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
250 reports, newest first.
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, Apr 19, 2017
VEHICLE STATIONARY. UPON INSERTING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE DOES NOT START. THIS OCCURS WITH SEVERAL TURNS OF THE IGNITION. ONCE THE KEY IS STRONGLY INSERTED OR WIGGLES AROUND THE ENGINE STARTS. RECENTLY DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY IGNITION CYLINDER. IT HAPPENS DAILY!
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
Structure, Mar 28, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR HAD TO BE SECURED WITH A ROPE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
Air bags, Mar 25, 2017, crash
I WAS DRIVING A FORD FOCUS 2008 AT APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MPH IN TRAFFIC AND DROVE DIRECTLY INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE WITHOUT BREAKING. THE OTHER VEHICLE, A LEXUS SEDAN WAS STOPPED. THE FORD FOCUS WAS UP TO DATE ON ALL SAFETY INSPECTIONS AND AIRBAGS WERE SET ON. IN SPITE OF THIS, NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND I SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY FROM THE COLLISION.
Electrical system, Feb 14, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. AFTER INSERTING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND TURNING THE SWITCH, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Electrical system, Jan 30, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED IN 2012 FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000.
Electrical system, Structure, Jan 21, 2017
HAVE PROBLEMS WITH PASSENGER DOOR AND BOTH REAR DOORS. DOOR WON'T LATCH AT TIMES AND POWER DOOR LOCK WON'T LOCK AT TIMES AND SOMETIMES WON'T UNLOCK OR BOTH.
Steering, Electrical system, Jan 3, 2017
SWITCH TO START VEHICLE IS "STICKING" WHEN IT WORKS OR NOT STARTING AFTER 15+ ATTEMPTS. VERY ANNOYING & PERHAPS DANGEROUS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR. THE POP FEATURE, I BELIEVE , IS NOT ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO START OR REMOVE THE KEY. CAR LESS THAN 80K MILES. OTHERWISE, LOVE THE CAR. CAR HASNT BEEN FIXED OR REPAIRED YET, LOOKING FOR RE-CALLS BC SEEMS TO BE A COMMON SITUATION.
Service brakes, Jan 3, 2017
ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AND HITTING A BUMP AT THE SAME TIME THE PETAL WENT ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. THE FOURTH TIME THE PETAL DROPPED NEARLY TO THE FLOOR DURING HARD BRAKING. WITH THE ENGINE OFF PUMPING THE BRAKES A COUPLE OF TIMES THE PETAL CAME FIRMLY TO THE TOP. APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE PETAL AND TURNING ON THE ENGINE THE PETAL DROPPED NEARLY TO THE FLOOR. PUMPING THE PETAL SEVERAL TIMES RETURNED THE PETAL TO THE NORMAL OPERATING POSITION.
Service brakes, Jan 2, 2017
SPONGY BRAKING ISSUES, RECENTLY THE BRAKES ON MY 2008 FORD FOCUS HAVE BECOME VERY SPONGY, I TOOK IT IN TO FIRESTONE AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT MY FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WERE PERFECTLY NORMAL, BUT BEING THAT I DRIVE MY VEHICLE EVERYDAY I KNOW THAT SOMETHING IS UP. I AM FINDING IT HARD TO STOP AT RED LIGHTS AND ON THE HIGHWAY. IT'S ALMOST TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDDLE THE FLOOR TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT IT MAY BE THE MASTER CYLINDER OR A COMBINATION OF OTHER THINGS, BUT ONE THING IS TRUE FORD NEEDS TO DO A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE DIES OR GETS HURT. I PRAY THIS DOES NOT FALL ON DEAF EARS AND ACTION IS TAKEN!!
Power train, Engine, Dec 21, 2016
THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WAS AT 83,000 MILES, AT THE TIME THE ISSUES BEGAN. WHEN THE CAR ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOPPED POSITION, THE 1-2 GEARS STARTED SLIPPING, CHECK ENGINE AND WRENCH LIGHT APPEARED. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, DIAGNOSTICS TEST STATED THAT IT WAS A "SHIFT SOLENOID D CLOSED" HAD MY MECHANIC REPLACE IT, IT STILL DID NOT WORK. I SPENT 400 BUCKS TO REPLACE THE D SOLENOID, AND THE CAR IS STILL IN THE SAME CONDITION! I HAVE SEEN COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE ONLINE, WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL?! HAD I KNOWN THE 2008 FORD FOCUS SUCKED THIS BAD, I NEVER WOULD HAVE BOUGHT IT!
Engine, Dec 14, 2016
THE SPARK PLUGS KEEP BLOWING OUT OF THE ENGINE HEAD. SO FAR, 3 OUT OF 4 HAVE COME OUT. SOME MORE THAN ONCE AFTER REPAIRING WITH A HELICOIL.
Electrical system, Dec 12, 2016
OUR 2008 FORD FOCUS HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY HARDER TO CRANK. WE HAVE BEEN HAVE TO APPLY PRESSURE WHILE TURNING THE KEY AND NOW IT WON'T START AT ALL. I AM NOW STRANDED AT WORK UNTIL I CAN GET SOMEONE TO COME PICK ME UP. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS A PIN INSIDE THE IGNITION THAT WEARS DOWN UNTIL IT CAN NO LONGER MAKE CONTACT WITH THE PART INSIDE TO GET CAR TO CRANK. I BELIEVE FORD REALLY NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN MANY PEOPLE HAVING THIS ISSUE ON THIS AND OTHER WEBSITES. *TR
Electrical system, Nov 28, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT FAILED TO START WHILE THE KEY WAS IN THE ON POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 94,437. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Structure, Nov 3, 2016
THE DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE & THE PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT STAY CLOSED. THE PROBLEM STARTED ONE DAY WHEN IT WAS PARKED AT WAL MART & I COULD NOT GET INTO THE CAR UPON RETURNING TO IT. I POP TRUNK, PUSH SEAT DOWN & CRAWL THROUGH. THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON LINE WITH SAME ISSUES & RECALLS ON NEWER MODELS FOR SAME COMPLAINTS.
Structure, Nov 3, 2016
MANUALLY UNLOCKED VEHICLE FROM DRIVER'S DOOR, BUT LATCH WOULD NOT DISENGAGE TO OPEN THE DOOR. VEHICLE MUST BE ENTERED VIA THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE DRIVER'S DOOR MUST BE OPENED FROM THE INTERIOR.
Latches/locks/linkages, Oct 13, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK OR IN DRIVE, THE FRONT DRIVER, REAR DRIVER, AND REAR PASSENGER DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16F698000 (LATCHES, LOCKS, LINKAGES). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Structure, Oct 10, 2016
DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. 2 WEEKS LATER PASSENGER DOOR FAILED FROM THE OUTSIDE AS WELL. I DRILLED A HOLE THROUGH THE INTERIOR HANDLE AND STRUNG IT OUTSIDE THE DOOR SO I CAN GET INTO MY COUPE. YEAH THAT'S RIGHT ALL DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. WHAT MAKES IT EVEN WORSE IS FORD IN THEIR INFINITE WISDOM DISCONTINUED BOTH PARTS I NEED TO FIX IT FAULTY THOUGH THEY MAY BE. 8S4Z-5421812-D (PASSENGER) AND POSSIBLY 8S4Z-5421813-B (DRIVER - THOUGH I'M NOT ENTIRELY CERTAIN THIS IS THE CORRECT MANUAL LOCK ASSEMBLY.) SO FORD PUT MILLIONS OF FAULTY LATCHES OUT THERE AND DISCONTINUED THE PART NEEDED TO FIX IT. IN THE MEANTIME I'M NOT ABLE TO KEEP MY CAR SECURED WITH ANY BELONGS I MAY PUT IN IT AS I HAVE TO HAVE A ROPE/STRING HANGING OUT ANYONE CAN WALK BY AND PULL TO GET IN MY CAR.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 19, 2016
I WAS DRIVING ON FREEWAY AND HEARD A LOUD SOUND LIKE A GUNSHOT AND THEN GLASS STARTED ENTERING THROUGH MOON ROOF SHADE
Structure, Sep 6, 2016
IN JULY OF 2015 THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR OF MY CAR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. IN JULY AND AUGUST OF 2016 MY DRIVERS DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE AS WELL AS THE BACK DOOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I'M DISABLED AND I HAVE TO LEAVE MY DOORS UNLOCKED SO THAT I CAN CRAWL INTO THE BACK SEAT AND OPEN MY DRIVERS DOOR WITH MY CANE TO GET IN.
Electrical system, Aug 23, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO START WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START AFTER MORE THAN FIFTEEN ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 10/19/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS HARD TO TURN, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 10/24/16.*JB
Structure, Aug 21, 2016
THE TAKATA RECALL-BOTH OF MY DOOR LATCH ARE NOT WORKING ON MY FORD FOCU 2008
Structure, Aug 17, 2016
TAKATA RECALL ONE DAY WENT TO GET INTO MY CAR ON DRIVERSIDE AND MY DOORHANDLE BROKE FROM OUTSIDE, CAN OPEN IT FROM INSIDE BUT NOT OUTSIDE TOOK IT TO LOCAL DEALER THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ME 200-300 DOLLARS TO FIX I DONT HAVE THAT KINDA MONEY SO I GET IN PASSINGER SIDE AND ROLL WINDOW DOWN SO I CAN REACH IN DRIVERS DOOR TO OPEN DOOR ITS A HASSLE
Electrical system, Aug 16, 2016
WE HAVE SPENT OVER 700$ TRYING TO FIX A IGNITION PROBLEM. NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL. THIS IS AWFUL. IT ISN'T FUN GETTING CAUGHT IN HOT WEATHER STUCK, NOT BEING ABLE TO START YOUR CAR.