2005 FORD FOCUS Electrical System Problems

THE IGNITION IN THE FORD FOCUS FALLS APART AND YOU ARE STRANDED!!!. I HAD MY HANDICAPPED DAUGHTER WITH ME AND IT WAS NIGHT. I CAN IMAGINE A YOUNG WOMAN BY HERSELF WITH THIS PROBLEM. YOU CANNOT BE JUMPED OR A MECHANIC CANNOT LOOK AT IT. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO BE TOWED, WHICH FOR US WAS 49 MILES AWAY. VERY UNSAFE FOR MY DAUGHTER AND ME. WE HAD TO LEAVE HER WALKER BEHIND AND SHE WAS WITHOUT IT (IMMOBILE) UNTIL I COULD RETRIEVE IT. THIS CAR HAD LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON IT AND HAD ALL CHECKUPS AND EVERYTHING UP TO DATE. *TR

HAVING PROBLEM WITH ALTERNATOR AND KEYS STUCK IN THE IGNITION FOR 2ND TIME IN TWO YEARS. KEY WILL NOT RELEASE BUT WILL TURN. *TR

DRIVING AT 50KM/H, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON, SHORTLY AFTER ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN, INCLUDING POWER STEERING, FRONT LIGHTS, GAUGES...EVERYTHING. ENGINES CONTINUES TO RUN, WHEN THE VEHICLE SLOW TO ALMOST IDLE, ENGINES STOPS. UNABLE TO RESTART, NO IGNITION NO SIGN OF LIFE WHATSOEVER. WAITED 20MIN, WAS ABLE TO START ENGINE, ELECTRICAL CAME BACK AND DROVE FOR 5MIN BEFORE SAME THING HAPPENED. DEALER IDENTIFIED A FAULTY ALTERNATOR, CAR HAS 135000KM. *TR

FORD FOCUS 2005 WAGON. NOTICED THAT ELECTRIC LOCK WILL NOT OPEN HATCH BACK, BUT TOOK NO ACTION TO CORRECT. INCIDENT: COULD NOT MOVE SHIFT LEVER OUT OF PARK LEAVING MOTORIST STRANDED. FOUND THAT SHARED BRAKE LIGHT FUSE WAS BLOWN. REPLACED FUSE, BUT WONDERED ABOUT ROOT CAUSE SO TESTED BRAKE LIGHTS. IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ON WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT PRESSED OR PRESSED. REALIZED THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN, AS OTHER DRIVERS WILL NOT BE AWARE WHEN THE BRAKE IS PRESSED. AFTER WEB SEARCH, I OBSERVED MANY DOCUMENTED CASES OF DAMAGED WIRING HARNESS; I OPENED THE HATCH AND REMOVED THE RUBBER BOOT COVERING THE WIRING HARNESS. IMMEDIATELY OBSERVED THAT SEVERAL WIRES WERE SEVERED AND OTHERS DAMAGED. *TR

INTERMITTENTLY CAR WILL SEEM TO SHORT OUT FOR SPLIT SECONDS. IF I LET IT IDLE ALL IS OK BUT AS I APPLY THE GAS THE SPLIT SECOND SHORT COMES BACK. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND SOMETIMES IF I GO OVER SOME BUMPS ALL BECOMES OK. FRIEND WITH A MADZA3 HAD SIMILAR PROBLEM HAT WAS FIXED BY CHANGING THE SOLENOID. *TR

I'M HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR HESITATING WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS REPEATEDLY HAPPENED. I HAVE A LITTLE OVER 90,300 MILES ON THE CAR. IT REALLY SCARES ME WHEN I'M GOING AT LEAST 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND PRESS THE GAS TO ACCELERATE AND THEN GET THE HESITATION OR PULLBACK AS IF IT IS GOING TO CUT OFF. I'M AFRAID IT IS GOING TO CUT OFF WHILE I AM DRIVING IT. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIVING 35 MPH. WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND I CUT THE CAR AND START IT BACK UP, THE CLOCK RESETS TO 12:00 AND THE RADIO COMES ON BLASTING. MY LIGHTS FLICKER WHEN IT HAPPENS AT NIGHT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP MODULE. THIS HAS NOT HELPED ONE BIT AND I AM OUT $462. THEY HAVE QUOTED ME A PRICE OF $1500 IF THE FUEL PUMP MODULE REPLACEMENT DID...

