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 2018 Ford Focus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 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
During their recall repair work on my cpv/ecm recall Rowe Auburn Ford allowed my car to leave their custody with the airbag light on and have refused to take responsibility or offer resolution to fix this issue without costing me more money.
WHEN COMING FROM A COMPLETE STOP AT A RED LIGHT UPON PRESSING THE GAS TO PUT YHE VEHICLE IN MOTION AGAIN , IT STALLS BEFORE TAKING OFF. THE AIRBAG UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL DEPLOYED WHEN MY KNEE BUMPED IT. WHEN PUTTING GAS IN THE CAR THE CAR WILL NOT START BACK UP , IT STARTS N TURNS OFF ON ITS OWN.
MY DAUGHTER DRIVING HER 2018 FORD FOCUS HATCHBACK WAS INVOLVED IN A HIGH IMPACT FRONT END COLLISON AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AT IMPACT. THE FOCUS HIT A SUV WHO SUDDENLY MADE A COMPLETE STOP FOR NO REASON ON 40 MPH ROAD. THE IMPACT WAS A DIRECT HIT TO THE FOCUS'S FRONT BUMPER FLUSH WITH SUV'S BACK BUMPER. THE DRIVER'S SIDE KNEE AIRBAG WAS THE ONLY AIRBAG TO DEPLOY AND THE MY DAUGHTER (DRIVER) WAS TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO THE NEAREST HOSPITAL, SUFFERED MULTIPLE COMPRESSION FRACTURES OF THE SPINE, INJURIES TO MULTIPLE INTERVERTEBRAL DISCS, AN APPARENT KNEE LIGAMENT INJURY, AND OTHER SUPERFICIAL BRUISES, CUTS, AND SCRAPS TO THE HIPS, LEGS, SHOULDER, CHEST, AND ARMS. THE HOOD ENDED UP BENT IN HALF LIKE AN "A" FRAME, THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED, MOST OF THE FRONT END WAS PUSHED INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND THE STEERING WHEELING HOUSING WAS CRACKED. THE FORD FOCUS IS A TOTAL LOSS. DURING EXTRACTION OF THE DRIVER, THE FIRE AND RESCUE CUT POWER TO THE VEHICLE TO PREVENT THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG FROM DEPLOYING. THEY REMARKED TO THE DRIVER THAT THE STEERING WHEEL AND SIDE AIRBAGS SHOULD'VE DEPLOYED WITH THE AMOUNT OF IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE AND INJURIES SUSTAINED BY THE DRIVER. MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL 3 DAYS AND IS AWAITING A BACK BRACE AND KNEE BRACE AND APPOINTMENTS WITH A NEUROSURGEON, ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON, PHYSICAL THERAPIST, AND PAIN MANAGEMENT. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A WARNING LIGHT FOR FAULTY AIR BAG AND THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 30500 ON IT AND WAS STILL UNDER THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY. A COPY OF THE POLICE REPORT IS PENDING RELEASE AT THIS TIME.
OUR FOCUS WAS HIT BY A CAR. THE VEHICLE HIT THE FOCUS PRIMARILY IN THE AREA OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. THE DOOR WAS PUSHED IN/CRUMPLED APPROXIMATELY 18-20 INCHES OVERALL, INTRUDING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE WINDOW SHATTERED. THE DAMAGE TO THE FENDER WAS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO DISTORT THE FRONT BUMPER. THE "PAN" OR AREA IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE DOOR WAS BENT APPROXIMATELY 6 TO 8 INCHES TOWARD THE MIDLINE OF THE CAR. THE FORCE OF THE ACCIDENT SPUN' THE FOCUS APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES RESULTING IN THE FOCUS COLLIDING WITH A GUARDRAIL. THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT WITH THE GUARDRAIL BENT/DISTORTED THE BODY OF THE CAR AND CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER AND BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY. THE EXTENT AND EXPENSE OF REPAIRING THE DAMAGES NECESSITATED THE CAR BE CONSIDERED "TOTALED" BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE REASON FOR MY COMPLAINT/REGISTRATION OF CONCERN IS NEITHER THE FRONT OR SIDEWALL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED DESPITE THE SEVERITY OF THE ACCIDENT. PART OF THE DECISION TO PURCHASE THE FOCUS WAS BASED ON THE SAFETY FEATURES INCLUDING THE AIRBAGS. IN HINDSIGHT, HAD WE KNOWN OF THE AIRBAG'S PROPENSITY TO FAIL TO DEPLOY DURING AN ACCIDENT OF THIS SEVERITY, OUR BUYING DECISION WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. THE AIRBAG'S FAILURE TO DEPLOY SHOULD BE EXAMINED FOR ADEQUACY OF PURPOSE FOR WHICH THEY WERE DESIGNED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, ANOTHER VEHICLE MAKING A LEFT TURN T-BONED HER VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG CAME OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE STEERING WHEEL; HOWEVER, THE AIR BAG DID NOT INFLATE AND SIMPLY HIT THE FLOOR. THE OTHER AIR BAGS IN THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WENT TO THE HOSPITAL AND WAS TREATED FOR PAIN TO HER LOWER BACK AND RIGHT SIDE OF HER NECK. THE OTHER DRIVER WAS ALSO TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL; HOWEVER, THE DRIVER'S INJURIES WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS INITIALLY TOWED TO A FAMILY MEMBER'S RESIDENCE AND WAS LATER TOWED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WHERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *LN
