Problems · by component
2004 Ford Focus electrical system problems
183 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Ford Focus cite electrical system, 47% of all 387 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
183
47% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“As I was stopped at red light it stalled as I drove thru. So I pulled over. Got out to open hood. It was smoking.struggled to open hood. Ran around to get towel to smother the fire. But it was too far gone. Man told me just leave it. It was total loss.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A LOUD NOISE WAS DETECTED FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE KEY OVERHEATED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO DRIVE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT FURTHER MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE'S FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT BOTH PASSENGER DOORS WERE INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR NEEDED EXTRA STRENGTH TO OPEN AND THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR WAS STUCK AND WOULD NOT OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MULTIPLE UNKNOWN DEALERS WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE ENGINE VALVE WAS STUCK. THE CAUSE OF THE OTHER FAILURES WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 250,000.”
“MY BATTERY LIGHT SEEMS TO FLASH WHEN THE CAR IS OFF. CAR HAS STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING TRY TO ACCELERATE OVER 50 MILES AN HOUR CAR WILL SHUT OFF. BACK HATCH ON WAGON SEEMS TO RELEASE ITSELF WHILE DRIVING WELL UNLOCK AUTOMATICALLY. HAVE REPLACED THREE THERMOSTAT AND THERMOSTAT HOUSING DUE TO OVERHEATING CAR WILL NOT TELL ME IS OVERHEATING IT WILL BOIL IN THE OVERFLOW RETURN TANK PRESSURIZE AND SHOOT THE CAP OFF?...”
“RECENTLY MY VEHICLE STEREO HAS BEEN MESSING UP. IT SOMETIMES SMELL A LITTLE BURNT. IT IS THE PASSENGER DOOR SPEAKER. IT SOUNDS AS IF IT'S A SHORTAGE INSIDE OF IT. SOMETIMES THE RADIO DASH FADES OUT. THE CAR HAS HESITATES SOMETIMES TO START. ONCE THE AC IS ON THE CAR STARTS RUNNING REALLY ROUGH AND YOU HEAR A KIND OF CLICK IS HARD TO EXPLAIN BUT I KNOW IT'S NOT NORMAL. AT SOMETIMES I AM UNABLE TO RUN THE AC MY WHOLE TRIP. MY ENGINE LIGHT HAS RECENTLY CAME ON I DID REPLACE THE COIL PACKS. ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON.”
“"TAKATA RECALL" TRUNK LID POPS WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. I'M AFRAID THAT IF I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD THE LID WILL FLY UP. ALSO IF I POP THE LID WITH KEY FOB BREAK LIGHTS COME ON.”
“WHEN PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION THE KEY WILL NOT TURN AND START THE CAR. IT WILL NOT START AFTER PULLING THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. I AM PREGNANT EXPECTING A BABY. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR ME AND MY BABY. IF I GO INTO LABOR AND NEED TO LEAVE TO THE HOSPITAL I CANNOT RISK THE CAR WILL NOT START BECAUSE THE KEY WON'T TURN THE IGNITION ON.”
Showing 6 of 183 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.