There are 475 stored owner reports matching the electrical system leading-label group for the 2003 Ford Focus in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 50 of 475 matching reports. This is a limited sample of up to 50 reports, ordered by incident date when available, not the complete group. The list controls page through the loaded reports only.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)wiring harness fused together
NEW ONSET BURNING SMELL WHILE DRIVING IN SUBURBAN ENVIRONMENT. PARKED CAR, THEN IT WOULDN'T START. UPON INSPECTION FOUND BATTERY CABLES/SHEATH MELTING. REPLACED BATTERY, CAR STARTED. CAR PARKED AND 1 HR LATER WOULDN'T START- NEW BATTERY IS DEAD. REPLACED WITH 2ND NEW BATTERY, HOOKED UP CABLES AND SPARKS CAME FROM BATTERY (INSTALLED CORRECTLY). CAR STILL WON'T START.
THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED LESS THAN A WEEK AGO. NOW, IT IS NEEDING REPLACED AGAIN. THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRICAL WIRING IN THESE VEHICLES! THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. A LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,700. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
MY COMPLAINT STEMS FROM FAULTY ELECTRICAL WIRING/ SUBPAR WORKMANSHIP. MY CAR HAS DEVELOPED ANOTHER WIRING HARNESS ISSUE. THE REAR ELECTRICAL HARNES WIRES HAVE COMPLETELY CORRODED AWAY. THE PLASTIC INSULATION COMPLETELY CRACKED LEAVING THE WIRES EXPOSED AND TOUCHING EACH OTHER. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE. THE FIRST TIME IT CREATED AN ISSUE WITH THE HATCH NOT BEING ABLE TO CLOSE PROPERLY. THE WIRING HARNESS WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED( WITH OEM HARNESS) THIS TIME THE THIRD BREAK LIGHT AS IT IS CALLED STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY.. I WAS STATIONARY WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED. I TOOK APART THE REAR ELECTRICAL BOOT AFTER USING A BOLT METER TO TEST FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY AT THE BRAKE LIGHT SYSTEM. THERE WAS NO CURRENT SO I TOOK THE NEXT STEP.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY DID NOT START THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER CONTACTED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO GENTLY TAPPED THE KEY SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL IT TURNED. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME AND PARKED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 122,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. WHILE DRIVING, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND LIGHTS BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
MY CAR LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER, BUT WAS STILL RUNNING THEN FINALLY IT DIED. I LOST ALL LIGHTS AND ELECTRIC BATTERY WAS DEAD SO I BOUGHT NEW BATTERY THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN, SO I BOUGHT NEW ALTERNATOR BECAUSE OLD ALTERNATOR WAS BAD, THEN NEW ALTERNATOR DIED WITHIN A MONTH. SAME PROBLEM, THEN I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND A FORUM ABOUT THE HATCH BACK FOCUS AND ITS WIRING PROBLEM INSIDE THE PROTECTIVE SLEEVE. SO I PEELED BACK PROTECTIVE SLEEVE AND SURE ENOUGH THERE WERE EXPOSED WIRES JUST LIKE THE THOUSANDS OF POSTS FROM OTHER PEOPLE, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL MY CAR OFF THE ROAD BEFORE IT DIED, BUT WITH SEVERITY OF THIS PROBLEM THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, AND THE BATTERY AND ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION, THE HAZER LIGHT FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN TO THE ON POSITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000. UPDATED 05/11/16*LJ *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. A TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE OIL AND THE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE BATTERY. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT A CLUSTER UNDER THE DASHBOARD, WHICH CONTROLLED ALL THE LIGHT SIGNALS, WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE "REPAIRED OR REPLACED." THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000. UPDATED 04/08/16*LJ *CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO START. IN ADDITION, THE KEY WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
I WAS USING MY PASSENGER SEAT HEATER WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO PICK SOMETHING UP FROM THE MALL WHEN I STARTED SMELLING A BURNING SMELL. WHEN I GOT TO THE MALL,I LOOKED OVER TO FIND A LARGE SCORCH MARK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SIX OCCASIONS WHERE THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE REPLACED EACH TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
KEY WILL NOT TURN IN IGNITION. AGAIN! HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. *TR
KEY LOCKS INSIDE THE IGNITON DOESN'T ALLOW THE CAR TO START I REPLACED THE IGNITON LOCK 3 TIMES BUT THE PROBLEM STILL HAPPENS... *TR
I HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY IGNITION NOT TURNING. I LOOKED UP AND SAW OVER 300 COMPLAINTS SINCE 2011 ON THIS PROBLEM.. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST ME. I AM NOW TAKING MY CAR TO A COMPANY THAT HANDLES THIS PROBLEM AND I HAVE TO PAY OVER $150.00!!! I BELIEVE THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH NO RECALL. THE OWNER HAS STATED THAT HE IS FIXING AT LEAST ONE CAR (FORD FOCUS) A WEEK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, YET THERE IS NOT RECALL!!!!!!
I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE IGNITION LOCKING. I'M GOING ON MY 3RD REPAIR FOR THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. FIRST THE IGNITION WAS RE-KEYED AND/OR REPLACED. NEXT THE IGNITION AGAIN WAS REPLACED. THE STEERING COLUMN HAD TO REMOVED. THIS TIME, I'M IMAGING THE SAME THING. I'M VERY UPSET THAT FORD HAS NEVER OFFERED TO REPAIR AT DISCOUNTS OR TO REPAIR AT ALL. VERY UPSET THAT THEY NEVER RECALLED IT, KNOWING THIS WAS STACKING UP FOR BUYERS, AS AN ISSUE. I COME FROM A FAMILY WITH FAITHFUL FORD, LINCOLN/MERCURY TIES, WHICH INCLUDE EMPLOYEES, RETIREES, AND A FAMILY THAT SUPPORTS FORD, NO DOUBT. AS A FOCUS OWNER, I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED HOW THIS HAS BEEN HANDLED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE BECAME EXTREMELY HOT AND MELTED. WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
KEY WILL NOT TURN IN IGNITION. *TR
Showing 1-20 of 50 loaded 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.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 29, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.