Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Ford Focus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was coming home one night, in my 2004 Ford focus, when another driver comes speeding up behind me. He then proceeds to pass me during a corner, cutting me off. I hit the brakes and lost control. Ended up rolling my vehicle with my 8 month old daughter and i. Back window exploded, and not a single air bags had deployed when I got into my accident.
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 Ford Focus. While driving 45 MPH, the steering wheel veered to the right and vibrated violently. The contact had to release the accelerator pedal and crashed into a ditch. The vehicle flipped over twice. The contact sustained second degree burns from the seat belt, whiplash, and burns to the right arm from the air bags. Medical attention was required. The rear driver side passenger sustained whiplash and stomach bruises from the seat belt, which also required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and destroyed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
Takata air bag recall: I looked up my VIN number on the govt. Website many months ago, and found this car has potentially faulty Takata air bags. I have not been able to move replacement forward on several occasions, since Ford has yet to issue a recall on this model. The dealer says they need a recall notice from Ford USA and when I call Ford USA they do not know how to move forward on a recall for this airbag. The dealer also said I could not be guaranteed a safe air bag if they just replaced the one I have, since the replacement might also be faulty, unless it was a special redesigned one as issued in a recall setting. I called dtvsh on the recommendation of Ford USA and they recommended I file a complaint with the ftc. The ftc contact gave me a case number: 69255063. …
Front end collision, air bag put out powder and light indicates deployment, however no deployment of airbag occurred. My daughter was injured and the state trooper stated that the air bag should have deployed. This appears to be an obvious defect and it was noted that there are several other complaints on NHTSA website. Vehicle is currently at dealer for crash repair I have yet to hear their determination regarding the air bag non-deployment. Additionally, the brakes on the vehicle faded and failed to stop the vehicle, this is the second brake fade problem I have had with this vehicle. It has been to the dealer once for the problem and they found air in the brake system.
Vehicle was traveling on highway, weather was clear, road was dry. Steering wheel began to vibrate, vehicle suddenly veered to right and out of control. Vehicle struck guard rail head on, upon impact air bags did not deploy. My wife was seriously injured when her head struck the windshield. She received cuts to her forehead, multiple contusions and a fractured ankle that will require surgery to repair. The vehicle was inspected by a crash investigator and it was determined that a defective tie rod was the likely cause of the loss of control and there was sufficient force to deploy air bags.
My husbandand I and two other riends were driving about 45 MPH and t-boned a small car because they failed to stop. Everyone sustained very bad seat belt injuries. I was a front seat passenger and I hit the windshield with my face but did not sustain bad injuries from it and the wieldshield didnt break. The airbags never deployed!!!! I would'nt have hit the windshield if they did. The only selling point of which I bought the small car for my three children and I. I am afraid to get behind the wheel again.
While driving on a parkway in the right lane a car in the left lane of the two lane parkway hit the vehicle on the rear driver's side near the back wheel. The car then was driven into a rock cut and the entire front end of the vehicle was crashed in. Although the front end impact was substantial, the air bags did not deploy which resulted in several serious injuries to the driver. The police report and pictures of the vehicle are available as well as correspondence with Ford on this accident.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Ford Focus. The contact was driving at an unknown speed and crashed into a guard rail. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained a fractured sternum and a police report was filed of the incident. The vehicle was towed from the scene and had not been inspected to determine the cause of the air bag failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 120,000. Updated 2/11/14
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 12 MPH, the contact crashed into another vehicle's tow hitch and the air bags deployed unexpectedly and without warning. The contact also mentioned that only the license plate had a dent in it and he suffered a severe burn injury on her left hand. The failure was not diagnosed nor was the vehicle repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,687.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Ford Focus. While driving 50 MPH, the vehicle veered off the road. The contact did not depress the brakes and the right front of the vehicle struck a guard rail. The air bags failed to deploy and the vehicle was destroyed. There was a recent tire rotation performed on the vehicle and aaa and the dealer determined that the lug nuts were stripped. The contact has a police report. The current and failure mileages were 97,000.
Airbag complaints in other Focus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2004 Ford Focus?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the air bags of the 2004 Ford Focus, 6% of the model year's 387 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Ford Focus airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2004 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 2004 Ford Focus airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 79,000 miles, and 39% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 20 crashes, 0 fires and 22 injuries to air bags 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.