2005 Ford Focus Electrical System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
THE HATCH BACK LID STARTED OPENING WHEN THE REAR WINDOW DEFROST WAS TURNED ON. THIS HAS RESULTED IN MANY INADVERTENT OPENING OF THE LID WHILE DRIVING. WHILE RESEARCHING, I FOUND A RECALL FOR THE 2000 FORD FOCUS ASSIGNED NHTSA 00V411000. I PULLED BACK THE RUBBER BOOT WHICH PROTECTS THE SAME WIRE HARNESS AT THE HINGE POINT OF THE LID. I DISCOVERED MULTIPLE CRACKED AND EXPOSED WIRES, AND ON WIRE BROKEN IT TWO. I DESIRE FOR THIS TO BE A RECALL ITEM JUST AS YOU DID FOR THE 2000 MODEL. I HAVE PICTURES IF YOU DESIRE. *TR
INTERMITTENTLY CAR WILL SEEM TO SHORT OUT FOR SPLIT SECONDS. IF I LET IT IDLE ALL IS OK BUT AS I APPLY THE GAS THE SPLIT SECOND SHORT COMES BACK. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND SOMETIMES IF I GO OVER SOME BUMPS ALL BECOMES OK. FRIEND WITH A MADZA3 HAD SIMILAR PROBLEM HAT WAS FIXED BY CHANGING THE SOLENOID. *TR
THE IGNITION IN THE FORD FOCUS FALLS APART AND YOU ARE STRANDED!!!. I HAD MY HANDICAPPED DAUGHTER WITH ME AND IT WAS NIGHT. I CAN IMAGINE A YOUNG WOMAN BY HERSELF WITH THIS PROBLEM. YOU CANNOT BE JUMPED OR A MECHANIC CANNOT LOOK AT IT. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO BE TOWED, WHICH FOR US WAS 49 MILES AWAY. VERY UNSAFE FOR MY DAUGHTER AND ME. WE HAD TO LEAVE HER WALKER BEHIND AND SHE WAS WITHOUT IT (IMMOBILE) UNTIL I COULD RETRIEVE IT. THIS CAR HAD LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON IT AND HAD ALL CHECKUPS AND EVERYTHING UP TO DATE. *TR
HATCH WIRING HARNESS FATIGUED AND DEVELOPED BROKEN WIRES IN THE BEND AREA OF THE WIRING HARNESS CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT. THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF STOP LAMP FUNCTION & HARNESS BURNING. *TR
HAVING PROBLEM WITH ALTERNATOR AND KEYS STUCK IN THE IGNITION FOR 2ND TIME IN TWO YEARS. KEY WILL NOT RELEASE BUT WILL TURN. *TR
COULD NOT GET KEY TO RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION OF MY 2005 FORD FOCUS. HAD TO LEAVE CAR UNLOCKED, WITH KEY IN IGNITION OVERNIGHT. STILL CANNOT RELEASE KEY. A CHILD COULD GET INTO THE CAR AND START IT UP WITH TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. MANY REPORTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT FORD FOCUS IGNITION CYLINDER PROBLEMS, INCLUDING KEY-LOCK ISSUES. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER WHO WORKS IN RETAIL MANAGEMENT, AND I GET OUT LATE AT NIGHT FROM WORK QUITE OFTEN. IF MY KEY LOCKS UP, I COULD BE STRANDED IN A DARKENED LOT AND VULNERABLE TO CRIME. FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, HAD BEEN FOR YEARS, AND HAS NOT TAKEN ACCOUNTABILITY FOR IT. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INEXCUSABLE FOR A MAJOR CORPORATION.. *TR
FORD FOCUS 2005- THE KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION, AFTER PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK, AND TURNING THE IGNITION OFF. I TOOK IT TO FORD, AND THEY CHARGED ME $300 FOR REPLACE THE IGNITION CYLINDER. THEY SAID THEY WERE 90% SURE IT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. WELL, IT DIDN'T. IT IS STILL HAPPENING. THEY NOW SAY MAYBE IT'S SOME CABLE, BUT IT WILL COST $450 TO FIX IT. THEY ALSO REFUSE TO APPLY THE $300 FOR THE LAST UNNECESSARY FIX TO THIS FIX. I SEE ON THE INTERNET THAT THOUSANDS OF FOCUS OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM. *TR
THE KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION. *TR
MY 2005 FORD FOCUS HAS BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH KEY NOT TURNING IN THE IGNITION. I HAVE BEEN STRANDED TWICE DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS I HAVE HAD THIS OCCUR OVER 8 TIMES BUT UNTIL RECENTLY THE CAR HAS EVENTUALLY STARTED. THIS LAST TIME THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO A SHOP. I AM CURRENTLY AWAITING THE CORRECT ACTIONS TO TAKE INORDER TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR
