Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Ford Focus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
During a recent automobile accident, the driver side seat belt did not secure the driver. The drive suffered facial injury when contact was made with the steering wheel. I will contact the Ford dealership this week.
So many problems don't know where to start, OK lets talk about the doors. We bought the car new in 2001 and almost immediately started experiencing difficulties. The trunk wouldn't latch and the door light would be on or it would latch but wouldn't come open we complained to the dealer they would "adjust"it. However, the problem would be back in a day or two, and it was getting worse. The doors started to jam,and fly open while moving. Took it to the dealer and they told us to call Ford company complaint line and they said it was a mileage problem,and they explicitly said they would not help. We have called the dealer and the Ford motor co. Many times and they are no longer helping,even though the mechanic at the dealer said the doors had internal damage. …
Tl contact owns a 2001 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the side view mirror on the vehicle was repaired and the transmission also slipped. After the repairs were complete, the vehicle did not drive the same. The dealer stated that the parts needed were not in stock and they kept the vehicle for one month. In addition, whenever the left turn signal was activated, the vehicle would shut off entirely. The lights were replaced; however, the vehicle continued to lose power whenever the signal lights, hazard lights, or air conditioning were activated. The headlights continued to short and, while driving at night, the high beams had to be activated. The seat belt in the rear driver's seat was inoperable and the driver's seat continued to move backwards from the steering wheel. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Focus. The contact stated that she experienced numerous issues with the vehicle which included the passenger side struts which had to be replaced twice. The vehicle would sit sideways when parked. The back of the front passenger seat would not lock into place, so it slid forward while the vehicle was in motion. The headlights were too dim and did not provide adequate lighting on the road. The front driver's side seat belt alarm would ring although the seat belt was engaged and the latch would also pop open suddenly at times. The vehicle stalled while the contact was driving and would accelerate suddenly. The contact called the manufacturer who stated that the repairs would have to be performed at the contact's expense. The current and failure mileages were approximately 107,000.
Dt: the contact stated the rear seat belt on the driver's side locked into position while securing a child safety seat. The seat belt failed to release when she tried to unlock it. The seat belt had to be cut to get the child out of the child safety seat. The child sustained minor injuries because the seat belt kept getting tighter. There had been no prior problems with the seat belt. The vehicle has not been inspected by the dealership, and the manufacturer has not been contacted.
Consumer was in an automobile accident. Upon impact the passengers seatbelt did not lock, allowing passenger to move forward hitting the windshield, face first. The air bag deployed after the initial impact of the accident. Resulting in facial swellling of the passenger and 3 loose teeth. Consumers air bag opened later also, but the seat belt locked and consumer only suffered a badly burned thumb.
While driving at 72 MPH c onsumer lost consciousness and vehicle took a nose dive off the inner state, rolling over, and landing on another road up side down. Upon impact air bags failed to deploy and the seat belt failed to retract. Driver sustained 11 staples to the back of head, stitches and cuts to the left eye and left arm and other upper, and lower bodily injuries. The vehicle is totaled.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Focus. The contact stated the front and rear passenger seat belts failed to lock and unlock properly. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to determine the cause of failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 79,000 and the current mileage was 83,500.
Contact stated: when the key was put in the ignition the key became stuck. The car was at the Ford dealer. And had not been repaired. Ford told the consumer that the steering column May have been damaged. In addition, Ford was replacing the fuel pump and seat belt.
The rear seat center seat belt is intermittently locked in the retracted position and you never can rely on it to be used. It seems to have a mind of its own. Currently ours is locked so tight in the retracted position, it is impossible to pull it out and use it.
Seat Belt complaints in other Focus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat belt problems on the 2001 Ford Focus?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the seat belts of the 2001 Ford Focus, 1% of the model year's 1,761 complaints. The component named most often is front › buckle assembly (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford Focus seat belt problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seat belts recall for the 2001 Ford Focus, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford Focus seat belt problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 6 injuries to seat belts problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.