FaultScore

2004 Ford Focus window and wiper problems

11 of the 499 complaints about the 2004 Ford Focus are about the glass, mirrors and wipers — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 60,006 miles.

B

11

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Power Window Devices AND Controls 2 18.2%
Motor 2 18.2%
Visibility 2 18.2%
Visibility/Wiper 2 18.2%
Windshield Wiper/Washer 1 9.1%
Sun/Moon Roof Assembly 1 9.1%
Switch/Wiring 1 9.1%

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers across every Ford Focus year

2000 132 30.4%
2001 61 14.1%
2002 29 6.7%
2003 26 6.0%
2004 11 2.5%
2005 10 2.3%
2007 12 2.8%
2012 70 16.1%
2013 29 6.7%
2014 32 7.4%
2015 11 2.5%
2016 11 2.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 88,500 miles Silver Spring, MD

VISIBILITY/WIPER

DRIVER WINDOW SHATTERED WITH PIECES OF GLASS FALLING ON SPOUSE. CAR WAS NOT MOVING. WINDOW WAS GOING UP. HAD INDEPENDENT SHOP REPLACE WINDOW, SWITCH, REGULATOR. COST $490.

NHTSA complaint #10852690 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 142,000 miles Clearlake Oaks, CA

VISIBILITY/WIPER

MY CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND MY DASH LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER AND BEEP, MY RADIO GOES ON AND OFF BY IT SELF, THE REAR WIPER AND THIRD BRAKE LIGHT DO NOT WORK, AND NOW EVERYTHING DOES NOT WORK.

NHTSA complaint #10824294 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mississauga, 00

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

2004 FOCUS ZWT 1. LOSS OF FRONT WIPER PARK FUNCTION ! 2. LOSS OF HEADLIGHT / AUXILIARY LAMP FUNCTION ! HAPPENED AT 2 SEPARATE INCIDENTS DURING 2009.

NHTSA complaint #10327359 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles Vacaville, CA

VISIBILITY

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT RETURN TO HOME POSITION WHEN TURNED OFF.

NHTSA complaint #10269755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 48,000 miles Barrackville, WV

VISIBILITY

THE IGNITION LOCK AND THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT. HAD TO BE TOWED AT MIDNIGHT FROM THE HOSPITAL IN 18 DEGREE WEATHER. DEALERSHIP SAID MANUFACTURE PART AT A COST OF $455.00. BRAKE NOISE NO ONE CAN FIND. REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM TWICE. WILL NEVER BUY FORD AGAIN!!!

NHTSA complaint #10256490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

GUN Barrel City, TX

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

2004 FOCUS BELT TENSIONER BROKE AND BATTERY FAILED. *TS THE FRONT DOOR HAD TO BE ALIGNED AND THE DOOR SEAL WAS REPLACED. THE THROTTLE CABLE HAD TO BE RE-ROUTED DUE TO THE CABLE BINDING. THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED. THE LEFT REAR MOTOR ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, THE 3RD BRAKE LIGHT LENS AND RIGHT SIDE CV AXLE WAS REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING ERRATICALLY. THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN, AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR UNTIL THE ENGINE REVVED UP PAST 6000 RPM. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SERVO PISTONS. THE TRANSMISSION WAS EVENTUALLY REPAIRED. THE BATTERY FAILED 5 TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #10177475 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 72,013 miles Albany, OR

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR ON MY FORD FOCUS. THEY SLOWLY STOPPED WORKING AND THEN THE HOLE UNIT WENT OUT ON MY 2 YEAR OLD CAR. THERE IS SHOWING A RECALL FOR 2003 TO 2005 FORD FOCUS WIPER MOTORS BUT SOME HOW MY CAR IS NOT ON THAT RECALL. NOTHING HAS BEEN FIXED YET BECAUSE MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THE WIPER MOTOR . THIS IS AN ON GOING ISSUE AND A SAFETY ISSUE THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE TO FIX... THIS IS WHY WE PAY SO MUCH MONEY FOR THESE CARS.