2005 FORD FOCUS STATION WAGON- LOSS OF TAIL LIGHTS, HIGH MOUNT STOP LIGHT, DASH LIGHTS, RUNNING LIGHTS DUE TO SHORT IN LIFTGATE WIRING. THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE LIFTGATE FATIGUES AT THE BEND AREA. WIRES BREAK, RESULTING IN A OPEN OR SHORT WHICH BLOWS FUSE. THE BLOWN FUSE RESULTS IN NO HIGH MOUNT STOP LIGHT, RUNNING LIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, AND INSTRUMENT LIGHTS. IN ADDITION THE HEATED REAR DEFROST AND WINDSHIELD WIPER ALSO FAIL. THE HARNESS MUST BE REPLACED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS ISSUE WAS PART OF A RECALL IN 2000- NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V411000. MY CAR IS A 2005. THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED IN PRODUCTION. *TR
THE KEYS WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE CAR IS NOT REGISTERING THAT IT IS IN PARK. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. WHENEVER SHE DRIVES HER VEHICLE, SHE HAS TO LOCK IT WITH ANOTHER KEY SINCE THE IGNITION KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED. THE FORD MANUFACTURER INFORMED HER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT SHE HAS NOT DONE SO AT THIS TIME. THE MANUFACTURER FURTHER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.
MY KEYS ARE STUCK IN THE IGNITION OF MY 2005 FORD FOCUS. THIS JUST HAPPENED TODAY AND THEY ARE STILL IN THERE. I WILL HAVE TO LOCK MY CAR WITH THE KEYS IN IT AND PRAY NO ONE STEALS IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE AND WAS STUCK FOR 2-3 DAYS. THE KEYS OFTEN ACT LIKE THEY ARE GOING TO STICK, THEN, THANKFULLY THEY COME OUT. THIS IS SUCH A NUISANCE AND A RISK. I ASKED MY DEALERSHIP WOULD THE PROBLEM BE FIXED IF I HAD IT REPAIRED AND WAS TOLD THAT IT MIGHT STILL HAPPEN AND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FOCUS. NOT SO GOOD NEWS SINCE, I AM SURE THIS WOULD NOT BE CHEAP. *TR
IGNITION SWITCH WILL NOT TURN. IF CAR WAS STALLED IN TRAFFIC OR ON RAILWAY CROSSING SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES COULD ARISE. *TR
MY CAR FAILS TO START UNTIL I CRANK IT 3 OR 4 TIMES. SOMETIMES IT BEGINS TO START THEN SPUTTERS AND DIES. IT HAS BEEN AN EVERYDAY THING FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS NOW. IT HAPPENS ABOUT EVERY TIME I GO TO START MY CAR WITH A FEW TIMES IT STARTING RIGHT AWAY. *TR
MY KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION INTERMITTENTLY. NOTHING I DO RELEASES IT. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO LEAVE IT IN MY CAR FOR DAYS BEFORE I COME OUT ONE OF THE MORNINGS AND IT JUST DECIDES TO LET ME HAVE MY KEY BACK. ON AND OFF EVER SINCE I HAVE GOTTEN THE CAR. *TR
KEY STUCK IN IGNITION STARTED CAR DROVE HOME. PARKED CAR. TURNED IT OFF. KEY STUCK. DISCONNECTED BATTERY. KEY CAME OUT. RECONNECTED BATTERY. REINSERTED KEY. KEY WOULDN'T TURN. CAR WOULDN'T START. LEFT OVERNIGHT. TRIED AGAIN. LEFT ALONE FOR A FEW MORE HOURS. RE INSERTED KEY. DEPRESSED BRAKE...MOVED CAR OUT OF PARK AND BACK INTO PARK. KEY THEN WORKED FINE. *TR
MY KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WILL NOT RELEASE. HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS A DAMAGED KEY BUT WHEN IT HAPPENED ON A 2ND KEY THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER. DEALER HAS REPLACED LOCK, AND AFTER A REPEAT OCCURRENCE RE-KEYED THE LOCK AND RE-CUT THE KEYS. NOW KEY IS STUCK AND WILL NOT RELEASE. MARYLAND LAW REQUIRES KEYS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY. *TR
