2008 Ford Focus
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 250 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 16th highest complaint count among 19 Focus model years with reports.
Of the 2008 reports, 21 involved a crash. 20 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Exterior lighting, headlightsAug 11, 2008
K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
WITHOUT THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS, THE LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY BE AFFECTED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.
Campaign 08E050000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontal, driver side, inflator moduleNov 21, 2007
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.
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.
Campaign 07V541000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
18 reports, newest first. Show all
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 9, 2026
N/a
Other or unspecified, Aug 12, 2025
Starter has always been difficult but now key stuck in ignition and won't start either
Other or unspecified, Apr 21, 2023
The trunk when pulled open will drop down. I pulled my trunk door all they way up went to get something inside the trunk it came down and hit me on the head. This has happened before I was able to catch it before it hit me. This time it hit me on the top of the head hard and my left hand when I tried to catch it. It comes down fast and forcefully. Something is wrong and seriously injure someone. I had a cut on my hand and couldn’t see my head for laceration. But I was afraid I could have been knocked out or had a concussion. Please look into this.
Other or unspecified, Apr 9, 2021
THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE NO LONGER WORKS FROM THE OUTSIDE. IT FEELS LIKE THE DOOR HANDLE ISN'T LATCHING ON TO THE MECHANISM INSIDE THE DOOR TO OPEN IT. I CAN OPEN MY DOOR FROM THE INSIDE THOUGH. I HAVE FOUND ONLINE THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND AM CONFUSED TO WHY NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED OUT FOR THE FAULTY DOOR HANDLE BRACKETS.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jan 25, 2021
MY IGNITION SWITCH IS GETTING STUCK AND IT IS NOT ALLOWING ME TO TURN ON THE CAR. IT IS HARD TO TURN ON MY VEHICLE. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS MARKING ON MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, IT ISN'T ALLOWING MY VEHICLES MOTOR TO VENT OUT.
Other or unspecified, Jan 5, 2018
STARTING ISSUES RELATED TO IGNITION HOUSING AND OR SWITCH. HAD TO PAY $500 TO HAVE REPLACED. WAS TOLD BY REPAIR SHOP THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD VEHICLES ESPECIALLY THE FOCUS SERIES. THERE ARE ALSO NUMEROUS YOUTUBE VIDEOS DOCUMENTING THE SAME ISSUE AS WELL AS SEVERAL FORUMS AND ARTICLES THAT CAN ALL BE FOUND WITH AN EASY SEARCH ON THE WEB. MY CAR STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING AT AROUND 100,000 MILES UNTIL IT WOULD START AT ALL.
Seat belts, Other or unspecified, Engine, Sep 20, 2017
I HAVE AN 2008 FORD FOCUS SE I BOUGHT IN 2016 AND HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH PASSENGER SEAT BELT NOT LOCKING IN PLACE, DOORS NOT LOCKING/UNLOCKING PASSENGER SIDE, AND THE BIGGEST PROBLEM I HAVE EXPERIENCED TWICE IS THE ENGINE REVVENING UP AND MAKING STRANGE NOISES LIKE IT IS GOING TO BLOW UP THE CAR DOES NOT INCREASE WITH SPEED BUT ENGINE REVS AND WHEN BRAKING THE REV WILL SPEED UP THEN DECREASE TO BREAK. PLEASE RECALL BEFORE I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT!!!!!
Other or unspecified, Jul 25, 2017
DOOR LOCKS STICK AND LOCK. VARIES WITH TEMPERATURE/DUST. UNKNOWN ACTUAL CAUSE BUT HAPPENS TO BACK DOORS. SOMETIMES DRIVERS SIDE SOMETIMES PASSENGER. MOST RECENT BACK DOORS ARE UNLOCKED AGAIN BUT DRIVERS SIDE FRONT WILL NOT OPEN FROM OUTSIDE BUT WILL FROM INSIDE. WHEN IT WAS BACK DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUT. DOES NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF MOVING OR NOT. THIS STARTED WITH THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND THEN SWITCHED TO DRIVER SIDE OVER A YEAR AGO AND HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR ME. THE PASSENGER SIDE FINALLY RELEASED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO BUT DRIVERS SIDE WAS STILL LOCKED. AFTER A TRIP SHOPPING I HIT THE LOCK SWITCH BY ACCIDENT AND DOOR UNLOCKED. AFTER I OPENED THE DOOR IT DID NOT WANT TO LATCH. I FINALLY GOT IT TO CLOSE AFTER MESSING WITH THE LOCK BETWEEN COMPRESSED AIR, PB BLASTER AND GREASE. BOTH BACK DOORS ARE FREE NOW BUT MY DRIVERS SIDE FRONT DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE NOW. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE LOCKED BUT ITS NOT WORKING RIGHT. THE BACK PASSENGER WAS VERY SIMILAR BUT IT FREED ITSELF. NOT SO SURE I WILL HAVE ANY LUCK WITH THE NEW ISSUE.
