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NHTSA vehicle safety data

2008 Ford Focus Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2008 Ford Focus has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 250 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Ford dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2008 Ford Focus, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2008 Ford Focus owner complaints

Owners have filed 250 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Ford Focus, describing incidents dated December 1, 2007 to June 2, 2026.

Most-cited components

  • Electrical System 57 complaints
  • Structure 41 complaints
  • Air Bags 26 complaints
  • Latches/Locks/Linkages 25 complaints
  • Power Train 23 complaints
  • Suspension 23 complaints

Of the 250 complaints on file, 21 report a crash; across all 250 complaints, owners report 20 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11743045 · Filed

    N/a

  • ODI #11689608 · Filed

    The brakes went to the floor and the whole car locked up. When I pressed the brakes to slow down it felt like something on the brakes just fell apart. I was in a car accident because of this I hit another car no no

  • ODI #11680029 · Filed

    Starter has always been difficult but now key stuck in ignition and won't start either

Read all 250 complaints

Owner-reported

2008 Ford Focus mileage at failure

198 of the 250 complaints on file for the 2008 Ford Focus give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Electrical SystemMedian 80,000 milesMiddle half 55,000–120,000 milesBased on 44 complaints
StructureMedian 75,000 milesMiddle half 50,000–105,000 milesBased on 30 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2008 Ford Focus in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

FMVSS 108/HEADLAMPS/MISSING AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS

NHTSA #08E050000 · Exterior Lighting — Headlights · NHTSA notice

Reported August 11, 2008 · K2 MOTOR CORPORATION

Potentially affected: 1,921 vehicles

Owners notified December 17, 2008

Defect description

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."

Safety consequence

WITHOUT THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS, THE LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY BE AFFECTED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

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.

Notes

THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY HONDA, FORD, OR CHRYSLER LLC. CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

DRIVER AIR BAG/FMVSS 208

NHTSA #07V541000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Driver Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice

Reported November 21, 2007 · FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Potentially affected: 45 vehicles

Ford campaign 07C19 · Owners notified November 20, 2007 · Vehicles built September 12, 2007 – November 5, 2007 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

THIS CONDITION MAY PREVENT THE DRIVER AIR BAG FROM PROPERLY DEPLOYING AND REDUCE OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

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.

Notes

FORD RECALL NO. 07C19.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Other Ford Focus model years

Check your 2008 Ford Focus VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Ford Focus at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Ford VIN