THREE TIMES SINCE THE CAR'S PURCHASE IN LATE 2005 I HAVE EXPERIENCED A 'BRAKE FADE, SOFT PEDAL" ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN 3 TIMES TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP CROWN FORD IN REDDING, CA FOR THE PROBLEM AND WAS DISMISSED BY THE DEALER AS THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM! SINCE…

12/29/2016 · NHTSA ODI #10938560.0

2005 Focus · suspension

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THERE WERE LOUD NOISES OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SUDDENLY, THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE DISENGAGED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVE WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO THE…

12/29/2008 · NHTSA ODI #10253090.0

2005 Focus · airbags Injury

I WAS DRIVING MY FORD 2005 FOCUS IN NEW YORK CITY AND MY DRIVER'S SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING. THE WHOLE DRIVER'S SEAT AND DOOR TRIM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

12/29/2008 · NHTSA ODI #10253132.0

2005 Focus · cruise control

TL* - ON DECEMBER 23, 2006 THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE IGNITION WHILE SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK. AFTER SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE WITH THE BRAKES STILL APPLIED THE RPMS BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AS THOUGH THE THE ACCELORATER PEDAL HAD BEEN DEPRESSED. A…

12/27/2006 · NHTSA ODI #10177107.0

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Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.

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At 80,000 miles

Likely repair cost in next 24 months

Active recalls showing 3 of 3

severe NHTSA 12E007000 24/02/2012

RIDE CONTROL, LLC (RIDE CONTROL) IS RECALLING CERTAIN READYMOUNT ASSEMBLIES, P/N 746641MT AND 746646MT, WITH CORRESPONDING AFTERMARKET CUSTOMER PART NUMBERS: GABRIEL G56944 AND GABRIEL G56945, AND PRIVATELY BRANDED PARTSMASTER WITH PART NUMBERS G68944 AND G68945

IF THE ASSEMBLY SEPARATES DURING INSTALLATION, IT COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE INSTALLER. IF THE ASSEMBLY SEPARATES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, IT COULD RESULT IN SECONDARY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Fix: RIDE CONTROL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND WILL SET UP PROCEDURES TO INSPECT, REPAIR, AND/OR REPLACE THE AFFECTED PARTS WITHOUT CHARGE TO THE OWNER. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 30, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RIDE CONTROL AT 1-800-999-3903.

severe NHTSA 06E026000 23/03/2006

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE

WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.

severe NHTSA 05V030000 01/02/2005

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

IF NOT LATCHED PROPERLY, THE DOOR MAY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. IF AN OCCUPANT FELL OUT OF THE VEHICLE, PERSONAL INJURIES COULD OCCUR.

Fix: DEALERS WILL HAVE A LOWER ROCKER SEAL ADDED TO THE DOOR AND HAVE THE REAR DOOR LATCHES EVALUATED FREE OF CHARGE. A LATCH THAT PASSES THE EVALUATION WILL BE LUBRICATED TO PREVENT FUTURE CORROSION. A LATCH THAT DOES NOT PASS THE EVALUATION WILL BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, A STICKER WILL BE AFFIXED TO THE REAR DOORS ADVISING THE OWNERS TO USE THE RECOMMENDED LUBRICANT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 9, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

Common questions

Is the 2005 Ford Focus reliable?

It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.4 out of 10 based on 440 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Ford Focus has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.

What's the most common problem on the 2005 Ford Focus?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is electrical, with 99 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

The electrical is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

How do I check if my Ford Focus has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2005 Ford Focus?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 440 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $850, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans aren't always better value.

Related vehicles

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 6 hours ago. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with ford. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you complete a quote or purchase.