Owner-reported complaints naming the seat belt system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Ford Focus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
In a rear end accident the airbags never deployed. The seat belt also didn't catch me and my chest hit the steering wheel. I pressed hard on the breaks but it didn't feel like it was slowing down. I now have a fractured sternum and cannot drive or work. I have filed insurance claims and been to the hospital. No one was in the car with me. There were no warning lights/signs before.
MOTOR MOUNTS ARE BAD AND MAKES THE ENGINE RATTLE AND VIBRATE TAIL LIGHT WILL NOT WORK I'VE CHANGED FUSE BULB AND SOCKETS STILL NOTHING AND DRIVER SEAT BELT GETS STUCK
BOUGHT A 2005 FORD FOCUS IN APRIL, 2018. TOLD SALES MAN THAT AIRBAG ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON. WAS TOLD IS OK. ON 6/112018, CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE FORD COOPERATE SPOKE WITH A LADY. SHE ASK FOR VIN NUMBER, I GAVE IT TO HER. SHE SAID 2005 FOCUS HAS NO AIRBAG RECALL. I TOLD HER THAT AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON SINCE WE BOUGHT THE CAR. SHE DIDN'T TAKE INTEREST ON THAT. I ASKED HER WHAT COMPANY MADE 2005 FORD FOCUS AIRBAG? SHE WOULD NOT TELL ME. I CALLED LOCAL FORD DEALER IN WESLEY CHAPEL FL. TOLD SERVICE TECH SAME THING THAT I TOLD COOPERATE OF ENGINE LIGHT AIRBAG ALWAYS STAYS ON. HE TOO SAID IS NOTHING. THAT VIN NUMBER IS NO RECALL. I ASKED HIM AS WELL WHICH COMPANY PUT AIRBAGS IN 2005 FOCUS, WAS IT TAHKATA? HE TOO WOULDN'T ANSWER ME. SO I EMAIL MR. W.FORD TO EXPLAIN ABOVE SITUATION WITH AIRBAG LIGHT AND WHO PLACED AIR BAGS IN 2005 FOCUS. HAVE NOT HEARD FROM HIM OR HIS OFFICE, EXPLAINED TO MR. FORD, THAT AIRBAG LIGHT BEING ALWAYS ON AND HIS DEALERS WANT TO CHARGE ME $200 TO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ABSURD. WHEN THIS IS A NATIONAL SAFETY RECALL. THAT WE AS THEIR PAYING CUSTOMERS DESERVE AN ANSWER AND BETTER TREATMENT. CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME IF THIS IS A SAFETY VIOLATION? WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU. THANK YOU. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).? *PM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BUT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT AND LOCK. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SHOULDER INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE SEAT BELT UN-LATCHED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS WORN OUT AND THE LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000. MA 08/11/15
THE SEAT BELT RECEPTACLE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER BUCKET SEAT HAS FAILED. THE BELT CANNOT BE RESTRAINED. REPORTED TO FORD @ ELDER FORD, 777 JOHN R ROAD, TROY, MI 48083. SERVICE DIRECTOR [XXX] WOULD NOT REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT BECAUSE IT WAS "OUT OF WARRANTY". REPORTED INCIDENT TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE 800-3923673. CASE # [XXX]. SUPERVISOR "[XXX]" REITERATED THAT SAFETY DEFECT WOULD NOT BE COVERED VEHICLE OUT-OF-WARRANTY. THIS CITIZEN'S OPINION IS ALL SAFETY DEFECTS SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND AT MINIMUM CORRECTIVE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. I CRINGE AT THE THOUGHT THAT THERE ARE OTHER SEAT BELTS THAT ARE DEFECTIVE AND SOMEONE MAY GET HURT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
THE DIVER SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT GETS STUCK. WHEN I GO TO UNDO MY SEAT BELT. I HAVE TO PULL HARD TO GET IT TO COME LOOSE. THAT COULD BE A DANGER IF I AM EVER IN AN ACCIDENT AND CANT GET LOOSE OUT OF MY SEAT BELT. *KB
RADIAN XTSL SUPER LATCH STRAP APPEARS TIGHT (ROCK SOLID INSTALL THAT CAN SHAKE THE CAR) UNTIL MY 34 LB SON SITS IN THE SEAT AND THE STRAP THEN BECOMES SO LOOSE YOU CAN RELEASE IT WITH YOUR PINKY! (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2005, MAKE=FOCUS, MODEL=FORD). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE DRIVER SEAT BELT UN-LATCHED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT AND ADVISED THAT IS WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000. UPDATED 03/29/11*LJ UPDATED 1/5/12 *CN
