Ford Focus Structure Problems
Owners have filed 999 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the Ford Focus across 20 model years. The 2012 model year has the most (332). The words owners use most often: “door latch” (21% of reports).
- 999structure complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 56mention a crash
- 43mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- $700typical repair cost reported by owners
- 28%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.
- Door latch: mentioned in 211 of 999 complaints (21%)
- Rear passenger: mentioned in 63 of 999 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical structure repair on the Ford Focus at $700, and half of them between $550 and $860.
Based on 61 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2002–2024), 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 structure problems happen?
Based on 701 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 999 complaints, 56 mention a crash, 12 a fire, 43 an injury.
Ford Focus structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Focus | 6 | 1% | 1,715 |
| 2017 Focus | 7 | 1% | 27,500 |
| 2016 Focus | 14 | 1% | 30,000 |
| 2015 Focus | 16 | 2% | 17,900 |
| 2014 Focus | 63 | 2% | 37,146 |
| 2013 Focus | 84 | 4% | 50,500 |
| 2012 Focus | 332 | 9% | 60,000 |
| 2011 Focus | 14 | 12% | 82,000 |
| 2010 Focus | 24 | 8% | 65,500 |
| 2009 Focus | 12 | 5% | 61,500 |
| 2008 Focus | 41 | 16% | 74,100 |
| 2007 Focus | 24 | 6% | 88,518 |
| 2006 Focus | 15 | 7% | 47,073 |
| 2005 Focus | 43 | 10% | 76,025 |
| 2004 Focus | 14 | 4% | 114,000 |
| 2003 Focus | 40 | 4% | 59,246 |
| 2002 Focus | 51 | 5% | 51,000 |
| 2001 Focus | 60 | 3% | 109,000 |
| 2000 Focus | 138 | 4% | 61,500 |
| 1999 Focus | 1 | 9% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Structure:body
Model years: 2016
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Focus and C-Max vehicles. The floor pan may have improperly welded left-hand apron joints.
Risk: Improperly welded apron joints may reduce the front-end structural integrity of the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the apron joints, repairing the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S03.
Latches/locks/linkages:hatchback/liftgate:lock; structure:body:hatchback/liftgate
Model years: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Ford Focus hatchback vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to August 26, 2016 and equipped with a manual transmission. The hatchback of the affected vehicles may be unlatched with a single press of the interior latch release button. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."
Risk: With only a single press needed, the driver may accidently unlatch the hatchback, increasing the risk of injury to any unsecured passengers in the back.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Body Control Module with updated software, free of charge. The recall began February 10, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C13.
Structure:frame and members
Model years: 2000
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain vehicles fail to comply with requirements of fmvss no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact." the resultant hic(d) value at one target location ap1, located on the trim panel at the juncture of the a-pillar and roof side rail, may be greater than design intent.
Risk: In the event of a crash, an occupant contacting that location may not be provided the interior impact protection intended.
Fix: Dealers will remove the left and right side b-pillar and a-pillar trim panels, revise the headliner edge near the tops of the a-pillars to accept the new a-pillar trim panels with their energy absorbing tubes, and install the new a-pillar and the old b-pillar trim panels.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
door latch recall
Issue happened in November 2016. The glass sunroof exploded while driving NE on I-44 just SW of Springfield MO. The reason I am reporting this now, is that I saw a news article about this happening often. Until I saw the news article I thought it was a one of event. We did not witness anything…
My rear passenger door latch is corroded. It is difficult to open, it sometimes fails to open. I have children under the age of 3 in the backseats of my car. I do not want the latch to fail and the door to open while in motion. It is available for inspection upon service. Problems started to appear…
Started July 2026, my drivers side door handle keeps getting stuck open
My driver side door was working perfect until one day i went into my car and tryed closing my door but it wont close so i had to go to work while holding the door so it dosent open i favent talked to ford itself bucause om scared they will charge me a lot
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Focuss have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 999 owner complaints about structure 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 structure?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list structure. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix structure problems on the Ford Focus?
Owners report a typical cost of $700 (half paid between $550 and $860), from 61 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about structure problems on the Ford Focus?
The most frequent phrase is “door latch”, in 211 of 999 complaints, followed by “rear passenger” (63).
Other Ford Focus problems
- Power Train problems (6,803)
- Electrical System problems (4,342)
- 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)
See all Ford Focus problems.