Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2007 Ford Focus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 20 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
Had a car stop suddenly in front of me and I had to apply the brakes hard. The ABS system made a strange sound and the pedal went to the floor. I missed the car in front of me, but now my brakes aren't working properly and there is fluid all over the ABS module assembly.
The contact owned a 2006 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to stop and as a result, the contact rear-ended another vehicle. The contact mentioned that when he would depress the brake pedal the faster the vehicle increased in speed. The air bag failed to deploy. The contact’s face was covered in blood, shoulder and hip injuries. The contact received medical attention via ambulance to the hospital. The other driver did not sustain any known injuries. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000. The VIN was not available
ON AN ICY ROAD I BRAKED AND THE ABS SYSTEM ENGAGED SLOWING THE VEHICLE. AFTER THAT, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELS MUCH FARTHER BEFORE BRAKING OCCURS DURING NORMAL EVERYDAY DRIVING. IF I PUMP THE PEDAL A COUPLE OF TIMES THE BRAKE PEDALS ENGAGES THE BRAKES LIKE IT USED TO. A LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR BUSINESS COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM. I DID AN ONLINE SEARCH AND FOUND MY EXACT SYMPTOMS LISTED IN FORD RECALL 19S54. I ALSO WATCHED A YOUTUBE VIDEO HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=0R46_UNYYK8 DESCRIBING WHY MY BRAKE PEDAL IS ACTING DIFFERENTLY AFTER THE ABS EVENT. MY FORD DEALER TOLD ME THERE ARE NO RECALLS ACTIVE FOR MY VEHICLE AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY REPAIRS.
CAR IN MOTION, WHILE BRAKING AND MAKING A TURN WOULD LOSE BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE IF GOING OVER ROUGH ROAD. ON 9/24/14, THIS SITUATION RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT, COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE DUE TO INABILITY TO STOP. INSURANCE REPAIRED THE CAR COSMETICALLY, BUT DID NOT ADDRESS OR REPAIR THE BRAKING ISSUE. FIRST TIME TO DEALER AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THEY TRIED BLEEDING THE BRAKES. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE CAR UNTIL LARGE AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID APPEARED IN DRIVEWAY. SECOND DEALER REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT AT A COST OF OVER $2000. BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE PROBLEM WAS FINALLY RESOLVED. TODAY, 8/29/2017, WHILE DRIVING OFF AN EXIT RAMP, BRAKING AND TURNING ONTO A ROAD THAT WAS BEING RESURFACED (ROUGH ROAD TRANSITION), I LOST BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE. PEDAL WENT NEARLY TO FLOOR. PEDAL WAS SOFT THROUGH THE NEXT FEW MILES. I PARKED THE CAR TO ATTEND AN EVENT. THEN I CONTINUED HOME, DRIVING INCLUDED A FEW MORE TRAFFIC LIGHT STOPS ON MY WAY HOME, THE BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE SUDDENLY RETURNED. TONIGHT'S EVENT BRINGS BACK MEMORIES OF THE SAME SITUATIONS I EXPERIENCED WITH THIS CAR YEARS AGO. I HAVE ATTACHED A BRIEF INSURANCE SUMMARY ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE CLAIM. I WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND THE POLICE REPORT, BUT MAY BE ABLE TO REQUEST ANOTHER COPY SHOULD YOU WANT IT. COULD THIS PROBLEM ON MY 2007 FORD FOCUS BE RELATED TO NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE16017 WHICH DESCRIBES MY ISSUE BUT ON FORD FUSION'S BUILT DURING THE SAME YEAR? PLEASE INVESTIGATE IF SIMILAR OR THE SAME PARTS ARE SHARED BETWEEN THE FOCUS AND FUSION. WHILE TRYING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM YEARS AGO, I CAME ACROSS OTHERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME SYMPTOMS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FOCUS. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000. UPDATED 05/30/17*LJ UPDATED 7/9/18*JB *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,600.
MY BREAKS FEEL VERY MUSHY. I HAVE TO PUMP MY BREAKS IN ORDER FOR ME TO STOP. I COULD BE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND NEED TO SLOW DOWN OR COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN MY BREAKS DON'T RESPOND NORMALLY. WHILE ON HIGHWAY IF I DON'T PUMP BREAKS THE PEDAL JUST GOES TO THE FLOOR. WHEN COMING TO A STOP I HAVE TO PUMP BREAKS TO SLOW DOWN AND HAVE THE PEDAL TO FLOOR IN ORDER TO STOP. IF I COME OFF THE FLOOR JUST SLIGTLY WITH PEDAL THE CAR WILL ROLL FORWARD. VERY SCARY MAY I AD. I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND NOTICED THE PROBLEM THE NEXT DAY AFTER PURCHASE. I HAD THE BREAK PADS AND ROTORS REPLACED AND IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A DAILY PROBLEM.
