Problems · by component

2001 Ford Focus visibility problems

56 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Ford Focus cite visibility, 3% of all 1,790 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
56
3% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the visibility

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR OF THE POWER WINDOWS FELL INTO THE DOOR WELL INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO SET THE WINDOWS TO STAY UP AND TAPED THE POWER WINDOW BUTTONS SO THAT THEY COULD NOT BE PUSHED AS THE WINDOWS WOULD FALL AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 12/5/12 *CN UPDATED 12/10/2012 *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 16, 2012VisibilityODI 10480685
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR HANDLES FRACTURED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE THE WINDOWS OPEN IN ORDER TO LATER ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER HOWEVER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDOW REGULATOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY NO ONE WOULD BE ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO STATED THAT THE CONTACT SHOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND OFFERED NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 24, 2012VisibilityODI 10467556
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ABNORMAL CRANKING NOISE WERE COMING FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,000. UPDATED 09/19/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE WINDOW REGULATION FAILED AND COULD NOT BE USED TO CLOSE THE WINDOW. UPDATED 09/26/2012 *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2012VisibilityODI 10459557
“MY MAIN COMPLAINTS ARE THE POWER WINDOWS, AIR CONDITIONING, FUEL SYSTEM ISSUE 3 OF THE 4 POWER WINDOW MECHANISM IN MY CAR HAVE BROKEN AND TWO ARE WEDGED UP, WHICH WASN'T A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN TO ME BECAUSE I RARELY HAVE PEOPLE IN THE REAR SEATS. NOW, I HAVE TO DECIDE IF I SHOULD FIX MY DRIVER WINDOW OR WEDGE IT. IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME BECAUSE IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT AND CANNOT OPEN MY WINDOW THEN I MIGHT MAKE IT OUT ALIVE. MY A/C IS BROKEN AS WELL SO IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, I NEED TO CHOOSE TO EITHER FIX MY A/C OR FIX MY POWER WINDOW SO THAT I CAN HAVE VENTILATION. ALSO, I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET AN ISSUE FIXED WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM AS IT SOMETIMES LURCHES IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. IT HASN'T STALLED ON ME YET IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION LIKE IT HAS FOR SOME PEOPLE, BUT I AM WORRIED IT WILL HAPPEN SOON. I AM HOPEFUL FORD WILL FIX MY WINDOW ISSUES AS THIS IS A DIRECT CAUSE OF CHEAP PARTS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 30, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline, VisibilityODI 10433585
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LAMINATION ON ALL FOUR GLASS WINDOWS EXHIBITED SIGNIFICANT SEPARATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT EACH WINDOW WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 3, 2011VisibilityODI 10398790
“DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY OUR CHILDREN ROLLED DOWN THE BACK POWER WINDOWS AND THEY WOULD NOT GO BACK UP - SWERVED INTO OTHER LANE TRYING TO CONTAIN THE SITUATION BECAUSE OF THE NOISE FROM THE TRAFFIC HAS TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY IMMEDIATELY TO NOTE THAT THE WINDOWS WOULD NO LONGER GO UP - HAD TO MANUALLY PUSH THEM UP TO KEEP THEM UP - ALTHOUGH WHILE DRIVING THEY WILL GO BACK DOWN - WHICH CAUSE A JUMP IN REFLEXES. TO TEMPORARILY FIX THE PROBLEM WE HAVE APPLIED DUCT TAPE. ALSO WHEN IT RAINS THERE IS NOW WATER ACCUMULATING ON THE PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD AND SPREADS TO THE BACK SEAT FLOOR BOARD - HAS DOOR SEALS CHECKED AND WILL REPLACE ALTHOUGH THIS IS A REAL HEALTH CONCERN BECAUSE OF RUST AND MOLD. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 30, 2011Visibility, Structure, Latches/locks/linkagesODI 10379598

Showing 6 of 56 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Visibility: windshield wiper

Free remedy

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER CARS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND LIGHT AND MEDIUM DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS. A SWITCH LOCATED IN THE PLASTIC COVER OF THE WIPER MOTOR GEAR CASE COULD MALFUNCTION AND OVERHEAT, POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN LOSS OF INTERMITTENT WIPER FUNCTION, LOSS OF WIPER PARK FUNCTION, COMPLETE LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION, OR IGNITION OF THE PLASTIC COVER MATERIAL. SWITCH MALFUNCTION IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN THE INTERMITTENT SETTING OF THE WIPERS IS BEING USED, OR WHEN SNOW OR ICE OBSTRUCTS THE BLADES FROM RETURNING TO THE "PARKED" POSITION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT AT THE FOLLOWING ASSEMBLY PLANTS: ATLANTA PLANT FROM 2/11/00 THROUGH 7/31/00; CHICAGO PLANT FROM 2/14/00 THROUGH 8/4/00; KANSAS CITY PLANT FROM 2/26/00 TO 9/4/00; KENTUCKY TRUCK PLANT FROM 2/18/00 TO 8/31/00; MICHIGAN TRUCK PLANT FROM 2/23/00 THROUGH 8/3/00; NORFOLK PLANT FROM 2/21/00 THROUGH 7/27/00; WAYNE STAMPING AND ASSEMBLY PLANT FROM 2/25/00 THROUGH 8/15/00; AND WIXOM PLANT FROM 2/15/00 THROUGH 8/8/00.

VisibilityReported Aug 8, 2001NHTSA 01V258000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.