no report yet
Doors: latch
Risk. IF NOT LATCHED PROPERLY, THE DOOR MAY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.
2002 Ford FocusProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 939 owner complaints about the 2002 Ford Focus, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 26, 2024. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2002 Ford Focus has problems
939 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
277Electrical system15 crash/fire/injury
109Suspension12 crash/fire/injury
103Engine and engine cooling6 crash/fire/injury
72Air bags51 crash/fire/injury
64Service brakes, hydraulic
62Tires
58Power train
58Fuel system, gasoline
53Steering
26118 other systems24 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 277 | 15 |
| Suspension | 109 | 12 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 103 | 6 |
| Air bags | 72 | 51 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 64 | 8 |
| Tires | 62 | 2 |
| Power train | 58 | 1 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 58 | 1 |
| Steering | 53 | 14 |
| 18 other systems | 261 | 24 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2002 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.
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?
61kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 201 electrical system complaints. 82% were reported before 100,000 miles.
30under 30k miles165under 100k miles36100k 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
32 owners mentioned a cost$377median
Middle half: $300 – $400
Fuel system, gasoline
10 owners mentioned a cost$650median
Middle half: $555 – $950
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
2002 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
2002 Ford Focus safety ratings
2002 Ford Focus 4-DR. Wagon in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Stability control: Optional
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
5 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2002 Ford Focus, and the recalls they led to.
- Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion AuditNo recall
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESLed to recall 02V-288
- ENGINE STALLINGLed to recall 03V-482
- FRONT SUSP COLLAPSE/WHEEL SEPARATIONNo recall
- FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMNo recall
In owners' words
What Focus owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
I drive a 2002 Ford Focus Sedan. My engine light is on, warning light for trunk door ajar light is on (even though the trunk is securely locked, my front headlights due not work consistently (sometimes work, sometimes don't). My trunk does not always latch secure after I close it as well. I took my…
REAR RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK/OPEN. WHEN TRYING TO UNLOCK I DON'T HEAR THE SOLENOID MOVING. WHEN TRYING TO OPEN FROM EITHER INSIDE OR OUT IF FEELS LIKE THE HANDLE ISN'T MOVING ANYTHING.
HATCH SWITCH FAILED.GHOST ELECTRICAL PROBLEM HAVING WIPER COME ON AT TIMES.WIRING HARNESS INSIDE RUBBER BOOT LOCATED WHERE HINGES BETWEEN HATCH AND VEHICLE BODY DEVELOPE BARE AND BROKEN WIRES. FOUND THIS AFTER CHECKING ALL FUSES AND SWITCHES. THIS IS APPARENTLY COMMON AS SEEN ON YOU TUBE AND SEEMS…
Own a 2002 Focus?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.