Window & Wiper complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 3 | 0% | 0 miles |
| 2017 | 4 | 0% | 26,000 miles |
| 2016 | 11 | 1% | 15,000 miles |
| 2015 | 11 | 1% | 35,000 miles |
| 2014 | 32 | 1% | 43,000 miles |
| 2013 | 29 | 1% | 70,000 miles |
| 2012 | 70 | 2% | 44,000 miles |
| 2011 | 2 | 2% | 43,000 miles |
| 2010 | 7 | 2% | 16,000 miles |
| 2009 | 6 | 3% | 17,000 miles |
| 2008 | 8 | 3% | 126,000 miles |
| 2007 | 8 | 2% | 32,000 miles |
| 2006 | 6 | 3% | 92,000 miles |
| 2005 | 6 | 1% | 55,000 miles |
| 2004 | 11 | 3% | 72,000 miles |
| 2003 | 23 | 2% | 32,000 miles |
| 2002 | 27 | 3% | 54,000 miles |
| 2001 | 56 | 3% | 65,000 miles |
| 2000 | 110 | 3% | 63,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The purge valve has been an ongoing continuous problem since we bought the vehicle. I have fixed it multiple times. It's caused the vehicle to stall after putting gas in the tank, and just recently stalled while driving, causing me to hit a curb leading to the passenger front tire popping, the rim being dented, the tire rod bent, alignment out of wack, and the valance ripped off. It also caused a dashboard light to pop up saying Hill Start is Not Available. I was in the car thankfully alone and not with my children. The windshield wipers are a fairly newer issue, they come on whenever they want with the switch being touch. But won't come on when I try to do it myself. I had my mom take a photo of the steering wheel/road while I was driving to show the severity of the alignment needed, it's causing extra wear and tear EXTREMELY fast on tires. …
First my wind shield wipers were coming on by themselves and not cutting off when I flicked the switch. Now my car is jerking when I press the gas to drive and sometimes moving in reverse after I press the gas to drive. Jerking and barely accelerating, then it decides to driver in between gaps. My safety is put at risk because sometimes it slows down or barely accelerates in oncoming traffic and moves backwards when cars are behind me at a light or stop sign. Manufacture by others which is a neighborhood auto shop. Just the check engine light came on.
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. While the vehicle was idling, the sun roof spontaneously shattered. There were no injuries. The failure occurred without warning. Bob maxey Ford inc. (1833 e jefferson ave, detroit, mi) was contacted, but did not assist since the sun roof was not covered by the warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist since the vehicle was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 14,500.
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while her daughter was driving approximately 60 MPH, the hood released and cracked the front windshield. The driver sustained injuries to the face and neck however no medical attention was provided. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced lunging, the RPM went abnormally high, and the windshield shattered after an insect flew into a windshield. The contact stated that the vehicle felt abnormal as though it was lacking power during turns and through normal operation. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that the windshield was fractured, but was not diagnosed or repaired for the other failures. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 13,646. Updated 09/08/16
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, the windshield wipers occasionally stopped working without warning. The contact was concerned that the failure would occur during a rainstorm. The vehicle was taken to the dealer (stuckey Ford and Subaru, located at 500 broad st, hollidaysburg, pa 16648; [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the motors needed to be redesigned by the manufacturer; therefore, they could not assist. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 1,000. ..updated 10/25/17
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving in the rain, the front windshield wipers were inoperable. The failure occurred intermittently prior to the complete failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the windshield wiper module needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,000.
The front windshield wipers will slow after only a few minutes of use, in a heavy or light rain, and eventually come to a stop after about 30 more seconds. This happens every time I use the wipers in the rain. I have had it looked at by a Ford service tech at a dealership on at least 3 occasions, but they claim either that they cannot recreate the problem, or that they are designed to work that way to avoid burning out the wiper motors. Wipers should not be designed to stop working when it is raining, that is just ridiculous. Despite Ford's position that this is all new to them, or that it is how they are designed to work (depending on whom you talk to at Ford), the fact the wipers stop working during rain...heavy, moderate, or light rain...it is a well-known issue across the Ford Focus ST enthusiast community. A simply Google search will uncover many identical reports. …
Related recalls (2)
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Switch/wiring
Ford is recalling certain model year 2012 focus vehicles manufactured from August 1, 2010, through October 18, 2011. A seal in the wiring harness connector to the passenger side wiper motor May be missing.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and as necessary, clean and properly seal the passenger side wiper motor connector. Any inoperative wiper motors will be replaced.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
Vehicle description: passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and light and medium duty pickup trucks. A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, or…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. Motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. Owner notification began August 20, 2001.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Focus years have window & wiper problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (110), 2012 (70), 2001 (56), 2014 (32) and 2013 (29) model years. Window & Wiper complaints make up 3% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Ford Focus window & wiper problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 12V-149 (switch/wiring, Apr 5, 2012); 01V-258 (motor, Aug 8, 2001). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Ford Focus window & wiper problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 51,000 miles; 53% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the power window devices and controls (95 mentions), followed by the windshield (48).
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.