MY IGNITION LOCKED UP ON MY FORD FOCUS. *TR
KEY LOCKED IN IGNITION OCCURRED ONCE BEFORE,AND KEY CAME OUT AFTER 3 DAYS. THIS TIME KEY HAS BEEN LOCKED FOR 5 DAYS. CAN'T LOCK CAR. DEALER EXPLAINED THE NEED TO CHANGE IGNITION FOR $500!! ADMITTED THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH VARIOUS FORD FOCUS MODELS. *TR
MY BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PAST WEEK ON MY WAY TO WORK...THEN ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MY MOTHER-IN-LAW AND I DECIDED TO GO TO ASHEVILLE, NC...WE GOT AS FAR AS WAYNESVILLE, AND MY CAR QUIT...(ABOUT 80,000 MILES ON MY CAR)...I WAS ABLE TO ROLL IT OFF AND POP THE CLUTCH AND GET IT TO START...I DROVE ABOUT 5 MILES, AND IT QUIT AGAIN...THIS TIME, I COULD NOT GET IT STARTED AGAIN...HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK...HAD MY CAR TOWED TO ANDY SHAW FORD IN SYLVA, NC, THE TOWN CLOSEST TO WHERE I LIVE...THEY CHECKED OUT MY CAR AND SAID THAT IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR...THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT IN COLD AND HOT WEATHER, THE ALTERNATORS WILL GO OUT...MY HUSBAND HAS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA, WITH 240,000 MILES ON IT AND HE HAS NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR IN HIS TRUCK...I HAVE HAD THREE OTHER NEW CARS, THE FIRST ONE BOUGHT IN 1986, FORD FESTIVA...IT HAD 149,000 O SO ON IT WHEN IT QUIT....NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR...THE NEXT ONE I BOUGHT WAS A 1995 TOYOTA TERCEL, HIT A DEER WITH ABOUT 149,000 ON THE CAR...NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR IN THIS CAR...THE NEXT ONE I BOUGHT WAS A 2000 KIA RIO...TOTALED IT OUT WHEN SOMEONE HIT ME IN 2005...THE CAR HAD ABOUT 140,000 ON IT THEN...NEVER HAD TO EVER REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR IN THAT CAR...SO, WHY DID THE ALTERNATOR GO OUT ON THE FORD FOCUS? *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, WHICH FAILED TO RELEASE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN AND MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY REMOVING THE IGNITION KEY, WHICH WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. SHE MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RELEASE THE KEY, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN AND MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
IGNITION KEY IS STUCK IN MY 2005 FORD FOCUS. OVER 2200 PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY SIGNED PETITION WITH THE SAME ISSUE ON FORD FOCUS VEHICLES. SOME VEHICLES THE KEY DOESN'T TURN AND CAN LEAVE THEM STRANDED. MINE TURNS BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE THE KEY OUT. *TR
I CANNOT REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION ON MY 2005 FORD FOCUS. THIS HAPPENED SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND TRIED TO REMOVE THE KEY AND IT WILL NOT COME OUT. I HAVE SEEN THAT SEVERAL OTHER FORD FOCUS OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND FORD REFUSES TO DO A RECALL, CLAIMING THAT THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I ALSO NOTICED THAT I CANNOT LOCK THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR, EITHER MANUALLY OR ELECTRONICALLY. I THINK THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE AS ANYONE COULD GET INTO MY CAR AND DRIVE OFF SINCE THE KEY IS STILL IN THE IGNITION AND THE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK. I WILL TRY TAKING THE CAR TO A LOCKSMITH TO GET THE IGNITION LOCK REPLACED AS I HAVE HEARD THAT THIS IS CHEAPER AND MORE RELIABLE THAN GETTING THIS PROBLEM FIXED BY THE DEALER. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2005 Ford Focus has 66 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.