2003 Ford Focus: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 1224 complaints
1224
Total Complaints
55,000mi
Median Mileage
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
Top Issue
70
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

32,798 25th Percentile
55,000 Median Mileage
86,248 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
263
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
136
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
98
STEERING
50
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
49
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
28
SUSPENSION
26
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
25
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
24
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
24

Severity Assessment

70
Crashes
23
Fires
72
Injuries
1
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"THE VEHICLE VIBRATES WHILE TRAVELING SPEED 40 TO 50MPH. DUE TO BAD SUSPENSION REAR OF VEHICLE WOBBLES. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM TS"
"AFTER LEAVING MY AUTO, I RETURNED TO FIND THE REAR WINDOW SHATTERED, BUT IN TACT/IN PLACE. THERE NO SIGNS OF ANY IMPACT OR ATTEMPTED ENTRY. THE POLICE WERE CALLED AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING STRIKING THE WINDOW AND APPEARED IT MIGHT BE A FAULTY WINDOW. UPON BRIN..."
"AFTER LEAVING MY AUTO, I RETURNED TO FIND THE REAR WINDOW SHATTERED, BUT IN TACT/IN PLACE. THERE NO SIGNS OF ANY IMPACT OR ATTEMPTED ENTRY. THE POLICE WERE CALLED AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING STRIKING THE WINDOW AND APPEARED IT MIGHT BE A FAULTY WINDOW. UPON BRIN..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28