ON DECEMBER 12TH, 2019, I WAS INVOLVED IN A THREE-CAR FENDER BENDER ON FAIRFAX COUNTY PARKWAY IN VIRGINIA. I WAS TRAVELING IN SLOW-MOVING TRAFFIC AT 7:20AM, CLOSE TO RESTON HOSPITAL, WHEN THE TWO CARS IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES UNEXPECTEDLY AND I UNFORTUNATELY COULD NOT BRAKE IN TIME TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE CAR DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME WAS A TOYOTA SUV AND HAD A TOW-BAR, WHICH TOOK MOST OF THE IMPACT OF THE CRASH AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. ASIDE FROM SOME MINOR SCRATCHES, BOTH OF THE OTHER CARS INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT WERE FINE AND THE TWO DRIVERS WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE ON THEIR WAYS TO WORK. MY CAR, ON THE OTHER HAND HAS BEEN DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY AS IT IMMEDIATELY BURST INTO FLAMES UPON IMPACT. AS I MENTIONED ABOVE, THE TRAFFIC WAS SLOW-MOVING SO WE WERE NOT TRAVELING AT MORE THAN 25-30MPH AT ANY TIME ON THAT STRETCH AS WE NAVIGATED THE TRAFFIC. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY LOW-IMPACT AND MINOR INCIDENT; HOWEVER, FOR SOME UNKNOWN AND UNEXPLAINABLE REASON, THE FORD FOCUS WAS ON FIRE BEFORE I EVEN KNEW THAT I HAD CRASHED. THE IMPACT WAS SO MINIMAL THAT NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. FIREFIGHTERS WERE ONSITE WITHIN 5 MINUTES AND HAD DIFFICULTY PUTTING OUT THE BLAZE. IN ADDITION, I WAS STILL IN THE CAR WHILE IT WAS ON FIRE BECAUSE IT HAPPENED IMMEDIATELY UPON IMPACT, SO WHILE I WAS LUCKY TO WALK AWAY WITHOUT ANY PHYSICAL INJURIES, I WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO THE AMBULANCE TO MONITOR MY VITALS AND TRY TO CONTROL MY SHOCK. I REALIZE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS OF FORD FOCUS VEHICLES PURCHASED IN 2017 AND PRIOR; HOWEVER, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE SAFETY CONCERNS RAISED IN PREVIOUS LAWSUITS AGAINST FORD PERTAIN DIRECTLY TO THE 2018 MODEL AS WELL. WE HAD ALREADY REPLACED THE CLUTCH IN THE FOCUS AFTER A YEAR AND A HALF BECAUSE OF A TRANSMISSION FAILURE ALSO NOTED IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND CRASH INTO A DITCH. DURING THE CRASH, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER LONG LEWIS FORD(2551 JOHN HAWKINS PKWY, HOOVER AL.) WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINED CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,043. THE VIN WAS INVALID.
A DRIVER RAN A RED LIGHT AND THE NOSE OF MY CAR DIRECTLY IMPACTED THEIR SIDE AT APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH AND MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS A 2018 HONDA CIVIC AND THEIR SIDE BAGS DEPLOYED. EVEN THE POLICE OFFICERS WERE SHOCKED MINE DID NOT DEPLOY. I THINK WITH THE IMPACT OF THAT CALIBER THEY SHOULD HAVE GONE OFF
I'M UNSURE IF MY VEHICLE HAS THE DEFECTIVE TAKATA INFLATORS: MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, UNDER POWER AND TRAVELING GREATER THEN 32 MPH EXITING A HIGHWAY ONTO A CITY STREET. WHILE TURNING LEFT, I EITHER TURNED TO WIDE OR THE OTHER VEHICLE TURNED TO CLOSE AND MY DRIVER SIDE FRONT QTR IMPACTED THE PASSENGER FRONT QTR OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE IMPACT ENERGY WAS SO SIGNIFICANT THAT THE DAMAGE WAS ON THE LEFT FRONT QTR, THE FRONT AND IT TRANSFERRED THROUGH THE VEHICLE AND MY PASSENGER SIDE LOOKS MORE DAMAGED THEN THE DRIVERS SIDE. SO MUCH SO THAT THE PASSENGER DOOR WOOD NOT OPEN. I HIT MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL, WAS VIOLENTLY THRASHED AROUND IN THE VEHICLE AND THEN HIT MY HEAD ON THE DRIVER WINDOW. THE IMPACT WAS SO SIGNIFICANT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED, THE ENGINE BROKE FREE FROM ITS MOUNTS, THE COOLING SYSTEM FAILED AND EVEN MY TITANIUM GLASSES WERE BROKEN WHEN I HIT MY HEAD. YET, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 4197 MILES ON IT - BRAND NEW!!! I'VE CONTACTED FORD, FILED A CLAIM AND THEY WERE NEARLY USELESS IN HELPING WITH EVALUATING THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT FAILURE. THEY EVEN CONNECTED ME TO DEALERSHIPS TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO, ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TECHNICIANS, TOWING OR EVEN A BODY SHOP. I'VE CALLED SEVERAL TIMES AND RESTATED THE CONCERNS AND SPOKE TO A COUPLE OF CALL CENTER PEOPLE WITHOUT ANY HELP AND EVEN TRIED THE ONLINE CHAT TOOL AND IT KEEP FREEZING UP. THE VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOST, I HAVE HEAD, NECK AND TISSUE TRAUMA. I'VE EXPLAINED THIS TO THE CALL CENTER AND THEY BASICALLY HAVE BEEN UNHELPFUL....I HAVE NEARLY 30 YEARS IN AUTOMOTIVE AND THE BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED AND KEEP ME FROM INJURY!!!
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 .