Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Ford Focus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 48 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 48, in the owner's own words
THE WIRING HARNESS FLEXES WHERE IT PASSES FROM THE BODY TO THE TAILGATE CAUSING THE IINSULATION AND WIRING TO BREAK AND SHORT TO THE BODY RESULTING IN A BLOWN FUSE AND NO REAR LIGHTS. THIS HAS OCCURRED WHILST DRIVING AND WHEN STATIONARY OPENING THE HATCHBACK.
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND GAS PEDDLE GET STUCK AND SOMETIMES WONT PUSH DOWN TO GO SOMETIMES WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY THE HEADLIGHTS AND ALL LIGHTS FLICKER ALL THE TIME WHEN I HAVE THEM ON AT NIGHT GOTTIN PULLED OVER A COUPLE OF TIMES TOOKIN IT TOO THE SHOP AND THEY SAID EVERYTHINGS OK ON HIGHWAY 36 BETWEEN BROOKFIELD AND CHILLICOTHE MO
REAR HATCH WIRING HARNESS HAS FRAYED WIRES AND CAN CAUSE A FIRE THERE IS RUBBING AGAINST WIRING HARNESS FROM THE RUBBER BOOT COVERING IT. THESE WIRES ARE LIVE AND CAUSE A FIRE AND ARE ALWAYS ON DUE TO CONNECTION TO ALL REAR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. I FOUND THIS OUT WHEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY MY REAR HATCH WOULD NOT OPEN UNLESS UNLOCKED WITH THE KEY.
HELLO NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, I WOULD LIKE TO CREATE A VEHICLE COMPLAINT REGARDING THE FORD FOCUS 2006 SEDAN ZX4 THAT I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE SEPTEMBER 20, 2017. WHILE DRIVING WITHIN A SERVICE ROAD, THE VEHICLE'S STALLED AND STOPPED RUNNING WHILE DRIVING UPON MULTIPLE INSTANCES OVER THE SAME DAY OF PURCHASING AND THROUGH OUT THE WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 22 - SEPTEMBER 30TH. AS A RESULT, I RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER OF LANSING POWER MOTORS INC. FOR AN INSPECTION SEPTEMBER 23, 2017. UPON COMPLETION OF THE INSPECTION, THE MECHANICS CONFIRMED THAT "NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE" AND SUGGESTED TO PURCHASE A NEW COMPUTER FOR THE VEHICLE. ON OCTOBER 30, 2017 I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHICH I THINK WAS DUE TO BAD ELECTRICAL BRAKES WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE BEING T-BONED BY ANOTHER DRIVER WITHIN A RESIDENTIAL INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALL OR STOP COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING AS OF MAY 14, 2018. IN ADDITION, NOTICED THAT ALL LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD DISPLAYED WHILE THE CAR STALLED AND DURING START-UP OF THE VEHICLE. UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE CAR NOT BEING RECALLED, DUE TO RECEIVING A MAILED NOTIFICATION REGARDING THE RECALL OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER. CAN PROVIDE THE NAME UPON CONTACT REGARDING THE VEHICLE COMPLIANT SUBMISSION OF THE FORM. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, CONSIDERATION, AND I HOPE THAT THIS INFORMATION MAY ASSIST YOU REGARDING THE CREATION OF A VEHICLE COMPLAINT.
2006 FORD FOCUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ANTI THEFT SYSTEM AND MANUAL TRANSMISSION ISSUES. *LD *JS
CABIN FILTER - FILTER IS EXCLUDED IN THIS MODEL OF VEHICLE. ELECTRIC WINDOWS NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY . AIRBAG- WAS NEVER INSPECTED BY DEALER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED, IT WOULD REMAIN STUCK IN THE ON OR OFF POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS INFORMED THAT THE KEY MIGHT NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT AT THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000.
THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCK DOES NOT LOCK. THIS IS THE SIDE THE BABY CARSEAT IS LOCATED. ALL THE OTHER DOORS DO LOCK/UNLOCK. IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY WITHOUT ANY REASON. I HAVE NOTICED MULTIPLE OCCURRENCES OF THIS ISSUE ON INTERNET FORUMS FOR FORD AND FORD DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL OR A MANDATORY FIX BUT THEY NEED TO AS THIS IS A REAL SAFETY AND SECURITY ISSUE! *TR
I HAVE HAD ONLY TWO PROBLEMS WITH MY 2006 FORD FOCUS. FIRST WE HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE IGNITION SWITCH TWICE DUE TO THE KEY BEING STICK IN LOCK WOULD RESTART BUT WOULD NOT COME OUT. SECOND THE INNER DOOR ON THE DEFROST STICKS WHEN ON FULL DEFROST OR FULL AIR CONDITIONING AND THE CABLES BRAKE KEEPING THE DRIVER FROM USING THE AIR CONDITIONER OR DEFROST AT THIS POINT IT IS STUCK ON AIR. *TR
REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK. NOT WITH THE KEY REMOTE OR MANUALLY. CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT CAN OPEN DOOR ANY TIME. *TR
DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND VEHICLE JUST STOPPED RUNNING/DIED. IT HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR ALMOST TWO WEEKS AND THEY HAVEN'T FIGURED IT OUT YET. NO CALL, SAME RUN AROUND WHEN I CALL ABOUT UPDATE.... *TR
THE TRUCK LATCH ON MY 2006 FORD FOCUS ZXW WOULD NOT ACTUATE ELECTRICALLY WHEN THE BUTTON ON THE FOB OR ON THE DASH WAS PRESSED DUE TO BROKEN WIRE IN A WIRING HARNESS RUNNING FROM THE INTERIOR TO THE REAR HATCH DOOR. IT WOULD ALSO BLOW FUSE #63 ON THE BACK OF THE INTERIOR FUSE PANEL WHICH MADE REPLACEMENT DIFFICULT (THE FUSE IS REALLY ON THE BACK OF THE FUSE BOX, THE MANUAL RECOMMENDS THAT ONLY THE DEALER SERVICE OR REPLACE THIS FUSE MAKING THIS ISSUE DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO PARTIALLY RESOLVE IMMEDIATELY). UNTIL THIS FUSE COULD BE REPLACED, MY INTERIOR DOOR LOCKS COULD NOT BE ACTUATED ELECTRICALLY (POWER LOCKS OR FOB) WHICH WAS A SAFETY CONCERN AS ANY CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT COULD NOT BE EASILY REACHED IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. ONE WOULD NEED TO MANUALLY UNLOCK ANY AND ALL DOORS FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CULPRIT WAS WIRING HARNESS THAT HAD WIRES WITH DAMAGE TO THE INSULATION AND TWO BROKEN WIRES. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEND ANY AND ALL PICTURES OF THE DEFECTS. THE DAMAGE OCCURS WHEN THE HARNESS BENDS AS THE REAR HATCH IS SHUT DUE TO POOR DESIGN THAT DID NOT INCORPORATE A STAIN RELIEF TO EITHER END OF THE HARNESS WHERE MAXIMUM BENDING STRESSES WOULD OCCUR. THE WIRES MAY HAVE ALSO SHORTED AFFECTING THE BRAKE LIGHT OPERATION, MARKER LAMP OPERATION, AND NUMEROUS OTHER FUNCTIONS AS THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED TEN WIRES THAT RUN IN PARALLEL IN THIS HARNESS AND ALL WIRE EXCEPT TWO HAD MULTIPLE INSULATION DEFECTS THAT POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN SHORTS. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE AND ALL HARNESSES THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS TYPE OF FAILURE SHOULD BE REPLACED OR REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY. *TR
HAVE HAD COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE 3 TIMES WITH MY CAR FIRST TIME WAS AT 12,500 MILES, 2ND. 61 MILES LATER AND LAST WEEK WITH 20,500 MILES. EACH TIME DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT MY ALTERNATOR HAD GONE BAD. WAYNE AKERS FORD, LAKE WORTH, FL PUT IN THE FIRST TWO REPLACEMENT ALTERNATORS AND CAR IS NOW AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A SECOND OPINION. *TR
