There are 38 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 2002 Ford Focusin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
MY 89 YEAR OLD MOTHER BOUGHT A 2002 FORD FOCUS FROM LAUREL AUTO IN BOSWELL AND WHEN SHE WENT TO GET IT INSPECTED WAS TOLD THE FRAME (UNIBODY) IS RUSTED SO BADLY THAT IT CANNOT BE REPAIRED. THERE ARE HOLES ALL THROUGH IT. SHE PAID $5,000 AND HAS ONLY HAD THE CAR 1 YEAR. WAS THERE A RECALL ON 2002 FORD FOCUS FRAMES? THE GARAGE STATES THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN A FRAME IN SUCH BAD SHAP.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REPLENISHING THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID, THE HOOD LID CLOSE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE NUT BUSHING DETERIORATED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. THE VIN NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.
I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR FIVE YEARS AND AT ABOUT 180,000 MILES I NOTICED THAT MY REAR DRIVER DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH. BOTH REAR DOORS STICK AND HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO OPEN. HOWEVER, AT ABOUT 180,000 MILES THE DOOR LATCH STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. I HAD TO WRAP THE SEAT BELT AROUND THE DOOR TO KEEP IT FROM OPENING WHILE DRIVING. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE I FOUND THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE 2002 FORD FOCUS DOOR LATCHES. I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP BUT WHEN THEY RAN MY VIN# THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. EVEN THOUGH I WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE THAT LED TO THE RECALL THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED. THEY REFERRED ME TO THE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE AND AFTER SPENDING 45 MINUTES ON THE PHONE I WAS TOLD TO KEEP ME RECEIPTS IN CASE THEY ISSUE A RECALL IN THE FUTURE. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THAT FORD DIDN'T OFFER TO FIX MY CAR KNOWING THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON OTHER CARS THAT ARE THE SAME YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL. *TR
THE FRONT SUBFRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH AND HAS A HOLE ABOUT 8" WIDE. SCARY THAT THIS HOLDS THE VEHICLES STEERING SYSTEM AND THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE TOGETHER. HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL NEED TO GET HURT? HOW MANY CARS WILL FALL APART BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE? WHY RECALL THE WINDSTAR AND NOT THE FOCUS? *JS
MY 2002 FORD FOCUS HAS A PLASTIC GROMMET THAT HOLDS THE BASE OF THE HOOD PROP IN PLACE. THIS IS A ENGINEERING DEFECT, BECAUSE OUR GROMMET BROKE AND THE HOOD FELL ON MY HUSBAND AND I. I ORDERED THE PART FROM THE PARTS DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALER AND WAS SURPRISED IT WAS A $5.00 PART THAT I AM SURE WILL BREAK AGAIN OVER TIME. IN FACT ALL NEW FOCUSES HAVE THIS CHEAP $5.00 PART. I HOPE NO CHILD IS EVER NEAR THE HOOD WHEN IT BREAKS. MOST CARS HAVE METAL BASES FOR THE HOOD PROP THAT SWIVEL AND LAST A LIFETIME. I PLEAD WITH SOMEBODY OUT THERE TO GET FORD TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. I TRIED. *TR
THE HOOD PROP (HOLDER) BROKE AND FELL AND THE HOOD FELL ON OUR HEADS. *TR
FRONT CROSS MEMBER ON MY 2002 FORD FOCUS ROTTED THROUGH. FAILED RI STATE INSPECTION. WAS ADVISE BY RHODE ISLAND ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO FORWARDED THIS COMPLAINT TO YOU AND ADVISE ME TO FOLLOW UP ON IT. I HAVE PICTURES & DVD TO SHOW THE SEVERITY OF THE ROT. THE REST OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE WAS STILL IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. UPDATED 06/22/10.*JB *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR ONLY OPENED WHEN MOVED LEFT TO RIGHT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN WHEN UNLOCKED. THE FAILURES OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V030000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ROCKER PANEL ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT WHICH HAD SINCE BEEN CORRECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AGAIN INFORMED THAT PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE REPAIR SHOP ALSO STATED THAT JUNK YARDS WERE NOT USING PARTS FROM OLDER VEHICLES BECAUSE THE PART WAS KNOWN TO HAVE RUSTING ISSUES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN OR UNLOCK. THE DOOR IS COMPLETELY STUCK. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS, BUT NO RECALLS. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 70,000.
MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARDS LEAK A WATER WHEN IT RAINS. AFTER BEING "FIXED" 3 TIMES, MY CAR IS NOW RUSTING! *TR
WATER LEAKS INTO PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD EVERYTIME IT RAINS. *NM
5/4/06 NOTICED VENT LEAK ON PASSENGER FLOOR. *JB
DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG IN STEERING WHEEL CRACKING OPEN IN MY 2002 FORD FOCUS. THIS MAY BE A PROBLEM IN DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG IF IT IS EVER ACTIVATED. THESE SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED. *JB
FORD ISSUED A REAR DOOR RECALL, WHICH WAS NOT FOUND AT THIS TIME. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS, BUT THERE WERE NO AVAILABLE PARTS IN ORDER TO DO REPAIR, WHICH IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE DOORS COULD OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY.*AK
WATER LEAKS INTO TRUNK AND FLOOR CAR WAS TORN APART IN ATTEMPT TO FIX WATER LEAKS. HOOD, RIGHT FENDER,FRONT WINDSHIELD,REAR WINDOW,DASHBOARD,STEERING WHEEL. LL REMOVED FROM CAR THEN REINSTALLED, TO TRY TO FIX WATER LEAKS.*AK WE NOW FILL NOTHING WILL WORK CORRECTY AND CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, SINCE STEERING WHEEL WAS REMOVED THEN REINSTALLED, FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT DID ALL THIS WORK. CAR IS A LEMON.
WATER LEAKES. *AK
THE TRUNK LID HAS RUST APPEARING ALONG THE CHROME TRIM PIECE AT ONLY 32000 MILES. VEHICLE IS STORED INDOORS. THIS WAS REPAIRED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY AND IT HAS RE-APPEARED EVEN WORSE (AT 35000 MILES). FORD WILL NOT REPLACE UNLESS PERFORATION OCCURS.*AK
WATER LEAK INTO THE TRUNK FROM BODYSEAM, AND WATER LEAK INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT FLOOR FROM COWL PANEL SEAMS AND FRESH AIR VENT::: FUEL PUMP - ELECTRIC ( IN TANK ) REPLACE::: VEHICLE HAS A BAD JERKING PROBLEM, SERVICE DEPT. CAN'T CORRECT PROBLEM::: LR WINDOW SCRATCHED REPLACED WINDOW::: REAR VIEW MIRROR DOOR MOUNT REPLACED::: PREMATURE TIRE WEAR::: ECT.
MY 2002 FORD FOCUS LEAKS, STALLS, CREAKS WHEN TURNING, THE HATCHBACK DOOR OCCASIONALLY COMES OPEN. *AK
Showing 1–20 of 38 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026