NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
250 reports74,000 miles · Dec 27, 2013
Vehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT TRAVELING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LACERATIONS TO THE FACE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT TRAVELING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LACERATIONS TO THE FACE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000. UPDATED 02/11/14*LJ
NHTSA ODI #10557440
110,000 miles · Dec 9, 2013
Latches/locks/linkagesStructure
THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR LATCH FAILED RESULTING IN THE DOOR NOT REMAINING CLOSED. THE DOOR HAD TO BE HELD SHUT WITH A BELT SO THAT IT COULD BE SAFELY DRIVEN. THANK GOD THAT NO ONE WAS IN THE BACK SEAT AS THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN HURT IF THE DOOR FLEW OPEN WHILE DRIVING. THE AMATO FORD DEALER DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST (FOR WHAT WE ARE…
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THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR LATCH FAILED RESULTING IN THE DOOR NOT REMAINING CLOSED. THE DOOR HAD TO BE HELD SHUT WITH A BELT SO THAT IT COULD BE SAFELY DRIVEN. THANK GOD THAT NO ONE WAS IN THE BACK SEAT AS THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN HURT IF THE DOOR FLEW OPEN WHILE DRIVING. THE AMATO FORD DEALER DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST (FOR WHAT WE ARE NOT SURE AS IT IS A MANUAL DOOR NO ELECTRONIC LOCKS OR WINDOWS) THAT COST 113 DOLLARS AND THEN TOLD US IT WOULD COST 385 DOLLARS TO FIX. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND FORD SHOULD FIX THIS BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL FORD CUSTOMER BUT NEVER AGAIN WILL I PURCHASE A FORD VEHICLE IF THEY CARE THIS LITTLE FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS SAFETY. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10555395
41,000 miles · Nov 20, 2013
Vehicle Speed Control
I HAVE A FORD FOCUS 2008 AND MILEAGE OF 41,000 I DROVE THE CAR TO WORK THE CAR ABRUPTLY STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR IS BRAND NEW WHEN I PURCHASED AND NEVER USE MUCH. I WENT TO FORD SERVICE CENTER AND CHECK IT OUT AND SAID THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS THROTTLE BODY AND RESET. WHY SERVICE AREA OF THIS FORD COM…
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I HAVE A FORD FOCUS 2008 AND MILEAGE OF 41,000 I DROVE THE CAR TO WORK THE CAR ABRUPTLY STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR IS BRAND NEW WHEN I PURCHASED AND NEVER USE MUCH. I WENT TO FORD SERVICE CENTER AND CHECK IT OUT AND SAID THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS THROTTLE BODY AND RESET. WHY SERVICE AREA OF THIS FORD COMPANY CHARGING ME IN THE AMOUNT OF $730.00 DOLLARS. THIS CAR IS A RECALL AND VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE TO GOING TO WORK, PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SAFETY HERE. FORD COMPANY PAY ATTENTION MY ISSUES. AT LEAST TO FIX THE ISSUES THROTTLE BODY FOR FREE FOR ANY FORD COMPANY SERVICES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10553132
43,000 miles · Oct 5, 2013
Structure
THIS DATE MARKS FIVE TIMES THAT DOOR LATCHES / LOCKS HAVE QUIT WORKING. CURRENTLY THE LOCKS WILL NOT WORK AND THE DRIVERS DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE PROBLEM FOUR TIMES UNDER WARRANTY. NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THE RECURRING PROBLEM. THEIR REPRESE…
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THIS DATE MARKS FIVE TIMES THAT DOOR LATCHES / LOCKS HAVE QUIT WORKING. CURRENTLY THE LOCKS WILL NOT WORK AND THE DRIVERS DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE PROBLEM FOUR TIMES UNDER WARRANTY. NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THE RECURRING PROBLEM. THEIR REPRESENTATIVE STATED THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM FROM RURAL ROAD DUST CAUSING LATCH / LOCK FAILURE, THAT MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WILL NOT HELP COVER ANOTHER LATCH REPLACEMENT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10546876
68,000 miles · Sep 27, 2013
Electrical SystemSuspensionWheels
I AM HAVING MAJOR ISSUES WITH STARTING MY VEHICLE. I WILL TURN THE KEY AND NOTHING HAPPENS. I HAVE TO FORCEFULLY TURN MY STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH BEFORE MY VEHICLE WILL START. THIS IS HAPPENING WITH BOTH KEYS THAT I OWN. ALSO I'M ON MY THIRD SET OF TIRES AS THEY ARE WEARING ON THE INSIDE VERY QUICKLY. I'VE HAD ALIGNMEN…
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I AM HAVING MAJOR ISSUES WITH STARTING MY VEHICLE. I WILL TURN THE KEY AND NOTHING HAPPENS. I HAVE TO FORCEFULLY TURN MY STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH BEFORE MY VEHICLE WILL START. THIS IS HAPPENING WITH BOTH KEYS THAT I OWN. ALSO I'M ON MY THIRD SET OF TIRES AS THEY ARE WEARING ON THE INSIDE VERY QUICKLY. I'VE HAD ALIGNMENT AFTER ALIGNMENT DONE AND NOTHING IS FIXING THE ISSUE. THIS IS MY SECOND FOCUS AND THIS 2008 COMPARED TO MY 2000 IS A PIECE OF JUNK. I SHOULDN'T BE HAVING SO MANY ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10545643
80,000 miles · Sep 10, 2013
Tires
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS EQUIPPED WITH A SET OF UNIROYAL TIGERPAW TIRES, SIZE 205/50/R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE BLEW WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE TIRE WAS 500. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS EQUIPPED WITH A SET OF UNIROYAL TIGERPAW TIRES, SIZE 205/50/R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE BLEW WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE TIRE WAS 500. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA ODI #10542951
100,000 miles · Aug 30, 2013
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control
THROTTLE CUT OUT SEVERAL TIMES WHILE ON THE FREEWAY AND THE CHECK ENGINE "WRENCH" WOULD LIGHT UP. ENGINE WOULD IDLE, BUT STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL WOULD DO NOTHING. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN WOULD TEMPORARILY FIX THE ISSUE. SEARCHING THE INTERNET SHOWS THIS TO BE A MASSIVE PROBLEM WITH ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODIES. …
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THROTTLE CUT OUT SEVERAL TIMES WHILE ON THE FREEWAY AND THE CHECK ENGINE "WRENCH" WOULD LIGHT UP. ENGINE WOULD IDLE, BUT STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL WOULD DO NOTHING. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN WOULD TEMPORARILY FIX THE ISSUE. SEARCHING THE INTERNET SHOWS THIS TO BE A MASSIVE PROBLEM WITH ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODIES. CANNOT BELIEVE FORD HASN'T ISSUED A RECALL. DANGEROUS!
NHTSA ODI #10538172
80,000 miles · Aug 22, 2013
Electrical System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY FAIL TO START. THE CONTACT HAD TO CONTINUOUSLY JIGGLE THE IGNITION KEY FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
NHTSA ODI #10536763
34,000 miles · Aug 17, 2013
Fuel/propulsion System
FUEL GAUGE WAS SHOWING NEARLY EMPTY AND THE LOW FUEL LIGHT WAS ON. I PLACED 3.6 GALLONS OF FUEL INTO THE TANK, AND THE GAUGE SHOWED THAT THE FUEL LEVEL WAS A SLIGHT BIT UNDER 1/2 TANK. VEHICLE HAS A 12 GALLON GAS TANK; FUEL GAUGE WAS SHOWING AN INACCURATE LEVEL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10535885
110,000 miles · Aug 1, 2013
Electrical System
VEHICLE BEGAN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE KEY HAVING CONTACT WITH THE IGNITION. WHEN KEY IS TURNED, IT DOES NOTHING TO START THE ENGINE. KEY MUST BE PUSHED IN WHILE TURNING FOR IT TO START. PROBLEM KEPT GETTING WORSE UNTIL THE KEY WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL. REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE CYLINDER AND THE TUMBLER AND THE ENTIRE SET…
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VEHICLE BEGAN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE KEY HAVING CONTACT WITH THE IGNITION. WHEN KEY IS TURNED, IT DOES NOTHING TO START THE ENGINE. KEY MUST BE PUSHED IN WHILE TURNING FOR IT TO START. PROBLEM KEPT GETTING WORSE UNTIL THE KEY WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL. REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE CYLINDER AND THE TUMBLER AND THE ENTIRE SET OF KEYS. PROBLEM SOLVED FOR ONE YEAR, THEN BEGAN AGAIN. WORKING ON SECOND REPAIR IN ABOUT A YEAR- REPLACING IGNITION SWITCH AND THE CYLINDER. THE MECHANIC AND LOCKSMITH WHO ARE WORKING ON THIS REPAIR, SAY THEY FIX ABOUT 6-7 FORD FOCUS' PER MONTH WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10533043