HATCH WIRING HARNESS FATIGUED AND DEVELOPED BROKEN WIRES IN THE BEND AREA OF THE WIRING HARNESS CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT. THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF STOP LAMP FUNCTION & HARNESS BURNING. *TR

EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM TAILLIGHT/BRAKELIGHT BULB CAUSED PLASTIC HOUSING TO DISTORT AND BRAKE LIGHTS FUSE TO BURN OUT, CAUSING LOSS OF REAR BRAKE LIGHTS. POTENTIAL FOR REAR END COLLISION & WIRING FIRE. AFTER FUSE WAS REPLACED, WIRING SMOLDERED UNTIL NEW FUSE ALSO BURNED OUT. *TR

THE HATCH BACK LID STARTED OPENING WHEN THE REAR WINDOW DEFROST WAS TURNED ON. THIS HAS RESULTED IN MANY INADVERTENT OPENING OF THE LID WHILE DRIVING. WHILE RESEARCHING, I FOUND A RECALL FOR THE 2000 FORD FOCUS ASSIGNED NHTSA 00V411000. I PULLED BACK THE RUBBER BOOT WHICH PROTECTS THE SAME WIRE HARNESS AT THE HINGE POINT OF THE LID. I DISCOVERED MULTIPLE CRACKED AND EXPOSED WIRES, AND ON WIRE BROKEN IT TWO. I DESIRE FOR THIS TO BE A RECALL ITEM JUST AS YOU DID FOR THE 2000 MODEL. I HAVE PICTURES IF YOU DESIRE. *TR

COULD NOT GET KEY TO RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION OF MY 2005 FORD FOCUS. HAD TO LEAVE CAR UNLOCKED, WITH KEY IN IGNITION OVERNIGHT. STILL CANNOT RELEASE KEY. A CHILD COULD GET INTO THE CAR AND START IT UP WITH TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. MANY REPORTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT FORD FOCUS IGNITION CYLINDER PROBLEMS, INCLUDING KEY-LOCK ISSUES. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER WHO WORKS IN RETAIL MANAGEMENT, AND I GET OUT LATE AT NIGHT FROM WORK QUITE OFTEN. IF MY KEY LOCKS UP, I COULD BE STRANDED IN A DARKENED LOT AND VULNERABLE TO CRIME. FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, HAD BEEN FOR YEARS, AND HAS NOT TAKEN ACCOUNTABILITY FOR IT. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INEXCUSABLE FOR A MAJOR CORPORATION.. *TR

FORD FOCUS 2005- THE KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION, AFTER PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK, AND TURNING THE IGNITION OFF. I TOOK IT TO FORD, AND THEY CHARGED ME $300 FOR REPLACE THE IGNITION CYLINDER. THEY SAID THEY WERE 90% SURE IT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. WELL, IT DIDN'T. IT IS STILL HAPPENING. THEY NOW SAY MAYBE IT'S SOME CABLE, BUT IT WILL COST $450 TO FIX IT. THEY ALSO REFUSE TO APPLY THE $300 FOR THE LAST UNNECESSARY FIX TO THIS FIX. I SEE ON THE INTERNET THAT THOUSANDS OF FOCUS OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM. *TR

THE KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION. *TR

MY KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WILL NOT RELEASE FROM IT. I HAVE TO LEAVE THE KEY IN IGNITION AND LOCK THE VEHICLE WITH THE ALARM. *TR

IGNITION SWITCH WILL NOT TURN. IF CAR WAS STALLED IN TRAFFIC OR ON RAILWAY CROSSING SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES COULD ARISE. *TR

MY KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION INTERMITTENTLY. NOTHING I DO RELEASES IT. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO LEAVE IT IN MY CAR FOR DAYS BEFORE I COME OUT ONE OF THE MORNINGS AND IT JUST DECIDES TO LET ME HAVE MY KEY BACK. ON AND OFF EVER SINCE I HAVE GOTTEN THE CAR. *TR

