RoadVitals

2006 Ford Focus Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Jan 19, 2017
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 204 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. 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. 8 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.

Owner reports naming visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Visibility
Filed Jan 19, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED WITHOUT ANY IMPACT. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10946304
Incident
Aug 19, 2016
Mileage
56,000 mi
Driver assistanceVisibility
Filed Dec 14, 2016

MY 2006 FORD VENT SELECTOR THAT MOVES FROM DEFROST TO VENT HAS BROKEN TWICE NOW. I AM TOLD IT IS A 600 FIX BUT I SEE SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE WHY IS THERE NO RECALL.. NEXT SAME CAR THE GAS PEDAL STICKS IN COLD WEATHER TAKE TO A AUTO SHOP THEY CLEAN THROTTHLE BODY AND RUNS FINE FOR A BIT BUT AGAIN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS YET NO RECALL WHY. THEY BOTH HAPPEN WHILE IN MOTION

NHTSA ID
10935301
Incident
Dec 4, 2016
Mileage
92,000 mi
AirbagsVisibility
Filed May 27, 2016

THE AIRBAG SAFETY LIGHT INDICATOR IS 'ON' ON THE DASH BOARD. I AM AFRAID OF A FRONT END ACCIDENT AND NOT HAVE THE AIRBAG WORK. ALSO, THE WIPERS SCRAPE OR SKIP ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. BOTH THE WINDSHIELD AND BLADES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE SKIPPING CONTINUES NO MATTER THE AMOUNT OF WATER ON THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ID
10871202
Incident
Mar 1, 2013
Mileage
65,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 30, 2015

HVAC BLEND DOOR STUCK IN VENT POSITION. MOVING, 55 MPH, RURAL 2 LANE HIGHWAY. ATTEMPTED TO ADJUST FROM VENT MODE AND HEARD A SNAPPING SOUND AND THE KNOB MOVED FREELY WITHOUT ADJUSTING THE VENT SELECTION. TOOK THE ASSEMBLY APART LATER AND DETERMINED THE STEEL CABLE GOING TO THE HVAC BLEND DOOR HAD BROKEN FREE FROM THE ADJUSTER KNOB. UNABLE TO USE THE DEFROST VENTS TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED. PROBLEM REPAIRED FOR $60 FOR A NEW ASSEMBLY AND HALF AN HOUR OF PERSONAL LABOR.

NHTSA ID
10778841
Incident
Aug 23, 2015
Mileage
162,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 10, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDOW DEFROSTER BECAME INOPERABLE, WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID
10724499
Incident
Jul 15, 2014
Mileage
140,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 17, 2013

THE AIR VENT SELECTOR JAMMED WHEN IT SUDDENLY WAS NEEDED FOR DEFROST, THEN THE CABLE BROKE AND THE AIR VENT SETTING FOR DEFROST COULD NOT BE SELECTED, LEADING TO A DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH NO FORWARD VISIBILITY WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. I FOUND MANY OTHER FOCUS OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ONLINE, DUE TO A DEFECTIVE SEAL THAT TURNS TO GUM AND STICKS SHUT. THIS CAN LEAD TO UNEXPECTED AND SUDDEN LOSS OF DEFROSTING CAPABILITY, AND VISIBILITY CAN BE LOST IN SECONDS. WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER FOCUS THAT IS STARTING TO STICK, SO THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS, APPROXIMATELY FROM MODEL YEAR 2005 - 2007. *TR

NHTSA ID
10544163
Incident
Jun 3, 2013
Mileage
106,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 24, 2011

FIRST NOTICED WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD SLOW DOWN AND BECOME SLUGGISH DURING USE. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF CONTINUOUS USE, THE SEIZED UP AND COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. THIS WAS WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY DURING A HEAVY STORM. INSTANTLY, NO VISIBILITY, HAD TO PULLED OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER, TO CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. TOOK VEHICLE INTO FORD SERVICE AND THEY STATED NO PROBLEM FOUND... ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER, ALMOST THE SAME SCENARIO, WIPERS STOPPED WORKING ON THE FREEWAY, TOOK BACK INTO FORD DEALER, THEY FOUND OUT THE WIPER MOTOR WAS OVERHEATING AFTER 10 MINUTES AND SHORTING OUT. WIPER MOTOR REMOVED AND REPLACED. $450. INTERESTINGLY, EVERY OTHER 2006 FORD MODELS WHERE RECALLED FOR A WIPER MOTOR ISSUE, EXCEPT THE FOCUS. PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE THAT THE FOCUS SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10384356
Incident
Feb 18, 2011
Mileage
68,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 2, 2006

WINDSHIELD WILL NOT CLEAR OFF WITH DEFROST ON, EITHER ON COLD OR HOT. IT LOOKS LIKE CLOUDS OR VAPOR CROSSING THE WINDSHIELD WHEN DEFROST IS ON AND THE WINDSHIELD SEEMS TO BE COATED WITH SOMETHING. TOOK TO DEALER WITH COMPLAINT AND THEY SAID IT WAS JUST THE HUMIDITY. *JB

NHTSA ID
10164162
Incident
Aug 1, 2006
Mileage
5,450 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .