FaultScore

Worst years for a Ford Focus

Owners have filed 29,786 complaints about the Ford Focus with NHTSA across model years 1999 to 2018. More of them are about the transmission & drivetrain than anything else.

Avoid

2000 Ford Focus

5,152 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly electrical system.

Cleanest on record

1999 Ford Focus

15 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Ford Focus year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2018 B 1,112 24 8 55,000 Engine & Cooling
2017 B 1,183 28 4 53,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2016 C 1,568 42 5 60,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2015 B 1,327 43 7 60,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2014 D 3,628 140 17 48,020 Transmission & Drivetrain
2013 D 2,919 80 20 52,269 Transmission & Drivetrain
2012 D 4,981 179 28 65,513 Transmission & Drivetrain
2011 B 157 15 0 50,000 Electrical System
2010 C 409 28 5 50,000 Engine & Cooling
2009 C 323 39 2 46,450 Electrical System
2008 B 336 25 0 64,000 Electrical System
2007 C 524 86 11 56,000 Airbags
2006 C 270 35 4 62,000 Electrical System
2005 C 600 60 11 62,000 Electrical System
2004 C 499 45 18 50,000 Electrical System
2003 C 1,224 70 23 55,000 Electrical System
2002 D 1,198 107 23 47,850 Electrical System
2001 D 2,361 227 67 57,000 Electrical System
2000 D 5,152 358 171 60,000 Electrical System
1999 A 15 0 0 Engine & Cooling

What breaks on a Ford Focus

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Worst in 2014

Electrical System 4,474 15.0%

Worst in 2000

Engine & Cooling 3,622 12.2%

Worst in 2000

Fuel & Propulsion 2,723 9.1%

Worst in 2000

Steering 2,111 7.1%

Worst in 2012

Other & Unspecified 1,536 5.2%

Worst in 2012

Brakes 1,204 4.0%

Worst in 2000

Worst in 2000

Body & Structure 1,032 3.5%

Worst in 2012

Suspension 960 3.2%

Worst in 2000

Airbags 941 3.2%

Worst in 2000

Worst in 2000

Worst in 2000

Tires 396 1.3%

Worst in 2000

Exactly what failed on a Ford Focus

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Ignition 1,253 26.4%
Switch 798 16.8%
Body 643 13.5%
Fuel Pump 359 7.6%
Latch 355 7.5%
Automatic Transmission 328 6.9%
Engine 294 6.2%
Frontal 288 6.1%
Gasoline 267 5.6%
Clutch Assembly 165 3.5%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Ford Focus, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Oct 1999 peak 800 Aug 2026

Ford Focus problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Ford Focus

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.