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Ford · NHTSA safety record

2011 Ford Focus

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

113

Complaints

8

Crashes

0

Fires

10

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2011 Ford Focus have filed 113 safety complaints with NHTSA between May 2011 and May 2026. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 25 of them (22%). The typical failure was reported at 51,604 miles, the median across the 91 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

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.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 113.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 25 22%
POWER TRAIN 20 18%
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 17 15%
STRUCTURE 14 12%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 12 11%
STEERING 10 9%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 9 8%
AIR BAGS 6 5%
WHEELS 6 5%
SUSPENSION 5 4%
SERVICE BRAKES 4 4%
TIRES 4 4%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2014 at 17.

2011 2014 2026
2011 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

5 injured · crash · towed · 92,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. IN ADDITION, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE AHEAD. THERE WERE FIVE OTHER PASSENGERS IN THE OTHER VEHICLE SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

NHTSA complaint 10806768. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEAT BELTS

1 injured · crash · 13,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN PROPERLY AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT'S CHEST ABRUPTLY STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000. ...UPDATE 01/20/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED SHE SUFFERED WHIPLASH, A SORE BACK A PINCHED NERVE AND HIP PAIN. UPDATED 01/25/12

NHTSA complaint 10440904. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash

2011 FORD FOCUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AIR BAGS FAILURE IN SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HIS DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint 10536644. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT DID NOT INFLATE PROPERLY AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED BREAST PLATE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 05/19/14 MA THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY DEFECT WITH THE AIRBAG. UPDATED 06/03/2014 *JS

NHTSA complaint 10575148. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING

towed · 150,000 miles

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Forcus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed power steering pump. The contact was informed that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. In addition, the vehicle was towed to two independent mechanics multiple times for the same failure within the two years. The contact referenced an unknown recall which had a similar failure description, however the

NHTSA complaint 11737817, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING

19,000 miles

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction and instead turned in the opposite direction. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed steering column. The contact was informed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised that the parts to repair the vehicle were discontinued. In addition, the contact was informed that the aftermarket parts were not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was

NHTSA complaint 11689468, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I hit an animal in my way to work as I reported the accident to my insurance company they were going to cover the parts and have it towed to my choice as it was however the professional car shop wasn't able to fix the anti theft that caused my car to not turn over as I was then told to take it to the nearest Ford dealer to get it reprogrammed to the original status I was told that it would cost more to fix the problem then what my car was purchased for so my insurance company claimed a total loss of the vehicle, Oliver Ford Lincoln Mercury in Plymouth Indiana sold me a lemon as I was a customer to them for over 8 yrs and covid came in the middle of my lease being up on 2017 Ford fusion I

NHTSA complaint 11605773, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I did not crash the vehicle I bought it preowned

NHTSA complaint 11605320. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
My car made grinding sounds when turning the steering wheel. My mechanic found a leak on Power Steering Pump & replaced it. My car has only 48,800 miles & there's a recall for Ford Trucks with the same problem.

NHTSA complaint 11574454. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
Door latches inoperable. Cannot open from outside the vehicle. Passenger side front and both back doors. Back door passenger side door does not open from inside either. Had to pay $373 to Ford dealer to replace driver door latch because it wouldn't latch and made the dashboard not work. Latch codes as follows: driver 02717a (new), passenger 224100 (or 224188 cant see it clearly). Left rear 22418a Right rear cannot open door at all to see latch code. These 3 doors cannot be opened from outside and the rear right door cannot be opened at all. The contact is just inquiring if these door latches will be recalled.

NHTSA complaint 11571215. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Ford Focus

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2018 825 7 —
2017 891 10 —
2016 1,177 10 —
2015 1,015 9 —
2014 2,596 12 1
2013 2,105 11 3
2012 3,761 7 5
2010 287 0 —

Other 2011 Ford models

Fusion 2,783 F-150 2,184 Edge 1,801 Escape 1,314 Explorer 1,195 Fiesta 729 Mustang 466 F-250 248

Every Ford on this site — 348 vehicles, 1210 recall campaigns and 10 open investigation s.

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. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

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.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst