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2010 Ford Focus

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2010 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

249 reports with mileage · 38 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.

  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 43 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 reports4 fire reports16 injury reports

Steering complaints

13 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jan 28, 2025
SteeringStructureSuspension

Multiple mechanics working at and including but not limited to: Firestone, discount tires, Midas, Walmart, independent mechanics have informed me the rear wheels can not be realigned with the front wheels due to how it was designed. This has caused my rear wheels to become more and more out of alignment with no way to repair th…

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Multiple mechanics working at and including but not limited to: Firestone, discount tires, Midas, Walmart, independent mechanics have informed me the rear wheels can not be realigned with the front wheels due to how it was designed. This has caused my rear wheels to become more and more out of alignment with no way to repair the misalignment. So all steering components have been more and more hard to control and are being destroyed at a faster rate. Including but not limited to: car sound deadening stuff. Bolts, nuts, screws, undercarriage, tire wear, the front alignment etc. It has not been inspected by anyone but mechanics.

NHTSA ODI #11639131

197,000 miles · May 25, 2020
Electrical SystemSteering

IGNITION SWITCH BINDING UP AND THE SWITCH WILL NOT START THE CAR WHEN TURNING THE KEY IN THE SWITCH! *BF VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED.*JB

NHTSA ODI #11325861

93,000 miles · Oct 10, 2016
SteeringCrashInjury

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 35-40 MPH, AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT-HAND TURN ON A COUNTY ROAD. THE STEERING WHEEL EITHER LOCKED, OR THE POWER STEERING FAILED, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO NEGOTIATE THE TURN. SHE RAN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HIT A LIGHT POLE STRAIGHT ON, CAUSING HER MINOR INJURIES, BUT TOTALING THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI #10915082

80,000 miles · Sep 2, 2015
Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH ON A HIGHWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED AND THE CHECK STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND DROVE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE SOURCE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCA…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH ON A HIGHWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED AND THE CHECK STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND DROVE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE SOURCE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ODI #10761040

37,000 miles · Mar 9, 2015
Steering

THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT AND I CAN NOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10693130

123,000 miles · Feb 22, 2015
Power TrainSteeringVehicle Speed ControlInjury

WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR IT JERKS WHEN I DRIVE A CERTAIN MPH.. I WAS ON THE FREE WAY AND IT FELT LIKE I WASN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO STOP OR DIDN'T NO IF MY CAR WOULD STOP... MY POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING WHEN I TURN A CORNER IT MAKES A GRINDING NOISE AND WHEN I FOUND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WHICH WAS MY POWER STEERING PUMP I GOT IT FI…

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WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR IT JERKS WHEN I DRIVE A CERTAIN MPH.. I WAS ON THE FREE WAY AND IT FELT LIKE I WASN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO STOP OR DIDN'T NO IF MY CAR WOULD STOP... MY POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING WHEN I TURN A CORNER IT MAKES A GRINDING NOISE AND WHEN I FOUND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WHICH WAS MY POWER STEERING PUMP I GOT IT FIXED AN NOW THE POWER STEERING LEAKS OUT AN STILL MAKES THE NOISE.. I FEEL REALLY UNSAFE IN MY CAR AN AM AFRAID TO DRIVE WITH MY SON IN IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10689865

58,000 miles · Mar 4, 2014
EngineService BrakesSteering

MY SON WAS DRIVING IN THE CAR POOL LANE WHEN THE CAR CAME TO AN ABRUPT STAND STILL. IT TURNS OUT THE COMPRESSOR FAILED AND THREW ITS PARTS ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DAMAGING PARTS OF THE ENGINE. WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED, HE LOST BRAKING AND STEERING ABILITIES. COMPRESSORS DO NOT LAST FOREVER. HOWEVER, WHEN A COMPRESSOR QUITS…

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MY SON WAS DRIVING IN THE CAR POOL LANE WHEN THE CAR CAME TO AN ABRUPT STAND STILL. IT TURNS OUT THE COMPRESSOR FAILED AND THREW ITS PARTS ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DAMAGING PARTS OF THE ENGINE. WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED, HE LOST BRAKING AND STEERING ABILITIES. COMPRESSORS DO NOT LAST FOREVER. HOWEVER, WHEN A COMPRESSOR QUITS WORKING THAT SHOULD BE THE EXTENT OF THE FAILURE. THIS COMPRESSOR FAILED AND BASICALLY CAME APART. THE CAR NOT WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF A CAR POOL LANE PUT MY SON AND HIS WIFE IN DANGER AS THERE WAS NO WHERE TO GET OUT AND NO WAY TO MOVE THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10567017