NHTSA investigations
1PE08060 · Tire Valve Cracking
Opened Oct 14, 2008 · Closed Apr 9, 2009
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Tires:valve
ON OCTOBER 14, 2008, ODI OPENED PE08-060 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CRACKED AND LEAKING SNAP-IN TIRE VALVES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY.THE VALVES WERE SUPPLIED TO FORD BY TOPSEAL AUTO-PARTS, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SHANGHAI BAOLONG AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION IN CHINA.VALVES MADE BY TOPSEAL FOR AFTERMARKET SALE WERE THE SUBJECT OF TWO RECENT SAFETY RECALLS BY TECH INTERNATIONAL (08T-018) AND DILL AIR CONTROLS (08T-028), THE LATTER OF WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY ODI IN PE08-036 AND EA08-022.THE DEFECT CONDITIONS ADDRESSED BY THE AFTERMARKET TIRE VALVE RECALLS BOTH INVOLVED INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE SUPPLY OF ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS TO TOPSEAL FOR A PERIOD FROM JULY TO MID-NOVEMBER 2006.THE AFTERMARKET VALVES WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A BLEND OF EPDM AND NATURAL RUBBER, USING A RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF EPDM (EPDM PROVIDES INHERENT RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING).HENCE, THE NEED FOR ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS AND THE PROBLEMS WITH CRACKING WHEN THOSE CHEMICALS WERE MISSING OR OUT OF SPECIFICATION IN SOME LOTS OF VALVES.BOTH RECALL CAMPAIGNS INVOLVED INSPECTION PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY AND REPLACE VALVES WITH VISIBLE SURFACE CRACKING.ALTHOUGH THE TOPSEAL VALVES SUPPLIED TO FORD ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ANTI-OZONANT SUPPLY ISSUES IN MID TO LATE-2006, FORD INDICATED THAT ITS VALVES WERE MADE AT A DIFFERENT TOPSEAL PRODUCTION LINE AND WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF EPDM RUBBER TO MEET MORE STRINGENT SPECIFICATIONS FROM FORD.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED BY FORD SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH CRACKED TIRE VALVES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FOR MY 2007 VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007.FORD RESPONDED BY IMPLEMENTING CHANGES IN ITS MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SNAP-IN RUBBER TIRE VALVES AND ALSO INCREASING THE QUALITY AND ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS FOR VALVES IMPORTED FOR USE IN ITS VEHICLES.WHILE THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM RATES ARE ELEVATED FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007, THE RATES OF LEAKING VALVES ARE WELL BELOW ONE PERCENT OF PRODUCTION FOR EACH OF THE PEAK MONTHS FOR ALL OF THE AFFECTED MODELS.A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS (TPMS) WHICH WARN THE DRIVER WHEN ANY TIRE PRESSURES DROPS BELOW 25 PERCENT OF RECOMMENDED INFLATION PRESSURE. AS OUTLINED IN A LETTER TO ODI DATED APRIL 6, 2009, FORD HAS AGREED TO SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS OF CERTAIN MY 2007 AND 2008 FORD, LINCOLN AND MERCURY VEHICLES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRACKING CONCERN. LETTERS WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 2006 THROUGH MAY 2007.OWNERS CAN OPT FOR A FREE DEALER INSPECTION.VALVES EXHIBITING SURFACE CRACKS OR AIR LEAKAGE RELATED TO OZONE ATTACK WILL BE REPLACED BY FORD UNDER ITS NORMAL WARRANTY TERMS.FORD EXPECTS TO SEND THE LETTER BY APPROXIMATELY MID-MAY 2009. BASED ON THE USE OF TPMS IN THE MAJORITY OF SUBJECT VEHICLES AND THE RELATIVELY LOW RATES OF REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING VALVES AND RESULTANT TIRE DAMAGE, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE ACTIONS FORD HAS AGREED TO TAKE WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND EXPEDITIOUS RESOLUTION FOR VEHICLES THAT WERE BUILT DURING THE PERIOD WHEN VALVES WITH INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING WERE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN USED IN VEHICLE PRODUCTION.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO
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