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2005 Ford Focus Engine Problems

17 owner-reported engine complaints from NHTSA data

17
Complaints
1
Fires
Feb 2005Nov 2005
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (17)

criticalENGINE
FireFiled: Sep 2022

Your engine caught fire while you were driving, causing complete engine damage. This happened despite normal fluid levels and without the engine overheating first. The cause is unknown. You'll likely need a full engine replacement or rebuild to restore your vehicle to working condition.

NHTSA #: 11482834
highENGINE
Filed: Oct 2020

While your car is stopped, you notice it bouncing up and down. A mechanic diagnosed this as defective engine mounts that need immediate replacement. The bouncing happens because the mounts that hold your engine in place have worn out or failed, allowing excessive movement. Replacing the engine mounts should stop the bouncing and prevent further engine damage.

NHTSA #: 11366478
mediumENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: May 2016

TAKATA RECALL FUEL LINE TOO CLOSE TO EXHAUT IT CAUSES VEHICLE TO STOP RUNNING WAIT 15 -20 MINUTES AND IT WILL START AND YOU CAN GO UNTIL IT DOES IT AGAIN IT IS FINE IN WINTER BUT WARM WEATHER IT DOES IT ALL THE TIME HAVE TRIED TO HAVE FIXED BUT STILL DOES IT

NHTSA #: 10862968
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jul 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED, ALL THE ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS SEIZED, AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

NHTSA #: 10735791
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jul 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, HE ADJUSTED THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE AREA BENEATH THE SEAT BUT COULD NOT LOCATE A FAILURE. AFTER WAITING SEVERAL MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 21,000. UPDATED 08/27/13*LJ

NHTSA #: 10531622
mediumENGINE
Filed: Apr 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. *TR

NHTSA #: 10509418
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Filed: Feb 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, HE NOTICED THAT A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF WATER ACCUMULATED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR AREA. THERE WAS ALSO A STRONG MUSTY ODOR INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WATER LEAK ORIGINATED FROM THE AIR TAKE SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,080.

NHTSA #: 10446175
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Filed: Feb 2011

MY CAR IS COVERED UNDER THE CA EMISSIONS WARRANTY, THERE IS A HOLE IN THE MANIFOLD. THE FORD DEALER HAS HAD MY CAR SINCE MAY 2010 CLAIMING THEY CAN'T GET THE PART COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY TO FIX MY CAR. IT HAS BEEN 9 MONTHS AND THEY KEEP POSTPONING THE DATE TO RECEIVE THE PART. *TR

NHTSA #: 10380147
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Mar 2010

2005 FORD FOCUS ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK WHILE DRIVING. DELEARSHIP, BILL BROWN FORD OF LIVONIA MI, DETERMINED THE CAUSE WAS THROTTLE BODY BINDING, SO REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY. *TR

NHTSA #: 10318190
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
Filed: Mar 2010

MY "ENGINE LIGHT" HAS BEEN "FLASHING" INTERMITTENTLY SINCE THE DAY I DROVE THE CAR HOME BRAND NEW! THIS IS A "MISFIRE" CODE. IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN UNDER HARD ACCELERATION (LIKE TRYING TO PASS A CAR)...YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE THE "SAFETY CONCERNS" INVOLVED , WHEN 7 OUT OF 10 TIMES I TO TRY TO PASS A CAR.....I GET HALFWAY BY THE VEHICLE...THEN MY CAR "MISFIRES"....LOSES ALL POWER....AND I COAST BACK INTO POSITION "BEHIND" THE VEHICLE I TRIED TO PASS!..WHILE I WAIT FOR THE CAR TO RECOVER AND START TO RUN CORRECTLY AGAIN!....IF I DIDN'T LOSE MY POSITION!..WHICH HAS HAPPENED!....MY CAR HAS BEEN "REPAIRED" 4, GOING ON 5 TIMES FOR THIS SAME ISSUE....EACH TIME I BRING IT TO BE FIXED...IT DOESN'T GET FIXED...OR AS I WAS TOLD ON MY FIRST COMPLAINT, AND MY SECOND COMPLAINT (THERE'S NOTHING WRONG)....THE LIGHT CONTINUES TO FLASH.....MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY YARD SINCE JANUARY...AFTER THE LAST TIME THEY "FIXED IT"...CANT EVEN DRIVE IT NOW....IT DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT HOME AFTER THE LAST REPAIR! *TR

