Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Ford Focus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 55 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 55, in the owner's own words
My car was sitting ,in the driveway of my,home it was t-boned after which it spun around 90 degrees,it was damaged severely.The air bags did not deploy,I think they should've deployed. The car went to the shop and it has not been properly repaired,the body is structurally distorted ,and some of the mechanisms related to suspension and the trailing axle aren't properly installed or repaired.
Was in frontal/near frontal collision at 20-25mph. No airbags deployed.
MY TWO SONS WERE TURNING LEFT WHEN THEY WERE T-BONED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY SONS VEHICLE WAS STRUCK IN THE RIGHT REAR. THE SIDE AIR BAGS WENT OFF BUT NOT THE TWO FRONTS. ALSO THEIR SEAT BELTS DID NOT TIGHTEN. BC OF THIS BOTH SONS SUFFERED TBI'S, ONE VERY SEVERE AND IS STILL RECOVERING. THE OTHER REQUIRED BRAIN SURGERY. I AM SO UPSET THAT THEIR SEAT BELT DID NOT TIGHTEN. I BOUGHT A NEWER FORD THINKING IT WAS GOING TO BE SAFE. PLEASE SOMEONE FIX THIS DEFECT. I HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS COULD EVER HAPPEN. THEY WERE HIT FROM THE OTHER PERSON GOING 45 MPH SO IT SHOULD HAVE TIGHTENED. SAD MOMMA. LIVES CHANGED FOREVER. :( [XXX]*DT PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND MY CAR SLIDE ACROSS A HIGHWAY, HIT A MEDIAN, AND CAME TO A STOP HITTING A TREE HEAD ON. IT DEMOLISHED THE DRIVERS SIDE AND NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I UNHOOKED MY SEAT BELT AND MERELY LEANED AGAINST THE DOOR. TO MY SURPRISE, IT OPENED BY ITSELF AND I FELL OUT. CONSEQUENTLY I WAS LAYING IN THE SNOW AND MUD FOR 5 MINUTES BEFORE A GOOD SAMARITAN PULLED ME OUT OF THE MUD. I SUBMITTED MY CAR TO A FORD DEALER/BODYSHOP TO CORRECT ANY RECALLS LAST YEAR, AND I HAVE PROOF THAT THIS WASN'T DONE PROPERLY. NOW I HAVE I HURT DISK IN MY BACK AS WELL AS LITTLE MOBILITY IN MY LEFT LEG.*DT*JB
THIS WAS A RECALL ALREADY THAT IS HAZARDOUS TO ALL DRIVERS ON THE ROAD INCLUDONG THE DRIVER. THE CAR WILL STALL,STUDDER,AND GIVE NO POWER WHEN PULLING OFF. I CANT UNDERSTAND HOW SOMETHING SO DANGEROUS THAT ALSO COST ME MY LIFE WOULD HAVE A LIMITED WARRANTY ON A SAFTEY RECALL. THIS SHOULD BE A LIFETIME WARRANTY ON THIS. BECAUSE THEY CAIM TO FIX THE ISSUE BUT IF IT CONTINUES TO BREAK DOWN AFTER 2 MONTHS 3 MONTHS. WHY IS THEIR A LIMITED TIME FRAME ON SAFETY RECALL AND THE SAFTEY OF DRIVERS AND THE OWNER.THIS HAS CAUSED ACCIDENT TO OTHERS. BECAUSE WHEN A RECALL IS DONE. YOU BELIEVE THE ISSUE IS FIXED. IT SHOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THEN THE LIMITED WARRANTY IS UP. NOW YOU'RE STUCK WITH A SAFETY HAZARDOUS CAR THAT IS DANGEROUS TO PUT ON THE ROAD. PLEASE HELP. I DID STALL ON THE ROAD I HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED. I WAS STALLED DUE TO THIS RECALL. NOW IT'S HAPPENING ABOUT. DRIVERS SAFETY SHOULDNT HAVE A LIMIT THIS OTHER INCIDENT OCCURRED DUE TO THEIR WARRANTY NOT HOLDING UP WITH KEEPING THE ROADS SAFE. THE SAME SAFETY RECALL IS NOW STARTING TO CAUSE ROAD HAZARDOUS ISSUES AGAIN THAT WILL BE UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD AND MYSELF. THE CARS NOT EVEN 10 YEARS OLD.
