2006 Ford Focus
The Verdict
The 2006 Ford Focus has 204 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (80 complaints) and body (75 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 54/100, it earns a "Proceed with Caution" rating. If you're shopping for a Ford Focus, consider the 2011 model year which has 44% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2011 has 44% fewer complaints
View the 2011 Ford Focus dashboard →
Klunk Score: Proceed with Caution
About average for complaint volume. Research the specific issues before buying.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
| Year | Body | Brakes | Electrical | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1029 | 336 | 1419 | 853 | 174 |
| 2001 | 429 | 165 | 589 | 550 | 68 |
| 2002 | 362 | 66 | 330 | 191 | 66 |
| 2003 | 254 | 54 | 561 | 97 | 49 |
| 2004 | 94 | 34 | 200 | 47 | 12 |
| 2005 | 172 | 28 | 146 | 51 | 43 |
| 2006 | 75 | 13 | 80 | 24 | 12 |
| 2007 | 119 | 17 | 181 | 33 | 40 |
| 2008 | 119 | 12 | 75 | 25 | 19 |
| 2009 | 102 | 8 | 56 | 37 | 26 |
| 2010 | 131 | 5 | 49 | 71 | 31 |
| 2011 | 56 | 4 | 27 | 7 | 19 |
| 2012 | 1562 | 31 | 238 | 751 | 1200 |
| 2013 | 517 | 16 | 122 | 556 | 891 |
| 2014 | 441 | 17 | 131 | 735 | 1314 |
| 2015 | 200 | 3 | 44 | 302 | 469 |
| 2016 | 124 | 2 | 47 | 444 | 568 |
| 2017 | 81 | 4 | 24 | 413 | 363 |
| 2018 | 76 | 5 | 17 | 465 | 244 |
Investigations 10
NHTSA defect investigations for this vehicle.
Fuel smell and loss of motive power
Opened Mar 30, 2026
FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions
Opened Mar 18, 2026
All wheel drive allegation
Opened Mar 6, 2026
Redundant wheel fastener locking mechanism
Opened Mar 4, 2026
Loss of Power Steering Assist
Opened Mar 2, 2026
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Opened Jan 30, 2026
Waymo AV striking a child in the area of a school.
Opened Jan 29, 2026
Momentary increase in steering effort after recall remedy
Opened Jan 26, 2026
Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy
Opened Jan 16, 2026
Emergency egress controls are not readily accessible and clearly identifiable.
Opened Dec 23, 2025
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
My sister was driving my 2006 Ford Focus along a highway. Out of nowhere, the airbag in the side of the driver's seat deployed. This was the only airbag that deployed. The airbag deployed into the side of my sister emitting a white smoke or powder substance. She saw black from the trauma of the airbag impact. She was able to then gain control of the vehicle as no other vehicles were around. She got into the emergency lane and slowly made her way to the offramp then into a gravel parking lot. She then called her daughter to pick her up, who then took her to the ER. She was not thinking clearly or she would have called an ambulance. My husband took off work and took our car dolly and towed the vehicle to our house. My sister was diagnosed with head trauma, concussion, and whiplash. She has since been to her primary doctor who is following her care now. My sister now has ongoing foggy head, headaches, slower reactions, pain going down her leg and arm and dizziness. We have made contact with Ford and made a complaint, giving a case number and told they would contact me with 15 business days. As of today, no one has contacted us, so my sister called Ford and basically had to file another complaint, given a second case number, then told her for me to file a report with my insurance company and take the vehicle to Ford to have the airbags inspected. I immediately called my insurance company and am waiting for the adjuster to call me today. I was informed due to the price of a new airbag and the year of my Focus, it will likely be totaled. I will have the car towed to Ted Russell Ford in Knoxville as soon as I am told how to proceed with the towing by the adjuster.
Driving on hiway and vehicle shifted gears. Would no shift normally afterwards. Tried several times. Left myself and granddaughter in hiway in danger. Had local mechanic inspect the vehicle. Was told defective shifting linkage. Has occurred multiple times.
Shifting linkage, was driving and went to shift into next gear and nothing. Clutch engaged, shifter goes in slot but doesn't stay it won't lock into gear, further examination found rubber clip and plastic clip from linkage broken and had fallen to topside of transmission.
The welded retainer of the front bushing on the right side lower (control) arm had rusted through. This allowed the control arm to separate from the frame and the right front wheel to turn outward (while I was traveling straight ahead). The drive shaft was pulled from the transmission and some parts hit the ground. Luckily, I was approaching a stop sign and traveling at less than 30 miles per hour. (The day before I was on I95 at 65 mph) Upon inspection you can see that the control arm is forged in the shape of a "C" from very thick metal where the bushing rests against the arm. However, the bushing is retained by a much thinner metal, welded across the arm forming the other side of the "C". It is that thinner welded retainer that had rusted out. We live in an area where salt is routinely used on the roads during the winter. I know the car is very old. However, this design is inadequate from a safety perspective in the Northeast.