MY PARENTS WERE INVOLVED IN A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON 10/22/09, THEY WERE TRAVELING 57 MILES PER HOUR, HIT A LADY THAT PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF THEM, THEIR AIRBAGS NEVER WENT OFF, A DIRECT FRONT END HIT ON THEIR CAR (2005 FORD FOCUS) AND ALSO THE SEATBELTS BROKE. *TR
I AM A CPS TECHNICIAN AND THE TETHER STRAP IS TOO LONG AND DOESN'T ALLOW THE STRAP TO TIGHTEN ALL THE WAY. THIS WAS USED FOR A FORD FOCUS PASSENGER CAR WITH THE TETHER ANCHORS ON THE BACK DASH. WE HAD THE ADJUSTER AS TIGHT AS IT WOULD GO AND THE BUCKLE ON THE TETHER WOULD NOT ALLOW IT TO TIGHTEN IN ANYMORE. ABOUT A 2-3 INCH PLAY IN IT. THIS WAS THE EVENFLO MODEL 380183712 DOM 2/18/2008 (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2005, MAKE=FORD, MODEL=FOCUS). *TR
MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN OUR 2005 FORD FOCUS SHE HIT SOMEONE IN THE REAR AND THEN WAS HIT IN THE REAR BY ANOTHER CAR. WHEN THE IMPACT HAPPENED THE SEATBELT FAILED TO TIGHTEN UP TO PREVENT HER FROM FLYING AROUND IN THE CAR SHE HIT HER RIBCAGE ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THEN WAS FORCED BACK BY THE IMPACT OF THE SECOND CAR HITTING HER FROM BEHIND. ALSO THERE WAS $6,000 WORTH OF DAMAGES DONE TO THE VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED AND ALMOST ALL THE DAMAGE WAS TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR. *TR
I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2005 FORD FOCUS ZX4 IN DECEMBER OF 2005. UPON DELIVERY I NOTICED MY CAR HAD A HARD TIME STARTING AND THE WHOLE ENGINE WOULD SHAKE AND KNOCK. AFTER A MONTH I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. THE CONDITION CONTINUED AND I TOOK IT IN AGAIN AND THEY COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM BUT ASKED TO KEEP IT FOR AN OVERNIGHT START. I BROUGHT IT IN A FEW DAYS LATER SO THEY COULD KEEP IT OVER NIGHT AND THEY FOUND A BULLETIN BY FORD SAYING THEY KNOW THERE IS A HARD START PROBLEM BUT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. I THEN HAD TO HAVE THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT REPLACED BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T UNLATCH OCCASIONALLY. I THEN HAD TO HAVE THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR CASING REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS DISCOLORED. THEN ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 62 MILES AN HOUR AND MY CLUTCH WENT OUT AND MY CAR DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER CAR AND HAD TO WEIGHT IN 90 DEGREE WEATHER FOR 2 HOURS FOR A TOW TRUCK TO COME. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO FORD AND THEY SAID MY FLY WHEEL HAD CRUMBLED AND MY CLUTCH WAS BAD. IT TOOK THEM 9 DAYS TO REPLACE MY CLUTCH. A DAY LATER MY CAR WOULD NOT DOWNSHIFT WITHOUT GRINDING AND I HAD TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID THAT THIS TIME THEY HAD TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION BECAUSE IT WAS RUINED AS WELL. TO THIS DAY MY CAR IS STILL IN THE SHOP AND HAS BEEN THERE FOR 32 DAYS JUST FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION. MY CAR IS ONLY 8 MONTHS OLD AND HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIR OR DIAGNOSIS FOR A TOTAL OF 45 DAYS SO FAR. NEITHER WENDLE MOTORS OR FORD WILL REPLACE THE CAR SO I AM PERUSING A LEMON LAW CASE. *JB
I WAS REAR ENDED IN AN ACCIDENT ON 8/13/05, THE LOCKING MECHANISM IN MY SEAT BELT DIDN'T WORK PROPERLY AND MY FACE AND ARM WERE PROPELLED INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. I WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN I WAS REAR ENDED. I WAS HIT WITH SO MUCH FORCE THAT MY CAR WAS PUSHED INTO ANOTHER CAR WHO WAS PUSHED INTO ANOTHER CAR. *JB
VEHICLE WAS IN A COLLISION. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE DRIVER HIT A DEER. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE SEAT BELT TENSIONER WERE UNAVAILABLE. OWNER SAYS THAT WHEN USING THE SEAT BELTS IN THE FRONT SEATS THE BELT WILL NOT RETRACT AUTOMATICALLY. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THERE MAY BE TWO OR THREE MONTHS BEFORE PARTS WILL BECOME AVAILABLE. *AK
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
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