MY FORD FOCUS HAS BEEN HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW. I HAVE ASKED FORD TO LOOK AT MY CAR AND THEY STATED IT WILL BE $150 TO DO THAT. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY. MY MAJOR CONCERN IS THE AIR BAGS. MY LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING OFF AND ON AND I DO NOT THINK THE AIR BAGS WILL EMPLOY. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEB SITE AND ONLINE AS WELL. SOME CARS HAVE BEEN IN ACCIDENTS AND HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AND AIRBAGS DID NOT EMPLOY. I AM TERRIFIED THIS WILL HAPPEN AND NOT SAVE A LIFE. I HAVE AN AUTISTIC 13 YR OLD THAT RIDES IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AND MYSELF ARE VERY CONCERNED!. ALSO I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING ONLINE A BIG ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRICAL IN THE MIDDLE ISLE WHICH CONTROLS THE RADIO AND AIRBAGS AND WHATEVER OTHER WARNING LIGHTS AND CONTROLS MAY BE. MY RADIO SHORTED OUT WITH LOUD POPPING AND SRCREEHING NOSE THEN BLEW OUT. I THINK THE ELECTRICAL IS ALL BAD IN THE UNIT WHICH MAY BE EFFECTING THE AIRBAGS. PLEASE I AM ASKING FOR A VERY CONCERNED SAFETY CONCERN TO SAVE A LIFE REGARDING THE AIRBAGS PLEASE LOOK INTO A RECALL REGARDING THIS. I AM NOT THE FIRST ONE THO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DO HAVE PICTURES WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON AND OFF. IT IS NOT A PUSH BUTTON! I CAN SEND PICTURES IF YOU NEED THEM. I AM ABLE TO DO CURRENTLY. PLEASE LET ME KNOW. PLEASE HELP
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A POLE AND THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER MULTIPLE TIMES. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER SUSTAINED NECK PAINS THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED TOTALED BY THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
AIR BAG LIGHT: OUR CAR WAS PARKED, AND GOT HIT BY ANOTHER CAR. THIS DAMAGED THE FRAME, BUT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WENT OFF AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T ENGAGE. AFTER THE MECHANIC FIXED OUR CAR THE AIR BAG LIGHT WON'T GO OFF, AND THE DEALERSHIP HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO CLEAR IT OUT. WE HAVE ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES FOR THEM TO FIX IT, AND THEY SAY THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG. I DON'T KNOW IF MY AIR BAGS WILL WORK, AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR 5 YEARS NOW, AND EVERY TIME I BRING MY CAR IN THE DEALERSHIP IGNORES THE AIR BAG LIGHT.
BEFORE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE THAT HAS A REBUILT TITLE AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, I HAD A DIAGNOSTIC TEST PERFORMED BY MY LOCAL FORD SERVICE DEPT. EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT FINE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF REPLACING THE AIR BAG. AFTER THE AIR BAG WAS REPLACED (~$1000 LATER), THEY PROCEED TO TELL ME THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS STILL ON AND THE SENSORS NEED TO BE REPLACED AND IT WILL COST US ANOTHER $2000. IF THIS WAS KNOWN AT THE TIME OF THE DIAGNOSTIC, WE WOULD HAVE NEVER MADE THIS PURCHASE.
I WAS GOING 60 MPH ON A FREEWAY IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE WHEN MY CAR STARTED TO HYDROPLANE ACROSS 5 LANES OF TRAFFIC AND I HIT THE CENTER CONCRETE BARRIER HEAD ON AND THEN THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT CAUSED MY CAR TO SPIN AROUND AND THEN THE REAR OF THE CAR HIT THE BARRIER HEAD ON. NOT A SINGLE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. NOT EVEN THE ONE IN THE STEERING WHEEL. I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING FAULTY WITH THEM BUT NO ONE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT IT FOR ME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO SHIFT FROM PARK INTO REVERSE. THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AS THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE IT WAS ABLE TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE RELAY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. ON A DIFFERENT OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE AIR BAG FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 53,309.
