Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 287 safety complaints
about the 2010 Ford Focus with the US government. Of those, 22 describe a crash, 4 mention a fire, 19 people were injured and no death is recorded. No recall campaign has been matched to this year, make and model.
The most complained-about system is vehicle speed control,
named in 50 complaints, 17% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 50,000 miles,
the median across the 249
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers January 2010 to June 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
287 complaints on file
287
Complaints
22
Describe a crash
4
Mention fire
19
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not
the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production
ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 50 · 17%
50 17%
POWER TRAIN 45 · 16%
45 16%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 43 · 15%
43 15%
ENGINE 42 · 15%
42 15%
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 31 · 11%
31 11%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 26 · 9%
26 9%
STRUCTURE 24 · 8%
24 8%
SUSPENSION 19 · 7%
19 7%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 17 · 6%
17 6%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 15 · 5%
15 5%
WHEELS 15 · 5%
15 5%
STEERING 13 · 5%
13 5%
02346
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 287.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2014 at 40.
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2010 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA has not crash tested the 2010 Ford Focus. Its New Car Assessment Program
tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach
motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so
an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It
is not a low score.
What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a
different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people
inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke
during ordinary use.
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
SERVICE BRAKES
2 injured · crash · towed
[XXX] WERE DRIVING IN THEIR 2010 FORD FOCUS AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT A SIGN. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND ACCELERATED. THE SHEPHERD WERE IN A CRISIS. THE VEHICLE JUMPED A RAILROAD TRACK, FLIPPED, AND LANDED IN AN EMBANKMENT. [XXX] AIRBAG (PASSENGER) DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH ARE SERIOUSLY INJURED AND WOULD LIKE TO FILE A CLAIM AGAINST FORD MOTOR COMPANY REGARDING THE DEFECTS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
NHTSA complaint 11375304. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SERVICE BRAKES
2 injured · crash · towed
On June 22 myself and my wife were pulling out of the Food Lion Parking Lot. As we proceeded out to the main Road the gas pedal stuck. The car kept accelerating and know matter what I did I could free the gas pedal. Because of that we hit 3 cars in the intersection. Our car literally exploded putting Myself and my wife in the hospital .My wife has had 3 surgeries for a broken pelvis.She is still in serious condition.Myself I suffered 3 broken ribs and a lacerated liver. Ford should be held accountable for our terrible pain and suffering.?
NHTSA complaint 11597854. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
STRUCTURE:BODY
2 injured · crash · 15,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN HE CRASHED INTO A DEER. THE IMPACT CAUSED THE ROOF TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND INQUIRED OF HOW THE ROOF WAS SECURED TO THE VEHICLE BUT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE THE REQUESTED INFORMATION. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE ROOF SHOULD HAVE BEEN WELDED MUCH MORE SECURELY THAN WHAT IT WAS. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 15,000. UPDATED 04/19/12*LJ UPDATED 05/02/12
NHTSA complaint 10452349. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
STEERING
1 injured · crash · towed · 93,000 miles
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 35-40 MPH, AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT-HAND TURN ON A COUNTY ROAD. THE STEERING WHEEL EITHER LOCKED, OR THE POWER STEERING FAILED, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO NEGOTIATE THE TURN. SHE RAN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HIT A LIGHT POLE STRAIGHT ON, CAUSING HER MINOR INJURIES, BUT TOTALING THE CAR.
NHTSA complaint 10915082. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
148,264 miles
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while leaving the parking lot and attempting to shift into reverse(R), the gear shifter failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted to schedule an appointment to diagnose the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,264.
NHTSA complaint 11747137. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SUSPENSION
Multiple mechanics working at and including but not limited to: Firestone, discount tires, Midas, Walmart, independent mechanics have informed me the rear wheels can not be realigned with the front wheels due to how it was designed. This has caused my rear wheels to become more and more out of alignment with no way to repair the misalignment. So all steering components have been more and more hard to control and are being destroyed at a faster rate. Including but not limited to: car sound deadening stuff. Bolts, nuts, screws, undercarriage, tire wear, the front alignment etc. It has not been inspected by anyone but mechanics.
NHTSA complaint 11639131. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
crash · 14,000 miles
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the RMP increased and revved causing the vehicle to crash into an unoccupied vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. No injuries were sustained. The contact stated there was a minor scratch on the front of her vehicle. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened, and advised the contact to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 14,000.
NHTSA complaint 11594409. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
90,000 miles
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the air bag was flopping around. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but no assistance was provided. The contact called the local dealer, where it was determined that the air bag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
NHTSA complaint 11582364. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
179,000 miles
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Focus. The contact stated that intermittently, after starting the vehicle and while driving at various speeds, the clutch pedal was depressed to the floorboard and the vehicle was unable to shift gear as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact was made aware that the clutch assembly had previously been replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 179,000.
NHTSA complaint 11506998. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's
lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, no campaign on file for this vehicle.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst