Ford Focus Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 4,342 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the Ford Focus across 20 model years. The 2000 model year has the most (1,343). The words owners use most often: “ignition switch” (13% of reports).
- 4,342electrical system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 61mention a crash
- 39mention an injury
- 5related recalls
- $620typical repair cost reported by owners
- 34%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Ignition switch: mentioned in 570 of 4,342 complaints (13%)
- Key turn: mentioned in 532 of 4,342 complaints (12%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the Ford Focus at $620, and half of them between $490 and $770.
Based on 375 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2001–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 2,934 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 4,342 complaints, 61 mention a crash, 142 a fire, 39 an injury.
Ford Focus electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Focus | 49 | 6% | 41,323 |
| 2017 Focus | 36 | 4% | 27,050 |
| 2016 Focus | 82 | 7% | 51,800 |
| 2015 Focus | 64 | 6% | 50,000 |
| 2014 Focus | 245 | 9% | 60,000 |
| 2013 Focus | 276 | 13% | 43,495 |
| 2012 Focus | 352 | 9% | 64,500 |
| 2011 Focus | 25 | 22% | 48,000 |
| 2010 Focus | 43 | 15% | 61,000 |
| 2009 Focus | 45 | 20% | 83,162 |
| 2008 Focus | 57 | 23% | 83,000 |
| 2007 Focus | 85 | 22% | 54,944 |
| 2006 Focus | 47 | 23% | 58,608 |
| 2005 Focus | 113 | 26% | 69,961 |
| 2004 Focus | 183 | 47% | 53,000 |
| 2003 Focus | 522 | 53% | 60,000 |
| 2002 Focus | 277 | 29% | 63,488 |
| 2001 Focus | 496 | 28% | 64,639 |
| 2000 Focus | 1,343 | 36% | 62,000 |
| 1999 Focus | 2 | 18% | 166,508 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (5)
Electrical system:wiring
Model years: 2013, 2014
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured January 11, 2012, to April 1, 2013, and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles manufactured May 03, 2012, to October 14, 2013. Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor may provide incorrect signals to the powertrain control module (PCM).
Risk: The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began on January 7, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S17-S1.
Electrical system:ignition
Model years: 2015
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured April 1, 2014, to June 12, 2015, Ford Focus vehicles manufactured June 17, 2014, to June 12, 2015, and Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured April 22, 2014, to June 12, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the engine may continue to run after the key or the START/STOP engine button is turned to off. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Risk: If the engine does not turn off as expected, someone could move the transmission shifter out of park and the vehicle may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. The recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C06.
Electrical system:wiring
Model years: 2013, 2014
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to April 1, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines and Focus ST vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to October 14, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines. Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor may provide incorrect signals to the powertrain control module (PCM).
Risk: The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S17.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables
Model years: 2000, 2001
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles equipped with zetec engines, loose or broken attachments and misrouted battery cables could lead to cable insulation damage.
Risk: This, in turn, could cause the battery cables to short resulting in heat damage to the cables. Besides heat damage, the "check engine" light may illuminate, the vehicle may fail to start, or smoke, melting, or fire could also occur.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the battery cables for the condition of the cable insulation and proper tightening of the terminal ends. As necessary, cables will be rerouted, retaining clips installed, and damaged battery cables replaced. Owner notification began february 10, 2003. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Electrical system:wiring
Model years: 2000
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A decklid wire harness can fatigue and develop broken wires in the bend area of the wire harness.
Risk: This could result in either a loss of individual lamp functions, or in the case of a short of the broken wires that causes a fuse to open, in the loss of stop lamp or tail lamp function. Loss of stop lamp or tail lamp function could increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the decklid wire harness.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The vehicle experienced a catastrophic failure of the canister purge valve (CPV), causing an excessive vacuum that violently deformed and collapsed the plastic fuel tank. The deformation was so severe that it breached the fuel system, causing raw gasoline to pour directly out of the filler area and…
The vehicle suffered a major mechanical and electrical failure on July 28, 2026, and was immediately towed to an authorized dealership. After a multi-day delay awaiting a senior technician's analysis, the dealership issued a single service ticket grouping two distinct issues: a failed Canister…
RE: FAULTY THROTTLE WIRING / LOCATION CAUSING CORROSION 2013 FORD FOCUS - RECALL NEEDED To Whom It May Concern: My 2013 Ford Focus SE Flex with VIN [XXX] lost power while traveling from [XXX] to [XXX] a couple times before completely dying. My code reader was getting fixed throttle codes 2112, 2111…
I purchased a 2013 Ford Focus from Boucher Ford of Menomonee Falls, WI in February, 2026. A few months later, Ford issued a recall on this car that requires the Powertrain Control Module to be reprogrammed to avoid issues like a collapsed fuel tank or stalling while driving, potentially causing an…
Battery randomly died. When battery was replaced at the mechanic, it caused a glitch or broke something in or connected to the transmission. Car couldnât reverse nor go faster than 1st gear. Had to drive 11 mph all the way to the Ford Dealership. Both Meineke AND Ford Service Manager said this is…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Focuss have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 4,342 owner complaints about electrical system for the Ford Focus. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford Focus electrical system?
Yes: 5 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the Ford Focus?
Owners report a typical cost of $620 (half paid between $490 and $770), from 375 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the Ford Focus?
The most frequent phrase is “ignition switch”, in 570 of 4,342 complaints, followed by “key turn” (532).
Other Ford Focus problems
- Power Train problems (6,802)
- Engine problems (2,318)
- Steering problems (2,099)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (1,440)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (1,281)
- Fuel System, Gasoline problems (1,158)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (1,076)
- Structure problems (999)
See all Ford Focus problems.