MY CAR FAILS TO START UNTIL I CRANK IT 3 OR 4 TIMES. SOMETIMES IT BEGINS TO START THEN SPUTTERS AND DIES. IT HAS BEEN AN EVERYDAY THING FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS NOW. IT HAPPENS ABOUT EVERY TIME I GO TO START MY CAR WITH A FEW TIMES IT STARTING RIGHT AWAY. *TR

KEY STUCK IN IGNITION STARTED CAR DROVE HOME. PARKED CAR. TURNED IT OFF. KEY STUCK. DISCONNECTED BATTERY. KEY CAME OUT. RECONNECTED BATTERY. REINSERTED KEY. KEY WOULDN'T TURN. CAR WOULDN'T START. LEFT OVERNIGHT. TRIED AGAIN. LEFT ALONE FOR A FEW MORE HOURS. RE INSERTED KEY. DEPRESSED BRAKE...MOVED CAR OUT OF PARK AND BACK INTO PARK. KEY THEN WORKED FINE. *TR

MY KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WILL NOT RELEASE. HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS A DAMAGED KEY BUT WHEN IT HAPPENED ON A 2ND KEY THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER. DEALER HAS REPLACED LOCK, AND AFTER A REPEAT OCCURRENCE RE-KEYED THE LOCK AND RE-CUT THE KEYS. NOW KEY IS STUCK AND WILL NOT RELEASE. MARYLAND LAW REQUIRES KEYS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY. *TR

2005 FORD FOCUS STATION WAGON- LOSS OF TAIL LIGHTS, HIGH MOUNT STOP LIGHT, DASH LIGHTS, RUNNING LIGHTS DUE TO SHORT IN LIFTGATE WIRING. THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE LIFTGATE FATIGUES AT THE BEND AREA. WIRES BREAK, RESULTING IN A OPEN OR SHORT WHICH BLOWS FUSE. THE BLOWN FUSE RESULTS IN NO HIGH MOUNT STOP LIGHT, RUNNING LIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, AND INSTRUMENT LIGHTS. IN ADDITION THE HEATED REAR DEFROST AND WINDSHIELD WIPER ALSO FAIL. THE HARNESS MUST BE REPLACED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS ISSUE WAS PART OF A RECALL IN 2000- NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V411000. MY CAR IS A 2005. THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED IN PRODUCTION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY REMOVING THE IGNITION KEY, WHICH WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. SHE MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RELEASE THE KEY, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN AND MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, WHICH FAILED TO RELEASE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN AND MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

MY BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PAST WEEK ON MY WAY TO WORK...THEN ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MY MOTHER-IN-LAW AND I DECIDED TO GO TO ASHEVILLE, NC...WE GOT AS FAR AS WAYNESVILLE, AND MY CAR QUIT...(ABOUT 80,000 MILES ON MY CAR)...I WAS ABLE TO ROLL IT OFF AND POP THE CLUTCH AND GET IT TO START...I DROVE ABOUT 5 MILES, AND IT QUIT AGAIN...THIS TIME, I COULD NOT GET IT STARTED AGAIN...HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK...HAD MY CAR TOWED TO ANDY SHAW FORD IN SYLVA, NC, THE TOWN CLOSEST TO WHERE I LIVE...THEY CHECKED OUT MY CAR AND SAID THAT IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR...THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT IN COLD AND HOT WEATHER, THE ALTERNATORS WILL GO OUT...MY HUSBAND HAS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA, WITH 240,000 MILES ON IT AND HE HAS NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR IN HIS TRUCK...I HAVE HAD THREE OTHER NEW...

NOTICED ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK ON FRIDAY THAT WHEN I CLICKED ON THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL, IT WENT IN A "FAST BLINK" WHICH USUALLY MEANS A BURNED OUT BULB, SHORT, OR BLOWN FUSE, BUT USUALLY JUST A BURNED OUT BULB. ONCE I GOT HOME IN THE DRIVEWAY, I GET OUT AND TEST THE LIGHTS AND SEE THAT THE FRONT LEFT TURN SIGNALS ARE FLASHING FAST, AND THE BACK LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS NOT FLASHING AT ALL. I'M STILL HOPING FOR A BURNED OUT BULB AT THIS POINT. I MAKE A NOTE TO CHANGE IT OUT IN THE MORNING. ON SATURDAY OCT 4TH I PULL OFF THE LEFT REAR LIGHTING ASSEMBLY, CONSISTING OF TWO SCREWS HOLDING IT TO THE CAR, AND I FIND TWO BULB CONNECTIONS; THE BOTTOM ONE (BRAKE LIGHTS) HAS A NORMAL QUARTER TURN AND PULL OUT CONNECTOR TO GET TO THE BULB. ONLY THAT BULB IS...

MY 2005 FORD FOCUS IGNITION KEEPS LOCKING UP ON ME, UNABLE TO TAKE KEYS FROM THE VEHICLE-LEAVING ME STRANDED OR CAR OPEN TO THEFT. I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT OVER A YEAR AGO, SINCE FORD WONT TOUCH VEHICLE-SAYS EVERYTHING WAS BECAUSE OF ACCIDENT WHICH WAS ONLY MINOR DAMAGE. SINCE THE ACCIDENT I HAVEN'T HAD A PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE UNTIL NOW. AT TIME OF ACCIDENT , THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY, NOW EVERYTIME I HONK ON HORN THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON FOR A DAY OR SO. *TR

WHILE DRIVING IN THE EARLY MORNING OR EVENNGS I NOTICE THAT THE ABS LIGHT AND BATTERY LIGHT GLOW ON. THEY COME ON AND GO OFF. LAST EVENING THE CAR WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE DOORS LOCKED AND WINDOWS UP. THE DOME LIGHT CAME ON AND WENT OFF SEVERAL TIMES. I LOOKED INTO THE CAR AND FOUND THAT THE OIL LIGHT AND THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT WERE ON WHEN THE DOME LIGHT WAS OFF. ALSO, WHEN THE DOOR AJAR AND OIL LIGHT ARE ON, THE WIRELESS REMOTES DO NOT WORK. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE ABS AND BATTERY LIGHT 2 TIMES WITH NO RESOLVE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE TODAY WITH VIDEO OF THE DOME LIGHT, OIL LIGHT, AND THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT. *NM

THURSDAY MORNING, (10/6/05) I WAS DRIVING NORTHBOUND ON THE DAN RYAN I94. I WAS IN THE LEFT HAND LANE IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF MY HOOD. I THOUGHT I MUST BE OVERHEATING, THOUGH THAT SEEMED WEIRD SINCE IT WAS FAIRLY COOL OUTSIDE AND NOTHING ON MY DASH SHOWED DISTRESS. I PULLED QUICKLY TO THE LEFT SHOULDER, TURNED OFF THE CAR AND DECIDED TO CALL ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE. WHILE ON HOLD A STRANGE SMELL STARTED TO FILL THE CAR AND I NOTICED MORE SMOKE AND THE SMOKE WAS GETTING DARKER. I GRABBED MY BAG, AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR. WITHIN A MINUTE, THERE WERE SMALL FLAMES COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. I BEGAN TO WALK QUICKLY AWAY FROM THE CAR ALONG THE SHOULDER. ALL THIS TO SAY THAT THE CAR IS TOTALED, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MADE IT BEFORE IT EXPLODED....BUT...

DT: THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER POPPED OUT AND LANDED ON PAPERS AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT BURNED THE PASSENGERS IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN THE TO SEATS. HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER. THIS HAPPENED MONDAY AUGUST 15, 2005. THE CONSUSMER SUSTAINED BURNS ON RIGHT HAND.*AK

IGNITION PROBLEMS, CD PLAYER MALFUCTION, WAS REPAIRED BUT FAILED AGAIN 3 TIMES TO START AND TOWED 3 TIMES TO THE DEALER. *AK