NHTSA complaint #10175129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 6,000 miles Athens, NY

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING

BRAKE PROBLEM. AT ABOUT 2000 TO 3000 MILES BREAKS STARTS TO SQUEAL AND GRIND. TOOK IT IN TO SERVICE AT DEALER COMPLAINING ABOUT PROBLEM, AS IT GOT WORSE AND WAS NOT NORMAL IN 6,000 MILES. WAS TOLD NO PROBLEM, ROUTINE BREAK IN. THEN AT 12,000 MILES STILL A PROBLEM. WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER, SAID THE SAME THING. NOW WITH NEARLY 18,000 MILES, ROTORS ARE GROOVED VERY BAD. EVIDENCE AND WARNING WAS EVIDENT IN THE EARLIER MILES AS WELL. FORD HAS DONE NOTHING TO HELP. I FEEL THEY OWE ME A NEW PAIR OF ROTORS AND PADS. ALSO, COMPLAINED OF CLUTCH NOISE PROBLEM. I HAVE HEARD OF A TSB CLAIMING CERTAIN 2004 FOCUS HAVE A TRANSAXLE MISALIGNMENT CAUSING PRE-MATURE CLUTCH WEAR AND NOISE. WIPER SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED BY RC LACY FORD, BETTER SERVICE, BUT THEY WON'T SERVICE ME ANYMORE, SINCE I DID NOT BUY IT THERE, AND RAVENA IS SO CLOSE. I NEED TO CONTACT CROSSROADS ABOUT ALL FUTURE WARRANTY ISSUES AND COMPLAINTS. DOORS IN THE REAR ALSO STICK, AND WEAR OF DOOR STRIKER IS EVIDENT. TIRES HAVE ALSO BEEN WORN PRETTY BAD PIRELLI 195/60 R15. BACK PAIR ARE TOTALLY BALD, AND ONLY HAVE HAD LIKE 18,000 MILES, I THINK IT WAS A ALIGNMENT ISSUE, WHICH FOR A CAR 17 MONTHS OLD SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE. I NOTICED WEAR AT AROUND 13,000 MILES. DURING MY SECOND TIRE ROTATION. HAVE HAD TOO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS NEW VEHICLE. ALSO ISSUES WITH EXTREME CHIPPING AROUND THE REAR WHEEL WELL. ALSO HAVE HAD A HESITATION PROBLEM AT ABOUT 25 MPH. #RD GEAR USED TO BE DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE. PLEASE HELP ME RESOLVE THESE ISSUES. I GOT NOWHERE WITH THE DEALERS MYSELF. THE VIN IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE VIN. MY CAR IS A 2004 ZX5 DURATEC 2.3E 5 SPD. ALMOST ALL OPTIONS INCLUDED. THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10143114 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 4,324 miles Westbrook, ME

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR GOES IF IT GETS CLOGGED UP WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF SNOW. THE WAY THE CAR IS DESIGNED WHEN YOU BRUSH THE CAR OFF FROM SNOW, SOME OF IT LODGES INTO AREA THAT IS HARD TO GET THE SNOW OUT OF, WHEN WIPERS ARE TURNED ON THE MOTOR DOES NOT WORK. HAD THIS REPLACED APPROX 4 OR 5 MONTHS AGO, AND NOW IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. I WAS TOLD BY THE FORD SERVICE DEPT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER FOCUS OWNERS. I HAVE OWNED MANY DIFFERENT CARS OF VARYING MAKES AND MODELS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER HAD THIS PROBLEM, IT IS DEFINATELY A DESIGN FLAW. SOME TYPE OF GUARD NEEDS TO BE INSTALLED TO PROTECT IT FROM SNOW AND ICE.

NHTSA complaint #10114016 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 4,900 miles Nashua, NH

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

REAR WINDOW DEVELOPED STRESS CRACKS WITHOUT BEING STROKE BY AN OBJECT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE STRESS CRACKS OCCURRED BECAUSE OF A DEFECT, BUT THE MANUFACTURE FAILED TO REPLACE THE WINDOW UNDER WARRANTY. THE WINDOW WAS REPLACED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY.

NHTSA complaint #10089928 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LOS Angeles, CA 1 injured

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

FORD SPORT KA HAS PRODUCED A COMMERCIAL SHOWING A CAT BEING DECAPITATED AS ITSHEAD IS LOOKING INTO THE VEHICLE VIA THE POWER SUN ROOF.*AK AS THE SUNROOF CLOSES THE CAT'S HEAD IS SEVERED. THIS COMMERCIAL WHILE MEANT TO BE HUMOROUS ONLY TO FORD CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THE CLEAR DANGER OF SERIOUS INJURY AND DEATH TO PETS AND CHILDREN. I FORMALLY REQUEST THAT THIS COMMERCIAL BE SCENE AND REVIEWED AS A DEMONSTRATION BY FORD THAT IT'S SUNROOFS ON THIS VEHICLE AND POSSIBLY OTHER FORD VEHICLES IS INHERANTLY UNSAFE TO CHILDREN BUT NOT PROVIDING A RESISTANCE MECHANISM THAT WOULD RETRACT THE MOVING ROOF WHEN MET WITH RESISTANCE E.G. A CHILDS HEAD OR BODY PART.

NHTSA complaint #10067637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2004 Ford Focus problems

← Full 2004 Ford Focus report