RoadVitals

2008 Ford Focus Other / unspecified Problems

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

Data refreshed

Other / unspecified 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.
15
Latest Feb 9, 2020
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.
6%
of 250 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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 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.

Owner reports naming other

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

Other / unspecified
Filed Feb 9, 2020

GOING THROUGH REAR TIRES. CAUSING IT TO ACT LIKE REAR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE ON WET PAVEMENT. HAD AN ALIGNMENT DINE ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO AND HAD GOOD TIRES ON IT, THEY ARE NOW BALD. ALSO BACK END SLIDES WHEN HITTING EVEN SMALL BUMPS. FIRST TIME WAS ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO, GOT IT ALIGNED AND NEW TIRES WAS FINE TILE ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. GOT DECENT TIRES AND AN ALIGNMENT ITS ALREADY DOING ITVAGAIN.

NHTSA ID
11307985
Incident
Jan 31, 2020
Mileage
120,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Nov 21, 2017

I HAVE REPLACED THE TIRES ON THIS VEHICLE 5 TIMES IN 6 YEARS. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED IN 2010, ONLY 2 YEARS OLD, AND THE FIRST SET OF TIRES WAS REPLACED IN 2011. EACH TIME THE TIRES ARE REPLACED IT'S BECAUSE THERE IS ABNORMAL WEAR ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRES; SO MUCH DAMAGE, THE STEEL RADIAL FROM TIRES IS STICKING OUT. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED NEW SWAY BAR LINKS; REPLACED THOSE AS WELL, BUT HAVE SINCE PUT ANOTHER NEW SET OF TIRES ON THIS CAR. WHEN I REPLACED THESE TIRES, I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE 3 LUG NUTS WHICH WERE BROKEN AS WELL. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM; MANY OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS SAME ISSUE. TWO MECHANICS HAVE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THE TIRES TO WEAR PREMATURELY AND UNEVENLY, AND I STILL HAVE NO ANSWER. MY TIRES WHICH ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD FOR 45,000 MILES OR MORE, DEPENDING ON WHAT I BUY, AND NO MATTER WHAT BRAND I BUY, NONE HAVE LASTED 20,000 MILES. THE ONLY OPTION I HAVE IS TO REPLACE MY TIRES APPROXIMATELY ONCE A YEAR WHICH IS UNACCEPTABLE. I REFUSE TO SPEND MONEY REPLACING PARTS TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM BY "PROCESS OF ELIMINATION" BECAUSE NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IS. THE PREMATURE, UNEVEN TIRE WEAR IS SIMPLY A "SYMPTOM" OF A DEFECT THAT NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY. THE FIRST THING YOU WILL NOTICE IS THE VIBRATION; WHICH CONTINUES TO GET WORSE EVEN AFTER ALIGNMENTS AND TIRE ROTATIONS. ALSO, THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT WILL GO ON BECAUSE THE TIRES LOSE AIR SINCE THEY ARE WEARING PREMATURELY AND UNEVENLY. ONCE THIS STARTS HAPPENING, YOU MAY AS WELL START SAVING FOR A NEW SET OF TIRES; UNLESS FORD COMES CLEAN AND ADMITS THE DEFECT AND DOES A RECALL; BUT DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH. ON THIS FORM, THERE IS A QUESTION THAT SAYS "WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?" I HAD TO CHOOSE A YEAR SO I JUST PICKED ONE; IT HAS HAPPENED IN 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, AND 2016.

NHTSA ID
11047947
Incident
Jan 15, 2016
Mileage
95,000 mi
ElectricalOther / unspecifiedVisibility
Filed Feb 26, 2016

MY. 2008 FORD, FOCUS HAS FACTORY INSTALLED SUNSHINE SHIELD ON ALL WINDOWS. IT HAS BECOME IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THROUGH THE BACK WINDSHIELD, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT, THE INSTALLED SHADE HAD BECOME FOGGY! MY CAR EATS TIRES WHICH HAVE TO BE REPLACED APPROXIMATELY EVERY 2.5YEARS. THE HEATER/AIR-CONDITIONER FAN HAS SHORTED OUT 3 TIMES, THANKFULLY, NO FIRE HAS BEEN STARTED! ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS OCCUR ON STATIONARY OR MOVING VEHICLE. THE ONLY COMPLAINT THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE SHOP IS THE TIRE COMPLAINT. NO PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED.

