Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Ford Focus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 49 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 49, in the owner's own words
2003 FORD FOCUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO INADEQUATE STRUCTURAL STEEL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE STEEL ON THE CONTROL ARMS WERE POORLY MANUFACTURED. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT SUDDENLY DEAD STOPPED, TURNED RIGHT, MAKING A CRACKING NOISE. THE CONTROL ARM HAD SNAPPED AND DUG INTO THE TAR, BRAKING THE TIE ROD AND CREASING THE BREAKLINE. *JS
I WAS LEAVING A PARKING LOT DOING NO MORE THAN 5 MPH WHEN THE CAR MADE A SUDDEN JERKING MOTION. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A GARAGE. THE DAMAGES WERE SEVERE RUST, SUB FRAME ROTTED, RIGHT FRONT AXLE BROKEN, RIGHT FRONT CONTROL ARM BROKEN, SWAY BAR BENT. THE TOW DRIVER SAID THE WHEELS COULD HAVE FALLEN OFF MY CAR AND I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED BECAUSE OF THE THING THAT WENT WRONG. I PUT MYSELF AND MY FAMILY IN DANGER WITH THIS DEATH TRAP. SUPPOSEDLY THIS CAR WAS INSPECTED FEBRUARY 2018. WITH EVERYTHING THAT WENT WRONG WITH IT AND THE DAMAGES, I DONT SEE HOW IT COULD HAVE BEEN. I BELIEVE THERE TO BE FRAUD INVOLVED AND BELIEVE THIS MATTER SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER FOR PUTTING LIVES IN DANGER. I PAID $3,000 FOR THIS CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF FEB. 2018. IT IS NOW AUGUST AND IT HAD INCURRED $3,000 IN DAMAGES. I SOLD THE CAR FOR SALVAGE AT $125
SKIDS TO SIDE AND SPINS ON WET ROAD EVEN IF THE TIRES ARE GOOD EVEN AT 30MPH. TOO MUCH SIDE WAYS SHIFT ON LITTLE BUMPY ROADS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT DROVE OVER A BRIDGE EXPANSION JOINT AND THE VEHICLE FISHTAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BECAME ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR SHOCKS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.
THE SUB FRAME BROKE WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. ENTIRE SUB FRAME HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. STRUTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. CALIPER AND ROTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONTROL ARM HAD TO BE REPLACED. JUST REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH TUMBLERS AFTER THE SWITCH LOCKED UP AND REFUSED TO WORK. THERE ARE NO RECALLS LISTED FOR THIS CAR. SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT FOCUS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THESE PROBLEMS. CAR HAS 34,000 MILES ON IT. THE BRAKE LINE RUNNING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR TO THE REAR RUSTED OUT CAUSING A LOSE OF BRAKES. THE CAR IS DANGEROUS. *TR
REAR SUB FRAME CROSSMEMBER RUSTED AWAY AND BROKEN CAUSING REAR OF CAR TO BANG AND TWIST WHILE DRIVING.
BREAK IN FRONT DRIVER-SIDE SUSPENSION COIL WHILE BACKING UP. *TR
I TOOK MY CAR TO HAVE A OIL CHANGE, AND MY MECHANIC SAW THAT THE LEFT SIDE REAR SUSPENSION CROSS STABILIZER BAR IS RUSTED AND THE BOLTS ARE RUSTED. HE SAID TO CALL FORD THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. THERE IS NOT SO I CALLED FORD AND THEY JUST FILED A COMPLAINT.I CAN NOT TAKE MY CAR ON THE INTERSTATE OR GO OVER 40 MPH IF I DID MY MECHANIC SAID IF THE RIGHT SIDE BROKE OFF THE CAR WOULD FLIP. MY CONCERN IS DOES SOMETHING HAVE TO HAPPEN FIRST I TRANSPORT MY GRAND KIDS BUT I CAN'T GO OVER 40. CAN YOU HELP ME WITH THIS. *TR
WHEN DRIVING ON SNOW OR WET ROADWAYS THE HANDLING BECOMES VERY UNSTABLE AT SPEEDS OVER 35 MPH WITH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WANTING TO VEER/PITCH SIDEWAYS CAUSING THE DRIVER TO HAVE TO QUICKLY OVERSTEER TO AVOID ONCOMING TRAFFIC. VEHICLE HAS 85,000 MILES, NEW GOODYEAR TIRES. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN THESE CONDITIONS AND IS GETTING MORE UNSTABLE EVEN ON DRY SURFACES MAKING THE VEHICLE FEEL LIKE IT'S FOLLOWING EVERY GROOVE IN THE ROADWAY. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS SEEM TO BE EVERYWHERE ON THE INTERNET. HOW MANY ACCIDENTS/INJURIES/DEATHS IS REQUIRED BEFORE FORD IS MADE TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND STOP PUTTING SUB STANDARD PARTS ON THEIR CARS? *TR
RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE. WHILE CHECKING CONSUMER REVIEWS ON AN AUTO PARTS WEBSITE FOR A REPLACEMENT, OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME SPRING FAILURE. *TR
I STARTED THE CAR IN THE DRIVE, PUT IT IN REVERSE, BEGAN TO BACK UP AND HEARD A LOUD CLUNK. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION, MY HUSBAND (A FORMER AUTO MECHANIC) FOUND THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS BROKEN, AND THE TIRE WAS AT RISK OF DAMAGE/POTENTIALLY DAMAGED. I AM VERY, VERY GLAD THIS DID NOT HAPPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD. *TR
RIGHT SIDE COIL SPRING BROKE, CUT INTO TIRE. FORD WILL NOT FIX, THEY KNOW THE FOCUS SPRING BREAKS TSB EXPIRED SEPT 2012 ( I CALLED FORD!); DON'T DRIVE THESE CARS. REPLACE YOUR SPRINGS FIRST. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 FORD FOCUS ON THE ROAD WHEN THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. SUDDENLY I HEARD A CRASH SOUND IN THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF MY VEHICLE. I FELT THERE WAS A FORCE ON THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE TIRE. THEN I NOTICED BLACK SMOKES BEHIND MY CAR AND THEN I STOPPED. I CALLED AAA TO HAVE ROADSIDE ASSISTANT. THE AAA GUY CAME AND CHECKED MY CAR AND TOLD ME THE COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN AND THE BROKEN PART DAMAGED MY TIRE TOO. I FOUND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE COIL SPRING ON 2000-2003 FOCUS THEN I CALLED A LOCAL FORD DEALER TO GET IT FIXED. HOWEVER, THE LOCAL FORD DEALER TOLD ME MY FOCUS WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL. CLEARLY THIS IS THE FAULT OF FORD. THE AAA GUY TOLD ME IF THIS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY, I WOULD PROBABLY BE KILLED. I URGED THE NHTSA TO CONTACT FORD ABOUT THIS ISSUE BEFORE THIS ACTUALLY KILLED LOTS OF PEOPLE. I ALSO URGED FORD TO PLACE A RECALL TO CHECK ALL THE COIL SPRING ON ALL CARS THEY MAKE TO MAKE SURE THIS PART HAS NO PROBLEMS. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH OVER WET ROAD CONDITIONS WHEN THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SKID UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER ENCOUNTERING SNOW AND WET ROAD SURFACES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY PERFORMED A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND TIRE BALANCING. ALSO, THE REAR SUSPENSION ARM WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE PERSISTED AFTER THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE PERFORMANCE WAS A MANUFACTURER DESIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 155,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WAS SEVERELY WORN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AS WELL AS AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE SUSPENSION WAS REALIGNED APPROXIMATELY 4 TIMES. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED HE HAD TO PURCHASE A SET OF TIRES EVERY 20,000 MILES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 241,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
I WAS TURNING AND I HEARD A VERY LOUD SNAP! MY CAR THEN BEGAN TO POP EXTREMELY LOUD EVERYTIME I TURNED. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A SNAPPED FRONT COIL SPRING. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE SPRING COULD VERY EASILY HAVE RIPPED INTO THE TIRE CAUSING A "BLOW OUT" WHICH LEADS TO ACCIDENTS IN MANY OCCASIONS!! THE MORE I TALK ABOUT IT, THE MORE PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON THEIR FOCUS! *TR
JULY 2010 IGNITION IS LOCKED, KEY WILL NOT TURN IN IGNITION. IT WAS HAPPENING EVERY NOW AND THEN BUT TODAY, JULY 7, 2010, IT WILL NOT TURN AT ALL EVEN WITH TAPPING LIGHTLY ON THE END OF THE KEY AND PULLING THE STEERING WHEEL DOWN WHILE TURNING THE KEY NOTHING HAS YET TO BE DONE AS I AM STILL WAITING FOR FORD TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO PICK IT UP! JUNE 2010 DRIVERSIDE SPRING COIL SNAPPED - NO LETTER TO THE OWNER OF THE FORD MODELS WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE AND WAS COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY EXTENDED BY FORD (BECAUSE THEY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM) JUNE 2009 - DRIVERSIDE FIREHAWK GTA FACTORY INSTALLED TIRE BLEW RIGHT OFF THE STEEL RIM, LEAVING THE STEEL FROM THE TIRE ON THE RIM ... THIS HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THANK GOODNESS. *TR
THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSPENSION SPRING SNAPPED CAUSING A BLOW OUT OF THE TIRE ON MY 03 FORD FOCUS, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP WHO ADVISED THAT THE RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER IN EFFECT AS THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED SOME 3 MONTHS AFTER THE CLOSE OUT OF THE RE-CALL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR TIRES WERE WEARING BADLY AND THE TOP OF THE RUBBER WAS LEANING INTO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT HE NEEDED TO PURCHASE A SUSPENSION BAR TO PLACE IN THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH CHANGES ONE DEGREE. THE CONTACT WILL CALL THE MANUFACTURER TO INQUIRE ABOUT ASSISTANCE TOWARDS THE REPAIR COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. UPDATED 5/7/09 *CN UPDATED 05/12/09.*JB
BACK TIRE SITS IN AND KEEPS GOING THROUGH TIRES AND HAD THE BEARING REPLACED AND DRUM ON BOTH SIDES AND SHOCKS AND IT STILL DOES IT AND THE REAR END JUMPS TO THE SIDE ITS BAD. *TR
FAILURE OF FRONT RIGHT-SIDE OEM COIL SPRING DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION UNDER RUBBER SLEEVE ON COIL SPRING. COIL SPRING WAS REPLACED. *TR
DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS AT 45 MPH I HEARD A POP FOLLOWED BY A GRINDING NOISE FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO FIND MY CAR LEANING NOTICEABLY TO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. CAR WAS TOWED TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD THAT BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS AS WELL AS THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE NEEDED REPLACED DUE TO COIL SPRING CORROSION AND RESULTING FAILURE OF THE FRONT RIGHT COIL SPRING. *TR
I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW, IT HAS 58,000 MILES SINCE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I CHANGED THE TIRES 4 TIMES. IT MAKES A NOISE IN THE BACK AXLE, IT BROKE TWICE ALREADY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER ALOT OF TIMES THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THE NOISE IS STILL THERE. THE NOISE IS LOUD. *TR
I HAD A FRONT RIGHT SUSPENSION SPRING BREAK WHILE THE CAR SAT IN MY DRIVEWAY OVERNIGHT. THIS COULD HAVE KILLED ME IF IT HAPPENED ON THE ROAD AS A JAGGED POINT WAS ENGAGED WITH THE TREAD OF THE TIRE. DEALER ADMITS THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FOCUS AND THE TAURUS, BUT WOULD NOT COVER THE PART OR LABOR. *TR
I RECENTLY TOOK MY 2003 FORD FOCUS IN FOR SUSPENSION NOISE IN THE FRONT. THE SHOP TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND SAID HE HAD SEEN A LOT OF FOCUS' AND ESCORTS THAT HAVE THE SPRING ON THE STRUT BREAK. HE SAID THERE IS NO WARNING SIGNS. THE NOISE HE WAS HEARING WAS COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE STRUT WHICH HE SAID DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE A HAZARD BUT SUGGEST I REPLACE BOTH FRONT STRUTS JUST IN CASE. HE SAID A LOT OF THE TIME PEOPLE WON'T KNOW THAT THEIR SPRING IS BROKEN BECAUSE IT WILL STAY INTACT IN THE BOTTOM AND TOP STRUT HOUSING. HE SAID ON OTHER OCCASIONS THE SPRING WILL COME OUT OF THE HOUSINGS AND POSSIBLY PUNCTURE THE TIRE. HE SAID AFTERMARKET BRANDS HAVE A STRONGER STEEL THEY USE IN THEIR SPRINGS AND RECOMMENDED USING THE AFTERMARKET BRAND INSTEAD OF FORD GENUINE PARTS. THAT IS OK WITH ME BECAUSE THE AFTERMARKET BRAND IS CHEAPER. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .