no report yet
Doors: latch
Risk. IF NOT LATCHED PROPERLY, THE DOOR MAY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.
2003 Ford FocusProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 977 owner complaints about the 2003 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 May 4, 2024. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2003 Ford Focus has problems
977 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
522Electrical system10 crash/fire/injury
82Latches/locks/linkages1 crash/fire/injury
73Steering8 crash/fire/injury
60Engine and engine cooling
51Service brakes, hydraulic
49Suspension
48Power train
46Air bags
40Structure
19319 other systems27 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 522 | 10 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 82 | 1 |
| Steering | 73 | 8 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 60 | 8 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 51 | 3 |
| Suspension | 49 | 6 |
| Power train | 48 | 5 |
| Air bags | 46 | 34 |
| Structure | 40 | 2 |
| 19 other systems | 193 | 27 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2003 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?
60kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 417 electrical system complaints. 81% were reported before 100,000 miles.
42under 30k miles339under 100k miles78100k 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
85 owners mentioned a cost$396median
Middle half: $300 – $500
Latches/locks/linkages
9 owners mentioned a cost$343median
Middle half: $275 – $400
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
2003 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
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2003 Ford Focus, and the recalls they led to.
- Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion AuditNo recall
In owners' words
What Focus owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
NEW ONSET BURNING SMELL WHILE DRIVING IN SUBURBAN ENVIRONMENT. PARKED CAR, THEN IT WOULDN'T START. UPON INSPECTION FOUND BATTERY CABLES/SHEATH MELTING. REPLACED BATTERY, CAR STARTED. CAR PARKED AND 1 HR LATER WOULDN'T START- NEW BATTERY IS DEAD. REPLACED WITH 2ND NEW BATTERY, HOOKED UP CABLES AND…
THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED LESS THAN A WEEK AGO. NOW, IT IS NEEDING REPLACED AGAIN. THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRICAL WIRING IN THESE VEHICLES! THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE KEY COULD NOT BE INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED IMMEDIATELY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER (PARKS FORD & LINCOLN OF GAINESVILLE LOCATED AT 3333 N MAIN ST,…
Own a 2003 Focus?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.