Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2005 Ford Focus, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system113
- Air bags51
- Latches/locks/linkages50
- Power train47
- Vehicle speed control45
- Structure43
- Suspension27
- Exterior lighting20
- Steering18
- Service brakes, hydraulic18
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 41 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 118 2005 Focus vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 95 people died inside them, and 24 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2005 Ford Focus failed the safety check 3.60% of the time — 56% more often than the average 2005 passenger car (2.30%). Median odometer at inspection: 118,495 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2005 Ford Focus cars on Dutch roads are the 1.6 petrol (74 kW, 99 hp), 1.8 petrol (92 kW, 123 hp) and 2.0 petrol (107 kW, 143 hp), out of 7 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.6 petrol | 74 kW 99 hp | 4,127 |
| 1.8 petrol | 92 kW 123 hp | 362 |
| 2.0 petrol | 107 kW 143 hp | 268 |
| 1.4 petrol | 59 kW 79 hp | 250 |
| 1.6 petrol | 85 kW 114 hp | 200 |
| 1.6 diesel | 80 kW 107 hp | 35 |
| 2.5 petrol | 166 kW 223 hp | 26 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
5,349 first registered in 2005 are on Dutch roads; 6% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €24,700.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde3,001
- Band onvoldoende profiel2,601
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen1,753
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm1,565
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld1,467
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt1,120
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)1,113
- Veer gebroken of gescheurd1,034
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
15,730 cars built in 2005 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 8,498 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 31,922 of these cars first registered in 2005 took their annual MOT test. 53% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2005 the figure was 56%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2005 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 22.4% | 21.5% |
| Suspension | 21.4% | 17.3% |
| Brakes | 10.9% | 13.7% |
| Tyres | 9.3% | 7.0% |
| Visibility | 7.4% | 7.5% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 7.3% | 8.9% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
4,148 of these cars first registered in 2005 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 254,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
746 2005 cars are on the New Zealand register; 20% arrived as used imports, 78% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 5 variants: combined 9.1–10.3 L/100 km (about 23–26 mpg US), CO₂ 209–237 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.5 | 7.4 | 9.1 |
| Focus Wagon · Station wagon: Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 10.5 | 7.4 | 9.1 |
| Focus · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.5 | 8.1 | 9.4 |
| Focus Wagon · Station wagon: Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 10.5 | 8.1 | 9.4 |
| Focus · Compact · Regular gasoline | 12.0 | 8.2 | 10.3 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 2005 Ford Focus.
| 2005025 14 Feb 2005 | Other Certain four door (sedan and wagon) and five door vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES WITH FOUR OR FIVE DOORS AND ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A BUILD-UP OF CORROSION AT THE PAWL PIVOT AREA OF THE REAR DOOR LATCH CAN CAUSE A BINDING CONDITION OF THE PAWL THAT MAY AFFECT PROPER ENGAGEMENT OF THE PAWL INTO THE CATCH. THE OCCUPANT MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY OPENING OR CLOSING A REAR DOOR, AND EVENTUALLY THE REAR DOOR MAY NOT LATCH PROPERLY.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Ford told its dealers about the 2005 Ford Focus: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10205032 | Safety recall 05S27 - Rear door latch corrosion - requests for recall service action - built on or before 01/26/2005 |
| 10183768 | For 2000-2005 Focus vehicles built on or before 1/26/2005 Safety Recall 05S27 has been issued for vehicles that are operated in high corrosion areas for an extended period, where the rear door latches may experience corrosion in the pawl pivot area preventing proper engagement of the pawl into the catch. Initially, customers may experience difficulty closing the rear door that may eventually progress to a point where the rear door may not latch properly. If not latched properly, the door may open while driving. |
| 10109070 | The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. The IDS has a limited refresh rate when reading these PIDs and cannot display quickly enough to validate a concern. The PCM automatically monitors these inputs more accurately and will set diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) when appropriate. Using these PIDs for diagnostics will lead to inaccurate results and improper ETB replacements. If a concern is intermittent and no DTCs are present, refer |
| 10058099 | FORD: REAR DOOR LATCHES ARE EXPERIENCING CORROSION IN PAWL PIVOT AREA THAT PREVENT PROPER ENGAGEMENT OF PAWL INTO CATCH, WHEN OPERATED IN AREAS CAUSING HIGH CORROSION. MODEL 2000-05 FOCUS. *PE |
| 10056643 | FORD: ON SOME VEHICLES, OPERATING FOR AN EXTENDED TIME IN HIGH CORROSION AREA, A SAFETY RECALL 05S27 WAS ISSUED, WHERE REAR DOOR LATCHES EXPERIENCE CORROSION IN PAWL PIVOT AREA PREVENTING PROPER ENGAGEMENT OF PAWL INTO CATCH. MODEL 2000-05 FOCUS. *PE |
| 10034585 | FORD: PREMATURE FRONT/REAR TIRE WEAR AND/OR VEHICLE DRIFT ON WET OR SNOW COVERED ROADS. IF PERFORMING AN ALIGNMENT, RECORD ALL ALIGN-MENT ANGLES PRIOR TO ANY ADJUSTMENTS, AND ENTER IN WARRANTY CLAIM IF APPLICABLE. *PE |
| 10022286 | FUEL FILL SLOW EARLY SHUT OFF. *KB |
| 10021051 | POSSIBLE ENGINE DAMAGE - INSTALL SPECIAL SERVICE TOOLS PRIOR TO REMOVING CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT. *KB |
| 10021042 | INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL EFFORTS REQUIRED ON INITIAL STOPPING AFTER COLD START AT HIGH ALTITUDE. *KB |
| 10020173 | POSSIBLE ENGINE DAMAGE - INSTALL SPECIAL SERVICE TOOLS PRIOR TO REMOVING CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT - SERVICE TIP. *TT |
| 10019947 | NEUTRAL TOW CAPABILITY - SERVICE KIT REQUIREMENTS. *TT |
| 10019815 | REAR TIRE WEAR - REAR TOE SPECIFICATION CORRECTION. *TT |
| 10019802 | EXTERNAL LIFTGATE RELEASE SWITCH NON-FUNCTIONAL ON MANUAL DOOR LOCK EQUIPPED VEHICLES. *TT |
| 10019083 | MIL ON/ROUGH RUNNING - MUTIPLE DTCS -0201, P0202, P0203 OR P0204 PRESENT IN THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM). *TT |
| 10019081 | MIRFIRE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0316, P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303, OR P0304 - SERVICE TIP. *TT |
| 10019073 | DTC P0316, P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303 AND/OR P0304 - SERVICE TIP. *TT |
| 10019072 | WINDSHIELD WIPER RELAY - CLICKING NOISE. *TT |
| 10018945 | MTX-75 PREMATURE CLUTCH FAILURE. *TT |
| 10018934 | NEUTRAL TOW CAPABILITY -- SERVICE KIT REQUIREMENTS. *TT |
| 10017939 | LONG CRANK/HARD START - 2.0L AND 2.3L ENGINE WITH MTX-75 TRANSAXLE. *TT |
| 10017934 | REAR BRAKE SQUEAL. *TT |
| 10017923 | SERVICE WIRING HARNESS REPLACEMENT GUIDELINES - SERVICE TIPS. *TT |
| 10017922 | DIFFICULT OR UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO 5TH GEAR. *TT |
| 10017915 | CLUNK OR POP NOISE FROM FRONT SUSPENSION OVER BUMPS - SERVICE TIP. *TT |
| 10017884 | ERRATIC INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES AND/OR WARNING INDICATORS - SERVICE TIP. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation