Ford Focus Reliability
29,590 NHTSA complaints (1999–2018). Complaint rate: 705.8 per 1,000 vehicles.
Ford Focus Generations
Manufacturer redesigns the car every few years (a “generation”). Each generation has different engineering and common issues. Click a generation to see year-by-year breakdown.
| Generation | Years | Complaints | Crashes | Volume | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 1 | 2000–2007 | 11,827 | 988 | Show years | |||
| Gen 2 | 2008–2011 | 1,218 | 105 | Show years | |||
| Gen 3 | 2012–2018 | 16,530 | 532 | Hide years | |||
| 2012 | 4,955 | 179 | View 2012View→ | ||||
| 2013 | 2,904 | 80 | View 2013View→ | ||||
| 2014 | 3,590 | 140 | View 2014View→ | ||||
| 2015 | 1,299 | 42 | View 2015View→ | ||||
| 2016 | 1,545 | 39 | View 2016View→ | ||||
| 2017 | 1,160 | 28 | View 2017View→ | ||||
| 2018 | 1,077 | 24 | View 2018View→ |
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2012–2014 Ford Focus (399 crash-related complaints). The 2004–2011 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: POWER TRAIN.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Ford Focus Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 5,979 | 1.6% |
| ENGINE | 2,268 | 2.5% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1,906 | 1.9% |
| STEERING | 1,845 | 4.6% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1,515 | 2.8% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1,403 | 1.8% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1,253 | 0.7% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 950 | 8.7% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 798 | 1.0% |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 638 | 7.8% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999GOOD | — | 15 | 0 | — | View 1999View→ |
| 2000AVOID | Gen 1 | 5,152 | 358 | 171 | View 2000View→ |
| 2001AVOID | Gen 1 | 2,361 | 227 | 67 | View 2001View→ |
| 2002 | Gen 1 | 1,198 | 107 | 23 | View 2002View→ |
| 2003 | Gen 1 | 1,224 | 70 | 23 | View 2003View→ |
| 2004GOOD | Gen 1 | 499 | 45 | 18 | View 2004View→ |
| 2005GOOD | Gen 1 | 599 | 60 | 11 | View 2005View→ |
| 2006GOOD | Gen 1 | 270 | 35 | 4 | View 2006View→ |
| 2007GOOD | Gen 1 | 524 | 86 | 11 | View 2007View→ |
| 2008GOOD | Gen 2 | 333 | 25 | — | View 2008View→ |
| 2009GOOD | Gen 2 | 321 | 37 | 2 | View 2009View→ |
| 2010GOOD | Gen 2 | 408 | 28 | 5 | View 2010View→ |
| 2011GOOD | Gen 2 | 156 | 15 | — | View 2011View→ |
| 2012AVOID | Gen 3 | 4,955 | 179 | 28 | View 2012View→ |
| 2013AVOID | Gen 3 | 2,904 | 80 | 20 | View 2013View→ |
| 2014AVOID | Gen 3 | 3,590 | 140 | 17 | View 2014View→ |
| 2015 | Gen 3 | 1,299 | 42 | 7 | View 2015View→ |
| 2016 | Gen 3 | 1,545 | 39 | 5 | View 2016View→ |
| 2017 | Gen 3 | 1,160 | 28 | 4 | View 2017View→ |
| 2018 | Gen 3 | 1,077 | 24 | 8 | View 2018View→ |
See also: Ford Focusaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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