THE WIRING HARNESS FLEXES WHERE IT PASSES FROM THE BODY TO THE TAILGATE CAUSING THE IINSULATION AND WIRING TO BREAK AND SHORT TO THE BODY RESULTING IN A BLOWN FUSE AND NO REAR LIGHTS. THIS HAS OCCURRED WHILST DRIVING AND WHEN STATIONARY OPENING THE HATCHBACK.
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYED ON AFTER CAR WAS PARKED AND THEN STARTED. ENGINE STARTED, AND THE AIR BAG SRS LIGHT CAME ON AS PART OF SELF TEST, WENT OFF FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS, CAME BACK ON THEN STAYED ON. CAR WAS NEVER IN A SIGNIFICANT ACCIDENT. ONLY ACCIDENT WAS SCRATCHED BUMPER FROM SIDESWIPE WHEN VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. CHECKED UNDER AND AROUND 2 FRONT SEATS FOR DEBRIS PER OWNER'S MANUAL. ALL OK WITH INSPECTION. LATCHED AND UNLATCHED SEAT BELTS (DR AND PASS), PULLED AND RETRACTED SEAT BELTS. NO CHANGE, AIR BAG LIGHT STILL ON.
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND GAS PEDDLE GET STUCK AND SOMETIMES WONT PUSH DOWN TO GO SOMETIMES WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY THE HEADLIGHTS AND ALL LIGHTS FLICKER ALL THE TIME WHEN I HAVE THEM ON AT NIGHT GOTTIN PULLED OVER A COUPLE OF TIMES TOOKIN IT TOO THE SHOP AND THEY SAID EVERYTHINGS OK ON HIGHWAY 36 BETWEEN BROOKFIELD AND CHILLICOTHE MO
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THEY ATTEMPT TO FILL THE FUEL TANK, THE FUEL WOULD BEGIN TO LEAK FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL WOULD LEAK OUT OF THE SAME OPENING THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO PUT THE FUEL INTO AS IF THE FUEL WAS SPEWING BACK AT THEM. THE CONTACT CONTACTED THE DEALER (MULLINAX FORD OF PALM BEACH LOCATED AT 1210 NORTHLAKE BLVD, LAKE PARK, FL 33403; PHONE NUMBER 888-856-1675) WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEIR VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06E056000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,156.
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE RPMS SKY ROCKETED. TURNS OUT IT WAS A BROKEN CRUISE CONTROL MODULE CABLE THAT WOULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE TO GET "STUCK". AT THE SAME TIME IT WAS ALSO BOGGING OUT AND SHUTTING ITSELF OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON THROWING A P071? CODE WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH O2 LEVELS.THIS TURNED OUT TO BE A BROKEN "BREATHER HOSE" WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE AIR INTAKE. BOTH PARTS HAVE PROVEN TO BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TRACK DOWN. AFTER REPLACING THE "BREATHER HOSE", CCM THROTTLE CABLE, AND ALSO AN O2 SENSOR THE OVERALL COST FOR PARTS WAS $300 AND LABOR WAS $300. THANKFULLY NO INJURIES.
I PURCHASED 2 BF GOODRICH G-FORCE SPORT COMP-2 RADIAL 205/50.R16 87Z SL TIRES ON APRIL 15, 2019 FROM AMAZON, INSTALLED ON FRONT TIRE POSITIONS ON MAY 9, 2019. REAR TIRES ARE GENERAL G-MAX AS-03 WHICH ARE THE SAME SIZE AND WERE USED THE SUMMER BEFORE WITH NO ISSUES, STILL SIGNIFICANT TREAD LIFE LEFT AND NO DAMAGE. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE INFLATED TO 36 PSI AFTER INSTALLATION. WHEN DRIVING ON ANY KIND OF MOISTURE, RAIN NIGHT BEFORE OR DRIZZLE OR POURING RAIN, FRONT TIRES DO NOT GRIP ROAD SURFACE AND HAVE ALMOST LED TO NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS AT VARYING SPEEDS ON RURAL ROADS, CITY STREETS, AND HIGHWAYS, ANYWHERE FROM 20MPH TO 75MPH. I HAVE NOW BECOME USED TO THE DANGER OF THE BF GOODRICH TIRES AND DRIVE EXTREMELY SLOWLY IN WET CONDITIONS. AS I HAVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE, I ALWAYS PUT THE NEW TIRES ON THE FRONT TO ENSURE TRACTION IN BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE BF GOODRICH TIRES HAVE ALMOST GOTTEN ME KILLED MORE THAN A HANDFUL OF TIMES. AS STATED BY ANOTHER CONSUMER, I ALSO HAD TROUBLE MOUNTING ONE OF THE BF GOODRICH TIRES TO THE WHEEL AS IT DID NOT WANT TO BEAD AND NOW THE TIRE PRESSURE IN THAT TIRE WILL FLUCTUATE, WHICH HAS LED TO DAILY PRESSURE CHECKS. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH ANY GENERAL BRAND TIRES. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE PURCHASED BF GOODRICH TIRES AND I NEVER WILL EVER AGAIN. I HAVE DRIVEN UP TO 180KPH ON THE GERMAN AUTOBAHN IN LESSER QUALITY VEHICLES WITH COOPER BRAND TIRES, AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN AS SCARED AS I HAVE BEEN DOING 70MPH IN DRIZZLE WITH BF GOODRICH TIRES. IT FEELS LIKE DRIVING ON ICE, NO HANDLING, NO CONTROL, JUST SLIDING. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE GENERAL TIRES ON THE REAR WHICH HAVE KEPT ME FROM CRASHING, AND WILL BE PURCHASING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE(THE ONLY REASON I HAVE KEPT THE BF GOODRICH FOR THIS LONG IS BECAUSE I HOPED THEY JUST NEEDED TO BE BROKEN IN A LITTLE BUT IT HAS BEEN OVER A MONTH AND IT'S STILL SCARY).
