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2000 Ford FocusProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 3,686 owner complaints about the 2000 Ford Focus, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 11 safety recalls.

2000 Ford Focus
17
CarFlaw IndexYear to avoid4.7× the Focus median · #1 of 19 years by complaints
Safety recalls11Free fix at dealersOwner complaints3,686497 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage62kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through February 5, 2024. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2000 Ford Focus has problems

3,686 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system134383
Engine and engine cooling47444
Service brakes, hydraulic40631
Suspension39026
Fuel system, gasoline36615
Power train22519
Latches/locks/linkages2017
Air bags191136
Vehicle speed control17027
18 other systems99088

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

11 recalls

2000 Ford Focus recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

12v/24v/48v battery: cables

Recall 02V-288 · Nov 6, 2002 · 291,854 vehicles

Risk. THIS, IN TURN, COULD CAUSE THE BATTERY CABLES TO SHORT RESULTING IN HEAT DAMAGE TO THE CABLES.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Steering: linkages

Recall 02V-289 · Nov 6, 2002 · 446,569 vehicles

Risk. LOOSE PINCH BOLTS COULD EXHIBIT NOISE, VIBRATION AND, IN EXTREME CASES IF LEFT UNCORRECTED, SEPARATION OF THE JOINT OR FRACTURE OF THE BALL JOINT STUD,…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 7 more recalls
–no report yet

Front assembly: recliner

Recall 00V-418 · Dec 14, 2000 · 95,000 vehicles

Risk. IF THE SEAT IS THEN RETURNED TO THE UPRIGHT POSITION WITHOUT RE-ENGAGING THE HINGE PIVOT, THE SEAT AND SEAT BELTS MAY NOT PROVIDE THE INTENDED LEVEL OF…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Electrical system: wiring

Recall 00V-411 · Dec 6, 2000 · 74,500 vehicles

Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN EITHER A LOSS OF INDIVIDUAL LAMP FUNCTIONS, OR IN THE CASE OF A SHORT OF THE BROKEN WIRES THAT CAUSES A FUSE TO OPEN, IN THE LOSS OF STOP…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Vehicle speed control: cables

Recall 00V-302 · Oct 12, 2000 · 28,800 vehicles

Risk. A THROTTLE THAT DOES NOT RETURN TO IDLE COULD RESULT IN REDUCED VEHICLE CONTROL AND, POTENTIALLY, A VEHICLE CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Structure: frame and members

Recall 00V-218 · Aug 11, 2000 · 276,500 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, AN OCCUPANT CONTACTING THAT LOCATION MAY NOT BE PROVIDED THE INTERIOR IMPACT PROTECTION INTENDED.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Vehicle speed control

Recall 99V-346 · Dec 3, 1999 · 28,958 vehicles

Risk. A THROTTLE THAT DOES NOT RETURN TO IDLE COULD RESULT IN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Mileage at failure

When do electrical system problems start?

62kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 719 electrical system complaints. 83% were reported before 100,000 miles.

Only 42% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
61under 30k miles600under 100k miles119100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Electrical system

151 owners mentioned a cost

$350median

Middle half: $282 – $450

Latches/locks/linkages

23 owners mentioned a cost

$350median

Middle half: $213 – $500

Steering

16 owners mentioned a cost

$375median

Middle half: $260 – $592

Engine and engine cooling

15 owners mentioned a cost

$1,000median

Middle half: $185 – $2,300

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2000 vs. every other Focus year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Focus median. How we score

'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2000 Ford Focus safety ratings

2000 Ford Focus 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2000 Ford Focus frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2000 Ford Focus side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
13 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2000 Ford Focus, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion AuditAQ10001 · closed Dec 28, 2015
    No recall
  2. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESEA02014 · closed Nov 13, 2002
    Led to recall 02V-288
  3. BURN INJURIES DUE TO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTEA02017 · closed Aug 15, 2003
    No recall
  4. ENGINE STALLINGEA02022 · closed Jan 16, 2004
    Led to recall 03V-482
  5. FRONT SUSP COLLAPSE/WHEEL SEPARATIONEA02023 · closed Feb 19, 2003
    No recall
  6. REAR DOOR LATCH FAILUREEA04023 · closed Feb 4, 2005
    Led to recall 05V-030
  7. REAR WHEEL BEARINGPE02016 · closed Nov 8, 2002
    No recall
  8. AIR BAG BURN INJURIES/VEHICLE FIRESPE02020 · closed Aug 16, 2002
    No recall
  9. INAPPROPRIATE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTPE02026 · closed Sep 18, 2002
    No recall
  10. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESPE02032 · closed Jul 31, 2002
    Led to recall 02V-288
  11. ENGINE STALLINGPE02040 · closed Sep 9, 2002
    No recall
  12. FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMPE02044 · closed Sep 9, 2002
    No recall
  13. REAR DOOR LATCH FAILUREPE04033 · closed Aug 20, 2004
    No recall
In owners' words

What Focus owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

THE KEY WOULD NO LONGER TURN IN THE IGNITION, LEAVING ME AND MY BABY NIECE STRANDED FAR AWAY FROM HOME. WE PARKED THE VEHICLE AND WHEN WE RETURNED, WE FOUND OURSELVES STRANDED, BECAUSE THE IGNITION LOCK COULD NO LONGER BE OPERATED. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH FORD FOCUS LOCKS! *TR
Complaint 10935305 · Dec 14, 2016 · 80,000 miles
I WAS DRIVING AND MY HEADLIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE CAR JUST QUIT RUNNING AFTER 10 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND GET HOME I HAVE HAD THIS CAR (2000 FORD FOCUS) FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR THE PLACE I PURCHASED IT FROM DID NOT…
Complaint 10716002 · May 12, 2015
THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER (WHERE THE KEY INSERTS/TURNS ON THE STEERING COLUMN) LOCKED UP ON ME WITHOUT WARNING, STRANDING ME WHERE I LAST PARKED THE CAR. NO AMOUNT OF LUBRICATION OR QUICK FIXES HELPED. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THE FORD FOCUS IN THAT YEAR…
Complaint 10706227 · Apr 17, 2015 · 100,000 miles

Own a 2000 Focus?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.