no report yet
Doors: latch
Risk. IF NOT LATCHED PROPERLY, THE DOOR MAY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.
2005 Ford FocusProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 441 owner complaints about the 2005 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 August 4, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2005 Ford Focus has problems
441 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
113Electrical system7 crash/fire/injury
51Air bags30 crash/fire/injury
50Latches/locks/linkages1 crash/fire/injury
47Power train3 crash/fire/injury
45Vehicle speed control3 crash/fire/injury
43Structure4 crash/fire/injury
27Suspension
20Exterior lighting
18Steering
15917 other systems22 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 113 | 7 |
| Air bags | 51 | 30 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 50 | 1 |
| Power train | 47 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 45 | 3 |
| Structure | 43 | 4 |
| Suspension | 27 | 3 |
| Exterior lighting | 20 | 3 |
| Steering | 18 | 3 |
| 17 other systems | 159 | 22 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2005 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?
70kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 91 electrical system complaints. 74% were reported before 100,000 miles.
12under 30k miles67under 100k miles24100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2005 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
2005 Ford Focus safety ratings
2005 Ford Focus 2-DR. HB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2005 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.
FUSE CONTINUED TO BLOW OUT CAUSING ENTIRE LEFT SIDE OF LIGHTS FROM FRONT TO BACK TO TURN OFF UNTIL NEW FUSE REPLACED OLD. WAS CONNECTED TO CONTINUED LIFTING OF HATCHBACK ON WAGON MODEL. ELECTRICAL HARNESS WAS ARCING AND INSULATION FLAKING OFF AND WOULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE HAD NOT THE HARNESS BEEN…
TODAY MY ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT WITH MY KIDS. I WAS LUCKILY NOT GOING MORE THAN 10MPH AND WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND STOP THE CAR WITHOUT HITTING ANYONE OR ANYTHING. EARLIER IN THE DAY I NOTICED IT TOOK A LITTLE MORE EFFORT TO PUSH THE GAS PEDAL…
THE BACKSEAT DOORS WILL NOT LATCH AND OR LOCK. THEY HAVE TO BE HELD TOGETHER WITH ZIP TIES. THE RANDOMLY OPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN, AS I CANNOT USE MY CARE TO TRANSPORT MY CHILD. I KNOW OTHER VERSIONS OF THIS SAME VEHICLE HAVE HAD A SAFETY RECALL…
Own a 2005 Focus?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.