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2006 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED, BUT WAS TAKEN TO A MEDICAL EMERGENCY CENTER FOR OBSERVATION. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE CAUSE OF THE BRAKE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,459.
TAMARA RECALL. MY OUTSIDE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE BECAUSE THE MECHANISM IS PLASTIC. NO ONE CAN FIX IT CORRECTLY AND IT KEEPS BREAKING SO NOW I CAN'T GET MY CAR INSPECTION DONE.
PASSENGER BACK DOOR LATCH BROKE. CAR DOOR TAPED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCHES FAILED. SHORTLY AFTER, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS UNABLE TO BE OPENED FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY REPLACED THE REAR LATCHES AND STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S DOOR LATCH ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
REAR HATCH WIRING HARNESS HAS FRAYED WIRES AND CAN CAUSE A FIRE THERE IS RUBBING AGAINST WIRING HARNESS FROM THE RUBBER BOOT COVERING IT. THESE WIRES ARE LIVE AND CAUSE A FIRE AND ARE ALWAYS ON DUE TO CONNECTION TO ALL REAR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. I FOUND THIS OUT WHEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY MY REAR HATCH WOULD NOT OPEN UNLESS UNLOCKED WITH THE KEY.
HELLO NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, I WOULD LIKE TO CREATE A VEHICLE COMPLAINT REGARDING THE FORD FOCUS 2006 SEDAN ZX4 THAT I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE SEPTEMBER 20, 2017. WHILE DRIVING WITHIN A SERVICE ROAD, THE VEHICLE'S STALLED AND STOPPED RUNNING WHILE DRIVING UPON MULTIPLE INSTANCES OVER THE SAME DAY OF PURCHASING AND THROUGH OUT THE WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 22 - SEPTEMBER 30TH. AS A RESULT, I RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER OF LANSING POWER MOTORS INC. FOR AN INSPECTION SEPTEMBER 23, 2017. UPON COMPLETION OF THE INSPECTION, THE MECHANICS CONFIRMED THAT "NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE" AND SUGGESTED TO PURCHASE A NEW COMPUTER FOR THE VEHICLE. ON OCTOBER 30, 2017 I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHICH I THINK WAS DUE TO BAD ELECTRICAL BRAKES WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE BEING T-BONED BY ANOTHER DRIVER WITHIN A RESIDENTIAL INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALL OR STOP COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING AS OF MAY 14, 2018. IN ADDITION, NOTICED THAT ALL LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD DISPLAYED WHILE THE CAR STALLED AND DURING START-UP OF THE VEHICLE. UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE CAR NOT BEING RECALLED, DUE TO RECEIVING A MAILED NOTIFICATION REGARDING THE RECALL OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER. CAN PROVIDE THE NAME UPON CONTACT REGARDING THE VEHICLE COMPLIANT SUBMISSION OF THE FORM. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, CONSIDERATION, AND I HOPE THAT THIS INFORMATION MAY ASSIST YOU REGARDING THE CREATION OF A VEHICLE COMPLAINT.
MY KEY WONT WORK ANYMORE. CAR WONT START. I WAS AT THE GAS STATION. WHEN I WENT TO TURN ON THE CAR IT JUST WOULDLN'T START UP THE CAR. ON THE DASHBOARD THE CAR AND LOCK LIGHT CAME ON AND KEPT FLASHING. I TRIED DIFFERENT WAYS AND NOTHING WORKED. I HAD TO TOW MY CAR HOME
2006 FORD FOCUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ANTI THEFT SYSTEM AND MANUAL TRANSMISSION ISSUES. *LD *JS
" TAKATA RECALL " DON'T FEEL SAFETY AFTER GOT AIRBAG RECALL NOTICE.FEEL IN SHOCK SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN TO ME AND MY FAMILY.
CABIN FILTER - FILTER IS EXCLUDED IN THIS MODEL OF VEHICLE. ELECTRIC WINDOWS NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY . AIRBAG- WAS NEVER INSPECTED BY DEALER
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