REAR PASSENGER DOOR WON'T LOCK. MY WIFE "APPARENTLY" LOCKED THE CAR AT WORK IN AN OPEN PARKING LOT AND LATER WENT TO RETRIEVE SOMETHING FROM BACK SEAT TO FIND THAT THE DOOR WAS NOT LOCKED. NO INDICATION WAS GIVEN WHEN LOCKING THE CAR USING THE REMOTE LOCKING MECHANISM THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS FULLY LOCKED. IT ISN'T. I CHECKED THE ISSUE BY HAVING HER DRIVE UP AND DOWN THE ROAD MAKING SURE SHE THOUGHT ALL DOORS WERE LOCKED AND WHILE SHE HAD STOPPED, I OPENED THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR AND JUMPED IN THE BACK SEAT MUCH AS AN ATTACKER OR CARJACKER MIGHT DO. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE ANYONE CAN JUMP IN THE BACK OF THE CAR WHILE STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS EVEN THOUGH THE OWNER MAY THINK THAT THE CAR IS SECURELY LOCKED, IT JUST MIGHT NOT BE. BEWARE AND CHECK ALL YOUR DOOR LOCKS ON A REGULAR BASIS AS THIS SEEMS TO BE REPORTED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS ON FORD FOCUS INTERNET FORUMS. TO THIS DATE, WE HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THE ACTUAL LOCKING MECHANISM FAILED AS IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE, OR ANY OTHER DRIVER WOULD CHECK ON A REGULAR BASIS. *TR
VEHICLES SHIFTER BUTTON FAILED TO ENGAGE. INITIALLY DISCOVERED IT WAS DUE TO A BLOWN FUSE (#32.) AFTER REPLACING, VEHICLE OPERATED FINE FOR A FEW DAYS, BUT AGAIN SHIFTER BUTTON FAILED TO ENGAGE. INVESTIGATED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT THE BLOWN FUSE WAS DUE TO CRACKED WIRING INSULATION CAUSING EXPOSED WIRES IN THE REAR HATCH. ALSO LEARNED THIS ISSUE CAUSED THE REAR TAIL AND BRAKE LIGHTS NOT TO OPERATE. FOUND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET REGARDING THIS SAME ISSUE OF WHICH IT WAS ULTIMATELY DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW BECAUSE THE WIRES ON THE REAR WIRING HARNESS ARE TOO SHORT. *TR
THE FIRST INCIDENT OF KEYS GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION WAS ON NOVEMBER 27, 2009 IN IOWA. WE LIVE IN MINNESOTA AND HAD TO GO TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE IGNITION REPLACED FOR $485.91. LESS THAN FIVE YEARS LATER ON JUNE 4, 2013 THE KEYS GOT STUCK IN THE IGNITION AGAIN. THIS TIME LUCKILY WE WERE AT HOME. I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WELL KNOWN TO FORD SINCE 2000, YET THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE ISSUE. AFTER SOME MORE RESEARCH I FOUND A SOLUTION. THERE IS A THREE RING PIECE BETWEEN THE SHIFTER HANDLE AND THE SHAFT. SIMPLY PUSH IT BACK UP TOWARD THE HANDLE AND PRESTO THE KEYS COME OUT. THIS IS A FREE SOLUTION. I AM CURIOUS IF I CALLED FORD IF THEY WOULD TELL ME THIS SOLUTION OR FOR THAT MATTER EVEN FIX THE PART SINCE IT IS LESS THAN FIVE YEARS. IS IT UNDER WARRANTY? ANOTHER PROBLEM IS OUR CD PLAYER HAS A CD STUCK THAT WE CANNOT GET OUT. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO GO TO BEST BUY AND BUY AN UPGRADED ONE THAN TO HAVE A DEALERSHIP FIX IT. AT 85000 MILES ANOTHER PROBLEM IS WE HAD TO GET OUR HEAT SHIELD REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS RUSTING AND ABOUT TO FALL OFF. *TR
THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT LOCK ON OUR 2006 FORD FOCUS ZX4. IT OPENS AND CLOSES CORRECTLY. IT JUST WON'T LOCK, EVEN WITH CHILD LOCK ON. ALL OTHER DOORS OPERATE CORRECTLY. THIS DOOR OPERATED CORRECTLY BEFORE. WE HEARD FORD HAD A PROBLEM WITH THIS ON PREVIOUS FOCUS MODELS. CUT OFF WAS THE YEAR 2005 FOR THIS PROBLEM. WE FEEL UNSAFE FROM THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE WE TRANSPORT OUR SENIOR MOMS TO SHOPPING TRIPS. *TR
MY 2006 FOCUS ZX5 STARTED INTERMITTANTLY UNLOCKING THE HATCHBACK WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN I PULLED OVER TO TAKE A PHONE CALL. I LEFT THE CAR IN DRIVE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES I COMPLETED MY CALL AND MERGED BACK INTO TRAFFIC. WHEN I REACHED MY DESTINATION I PARKED MY CAR AND GOT OUT. I RETURNED TO MY CAR, STARTED THE ENGINE AND COULD NOT GET THE GEAR SHIFT OUT OF PARK. I HAD SOMEONE WATCH MY BRAKE LIGHTS WHILE I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE LIGHTS DID NOT WORK AND I FOUND THE FUSE FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS WAS BAD. I TOOK A FUSE FROM ANOTHER CIRCUIT AND GOT HOME. I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR 20 MILES WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS. I TOOK THE CAR TO A FORD DEALER AND THEY FOUND A BROKEN WIRE AND 6 OTHER WIRES WITH CRACKING INSULATION. THEY SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM AND THE CAR WORKED OK. IN JANUARY OF 2013 I NOTICED AFTER CLOSING MY HATCHBACK AND GETTING IN THE CAR MY THE "DOOR OPEN" INDICATOR STAYED ON. I CHECKED ALL DOORS AND THE HATCHBACK AND ALL WERE CLOSED. AFTER FINDING OUT ON-LINE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE FOCUS WIRING SINCE THE 2000 MODELS, I TOOK OFF THE CARBODY END OF THE RUBBER CONDUIT TO THE HATCHBACK. I FOUND A BROKEN WIRE (FIXED MY DOOR OPEN INDICATOR PROBLEM WHEN I REPAIRED IT) AND 6 WIRES WITH BLACK ELECTICAL TAPE ON THEM. I FOUND THAT THE ELECTRICAL TAPE IS WEARING THROUGH JUST LIKE THE WIRE INSULATION DID. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND COMPLAINED ABOUT THE HALF ASS REPAIR THEY DID. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT WAS THE REPAIR AUTHORIZED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I ASKED WHAT REPAIR WAS AUTHORIZED BY THE ORIGINAL WARRENTY AND HE SAID THE SAME REPAIR. FORD HAS KNOWN THAT THIS HARNESS IS A PROBLEM SINCE 2000 AND I WAS TOLD THEY ARE STILL USING THE WIRING IN THEIR 2013'S. WHY HAVEN'T THESE CARS BEEN RECALLED! *TR
DRIVERS SIDE REAR DOOR ELECTRIC DOOR LOCK WILL NOT LOCK. THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. *TR
THE TRUNK LIGHT WOULD NOT COME ON WHEN TRUNK WAS OPENED (REPLACING THE BULB DIDN'T HELP). LATER, THE 'DOOR OPEN' DASH LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. THE ELECTRIC TRUNK OPEN BUTTON SOMETIMES WOULD NOT OPEN TRUNK. A BIT OF TROUBLESHOOTING WITH A VOM AT THE TRUNK LIGHT POINTED TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM (A VOLTAGE DROP WHEN A NEW BULB WAS PLACED IN THE TRUNK LIGHT SOCKET). TURNS OUT THAT THE WIRING BUNDLE (CONTAINING SIX INDIVIDUAL MULTISTRAND WIRE LINES) HAD FIVE OF THE WIRES LINES FATIGUED APART , BREAKING THE FIVE CIRCUITS. THE WIRE LINES WERE SOMETIMES MAKING INTERMITTENT CONTACT WHEN THE TRUNK WAS OPENED AND CLOSED, NOT NECESSARILY WITH THE MATCHING WIRE LINE. I COULD HEAR NOISE AS THE WIRES WERE MOVED PAST EACH OTHER (NOT SURE IF THIS WAS JUST PHYSICAL SCRATCHING OR, WORSE, ELECTRICAL SPARKING). SINCE I SOMETIMES CARRY A GASOLINE CONTAINER IN THE TRUNK (LAWNMOWER GAS CONTAINER RETURNING FROM GAS STATION), I FEEL THAT THE DESIGN OF THIS WIRING TO THE TRUNK IS FAULTY AND COULD LEAD TO A FIRE UNDER THE RIGHT (AND NOT UNCOMMON) CIRCUMSTANCES. AFTER SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FORD MOTOR CO., A REPAIR WAS MADE (I PARTIALLY PAID FOR THE REPAIR) WHERE THE WIRING WAS REPLACED. I AM NOT SURE IF THE REPAIR WILL BE ANY SAFER THAN THE ORIGINAL DESIGN; HENCE THIS COMPLAINT WITH THE HOPE THAT A SAFER DESIGN (E.G., ONE WITHOUT SUCH A TIGHT RADIUS OF BEND) COULD DEVELOPED AND RETROFITTED INTO THIS CAR. *TR
KEY STICKS IN IGNITION. *TR
KEY STUCK IN IGNITION. *TR
THE KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE CAR DOES STILL START AND DRIVE FINE, BUT NO MATTER WHAT I DO, THE KEY WILL NOT COME OUT. IT MIGHT JUST BE FOR A FEW HOURS BUT MORE SO IT HAPPENS FOR AT LEAST 24 HOURS. IT SEEMS TO ALSO HAPPEN AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN USED ON A WARM DAY, SO IT WILL FIRST GET STUCK THAT EVENING WHEN THE CAR IS PUT INTO USE AGAIN. IT IS COSTING $285 TO GET IT FIXED BECAUSE IT NEEDS A NEW IGNITION. *TR
KEYS ARE STUCK IN THE IGNITION. *TR
IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER FAILURE ON A 2006 FORD FOCUS. THE KEY AT ONE TIME COULDN'T TURN THE IGNITION...NOW CAN'T REMOVE KEY FROM LOCK CYLINDER WITHOUT HAVING LOCKSMITH OR DEALERSHIP DO IT AT SUBSTANTIAL COST TO MYSELF. APPARENTLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE AND IS WAY MORE WIDESPREAD THEN ANY LITTLE RECALL THAT TOYOTA HAS HAD...WE NEED A RECALL OR A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. I*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.
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