NHTSA ID
10838723
Incident
Feb 1, 2012
Mileage
15,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Apr 27, 2015

THE CAR SUSPENSION IS EASILY UNALIGNED AND CAUSES THE CAR TO GO THROUGH TIRES AT AN ALARMINGLY ABOVE AVERAGE RATE. 30,000+ MILE TIRES DO NOT MAKE IT 20,000 WITHOUT SEVERE DAMAGE AND WEAR. AFTER OWNING THE CAR AND TAKING IT TO MANY DIFFERENT SHOPS THE RESULTS ARE ALWAYS THE SAME THAT MY CARS SUSPENSION IS NOT CORRECT. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 5 SETS OF SWAY BAR LINKS AND AT LEAST 8+ SETS OF TIRES IN THE 100,000 MILES I HAVE DROVE THE CAR. I HAVE RECEIPTS FOR 90% OF MY PURCHASES FOR REPAIRS, PARTS, AND SERVICE THAT ALL RELATE BACK TO THE CARS SUSPENSION NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND WEARING ABNORMALLY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10713012
Incident
Dec 1, 2009
Other / unspecifiedSteeringSuspension
Filed Nov 3, 2014

I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE SINCE IT FIRST HIT THE CAR LOT WITH 15 MILES ON IT. SINCE PURCHASE, I HAVE CHANGED THE WHEEL BEARINGS 9 TIMES! THIS IS SCARY AS THE BEARINGS CAN BREAK APART AND CAUSE MY VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. I HAVE HAD ENOUGH! NOW, THE BEARING IS BAD AGAIN, JUST CHANGED IN APRIL 2014. *TR

NHTSA ID
10652172
Incident
Nov 1, 2013
Mileage
17,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structureOther / unspecified
Filed May 13, 2014
Crash reported1 injury reported

I WAS DRIVING NW ON SR626 ABOUT 45 MPH WHEN A WHITE CAR PULLED FROM STOP SIGN STRIKING MY CAR IN THE PASS SIDE, HITTING REAR TIRE AND BODY JUST IN FRONT OF TIRE AS I WAS SWERVING LEFT TO MISS CAR. AT IMPACT MY CAR SPUN 180 DEGREES SLIDING BACKWARDS INTO A DEEP DITCH, ON RIGHT SIDE OF ROAD, ROLLING ONTO DRIVERS SIDE THEN BACK ONTO ALL FOUR WHEELS. THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED AS I WAS TOSSED AROUND INSIDE CAR HITTING MY HEAD, NECK AND LEFT SHOULDER AREA CAUSING INJURY. I DID HAVE MY LAP AND SHOULDER BELT ON AND IN THE CORRECT POSITION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10588150
Incident
May 2, 2014
Mileage
60,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Apr 17, 2014

I EXPERIENCE PREMATURE TIRE WEAR ON MY FOCUS. I HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE FOR SEVERAL YEARS. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A FORD DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES TO GET IT FIXED BUT THEY TELL ME NOTHING IS WRONG. THE CAR ALSO HANDLES HORRIBLY IN WET OR WINTERY WEATHER REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OR CONDITION OF THE TIRES. I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING THIS CAR IN THESE CONDITIONS. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS AN ALARMINGLY COMMON COMPLAINT WITH FORD FOCUS OWNERS. BODY STYLE YEARS OF ROUGHLY 2007-2010. IT IS A DANGEROUS ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED FOR ALL FORD FOCUS OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OR DIES.(MYSELF INCLUDED.) *TT

NHTSA ID
10583409
Incident
Apr 14, 2010
BrakesOther / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Jan 25, 2014

I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY DAUGHTER AT LOVING LINCOLN MERCURY IN LUFKIN TEXAS. WHILE TEST DRIVING THE CAR I NOTICED 1) THAT THE BRAKES WERE MAKING A LIGHT GRINDING NOISE WHILE COMING TO A STOP. 2) THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ON. THE SALESMAN ASSURED ME THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE I BOUGHT IT. WHEN WE PICKED IT UP THEY SAID THEY LOOKED AT ALL THE BRAKES AND THEY WERE OK. ALSO, THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ON, SO I WENT AHEAD AND BOUGHT THE CAR. NOW, JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER TAKING POSSESSION OF THE CAR THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. THE TIRES WERE MADE IN CHINA. THE BRAND NAME OF THE TIRES IS "GOODRIDE". I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THE CHINESE VALVE STEMS WERE RECALLED DURING CERTAIN YEARS. I WILL HAVE THE DEALER ALERTED AND GET A TIRE STORE TO CHECK THE TIRES AND VALVE STEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10561432
Incident
Jan 24, 2014
Mileage
70,866 mi
ElectricalOther / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Sep 27, 2013

I AM HAVING MAJOR ISSUES WITH STARTING MY VEHICLE. I WILL TURN THE KEY AND NOTHING HAPPENS. I HAVE TO FORCEFULLY TURN MY STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH BEFORE MY VEHICLE WILL START. THIS IS HAPPENING WITH BOTH KEYS THAT I OWN. ALSO I'M ON MY THIRD SET OF TIRES AS THEY ARE WEARING ON THE INSIDE VERY QUICKLY. I'VE HAD ALIGNMENT AFTER ALIGNMENT DONE AND NOTHING IS FIXING THE ISSUE. THIS IS MY SECOND FOCUS AND THIS 2008 COMPARED TO MY 2000 IS A PIECE OF JUNK. I SHOULDN'T BE HAVING SO MANY ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10545643
Incident
May 25, 2013
Mileage
68,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Apr 17, 2013