POSSIBLE TAKATA RECALL-DONT KNOW IF THIS IS A TAKATA AIRBAG-ITS A 2012 FORD FOCUS, THERE IS NO RECALL AS OF NOW, BUT MY SON BOUGHT CAR YESTERDAY, WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT TODAY, CAR IS IN BAD SHAPE, HE IS OK, BUT NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. A GUY WAS ISSUED A CITATION FOR MAKING A LEFT AND NOT YIELDING, SO MY SON SWIRVED TO MISS HIM AND HIS FRONT AND SIDE OF CAR WERE PRETTY BAD DAMAGED. HE WAS GOING 30, SLAMMED ON BREAKS AND SKIDDED WHEN THEY HIT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SLID DUE TO SNOW AND ICE ON THE ROAD. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A STOP SIGN AND A TREE. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND CALLED THE POLICE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER WHERE IT REMAINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT TAKATA WAS NOT THE MANUFACTURER OF THE AIR BAGS IN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,600.
CONNECTOR FOR AIRBAGS KEEP COMING UNDONE. WE TOOK IN AFTER SEEING NOTIFICATION ON DASH SHOWING AIRBAG ISSUE. PAID 170 FOR THEM TO PUT A NEW CONNECTOR IN. LESS THAN A YEAR LATER IT IS LOOSE AGAIN. WE CANNOT KEEP PAYING $170 FOR THEM TO FIX THIS. THE SWITCH JUST HANGS UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND WE HAVE MADE A POINT OF NOT PUTTING ANYTHING UNDER THERE IN CASE THIS WAS THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SEEN ONLINE WHERE AIRBAGS ARE NOT DEPLOYING. COULD BE A FAULTY SWITCH UNDERNEATH CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN. HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2012/FORD/FOCUS/AIR_BAGS/PROBLEM.ASPX
TANAKA RECALL: I RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION THAT MY CAR WAS RECALLED DUE TO DEFECTIVE TANAKA AIR BAGS. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP (HALDEMAN FORD IN ALLENTOWN, PA) THAT I WOULD BE NOTIFIED WHEN THEY RECEIVED THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR. PERIODICALLY, I INQUIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE REPAIR, BUT WAS TOLD EACH TIME THAT THEY STILL HAD NOT RECEIVED THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR. I AGAIN INQUIRED RECENTLY AND WAS AGAIN TOLD I WOULD BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE REQUIRED PARTS ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP. IT WAS ONE YEAR AND TWO MONTHS SINCE I RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTIFICATION AND STILL THEY SAY THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS. I HAVE JUST BEEN NOTIFIED THAT TANAKA WAS FILING FOR BANKRUPTCY. IT NOW APPEARS THAT THE PARTS MAY NEVER BE AVAILABLE AND I WILL BE REQUIRED TO DRIVE AROUND WITH DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS AIRBAGS WITH NO LEGAL RECOURSE TO SUE TANAKA FOR DAMAGES. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. FORD SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF ITS CUSTOMERS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF FORD AND ITS DEALERSHIPS.
MY SON WAS STOPPED BEHIND ANOTHER STOPPED CAR ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY, AS A CAR 2 IN FRONT OF HIM WAS PREPARING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. THE PERSON TRAVELING BEHIND MY SON, WAS LOOKING INTO HIS REARVIEW MIRROR AT HIS CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT AND FAILED TO STOP. INSTEAD, AT FULL SPEED (45-55MPH) HE REARENDED MY SON IN THE FORD FOCUS THEREBY PUSHING HIM INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF HIM. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED, AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK CAUSING MY SON TO PLANT HIS FACE IN THE STEERING WHEEL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE DUE TO A WATER BOTTLE THAT BECAME LODGED BETWEEN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE FLOORBOARD. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED IN THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED AN INJURY TO THE LEFT ARM DUE TO THE SEAT BELT SEIZING UPON IMPACT ON THE CONTACT'S ARM. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 47,000.
I DON'T KNOW IF MY FORD FOCUS 2012 IS INCLUDED IN THE TAMARA AIRBAG RECALL OR NOT. MY CLUTCH HAS BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN STOPPED OR SLOWING DOWN.: IT'S THE POWERSHIFT TRANSMISSION. MY DOOR LATCHES WERE REPLACED PER FORD RECALL. NEW REAR ENGINE MAIN SEAL REPLACED 7/12/17. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 32,746 MILES ON IT. TIRES ALREADY HAD TO BE REPLACED.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V340000 (STEERING) AND 17V024000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, IN WHICH THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY OR EXPLODED SENDING YELLOW GAS INTO THE AIR ON IMPACT OF WRECK AS [XXX] WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSE OF VEHICLE [XXX] HOSPITALIZED. DAMAGE TO HIS NECK SMASHED SHOULDER. HE HAS PICTURES AND DOCUMENTATION OF INJURY, POLICE RECORDS AND HOSPITAL RECORDS. 'INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
AIR BAG LIGHT WONT GO OFF TOOK TO DEALER CHARGING 110.00 TO CHECK IT SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V643000(LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
ON 10/23/2015 AT 51,289 MILES, I TOOK THE CAR IN BECAUSE THE CAR INTERMITTERLY WOULD NOT START & WHEN TAKING OFF FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, IT WAS JERKY. I WOULD HAVE TO LET OFF THE GAS. I ALSO EXPERIENCED A RUBBING & SCRAPING SOUND THAT I FOUND OUT IS WHAT THEY SAID WAS THE TRANSMISSION CLUTCH SHUDDERING. THE CLUTCH & TCM (TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE) WERE REPLACED UNDER THE FORD TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS TSB15-0120 & TSB-15-0121. ON 10/12/2016 AT 71,906 MILES, I TOOK THE CAR BACK INTO THE SAME LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR SHUDDERING AGAIN. THEY REPLACED THE CLUTCH AGAIN & REPROGRAMMED THE PCM/TCM & PREFORMED AN ADAPTIVE LEARN PROCEDURE. I STILL EXPERIENCE A GRINDING SOUND MAINLY WHILE TURNING, BUT HAVE BEEN ASSURED THAT IT IS NORMAL & NOT AN ISSUE. MY MOST RECENT ISSUE IS MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON STATIONARY (NO FLASHING). I CURRENTLY HAVE LESS THAN 80,000 MILE ON THE CAR. I TOOK IT INTO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER & THE CAR GAVE CODE DTC B00C2-11-OCSM (RIGHT FRONT SEATBELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY SHORTED). IT WILL COST OVER $700 TO REPLACE!!! I WAS TOLD IF I AM IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE AIRBAGS NEED TO DEPLOY, THEY WILL NOT DEPLOY......NONE OF THEM! LESS IMPORTANT PROBLEMS I'VE EXPERIENCED IS THE MANUAL LUMBAR IN THE DRIVER SEAT BROKE & THE "BEAUTY RING" AROUND THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH CRACKED. FORD DOES NOT SELL JUST THAT PIECE. YOU HAVE TO BUY THE WHOLE COVER THAT ALSO GOES AROUND THE AIR VENT RIGHT ABOVE IT EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE SEPARATE PIECES CLIPPED TOGETHER, WHICH IS $45.
I WAS IN A FRONT IMPACT ROLLOVER ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY RESULTING IN BACK AND NECK INJURIES. THIS WAS ON A TWO LANE COUNTRY BLACKTOP.
METAL ON AIRBAG ASSEMBLY/STEERING WHEEL COVER CRACKING AND PEELING. CAUSING MULTIPLE FINGER LACERATIONS WHILE DRIVING.
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
Data on this page last refreshed .