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 2005 Ford Focus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Driving on route 209 approximately 40 miles an hour. I noticed white smoke coming through the dash. Immediately pulled the car over, put the car in park, removed the key, and got out of the car. With no key in the ignition the starter began turning over. I didn't have any tools to unhook the battery. The starter turned over for about a minute, then the windshield wipers, headlights, and horn all began activating. I immediately called my mechanic for emergency roadside assistance. After about 4 minutes of the wipers head lights and horn all activating with no key in the ignition, someone stopped and had some tools unhook the battery.mechanic showed up about five minutes later, had the car towed to his shop, and began searching for the problem. …
The Ford zxw wagon's liftgate wiring harness had frayed inside the rubber housing at the junction where the gate pivots between the car body and liftgate. The wires shorted which caused the electric gate release to open at 70mph, while driving straight on a freeway. The liftgate rose up, opening the back of the cargo area to traffic. Luckily freeway speed winds kept it from completely opening, but when slowed to 30mph it went straight up. I'm lucky I had no children or animals in the back cargo area. And the fellow drivers on the road were lucky nothing shifted and fell out. The liftgate refused to latch after this point, making driving the car safely impossible. In researching the cause and repair, I noticed several forums where an identical problem with Ford's design was posted. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Focus. While stopped at an intersection, the vehicle shut off and lost all power without warning. The contact heard a clicking noise from the steering rack. The contact called roadside assistance; however, the vehicle restarted after the tow truck driver shook the battery a couple of times. The contact drove home. The failure recurred a few days later and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was a recall for NHTSA campaign number: 05V030000 (latches/locks/linkages). The manufacturer stated that there was no recall for the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 150,000. …
Today my accelerator got stuck when pulling into a parking lot with my kids. I was luckily not going more than 10mph and was able to quickly put the car into neutral and stop the car without hitting anyone or anything. Earlier in the day I noticed it took a little more effort to push the gas pedal down, but not by much and after the car resting for several hours, it wasn't an issue anymore. I wasn't expecting it to be an issue later on. As far as electrical issues go; my headlights do not like to stay on. I have to play with the wires where they connect to the headlights in order for them to turn on, but they often do not stay on, and they frequently will turn off and on while driving, sometimes it's just one side, or alternating sides. This has been an issue for over a year and everytime I have work done to fix it, it only fixes it temporarily and it's back to doing this all over again.
Throughout my ownership of 2005 Ford Focus wagon ses zxw, I have had periodic issues with the rear hatch unlatching on its own. I will unlatch while driving on the highway. Sometimes it will unlatch when depressing the brake pedal. Although it will unlatch upon the start of a trip at slow speeds as well, it has mostly occurred on the highway. I have owned the vehicle since 2007. The problem would occur periodically 3-7 times every 1-1.5 years since the 2008-2009. The problem definitely occurs under a damp and morning dew condition. It's like an electrical short has occurred I my vehicle. The latch stopped working in 2009 via the push button in the dash and even with my remote key. I checked the fuse panel ... And it was not blown. This condition mostly occurs while the vehicle is in motion.
Referring to case # [redacted]. Upon further inspection it was determined that the root cause of the short was in fact the small bundle of wires going into the liftgate. Repairs have been made to all affected wires. Including installation of a brand new headlight switch Ford certified. Cost of repairs 2347 dollars and 97 cents.upon reading other complaints on this website I've seen at least 40 other cases caused by the same bundle of wires. This is very dangerous and as you can see could potentially cause a vehicle to burst into flames while driving. Something's gotta be done.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, the vehicle pulled without warning. The contact was unable to open the front passenger and driver doors from outside the vehicle. The rear passenger door failed to open. The rear driver side door handle was slightly detached. The electrical warning light was illuminated. A certified mechanic stated that the tie rods and wheel well needed to be replaced, and the rack and pinion tightened. The tie rod and wheel well were replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 9,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the middle brake light stopped working due to the wiring harness in the hatchback. Also, the lock on the hatchback did not work properly and the harness leading to the battery needed to be replaced due to the failure within the hatchback. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and repaired. The mechanic stated that the harness for both the battery and hatchback needed replacing due to the failure of the middle brake light. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The VIN was invalid. The failure mileage was 187,000.
Fuse continued to blow out causing entire left side of lights from front to back to turn off until new fuse replaced old. Was connected to continued lifting of hatchback on wagon model. Electrical harness was arcing and insulation flaking off and would have caused a fire had not the harness been replaced. This had been on and off for approximately 2 years starting with blowing out the bulbs then the fuse started blowing out in jan 2021. Midas replaced harness this March. Car is a 2005 Focus wagon,
The backseat doors will not latch and or lock. They have to be held together with zip ties. The randomly opened while I was driving down the road. This is a serious safety concern, as I cannot use my care to transport my child. I know other versions of this same vehicle have had a safety recall issued for this, and I am curious as to why my specific model was left out when I am experiencing the same problems. This car is no longer driveable.
Electrical complaints in other Focus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2005 Ford Focus?
NHTSA has 113 complaints about the electrical system of the 2005 Ford Focus, 26% of the model year's 441 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (25 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Ford Focus electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2005 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 2005 Ford Focus electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 6 fires and 2 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.