THERE ARE TWO RECURRING PROBLEMS THAT REALLY CONCERN ME: 1) TRANSMISSION/POWERTAIN LIGHT HAS FLICKERED ON-AND-OFF AND THEN GOES OFF COMPLETELY. INITIALLY I ASSUMED IT WAS A FUSE OR ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL EPISODES, THE SCARIEST TO DATE ON 2-20-12 THE CAR SEEMED TO "LOSE GEARS," SHUTTERED A LITTLE, AND SUDDENLY FELT IT WAS GOING TO STALL OUT ON A SHORT INCLINE. MY 15 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER (WITH LEARNER'S PERMIT) WAS AT THE WHEEL. IT WAS FRIGHTENING AS THE CAR FELT IT WOULD ROLL BACKWARD WITH TRAFFIC STACKED UP BEHIND HER. 2) BRAKES: ON TWO OCASSIONS SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR (3.5 MONTHS) THE BRAKES, WHEN APPLIED (NORMAL FASHION) COMPLETELY WENT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT FUNCTIONING: THERE WAS NOTHING THERE. A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER, AND ONLY AFTER PUMPING THE BRAKES A FEW TIMES, DID THE "BRAKE FUNCTION RETURN." MY MOTHER HAD WARNED ME ABOUT THIS - SHE ALSO PROVIDED ME WITH A FILE FOLDER OF ALL REPAIRS SHE HAD MADE ON THE CAR. TWICE; SHE HAD THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER REPLACED! SHE COMPLAINED TO THE FORD DEALER IN HER HOMETOWN, WHO "BRUSHED IT OFF" AND ASSURED HER THERE WOULD BE NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS, THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN - AND AGAIN, MY 15 YEAR OLD WAS AT THE WHEEL. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW FRIGHTENING THIS WAS - IF NHTSA IS AWARE OF MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT A DESIGN FAILURE; WHY HASN'T FORD ISSUED A RECALL TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS? *TR
PREMATURE AND UNEVEN WEARING ON ORIGINAL TIRES (PARELLI) ACCIDENT DUE FAILURE TO CONTROL AND/OR STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE HITTING ANOTHER CAR. OVER 6,000 DOLLARS IN DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE AND WHIP LASH. *TR
WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO VIBRATE INTENSELY. WAS AT APPROX. 60 MPH. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THE PADS AND ROTOR WERE BAD. THIS CAR ONLY HAS APPROX. 30K MILES. THIS IS FAST WEAR ON BRAKES. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. THE BRAKES ARE SLOW TO GRAB. *TR
APPLIED BRAKES, HIT SNOWY SPOT ON ROAD, BRAKES LOCKED UP, ANTI LOCK DID NOT WORK. HIT CURB. ANTI LOCK BRAKES SEEMS TO WORK ONLY ON CERTAIN SITUATIONS. CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER SAID ANTI LOCK BRAKES DON'T WORK ON SNOW. *TR
I WEAR A SIZE 13 SHOE & OCCASIONALLY WENT I DEPRESS THE BRAKES MY SHOE ALSO ENGAGES THE GAS PEDAL. 2007 FORD FOCUS. *TR
I WAS PASSING A CAR AND JUST COMPLETED THE PASS (APPROX. SPEED WAS 60 MPH), WHEN THE BACK RIGHT TIRE LOCKED UP. THIS CAUSED ME TO GO INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC. I THEN WENT OFF THE ROAD AND FLIPPED END OVER END ONCE AND BARRELL ROLLED THREE TIMES. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. I HAD MINOR INJURIES. WITNESSES STOPPED AND TOLD POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL, THAT AFTER I HAD PASSED THEM, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE LOCKED UP AND SPUN ME OUT OF CONTROL. THE CAR LANDED ON ITS DRIVER SIDE. DURING THE SPIN AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IT FELT AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE. THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. MY CONCERNS ARE THE BRAKING SYSTEM, TIRES, AIR BAGS, AND WHEEL BEARINGS. THIS CRASH SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED, THIS IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM FOR FORD. *TR
I HAVE TWO PROBLEMS WITH DESIGN FLAWS IN MY 2007 FORD FOCUS SSE: (1) .BECAUSE OF WHERE THE DOOR LOCK IS LOCATED, JUST ABOVE THE DOOR HANDLES (FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES) ALL THE DOORS WILL LOCK AT TIMES AND YOU DON'T REALIZE IT WHEN YOU OPEN, GET OUT, THEN CLOSE THE DOOR. MOST OFTEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE YOU HAVE LEFT THE MOTOR RUNNING WITH THE KEY NOW LOCKED INSIDE. THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE OF COMING IN CONTACT WITH THIS LOCK WITH YOUR FINGERS OR HAND WHILE OPENING THE DOOR WITH THE HANDLE. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS DESPITE NOW KNOWING WHAT CAUSES THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A COMPLETE NUISANCE AND DANGEROUS IF CHILDREN WOULD HAPPEN TO BE LEFT IN THE CAR WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE DOORS LOCKED AND NO SECOND KEY ON HAND. (2). THE SECOND PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THE AUTOMOBILE IS I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE "AUDI EFFECT" WHERE THE CAR ACCELERATES ON OCCASION WHEN BRAKING. THIS I ALSO ASCRIBE TO A DESIGN FLAW: THE BRAKE PEDAL AND GAS PEDAL ARE PLACED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER AND AT A RELATIVE CLOSE HEIGHT TO ONE ANOTHER. AFTER TAKING THE DEFENSIVE POSITION, IN A POTENTIAL BRAKING SITUATION, IF YOU HAVE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE QUICKLY AND HARD, THE CAR ACCELERATES. THIS TAKES YOU COMPLETELY BY SUPRISE AND IT TAKES TIME TO RESPOND. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE SAME WAY FOR 45 YEARS, WITH MANY VEHICLES, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. LUCKILY THE CAR SAT MOST OF THE WINTER BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM I DESCRIBED PREVIOUSLY AND NO ONE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE ON SNOW COVERED OR ICY ROADS. I BROUGHT THIS UP AT THE END OF APRIL IN A VISIT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO FILE A COMPLAINT BY SERVICE MANAGER STEVE LOVALVO. I WANT TO BRING BOTH OF THESE DEFECTS TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE I FEEL THAT I HAVE LEASED A LEMON THAT HAS PROBLEMS THAT CANNOT BE SERVICED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND PRESENTS POTENTIAL PROBLEMS FOR MANY OTHER DRIVERS ALSO. *TR
I CAME HOME AND PARKED MY FOCUS AS USUAL. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AS ALWAYS AND ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. WHEN I GOT UP THE NEXT MORNING AND WENT OUTSIDE, MY CAR HAD ROLLED INTO A LIGHT POLE AT MY HOUSE AND DONE CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS STILL ENGAGED. I HAD JUST GOTTEN MY CAR THE DAY BEFORE FROM THE REPAIR SHOP SO ALL WAS IN WORKING ORDER WITH THIS VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR 9 MONTHS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND I ALWAYS DO THE SAME THING EACH DAY. *TR
HAD BRAKE FAILURE, RESULTED IN ACCIDENT, HIT A PICKUP TRUCK AND APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. HOWEVER, THE LIGHT CAME ON AND IT DID REQUIRE A SWITCH TO BE REPLACED WHICH COST ME A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS. *TR
NOVEMBER 19TH, ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE, BRAKES WENT TO FLOOR, I HIT A PICKUP. REQUESTED DEALER CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM, THEY DID A TEST DRIVE SAID BRAKES ARE FINE. NOVEMBER 30TH, DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, WENT TO STOP NOTICED BRAKES WERE MUSHY, NOT SAME TENSION AS USUAL BUT CAR DID BRAKE. DECEMBER 5TH, MAKING RIGHT HAND TURN TO GET ON FREEWAY, TAPPED BRAKES, BRAKES DID NOT WORK, TAPPED AGAIN THEY WORKED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT HEARS METAL GRINDING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. HE STATED THAT THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE, BUT ARE STILL SQUEAKING. WHEN HE RELEASES THE CLUTCH AND SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL, HE HEARS A KNOCKING SOUND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE MAKES A TICKING SOUND AS IF IT WILL EXPLODE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN DIAGNOSING AND REPAIRING ALL OF THESE FAILURES. THE REPAIRS USUALLY LAST APPROXIMATELY 3-4 WEEKS BEFORE THE FAILURES RECUR. THE CONTACT REQUESTED THAT THE DEALER REPLACE HIS VEHICLE WITH A NEW VEHICLE. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 14,701 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300.
WAS DRIVING IN GOOD WEATHER CONDITIONS AND 2007 FORD FOCUS BEGAN TO VEER TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT OUT OF CONTROL - I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE STEERING OR BRAKES IS WAS AS IF THE CAR WENT ON AUTO PILOT AND STARTED DRIVING ITSELF. AFTER ABOUT TWENTY SECONDS OF ROCKING LEFT AND RIGHT IN THE ROAD THE CAR MADE A SHARP RIGHT AND LEFT THE HIGHWAY HIT AND FLIPPED TWICE WITH MY DAUGHTER AND MYSELF INSIDE - FORTUNATELY WE ARE BOTH STILL ALIVE THE 2007 FORD FOCUS IS TOTALED. *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
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