I JUST HIT THE 100,000 MILE MARK ON MY 2008 FOCUS, I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW, AFTER A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AT 20,000 MILES I HAD TO REPLACE MY TIRES, MY CAR WAS SHAKING REALLY BAD AND MAKING ALOT OF ROAD NOISE. THEN AT 84,000 MILES I HAD TO PUT ON MY 4TH SET OF TIRES. MY MILES ARE ALL HIGHWAY MILES, I ROTATE EVERY 6000 MILES, THEY ALWAYS TELL ME THE ALIGNMENT IS WITHIN FACTORY SETTINGS. THEN AT 98000 MILES MY CAR STARTED DOING IT AGAIN, THEY SAID MY REAR TIRES ARE BAD, THEY BLAMED IT ON A BAD TRAILING ARM AND THEY HAD TO RESET MY CHANBER TOES IN THE REAR END, AGAIN, THEY SAID MY ALIGNMENT IS FINE. ALL OF THIS WAS DONE AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP THAT I ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THE CAR. SO NOW AT 100,000 MILES, I AM GETTING READY TO PUT ON MY 5TH SET OF TIRES. THIS IS INSANE. I'M AFRAID AT SOME POINT SOMEBODY IS GOING TO HAVE A TIRE BLOWOUT OR SOMETHING AND SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GET HURT. PLEASE HELP TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10508617
Incident
Sep 24, 2009
Mileage
20,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Mar 23, 2013

THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THE REAR WHEELS MISALIGNED SINCE NEW PURCHASE. DEALERSHIP HAS NEVER OMITTED THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUES TO INSIST IT IS A TIRE ISSUE. THE MISALIGNED WHEEL CAUSES MULTIPLE FLAT SPOTTING AND EXCESSIVE WEAR ON TIRES, WHICH LEADS TO HEAVY VIBRATION AND NOISE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN CALIFORNIA RESULTING FROM THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10504241
Incident
Mar 1, 2010
Mileage
35,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Aug 28, 2012

AT 60,000 MILES THE CAR STARTED CHEWING UP TIRES AND STILL IS. THE FIRST SET IT DID THIS TO WERE WORN TO THE WIRE UNDER THE RUBBER BEFORE IT WAS NOTICED. IT HAS CHEWED UP TWO MORE SETS SINCE THEN ALL IN UNDER 10,000 MILES AND THE TIRES ARE RATED FOR APPROX. 50,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10472785
Incident
Oct 12, 2011
Mileage
60,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedSuspensionVisibility
Filed Jan 19, 2012

FORD DEALER HAD FIXED FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT WILL NOT FIX REAR WHEEL BEARINGS UNDER WARRANTY. CAR MAKES A ROARING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. I THINK THE REAR PARTS ON THE CAR HAVE BEEN RECALLED, BUT THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME $490 TO FIX. ALSO I PAID $25 FROM THE FORD DEALER FOR WIPERS THAT KEEP SCRAPING THE WINDSHIELD AND GIVE ME POOR VISIBILITY. *TT

NHTSA ID
10444596
Incident
Apr 1, 2011
Other / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Mar 4, 2010

I HAVE A 2008 FORD FOCUS, I HAVE REPLACE THE TIRES ON IT 3 TIMES ALREADY DUE TO WEAR THERE IS ONLY 37,000 MILES ON MY CAR. I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE RUN AROUND FROM THE FORD DEALER THERE IS A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THE SUSPENSION ON THESE CARS AND ITS GONING TO CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR EVEN DEATH WHEN THESE CARS START TO FAIL EXPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I AM ON MY FOURTH SET OF TIRES AND THEY WILL SOON NEED TO BE REPLACED. I AM ALSO HEARING A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL. I BELIEVE IT IS ALSO THE SUSPENSION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10316822
Incident
Feb 14, 2010
Mileage
36,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Jun 4, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A SPARE TIRE, JACK, AND/OR LUG WRENCH AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLES DO NOT COME WITH SPARE TIRES, JACKS OR LUG WRENCHES. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE A JACK, SPARE TIRE, AND WRENCH, BUT THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT DESIGN A SPARE TIRE OR JACK FOR THE TWO DOOR FORD FOCUS. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104. UPDATED 07/07/08. *LJ UPDATED

NHTSA ID
10229898
Incident
Jun 3, 2008
Mileage
104 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.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .