2011 Ford FOCUS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
113 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
51,604 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 91 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 25 of 113 complaints (22.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 13 | 11.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 12 | 10.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 9 | 8.0% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 5.3% |
| Braking behavior | 6 | 5.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 25 |
| Power Train | 19 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 12 |
| Unknown Or Other | 12 |
| Steering | 10 |
| Structure:Body | 10 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 |
| Air Bags | 6 |
Electrical System: 25; Power Train: 19; Latches/Locks/Linkages: 12; Unknown Or Other: 12; Steering: 10; Structure:Body: 10; Vehicle Speed Control: 8; Air Bags: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 19 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 23 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 21 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 11 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 11 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 19; 25,000 to 49,999: 23; 50,000 to 74,999: 21; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 11; 150,000 and above: 6
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (23). 22 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 15 |
| 2014 | 17 |
| 2015 | 13 |
| 2016 | 17 |
| 2017 | 11 |
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2011: 3; 2012: 5; 2013: 15; 2014: 17; 2015: 13; 2016: 17; 2017: 11; 2018: 14; 2019: 6; 2020: 3; 2022: 1; 2023: 2; 2024: 4; 2025: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 13 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 12 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 9 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10440904 · 2011-12-21 (December 21, 2011)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10440904 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10465531 · 2012-07-13 (July 13, 2012)
THE CAR HAS POOR STEERING, POOR SUSPENSION CONTROL OVER BUMPS, AN ACKNOWLEDGED BUT UNREPAIRED TRANSMISSION MOUNT, SEVERE ALIGNMENT ISSUE, TIRES ARE FEATHERED AND CUPPED PER DEALER AND DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO FIX IT. THE CARE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BUT THE DEALER STATES IF WE DO NOT PURCHASE NEW TIRES, PAY FOR AN ALIGNMENT THAT THEY WILL NOT FIX THE FAULTY TRANSMISSION MOUNT. IT HAS BEEN AT 3 FORD DEALERS IN THE PAST 3 WEEKS. I SAID NOTHING IS WRONG (THOMAS FORD IN BEVERLY MA), NEXT FIXED A BEARING AND 2 SUSPENSION PARTS AND SAID IT IS FIXED (IT…
Owner-reported narrative. 30,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10465531 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10399593 · 2011-05-09 (May 9, 2011)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. A THROTTLE CONTROL/TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ALSO BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. UPON RESTART THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,915.
Owner-reported narrative. 7,915 miles reported. Look up ODI 10399593 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10531688 · 2013-07-24 (July 24, 2013)
MY DOOR LOCKS ON ONE OR MULTIPLE DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK BY ANY MEANS, REPEATEDLY AND INTERMITTENTLY. I DID TAKE IT TO THE FORD DEALER IN TWIN FALLS, IDAHO AND THEY WOULDN'T FIX ANYTHING UNTIL I COULD PROVE IT. I DID DRIVE TO THE DEALER WHEN IT HAPPENED AND THEY VERIFIED THE PROBLEM WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK THE DOORS AND FAILED. I HAD TO CRAWL OUT THE WINDOW TO GET OUT. THEY REPLACED ALL OF MY DOOR LOCKS ON WARRANTY. NOW I HAVE 58K MILES ON MY CAR, NO WARRANTY AND I AM HAVING THE SAME SAFETY ISSUE. THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD NOT FIX THE PRO…
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10531688 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10548278 · 2013-10-17 (October 17, 2013)
THIS IS THE FIRST REPORT OF 3 SEPARATE INSTANCES. STARTING UP FROM WAITING AT A SIGNAL LIGHT THE SYSTEM FLASHED "STOP SAFELY NOW". ( I HAD JUST TOUCHED THE DISPLAY SCREEN TO VIEW THE BATTERY POWER.) PROCEEDING THROUGH A LEFT TURN AND WHEN GETTING TO THE CURB THE SYSTEM SHUT DOWN. AT THAT POINT A COMPLETE TURN OFF OF THE CAR WAS ATTEMPTED WHICH DID NOT HAPPEN, WITH THE DISPLAY STILL BEING ACTIVE. REPEATED ATTEMPTS FINALLY COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN THE SYSTEM, WHICH WAS THEN RESTARTED NORMALLY. THE OTHER TWO INSTANCES OCCURRED WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,664 miles reported. Look up ODI 10548278 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10470384 · 2012-08-13 (August 13, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK VIOLENTLY AND STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE POWER TRAIN WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY MIGHT BE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAIL…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10470384 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10406489 · 2011-06-10 (June 10, 2011)
I WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON MICHIGAN HIGHWAY 91 BETWEEN LANGSTON AND TURK LAKE BETWEEN 2:30 AND 3:00 AM WHEN A DEER RAN OUT IN FRONT OF THE CAR. I WAS GOING ABOUT 55 MPH AT THE TIME. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES BUT DID HIT THE DEER. THE CAR WAS NOT SERIOUSLY DAMAGED AND I CONTINUED ON. I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE MUSHY AND LESS EFFECTIVE THAN NORMAL AFTER THE INCIDENT. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIRS I WAS TOLD THAT ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES HAD "BURST".
Owner-reported narrative. 5,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10406489 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10703535 · 2015-04-03 (April 3, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES AND NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 5/15/15*CN UPDATED 09/16/2015 *JS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10703535 at NHTSA ↗