NHTSA #: 10315055
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Filed: Nov 2009

I OWN A 2005 FOCUS, 4 DOOR, ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO I NOTICED A SEVERE SHAKING IN THE CAR, AT IDOL AND WHILE DRIVING, TOOK THE CAR TO GET NEW BRAKES AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THE MOTOR MOUNTS ARE BROKE, AND IR WOULD BE AT LEAST $500 TO FIX, HE ALSO TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON THING IN THE FOCUS THAT THE MOUNTS WERE DEFECTIVE. CONSIDERING MY CAR HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE FOR BEING AN 05, 33,900, I DO NOT EXPECT TO HAVE TO FIX MAJOR PROBLEMS LIKE THIS. I DO NOT THINK MOTOR MOUNTS SHOULD BE SHRUGGED OFF AS "COMMON PROBLEM" THIS CAN BE A DANGER WHILE DRIVING AND I FEEL IT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED, AS TO WHY THE MOUNTS GO BAD SO QUICKLY. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ADVISE OR ANSWER TO THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA #: 10292523
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Jul 2006

INTERMITTENT STALLING ISSUES WITH MY 2005 FORD FOCUS WAGON. IT WILL STALL WITHOUT WARNING BOTH GOING OVER 50 MPH AND IDLING IN TRAFFIC. IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES WITH NO RESOLUTION AND IS GOING BACK IN 2 DAYS. *NM

NHTSA #: 10163414
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Filed: Apr 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS NOT DEPRESSED, THE ENGINE STALLS; HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WILL RESTART. THE DEALERSHIP HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA #: 10154751
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Nov 2005

I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND IT GETS THE WORSE GAS MILEAGE I HAVE EVER SEEN. I NEVER GET BETTER THAN 25 MPG HIGHWAY. I BOUGHT THIS CAR WITH THE FORD DEALER TELLING HOW GREAT IT WAS ON GAS. THAT I WOULD AVERAGE 32 MPG. I COMPLAINED TO MY DEALER WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND THEY SAID I WAS AVERAGING 31.7 MPG ACCORDING TO THERE COMPUTER. THAT IS NOT TRUE! THEN THEY SAID IT NEEDS A BREAK IN TIME OF 5000 MILES. I HAVE 15000 MILES ON THE CAR AND I DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY EVERY DAY. MANY OTHER FOCUS OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED BUT FORD IGNORES US. *NM

NHTSA #: 10143447
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Filed: Oct 2005

WHEN MY VEHICLE SHIFTER IS IN NEUTRAL (I HAVE AN AUTOMATIC TRANS) AND THE BRAKE IS PRESSED CLUSTERS ON THE DASH ILLUMINATE (OIL LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, BATTERY LIGHT.) THE ENGINE STALLS AND I LOOSE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES MAKING THE VEHICLE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STOP AND STEER ESPECIALLY IF I AM ON THE FREEWAY DOING 65!. IT SEEMS TO DO IT MOST OFTEN WHEN I AM ON THE FREEWAY GOING DOWN A HILL IN NEUTRAL AND THE BRAKE IS PRESSED. *JB

NHTSA #: 10140327
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Filed: Jul 2005

CAR REV'S UP WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND ALSO WILL KEEP REPEATING THAT FOR ABOUT 2-3 MINS. SO FAR I HAVE ALMOST DROVE THRU 3 INTERSECTIONS AND RAN INTO MULTIPLE CARS AND WHEN I TAKE IT TO THE DEALERS ALL THEY HAVE TO SAY IS THEY CANT FIND ANYTHING WRONG

NHTSA #: 10128682
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Feb 2005

I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE IN EARLY NOVEMBER 2004. AS THE WEATHER BEGAN GETTING COLDER AND DAMPER, MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT START PROPERLY. THE ENGINE WOULD STUMBLE AND CRANK, BUT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I WOULD HAVE TO TRY 3-4 TIMES BEFORE THE CAR WOULD ACTUALLY START. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE IN DECEMBER 2004 AND TSB 04-23-4 WAS PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE CORRECTLY STARTED FOR A WHILE AFTER THAT, BUT IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN NOW.

NHTSA #: 10108372

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