IT IS PARKED. THE DEALER INSIST THAT THERE WAS A SODA SPILLED ON THE IGNITION AND THIS RESULTED IN THE CHIP IN THE IGNITION SHORTING OUT. THIS KEY HAS BEEN STUCK SINCE MAY AND HAS ONLY COME OUT OF THE IGNITION ONC…

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THE KEY HAS BECOME STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WILL NOT COME OUT BECAUSE THE CAR DOES NOT THINK IT IS PARK EVEN THOUGH IT IS PARKED. THE DEALER INSIST THAT THERE WAS A SODA SPILLED ON THE IGNITION AND THIS RESULTED IN THE CHIP IN THE IGNITION SHORTING OUT. THIS KEY HAS BEEN STUCK SINCE MAY AND HAS ONLY COME OUT OF THE IGNITION ONCE SINCE THEN! THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THEY HAVE TO ORDER THIS PART AND CHANGE OUT THE IGNITION TO FIX IT. SO FAR, THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED AND WE CANNOT LOCK ALL OF THE DOORS BECAUSE OF THIS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10276550

62,000 miles · Apr 21, 2009
Electrical System

MY 2006 FORD FOCUS HATCHBACK DEVELOPED FRAYED WIRES IN THE HATCHBACK HARNESS THAT CAUSED A SHORT SO THAT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON AS THEY SHOULD WHEN THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON UNLESS THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER IS ALSO TURNED ON. DESPITE BEING COVERED BY FORD'S 'EXTRA CARE' EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN THAT IS SUPPOSED…

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MY 2006 FORD FOCUS HATCHBACK DEVELOPED FRAYED WIRES IN THE HATCHBACK HARNESS THAT CAUSED A SHORT SO THAT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON AS THEY SHOULD WHEN THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON UNLESS THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER IS ALSO TURNED ON. DESPITE BEING COVERED BY FORD'S 'EXTRA CARE' EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN THAT IS SUPPOSED TO COVER WIRING HARNESSES, FORD IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10266208

75,000 miles · Mar 9, 2009
Electrical System

I HAVE A 2006 FORD FOCUS AND MY KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY WERE NO HELP. THE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD FOCUS BUT THEY WON'T ISSUE A RECALL ON IT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE- MY CAR IS AT RISK OF BEING STOLEN AND I DON'T HAVE THE 400.00 THEY ASK TO REPAIR T…

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I HAVE A 2006 FORD FOCUS AND MY KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY WERE NO HELP. THE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD FOCUS BUT THEY WON'T ISSUE A RECALL ON IT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE- MY CAR IS AT RISK OF BEING STOLEN AND I DON'T HAVE THE 400.00 THEY ASK TO REPAIR THIS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10261147

45,000 miles · Feb 13, 2009
Electrical System

THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WON'T COME OUT. I HAVE TO REMOVE ONE OF THE BATTERY CABLE FROM THE BATTERY, REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, THEN REPLACE THE BATTERY CABLE BACK. THIS HAS HAPPEN MORE THAN ONCE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10258564

36,500 miles · Oct 12, 2008
Electrical System

ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO, MY KEY GOT STUCK IN THE IGNITION. I COULD START AND DRIVE THE CAR, BUT NOT GET THE KEY. I DROVE TO A FORD DEALER AND THE PERSON HAD NO TROUBLE GETTING MY KEY OUT. THIS WAS AT 34,000 MILES. NOW, AT 36,500 MILES, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I AM TAKING TO A FORD DEALER AND THEY BETTER REPAIR UNDER THE 3/36,00…

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ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO, MY KEY GOT STUCK IN THE IGNITION. I COULD START AND DRIVE THE CAR, BUT NOT GET THE KEY. I DROVE TO A FORD DEALER AND THE PERSON HAD NO TROUBLE GETTING MY KEY OUT. THIS WAS AT 34,000 MILES. NOW, AT 36,500 MILES, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I AM TAKING TO A FORD DEALER AND THEY BETTER REPAIR UNDER THE 3/36,000 WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10245204

34,400 miles · Sep 19, 2008
Electrical System

2006 FORD FOCUS ZX4 MODEL SES. IGNITION KEY STUCK IN IGNITION. CAR WILL START BUT KEY WILL NOT COME OUT. CAR CAN BE PUT INTO GEAR WITH SWITCH IN OFF POSITION. SAFETY PROBLEM CAR HAS 35,000 MILES. DEALER DID WARRANTY REPAIR TODAY - WE ARE PICKING THE CAR UP TONIGHT SO I DON'T KNOW THE QUALITY OF THE REPAIR YET. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10242956

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.