Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Ford Focus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, she lost control of the vehicle, causing it to roll over twice and ended up in a ditch. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated the front driver's side and the front passenger dashboard air bags did not deploy. The contact stated the front passenger curtain air bag did deploy. The contact stated no one was injured nor sought medical attention. A police report was filed. The insurance company deemed the vehicle a total loss. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her son was driving at 30 MPH, he ran a red light and hit the passenger side of another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. No injuries were reported at the scene and a police report was vehicle. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent auto repair shop where it remained in their possession. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the vehicle would hesitate upon the depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. The contact also stated that the passenger's side air bag was defective and would not recognize an occupant seated in the passenger's seat. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where they inspected the vehicle and made repairs; however, both failures returned soon after the repairs. The contact stated that she had sent a letter to the manufacturer for assistance but had not received a response. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 66,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the vehicle was not able to be diagnosed when connected to the diagnostic machine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 214,525.
Tl* the contact owned a 2013 Ford fusion. The contact stated while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle began to shake and the contact stopped the vehicle. As she began to drive again, the vehicle began to stall and was hit by another vehicle. The air bags deployed upon impact and the vehicle was destroyed. The contact had minor injuries, however, the other driver claimed to be injured but her injuries were not disclosed. An ambulance went to the scene and treated the contact and the other driver was taken to the emergency room. A police report was filed. There was no diagnose given for the vehicle failure. Al serra auto plaza 6167 saginaw rd, grand blanc, mi 48439 [phone] and the manufacturer were made aware of the failure; a recall had been associated with this vehicle's VIN; NHTSA campaign number 18V735000 (fuel system, gasoline). …
My 75 year old mother in law was driving this car (her car) on 4/4/17 in bellmead, texas. She was hit at about 40 MPH in the front passenger side quarter panel/wheel area by a 1998 Honda sedan. She was driving on a paved feeder road in clear sun shiny weather. The car was a total loss due to the axel breaking and the air bag did not deploy. She hit her head in the accident which resulted in her death a week later due to a stroke caused by a left hemorrhagic stroke (brain bleed). I can provide the police report and photos via personal email not through this public forum.
Tl* the contact owned a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle was involved in a crash with another vehicle. The contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact and a passenger in the other vehicle sustained injuries which required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. Neither the dealer nor manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000. The vehicle was destroyed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. While driving 40 MPH, another vehicle pulled out in front of the contact's vehicle. A crash occurred and the air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained minor injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.
I was entering an intersection, going straight at about 5-10mph (accelerating) when I was t-boned by a car running their red light at about 40mph. She struck the driver door and front driver side wheel. None of my airbags deployed. The impact was enough to make the driver door unopenable and bend the front wheel to an irregular angle. The unibody was damaged as well as the exterior parts and the car was declared a total loss.
Last night I hit a deer going 70 miles per hr. On the highway. My leg airbags deployed but my steering wheel did not only the clips came out. Due to knee airbags I have huge bruises on both legs. I feel that the steering wheel has a defective airbag since it did not deploy. If I had hit a tree instead of a deer its possible I would not be here to file this it did not protect me at all.
Airbag complaints in other Focus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2013 Ford Focus?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the air bags of the 2013 Ford Focus, 1% of the model year's 2,112 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2013 Ford Focus airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2013 Ford Focus, though it has 11 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 2013 Ford Focus airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 66,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 18 crashes, 0 fires and 16 injuries and 1 death 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.