2010 Ford FOCUS

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2010 Ford FOCUS has 408 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 5.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (13% of all complaints), specifically: information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) i am wondering what action i can take next. i own a brand new 2010 ford focus purchased in feb 2010. the car has a terrible smell on the inside, i have taken it back to the dealer where i purchased it and. ⚠️ 5 fire reports filed.

5 fire reports 9 crash reports 10 injuries

408

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

5.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

53 complaints

13%

• INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I AM WONDERING WHAT ACTION I CAN TAKE NEXT. I OWN A BRAND NEW 2010 FORD FOCUS PURCHASED IN FEB 2010. THE CAR HAS A TERRIBLE SMELL ON THE INSIDE, I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND
• TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE REAR ENDED THE TRUCK IN FRONT HER, THE ENGINE BEGAN SMOKING. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE WHEN THE COMPL
• FOUR WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED MY 2010 FORD FOCUS, I TURNED ON THE A/C AND TO MY SURPRISE THE A/C NEVER GOT COLD. I HAD IT RUNNING FOR 20 MINUTES BUT IT NEVER GOT COLD. THE NEXT DAY CALLED AND TOOK THE CAR TO BE CHECKED OUT, THEY KEPT IT TWO DAYS AND HAD ME COME PICK IT UP SAYING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I AM WONDERING WHAT ACTION I CAN TAKE NEXT. I OWN A BRAND NEW 2010 FORD FOCUS PURCHASED IN FEB 2010. THE CAR HAS A TERRIBLE SMELL ON THE INSIDE, I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

50 complaints

12%

• WHILE BRAKING WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE STARTS REVVING VERY HIGH. DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT THE CAR IS IN GEAR, THE CAR WILL MOVE EVEN WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE AS HARD AS POSSIBLE. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, IN FACT A VERY INFREQUENT ONE. CAR HAS BEEN BROUGHT INTO DEALER ON T
• TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FOCUS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED THE ENGINE BEGAN TO IDLE VERY LOUDLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STALL WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. UPON RESTARTING THE VEHICLE IT WOULD OPERATE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER O
• ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY LIGHT COMES AND 2010 FORD FOCUS JUST LOSES POWER..THIS SEEMS TO BE A ON GOING ISSUE.... *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“WHILE BRAKING WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE STARTS REVVING VERY HIGH. DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT THE CAR IS IN GEAR, THE CAR WILL MOVE EVEN WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE AS HARD AS POSSIBLE. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, IN FACT A VERY INFREQUENT ONE. CAR HAS BEEN BROUGHT INTO DEALER ON T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

44 complaints

11%

• CAR ENGINE KILLS WHILE DRIVING AT ALL SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 7 TIMES IN THE LAST 23 DAYS, THE LAST TIME ON INTERSTATE IN THE LEFT AT 60 MPH. CAR WILL NOT START FOR SOME TIME AFTER BUT WILL START BUT STALL AGAIN. THE LAST TIME IT STALLED WHILE TURNING ACROSS A 6 LANE INTERSECTI
• THE STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT WHEELS LOCK IF THE CONTACT KEY IS IN THE OFF POSITION AS DESCRIBED IN MY OWNER'S FOCUS 2010(MANUAL TRANSMISSION) BOOKLET IF WE WANT TO PULL THE FOCUS BEHIND MY 1998 30 FOOT WINNEBAGO ADVENTURER. SO I TURNED THE KEY IN POSITION 2, ACCESSORIES, AND DROVE MORE THAN 500 MI
• PURCHASED VEHICLE OCTOBER 2010, DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT UNBUCKLES AND KEY STICKS IN IGNITION AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKS.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“CAR ENGINE KILLS WHILE DRIVING AT ALL SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 7 TIMES IN THE LAST 23 DAYS, THE LAST TIME ON INTERSTATE IN THE LEFT AT 60 MPH. CAR WILL NOT START FOR SOME TIME AFTER BUT WILL START BUT STALL AGAIN. THE LAST TIME IT STALLED WHILE TURNING ACROSS A 6 LANE INTERSECTI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

