Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Ford Focus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
My complaint stems from faulty electrical wiring/ subpar workmanship. My car has developed another wiring harness issue. The rear electrical harnes wires have completely corroded away. The plastic insulation completely cracked leaving the wires exposed and touching each other. This is the second time I have had this issue. The first time it created an issue with the hatch not being able to close properly. The wiring harness was previously replaced( with OEM harness) this time the third break light as it is called stopped working completely.. I was stationary when the problem was discovered. I took apart the rear electrical boot after using a bolt meter to test for electrical conductivity at the brake light system. There was no current so I took the next step.
My car lost all electrical power, but was still running then finally it died. I lost all lights and electric battery was dead so I bought new battery then it happened again, so I bought new alternator because old alternator was bad, then new alternator died within a month. Same problem, then I went online and found a forum about the hatch back Focus and its wiring problem inside the protective sleeve. So I peeled back protective sleeve and sure enough there were exposed wires just like the thousands of posts from other people, this is very dangerous luckily I was able to pull my car off the road before it died, but with severity of this problem there needs to be a recall for this problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Focus. When the vehicle was started, the contact noticed that the battery was dead. A tow truck was called to jump start the vehicle. The failure recurred the following day. The oil and the seat belt warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the failure was not caused by the battery. The technician diagnosed that a cluster under the dashboard, which controlled all the light signals, was faulty and needed to be "repaired or replaced." the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 46,000. Updated 04/08/16
Dt*: the contact stated while stopped at a red light both frontal airbags deployed without warning causing the vehicle to rear end the vehicle in front. A police report was filed at the scene and seat belts were in use; no injuries were sustained. The vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop. The mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. The dealership was alerted. On a separate occasion, the hatch back failed to close, vehicle failed to start, the interior lighting failed and the motor made a knocking sound. This occurred intermittently. The manufacturer was alerted.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The contact lost all control of the vehicle and crashed into a guard rail. The front passenger was thrown into the windshield and as a result of the impact, the contact's hip was dislocated and she sustained severe bruising and a laceration that required thirteen stitches. A police report was filed of the incident. The manufacturer and the dealer were not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was not available.
The sub frame broke while driving the car. Entire sub frame had to be replaced. Almost caused an accident. Struts had to be replaced. Caliper and rotor had to be replaced. Control arm had to be replaced. Just replaced the ignition switch tumblers after the switch locked up and refused to work. There are no recalls listed for this car. Service manager said that Focus are notorious for these problems. Car has 34,000 miles on it. The brake line running from the front of the car to the rear rusted out causing a lose of brakes. The car is dangerous.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the key did not start the vehicle. The driver contacted an independent mechanic who gently tapped the key several times until it turned. The technician diagnosed that the ignition was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was driven home and parked. The vehicle would not restart. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Focus. While attempting to start the vehicle, the ignition failed. The failure recurred several times. A local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ignition needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA. The approximate failure mileage was 23,700. The VIN was not available.
Electrical complaints in other Focus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2003 Ford Focus?
NHTSA has 522 complaints about the electrical system of the 2003 Ford Focus, 53% of the model year's 977 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (263 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Ford Focus electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2003 Ford Focus, though it has 1 recall 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 2003 Ford Focus electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 6 fires and 5 injuries to electrical system 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.