2004 Ford Focus Body & structure Problems

rear passenger door wont latch shut.Door flies open when making turns

NHTSA ID

11467507

Incident

Apr 14, 2021

IN JANUARY, I WAS INVOLVED IN A TRAFFIC CRASH. I APPLIED THE BREAKS TO MY VEHICLE (GIVING PLENTY OF TIME TO COME TO A STOP AND ONLY TRAVELING 20 MPH ) BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AS A RESULT, I HIT A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. IT WAS AS IF THE BREAKS WERE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY.

NHTSA ID

11317279

Incident

Jan 4, 2020

Mileage

125,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A LOUD NOISE WAS DETECTED FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE KEY OVERHEATED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO DRIVE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT FURTHER MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE'S FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT BOTH PASSENGER DOORS WERE INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR NEEDED EXTRA STRENGTH TO OPEN AND THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR WAS STUCK AND WOULD NOT OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MULTIPLE UNKNOWN DEALERS WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE ENGINE VALVE WAS STUCK. THE CAUSE OF THE OTHER FAILURES WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 250,000.

NHTSA ID

11245773

Incident

Jan 1, 2017

Mileage

250,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING ROUTINE SERVICE, THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR SUBFRAME/CROSSMEMBER/K-FRAME WAS RUSTED THROUGH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

NHTSA ID

10948564

Incident

Jan 26, 2017

Mileage

96,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, A RATTLING TYPE NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR WHEEL AREA. WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SHOCK ABSORBER PUNCTURED THROUGH THE WHEEL WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DISCOVERED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO RUSTING AND CORROSION OF THE WHEEL WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.

NHTSA ID

10695122

Incident

Mar 6, 2015

Mileage

114,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR SWUNG OPEN INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 770,714.

NHTSA ID

10664264

Incident

Dec 14, 2014

Mileage

770,714 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING SUDDENLY. MY DAUGHTER SAW STEAM OR SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WITHIN A MINUTE OR SO THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE WAS INTENSE, THE TOP OF THE ENGINE WAS MELTED, THE INTERIOR OF THE DASH WAS DESTROYED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. IT LOOKS LIKE THE MOST INTENSE FIRE AREA WAS AROUND THE FUSE PANEL. I DID CONTACT FORD THROUGH SEVERAL AVENUES BUT THEY APPEARED TO BE DISINTERESTED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10563681

Incident

Nov 29, 2013

Mileage

165,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT REMAIN CLOSED AND THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OF REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ID

10454037

Incident

Mar 5, 2012

Mileage

130,000 mi

THE DOOR HANDLES, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR, FAIL TO OPEN THE DOORS. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN INTERMITTENT, AND CAN BE SOMETIMES BE MITIGATED BY USING A KEY TO LOCK AND THEN UNLOCK THE DOOR, THOUGH THIS DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN GETTING WORSE WITH TIME. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH SAFETY AND SECURITY, IN THE EVENT THAT ONE CANNOT ENTER THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10437013

Incident

Sep 3, 2007

Mileage

100,000 mi

I HAVE TWO ISSUES WITH MY FORD FOCUS (2004) FIRST, I RAN INTO A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH AND IT WILL NOT TURN. I LEFT THE KEY IN FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS WHEN THIS INITIALLY HAPPENED BUT, IT WORE OUT MY ALTERNATOR AND I HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED. I REMOVED THE KEY ONCE THE NEW ALTERNATOR WAS INSTALLED. I HAD SOME MINOR SUCCESS WITH INSERTING THE KEY AND HAD TO BANG ON IT WITH MY HAND TO GET IT TO TURN. THIS WORKED SUCCESSFULLY FOR 2 WEEKS. THE IGNITION SWITCH IS NOW FROZEN. I AM BACK TO SQUARE ONE. SECONDLY, THE TRUNK LATCH DOESN'T CLOSE PROPERLY AND I HAVE TO USE MY REMOTE TO REOPEN THE MECHANISM IN ORDER TO GET IT TO CLOSE. VERY AGGRAVATING. I WILL NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER FORD IF THESE ISSUES ARE NOT RECALLED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10286716

Incident

May 8, 2009

Mileage

50,000 mi

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. *JB

NHTSA ID

10177475

Incident

Apr 1, 2006

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED BY ITSELF AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. THE ACCELERATION WAS RAPID IN NATURE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ATTEMPTING TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL AT THAT TIME, SHE WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO DEALER OR A MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSIS OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE WINDSHIELD LINING WAS COMING APART, ONE OF THE ROTORS WERE WARPED. UPDATED 11/29/05. *JB

NHTSA ID

10140610

Incident

Oct 1, 2005

Mileage

30,900 mi

THE REAR DOORS ARE INTERMITTENTLY INOPERABLE. THEY SOMETIMES JAM AND WILL NOT OPEN, AND THEN THERE ARE TIMES THE WON'T SHUT. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHILE DRIVING THAT DOOR WILL JUST OPEN ON IT OWN.*AK

NHTSA ID

10092721

Incident

Apr 1, 2004

THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER AFTER BEING PUSHED IN GETTING HOT POPPED OUT OF THE HOLDER AND LANDED EITHER ON THE OCCUPANT'S LAP OR ON THE CARPETING. WHEN THIS WAS SHOWN TO THE RENTAL COMPANY, AND A DEMONSTRATION WAS DONE, THE LIGHTER BURNED THE REPRESENTATIVE'S LEGS. THIS WAS A BUDGET RENTAL VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10087148

Incident

Jul 26, 2004

Mileage

350 mi