Other or unspecified, Jul 2, 2017
IGNITION SWITCH THE CAR IS HARD TO START GOT TO PUSH KEY IN TO START
Other or unspecified, Apr 26, 2017
DOOR LATCH WILL NOT CLOSE.DOOR BOUNCED OPEN UPON TRYING TO CLOSE IT. THIS IS THE 3RD DOOR LATCH! NEEDS TO BE RECALLED!!!
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 13, 2017
OUR CAR IN FEB 2017 WHILE DRIVING ON ROAD SUDDENLY STOPPED WITH ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ON. CAR GOT STUCK AND WE COULD NOT START ENGINE IN NEXT FEW MINS. AFTER FEW MINS EVERYTHING BACK TO NORMAL. WE STARTED DRIVING AGAIN. SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. TOOK CAR TO LOCAL SHOP. THEY SAID SERIOUS PROBLEM BIT WHERE THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE. NEXT WENT TO INVERGROVE FORD DEALER. SAME ISSUE HAPPENED IN FRONT OF THEM . THEY DID SOMETHING. GAVE CAR BACK. BUT AGAIN SAME PROBLEM. WE CALLED THEM AGAIN AND THIS TIME THEY HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WHILE DRIVING CAR BACK TO SHOP. BUT AFTER GOING THERE THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE PROBLEM. SO THEY SAID TO TAKE CAR BACK BUT ADVISED TO BE CAREFUL WHILE DRIVING AS CAR MIGHT STOP ANYTIME
Other or unspecified, Aug 1, 2016
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IT SHIFTS HARD INTO GEARS AND THEN IT DOESN'T WANT TO STAY IN 4TH GEAR WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. IT DOWN SHIFTS AND THEN WANTS TO RUN 3,000 OR HIGHER RPMS WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, May 12, 2016
2008 FORD FOCUS DOES NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY OR STALLS RANDOMLY. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS I WAS IN TRAFFIC ON BOTH CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS AND NEARLY GOT HIT MORE THAN ONCE. I HAD THE PCM REPLACED BY A CERTIFIED FORD MECHANIC IN 11/14, IT HAD A TWO YEAR WARRANTY. IN 1/16 IT BEGAN DOING THE SAME THING. IT HAD TO BE REPLACED IN 4/16. AFTER REPLACING THE PCM AT A FORD DEALERSHIP THE SECOND TIME MY CAR STALLED OUT ON ME THE NEXT DAY. THE PCM CODE WAS THE SAME AT EACH LOCATION (CODE P00607). BOTH PCM'S WERE PURCHASED FROM FORD BRAND NEW. I AM NOW BEING TOLD BY THE FORD DEALERSHIP THAT THE FOLLOWING CODE (P0320) WAS OBTAINED. THEY INDICATED THE FOLLOWING WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THE AMOUNT OF $575.00: THE COST OF THE REPAIRS INCLUDE: TUNE UP IS $260.00 THIS INCLUDES SPARK PLUGS ,SPARK PLUG BOOTS, AND 2 IGNITION COILS AND THE LABOR TO INSTALL THEM. THE COST TO REPLACED THE VALVE COVER GASKET THAT IS LEAKING OIL INTO THE SPARK PLUG VALLEYS IS $315.00 THIS INCLUDES THE PARTS AND LABOR. (SPARK PLUG VALLEYS #3 AND #4 HAVE OIL IN THEM.) MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS WAS NEVER A PCM ISSUE; HOWEVER, IT IS SOMETHING ELSE FEEDING MISINFORMATION TO THE PCM TO SEND INACCURATE CODES TO THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. THE PROBABILITY OF THREE PCM'S BEING FAULTY IN 1 YEAR IS NOT LIKELY. THIS VEHICLE HAS STALLED IN TRAFFIC ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND IS A RISK TO OTHERS AND MYSELF ON THE ROADS. I HAVE GRAVE CONCERNS REGARDING THE RELIABILITY AND SAFETY OF THE 2008 FORD FOCUS SE. FORD NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE AND CORRECT THIS SAFETY ISSUE.
Other or unspecified, Mar 23, 2016
THE KEY HAS TO BE PUSHED IN EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN ON THE ENGINE. IT TAKES SOMETIMES UP TO 5 MINUTES REPEATEDLY TURNING THE KEY FOR IT TO ENGAGE.
Other or unspecified, Dec 5, 2015
2008 FORD FOCUS - 2 DR DRIVER DOOR ONLY KEYED ENTRY POINT... LOCKED CAR CAME BACK ...DOOR WOULDN'T OPEN WITH KEY .CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AFTER THE 1ST TIME JUST LEFT UNLOCKED. TOOK CAR FOR OIL CHANGE FORGOT TO TELL THEM DON'T LOCK AND OF COURSE THEY LOCKED WHEN DONE.HAD TO CALL ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE TO GET IT UNLOCKED. THIS IS REALLY UNSAFE IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS.
Other or unspecified, Aug 2, 2015
THE ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCKS BEGAN TO SEIZE UP OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT A YEAR. NOW ONLY ONE DOOR WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK USING THE ELECTRONIC LOCKING SYSTEM. THE DOORS CAN BE LOCKED AND UNLOCKED MANUALLY BY PULLING AND PUSHING ON THE PLASTIC MANUAL DOOR LOCKS.
Other or unspecified, Jun 12, 2015
CAR STALLED IN TRAFFIC AND I COULD NOT GET IT STARTED. STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION TO GET THE CAR STARTED. HAVE TO KEEP THE KEY PUSHED IN, STRAIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL TO GET IT STARTED AND SOMETIMES WOULD TAKE 10 TIMES. NOT A GOOD THING IN TRAFFIC. TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A MISSING SCREW IN AN ENCLOSED CRIMPED AREA OF THE HOUSING FOR THE IGNITION WHICH I WAS THEN TOLD THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE EXCEPT FOR AN ASSEMBLY ERROR. WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO WAY IT COULD HAVE FALLEN OUT. WE HAVE A STICK SHIFT SO IT IS VERY EASY TO STALL IT WHILE IN TRAFFIC IF NOT PAYING ATTENTION. WE ALMOST GOT HIT BECAUSE WE COULD NOT GET IT STARTED. THIS PROBLEM STARTING IT HAS GONE ON FOR SOME TIME, BUT IT HAD CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. WAS TOLD THIS ONE SCREW HOLDS THE HOUSING IN PLACE SO THE KEY WORKS PROPERLY.
Other or unspecified, Jan 24, 2013
MANUAL DOOR LATCHES ON 4-DOOR, KEY ENTRY. USE OF KEY TO GAIN ENTRY ON BOTH FRONT DOORS BEGAN A GRADUAL FAILURE. HAD TO WORK THE KEY, APPLY PRESSURE TO THE DOORS, ETC, UNTIL BOTH LOCKS FAILED TO OPEN WITH KEY. TWICE HAD PUT CHILDREN IN THE CAR, ACCIDENTALLY LOCKED DOORS, THEN UNABLE TO OPEN DOORS WITH KEYS. FORD SAYS IT ISN'T COVERED BY WARRANTY, ALTHOUGHT THE PROBLEMS FIRST STARTED APPEARING WHEN THE CAR WAS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD. FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS, HAD TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE UNLOCKED. EVENTUALLY HAD AN AUTO BODY MAN DISASSMBLE THE DOORS, LUBE THE LATHES, AND THE WORK AGAIN, ALTHOUGHT THEY ARE STARTING TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY AGAIN. NEW LATCHES ARE $120 TO $160 EACH IF YOU CAN FIND THEM. *TR