44 complaints

11%

• OUR 2010 AUTOMATIC FORD FOCUS DEMONSTRATED PROBLEMS WITH SHIFTING GEARS AT ABOUT 7,000 MILES. ONCE THE CAR IS WARMED UP IT WILL NOT SMOOTHLY SHIFT. THIS OCCURS WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 10-60 MPH, AND DEMONSTRATES MAJOR JERKING WHEN IT FINALLY DOES SHIFT, WITH REVVING/INCREASED RPMS. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS
• THE STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT WHEELS LOCK IF THE CONTACT KEY IS IN THE OFF POSITION AS DESCRIBED IN MY OWNER'S FOCUS 2010(MANUAL TRANSMISSION) BOOKLET IF WE WANT TO PULL THE FOCUS BEHIND MY 1998 30 FOOT WINNEBAGO ADVENTURER. SO I TURNED THE KEY IN POSITION 2, ACCESSORIES, AND DROVE MORE THAN 500 MI
• NOISES COMING FROM TRANSMISSION.....SOUNDS LIKE GEARS POSSIBLY GRINDING A BIT? HAD DEALER CHECK OUT PROBLEM, SAID FORD CO. WAS AWARE OF NOISES BUT MAY WAIT TILL FURTHER COMPLAINTS COME IN. DEALER TOLD ME TO CALL OR COME BACK IF GETS WORSE..ITS GETTING WORSE. CAR IS ABOUT 2 MONTHS OLD WITH 1800 MIL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“OUR 2010 AUTOMATIC FORD FOCUS DEMONSTRATED PROBLEMS WITH SHIFTING GEARS AT ABOUT 7,000 MILES. ONCE THE CAR IS WARMED UP IT WILL NOT SMOOTHLY SHIFT. THIS OCCURS WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 10-60 MPH, AND DEMONSTRATES MAJOR JERKING WHEN IT FINALLY DOES SHIFT, WITH REVVING/INCREASED RPMS. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

32 complaints

• INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I AM WONDERING WHAT ACTION I CAN TAKE NEXT. I OWN A BRAND NEW 2010 FORD FOCUS PURCHASED IN FEB 2010. THE CAR HAS A TERRIBLE SMELL ON THE INSIDE, I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND
• ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY LIGHT COMES AND 2010 FORD FOCUS JUST LOSES POWER..THIS SEEMS TO BE A ON GOING ISSUE.... *TR
• WHEN I WAS DRIVING, THE CAR WOULD LOSE POWER. SOMETIMES, IT WOULD JUST SLOW RANDOMLY, AND MANY TIMES IT WOULD JUST LOSE ALL THROTTLE AND STOP. IT HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY GOING OVER 65 MPH, ON A BUSY STREET TRAVELING 40 MPH, AND IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN AT A BUSY INTERSECTION. APPARENTLY, THIS IS HAPP

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 408 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I AM WONDERING WHAT ACTION I CAN TAKE NEXT. I OWN A BRAND NEW 2010 FORD FOCUS PURCHASED IN FEB 2010. THE CAR HAS A TERRIBLE SMELL ON THE INSIDE, I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: WHILE BRAKING WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE STARTS REVVING VERY HIGH. DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT THE CAR IS IN GEAR, THE CAR WILL MOVE EVEN WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE AS HARD AS POSSIBLE. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, IN FACT A VERY INFREQUENT ONE. CAR HAS BEEN BROUGHT INTO DEALER ON T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: CAR ENGINE KILLS WHILE DRIVING AT ALL SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 7 TIMES IN THE LAST 23 DAYS, THE LAST TIME ON INTERSTATE IN THE LEFT AT 60 MPH. CAR WILL NOT START FOR SOME TIME AFTER BUT WILL START BUT STALL AGAIN. THE LAST TIME IT STALLED WHILE TURNING ACROSS A 6 LANE INTERSECTI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: OUR 2010 AUTOMATIC FORD FOCUS DEMONSTRATED PROBLEMS WITH SHIFTING GEARS AT ABOUT 7,000 MILES. ONCE THE CAR IS WARMED UP IT WILL NOT SMOOTHLY SHIFT. THIS OCCURS WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 10-60 MPH, AND DEMONSTRATES MAJOR JERKING WHEN IT FINALLY DOES SHIFT, WITH REVVING/INCREASED RPMS. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)