This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The left lower control arm on the front suspension failed at approximately 45 mph on a 5 lane city road causing the wheel to fold under the vehicle. The car made an immediate left turn into oncoming traffic and control of the vehicle was lost. Fortunately the car came to a stop without hitting anything and no one was injured but the potential for a serious accident was certainly there. The control arm failed due to corrosion and upon inspection, it was found that the right front lower control arm is also rusted through and cracked and nearing failure as well. Pictures are attached. The car has approximately 105,000 miles on it and we are the second owner. It has been extremely well maintained throughout its life. In my 50 years of experience working on automobiles I've never seen a control arm failure like this.
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, the vehicle pulled without warning. The contact was unable to open the front passenger and driver doors from outside the vehicle. The rear passenger door failed to open. The rear driver side door handle was slightly detached. The electrical warning light was illuminated. A certified mechanic stated that the tie rods and wheel well needed to be replaced, and the rack and pinion tightened. The tie rod and wheel well were replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 9,000.
Beginning last year, there have been multiple occasions when I was decelerating and the entire front end of the car would begin to vibrate and the steering would become difficult to handle. Took the car to an independent repair shop, they could not duplicate the problem, asked me to make note of road conditions, etc. Tires replaced sometime in the past year. Alignment performed within past two months. Tires are wearing in diagonal pairs oddly. Blew fuse which operated the automatic safety locks, cruise control and the locking control on taking the car out of park. Called Ford dealership, was told to pop small piece of plastic off the shifter deck and stick a screw driver in to be able to shift out of park. Was also told this could be a big problem and to bring it in. After charging me $130 to "diagnose" the problem, they then charged me $10 to replace the fuse, could find no reason for it to have blown. Then told me my transmission fluid needed to be replaced. Too many dollars later, I left the dealership. Two weeks later, fuse blew again. Took to independent garage, $ 0.95 for the fuse and $30 to try and figure out why it was blowing out, unsuccessfully. The shimmy in the front end was getting worse and I was debating dealership or independent, decision was removed from my hands when the front of the car began swerving toward traffic in rush hour at 45mph on Monday night 6/24/13. Suddenly, there was a loud noise and I managed to wrench the steering wheel to the right and hit a curb instead of oncoming traffic. Friend behind me witnessed incident and said the car looked like it jumped sideways. Both right tires off rims, shredded, unknown further damage at this point as the shop hasn't had a chance to make an assessment. My insurance company is already considering totaling the car out. It has 128000 miles or so. I feel like I have sideways whiplash. No airbag depl.
The contact owns a 2005 for Focus zxw station wagon. The contact stated that when the key was in the ignition and the shift over ride button was depressed, the key would become locked in the ignition. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the vehicle was operating as designed. The contact glued the shift over ride button in place and changed the ignition, which resolved the failure. The contact also stated the metal frame of the driver's seat became cracked. The contact had to prop the seat up so that he could drive the vehicle. The manufacturer was contacted and a complaint was filed. The vehicle was not further repaired. The failure mileage was 205,000. Updated 02/20/13 the consumer stated the transmission was poorly designed. Updated 02/21/13 the consumer stated the experienced numerous problems with the transmission, after having the fluid flushed. The consumer stated the side view mirrors were rigid and were easy to break, the rear suspension springs were not designed to carry weight, which caused the vehicle to bounce on the highway and secondary road bumps. The heat shields attached to the exhaust system were designed poorly, to the point they were bent and caused a rattle. The steel rims, bent easily, which created a vibration and balance problem. The headlights lenses were discolored, the valve cover gasket leaked oil onto the spark plugs, the hood cables were defective. The hood cable froze and broke. Updated 07/25/13
- Cambridge, MA, USA
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Went to pick my son up from school. Could not get key out of ignition. Took to a local mechanic and cylinders were replaced. That was in March. Got home today (may) and the same problem. Luckily have a driveway but I am annoyed and nervous about keeping this car. Fearful that the key may get stuck at an inopportune time.
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Focus. The contact stated he was having a problem with the alignment and all four tires on his vehicle. The front tires are worn down and had to replaced more than once. The vehicle was never taken to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic who replaced both tires again and realigned the vehicle. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 144,000.
I am the owner of a Ford Focus 2005 automatic. There has been numerous instances of the ignition key stuck in the ignition since January 2010. An auto locksmith was contacted key removed and ignition line replaced. Locksmith revealed that it is a regular occurrence in the Ford Focus ignition unit. July 2010 car loss power and carburetor replaced. July 2010: Ignition key stuck again; difficulty in engine turning over. Ignition key was able to be remove one week later. Presently, ignition key is once again stuck unable to be removed and the engine sounds sluggish.
2005 Ford Focus passanger side a arm bolt holding the a arm to the wheel lossend and just one bolt fell out on the road causing the tire and the remainder of the front wheel assembly to jam under the fender pulling the axle out of the transmission stopping the car thankfull that the car was going slow and stopped and not on a freeway at a high rate of speed. This car has only 39171 miles and had been to the Ford dealer frequent for a noise problem that they could not find the noise and never fixed the problem. This car has been in the family and has not been abused comments were made at the repair shop as to the amount of damage the lack of one bolt caused and that lucky as to the speed to which it came apart this event could have been alot worse. The speed was about 25 mph going thru a roundabout traffic signal North bound and continuing to the North making a right starting in the round about then a left in the roundabout and a right leaving the roundabout the wheel jamed under the fender stopping the car in its tracks just clearing the roundabout got out to inspect the reason the car stopped and the passanger wheel was turned right and under the fender the left wheel was facing correct straight ahead.
My key is currently stuck in my ignition. This has happened two times before. I went to take my key out of the ignition after turning my car off the key could not be removed. It has now been over 2 months and the key will not come out the ignition.
In December my daughter was driving the Ford Focus and the streets were wet, a car stopped suddenly ahead of her and when she went to use the brakes. They failed and the steering wheel locked. She ran into the car in front of her. On May 3, 2006 I was driving the same car on wet roads and the exact same scenario happened. I needed to make a sudden stop and the brakes failed and the steering wheel locked up which prevented me from steering the car to avoid the accident. I hit the car in front of me, causing major damage to both cars.
As vehicle warms up, there is a whining noise that comes from the rpms being higher. It almost feels as if it's belt or power steering related, but there is no loss of steering power. Also, there seems to be no loss of power anywhere else. When parking the vehicle where a turn is involved, at very low speeds, the noise is "feeling" in the wheel is a bit exaggerated. I took my vehicle to jerome duncan Ford (in sterling heights, mi) for service yesterday and they told me that the noise is "normal operating" noise. I don't buy it and told them I'd definitely be back if something went wrong.
Car bought Sept 2004. Car regularly doesn't start, and if it does always runs at over 3500 RPM for up to 5 minutes with no accelerator pressure. Alarm goes off when driving, for no reason. Car swerves and vibrates on road in dry and wet conditions (seems like steering and / or suspension broken / defective). Brakes also creak. All problems from car purchase to now, March 2005. Taken to 2 dealerships on 4 separate occasions, who could not "replicate the concern". reported to Ford Motor Company in January who informaed me that the original dealer service manager would contact me. So far, 7 weeks on, and no contact. Possible lemon law case.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Lewistown, PA, USA