33,946 miles · Feb 21, 2014
Equipment Adaptive/mobilitySteering

2/21/14 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, MY NAME IS [XXX]AND I WOULD LIKE TO RAISE AN AWARENESS TO AN ISSUE THAT IS REOCCURRING WITHOUT ANY PERMANENT SOLUTION. I SET OUT IN THIS ENDEAVOR TO GET A CAR IN 2009 AND NEEDLESS TO SAY THE ROCKY ROAD THAT HAD LEAD TO THIS POINT IN TIME HAS BEEN ROUGH. THE CAR IN QUESTION IS THE 2010 FORD …

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2/21/14 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, MY NAME IS [XXX]AND I WOULD LIKE TO RAISE AN AWARENESS TO AN ISSUE THAT IS REOCCURRING WITHOUT ANY PERMANENT SOLUTION. I SET OUT IN THIS ENDEAVOR TO GET A CAR IN 2009 AND NEEDLESS TO SAY THE ROCKY ROAD THAT HAD LEAD TO THIS POINT IN TIME HAS BEEN ROUGH. THE CAR IN QUESTION IS THE 2010 FORD FOCUS THAT I WAS TOLD, AT THE TIME, WOULD BE A SUITABLE VEHICLE TO FIT THE REQUIRED MODIFICATIONS I?D NEED FULLY OPERATE A MOTOR VEHICLE. THE MODIFICATIONS THAT WERE MADE ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. ZERO EFFORT STEERING, 2. A HAND CONTROL FOR ACCELERATION AND BRAKING, 3. A BACKUP STEERING PUMP IN CASE THE STEERING WENT OUT I WOULD STILL HAVE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, 4. A ?V? GRIP HANDLE WITH COUNTERWEIGHT ON THE STEERING WHEEL, 5, A PEDAL GUARD OVER THE GAS PEDAL. NOT BUT 6 MONTHS AFTER THE FRESH INSTALL DID IT GIVE ME OPERATING ISSUES. THE ISSUE WAS THAT THE STOCK PUMP IS A LIGHT DUTY PART AND WITH THE ADDED STRESS OF THE ADDITIONAL BACKUP STEERING PUMP IT WOULD MAKE THE MAIN PUMP WORK TOO HARD AND ALLOW AIR INTO THE SYSTEM. ABOUT 11 MONTHS LATER AFTER THIS ISSUE WAS ?RESOLVED? IT HAPPENED AGAIN, AND 2 MORE TIMES AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT IN ABOUT THE SAME TIME FRAME OF EVERY 11 MONTHS (ALMOST A YEAR BUT NEVER QUITE EXACT) UP UNTIL JUST RECENTLY WHEN THE STEERING SYSTEM FAILING IN EARLY JANUARY(BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 4). THERE WAS A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH ?HE SAID, SHE SAID? IN REGARDS TO THE PROBLEM BETWEEN FORD, DRIVE MASTER, AND THE COMPANY THAT HAD INSTALLED THE MODIFICATIONS (MC MOBILITY). I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE AWARE OF THE INCOMPATIBILITY ISSUE SO THAT IT DOES NOT HAPPEN TO ANY FUTURE INDIVIDUALS AND THIS COMBINATION IS NOT RECOMMENDED IN ANY FUTURE CIRCUMSTANCES [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10565315

54,100 miles · Dec 17, 2012
Steering

THIS CAR WAS JUST PURCHASED. PARKED CAR IN DRIVEWAY AND THE NEXT MORNING MY WIFE COULD NOT START THE CAR. I CALLED SELLER AND HE SAID TO 'WIGGLE" STEERING WHEEL AND CAR WOULD START.WIFE COULD NOT ACCOMPLISH THIS FEAT. I TRIED AND WITH MUCH FORCE GOT THE WHEEL TO MOVE AND THEN CAR STARTED. PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE IN STEERING WHEEL. …

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THIS CAR WAS JUST PURCHASED. PARKED CAR IN DRIVEWAY AND THE NEXT MORNING MY WIFE COULD NOT START THE CAR. I CALLED SELLER AND HE SAID TO 'WIGGLE" STEERING WHEEL AND CAR WOULD START.WIFE COULD NOT ACCOMPLISH THIS FEAT. I TRIED AND WITH MUCH FORCE GOT THE WHEEL TO MOVE AND THEN CAR STARTED. PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE IN STEERING WHEEL. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REAL POOR DESIGN. I AM TAKING THE CAR TO : LOCKSMITH AND THEN FORD DEALER TO SEE WHAT THE "FIX" ACTUALLY IS. HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE AND OTHERS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10488948

16,754 miles · Nov 13, 2012
Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRES THE FAILURE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRES THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN THEN ADVISED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR TIRES WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED A SECOND TIME BECAUSE AN ALIGNMENT WAS NOT PERFORMED IN TIME. ADDITIONALLY, WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN OVER AN UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRE WEAR WAS NOT BECAUSE OF THE ALIGNMENT BUT BECAUSE OF A SAFETY DEFECT WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,754.

NHTSA ODI #10484511

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.