Your vehicle report
2008 Ford Focus
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 250
- Received Dec 2007 to Jun 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Rear door latch fails to open or close60 complaints · 24% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Ignition key sticks or will not turn29 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Tires blow out or tread separates21 complaints · 8.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #07V541000Certain vehicles fail to conform to the requirements specified in federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the driver air bag module may not have been properly assembled.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 21 crashes, 0 fires, 20 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 17 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Ford Focus transmission clutch slips and hesitates
- Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips
- Electronic throttle body fails and cuts power
1 more problem
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
1 more problem
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 9 |
| 2009 | 13 |
| 2010 | 23 |
| 2011 | 26 |
| 2012 | 19 |
| 2013 | 19 |
| 2014 | 36 |
| 2015 | 14 |
| 2016 | 29 |
| 2017 | 19 |
| 2018 | 10 |
| 2019 | 12 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 1 |
| Total | 250 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 60 | 24% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 29 | 12% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 21 | 8.4% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 18 | 7.2% | – | NHTSA recall #07V541000 |
| Ford Focus transmission clutch slips and hesitates | 15 | 6.0% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 8 | 3.2% | – | |
| Electronic throttle body fails and cuts power | 8 | 3.2% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 7 | 2.8% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 5 | 2.0% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 5 | 2.0% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 3 | 1.2% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 3 | 1.2% | – | |
| TPMS valve stems break or leak | 3 | 1.2% | – | |
| Alloy wheel rims crack and lose air | 3 | 1.2% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 3 | 1.2% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 3 | 1.2% | – | |
| Power steering rack leaks fluid | 3 | 1.2% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #07V541000November 21, 200745 vehicles affected
air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
Certain vehicles fail to conform to the requirements specified in federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the driver air bag module may not have been properly assembled.
This condition may prevent the driver air bag from properly deploying and reduce occupant protection in the event of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace your driver air bag module free of charge. The recall began on november 20, 2007. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2008 Ford Focus.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN