Most common 2003 Ford Focus problems
Share of the 977 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Focus complaints by model year
Best Focus years: 2011, 2006, 2009. Years to avoid: 2012, 2014, 2013, 2016, 2017. Compare all years →
2003 Ford Focus recalls (1)
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Certain passenger vehicles with four or five doors and originally sold in or currently registered in connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the…
Remedy: Dealers will have a lower rocker seal added to the door and have the rear door latches evaluated free of charge. A latch that passes the evaluation will be lubricated to prevent future corrosion.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2003 Ford Focus:
Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three…
What 2003 Ford Focus owners say
Electrical system all 522 →
When riding down the road the doors will automatically lock by themselves. The steering wheel has locked several times over the years. When I bought the car used, it came with many keys. Well, this time when it locked, the steering wheel locked and the ignition locked and I had to get it towed from smithfield nc; approximately an hourly from my home. The mechanic can not get it unlocked because the steering wheel has to be turned to unlock it, vice versa, and the steering wheel is locked. Also the lighting is very poor with the head lights and I see this on all the vehicle for that year and make as I ride down the road. My car is parked because I cant afford to fix it. I have found many complaints about this steering and ignition lock issue. I am wondering why this vehicle has not been recalled for the issue. It is a hazard. …
While driving, an odd odor could be smelled, but went away after a minute. Came back once briefly. 20 minutes later, as I was about to turn into my work's parking lot, my car turned itself off. When I tried to turn it back on, it would not turn over and all the gauges went haywire. After I stopped trying to start it, I took the key out of the ignition and the car attempted to start itself. Immediately after this, the inside of the car filled up with smoke. The fire originated near the battery. An officer showed up less than 2 minutes after this all occurred, and he sat there and watched my car burn. He pulled out a fire extinguisher 10 minutes later so my car wouldn't create visibility issues for the cars driving past (it died in the middle of a four lane road). They told me it was most likely an electrical fire. Two weeks prior to the incident, I had my alternator replaced. …
Locks & latches all 82 →
Dt: the consumer had problems with the vehicle since purchase. The vehicle caught on fire on September 16, 2005. The motor was off, and it burst into flames. The fire department came and they said it look like it started from the wiring harness. The vehicle stalled before it caught on fire. Was having the same problem two weeks before, and took it to dealer. They replaced some ignition items. Also, was having latches, brakes, and engine problems.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the rear doors failed to latch. The contact had to use a bungee cord to keep the doors closed; however, they would open every time a turn was made. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not included in a recall. The approximate failure mileage was 125,000. ..
Engine & cooling all 78 →
The piston shattered at 109,000 miles. After doing some research, I have found many more complaints of the same thing. Come to find out that there is a design flaw in the engine when it comes to the valve seat. This happened in the #3 cylinder. The walls of the cylinder wall is so scored from the damage that it will require a new engine to fix the problem. When this happened, I was in a parking lot after shopping. I turned the key and it would not start. It also made a terrible noise. Before that, it was running fine. I had no trouble with my car except having to change an alternator. That's it. I changed the oil every 3,000 miles. I bought the car used at 90,000 miles. It was from a friend who is obsessed about keeping cars maintained. He would get a tune up, serviced, and change the oil when it was time. The car was well maintained by him. …
The car stalls randomly while driving. All power is lost for steering and brakes. Highly dangerous situation and I don't feel safe driving the car. Happens in all conditions and unexpectedly. Car will restart. Appears to be a current "recall" of Ford cars for the same issues. Dealer has no idea what to fix and claims to have no knowledge of the problem. However, this appears to be a never ending problem with fords based on the information I see online. Have already replaced air hose, spark plugs, valve cover gasket, wires. It has been suggested by others online to clean the maf sensor and throttle body, but the dealer doesn't really know if that is the problem or will fix the problem. To them there is no problem. I can see from information posted by others along with the recent recall that this is not a new problem for Ford. …
2003 Ford Focus engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 24 / 32 / 27 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 24 / 30 / 26 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 30 / 25 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | FWD | 18 / 23 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Ford Focus a good car?
Based on 977 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 Focus rates use caution: 1.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the Focus at the same age. It is one of the Focus years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Ford Focus?
The electrical system — 522 complaints, 53% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition. Next are the locks & latches (82) and engine & cooling (78).
How many recalls does the 2003 Ford Focus have?
There is 1 recall for the 2003 Ford Focus, the most recent from February 1, 2005 (latch). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Focus?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2006 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2012, 2014, 2013, 2016 and 2017. See the full Ford Focus years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Ford Focus problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 56,000 miles; 41% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.