2008 Ford Focus Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Focus years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 16th of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 250 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Ford Focus. That ranks 16th out of 20 Focus model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (57 complaints, 23%), typically at around 83,000 miles. Complaints mention 21 crashes, 20 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 250owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 21complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Ford Focus problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 57 | 23% | 83,000 | “ignition switch” (23%) | — |
| Structure | 41 | 16% | 74,100 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 26 | 10% | 57,475 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 25 | 10% | 51,488 | — | — |
| Power Train | 23 | 9% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 23 | 9% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 18 | 7% | 29,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 18 | 7% | 98,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 14 | 6% | 83,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 6% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 14 | 6% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 12 | 5% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 11 | 4% | 82,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 8 | 3% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 3% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 5 | 2% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 1% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 1% | 16,074 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 1% | 126,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | 32,052 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 1% | 70,866 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 0% | 32,233 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Ford Focus recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Certain vehicles fail to conform to the requirements specified in federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the driver air bag module may not have been properly assembled.
Risk: This condition may prevent the driver air bag from properly deploying and reduce occupant protection in the event of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace your driver air bag module free of charge. The recall began on november 20, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Tire valve cracking (PE08060) — opened Oct 14, 2008, closed Apr 9, 2009.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
N/a
The brakes went to the floor and the whole car locked up. When I pressed the brakes to slow down it felt like something on the brakes just fell apart. I was in a car accident because of this I hit another car no no
Starter has always been difficult but now key stuck in ignition and won't start either
I purchased a 2008 Ford Focus from my father (now deceased). The airbag warning light has been on. When I had the OBD read, it came back with code # B2294 indicating a fault in a control module. My research makes me believe this vehicle should be included in NHTSA# 07V541000 (Ford # 07C19)…
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle overheated. The coolant temperature warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak and a corroded subframe. The…
Other Ford Focus years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Focus | 837 | 7 |
| 2017 Focus | 898 | 10 |
| 2016 Focus | 1,183 | 10 |
| 2015 Focus | 1,022 | 9 |
| 2014 Focus | 2,603 | 12 |
| 2013 Focus | 2,112 | 11 |
| 2012 Focus | 3,769 | 7 |
| 2011 Focus | 113 | 0 |
| 2010 Focus | 287 | 0 |
| 2009 Focus | 229 | 0 |
| 2008 | 250 | 1 |
| 2007 Focus | 391 | 0 |
| 2006 Focus | 205 | 0 |
| 2005 Focus | 441 | 1 |
| 2004 Focus | 387 | 1 |
| 2003 Focus | 977 | 1 |
| 2002 Focus | 939 | 1 |
| 2001 Focus | 1,761 | 7 |
| 2000 Focus | 3,686 | 11 |
| 1999 Focus | 11 | 0 |
See all Ford Focus problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
Similar Ford models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Ford Focus?
Owners most often report electrical system, structure, air bags problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 57 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Ford Focus?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 Ford Focus a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Focus model years, the 2008 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.