2004 Ford Focus Problems, Recalls & Reliability
499 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2004 Ford Focus, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 11/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 53,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2004 Ford Focus has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2004 sits among all Focus years
What owners report
“My vehicle instrument cluster failed causing alternator to die and false readings on the dash with multiple alerts such as battery, airbag , oil and incorrect speed dial. The vehicle instrument failed at 30,000 miles and if you search it is a very common issue with the ford focus vehicle's. The…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Focus
“Brakes failed on our 2004 ford focus zx5 4 door hatchback as my wife went to stop at a stop sign leaving our development and was broadsided by a truck. This resulted in a total loss of vehicle and injuries sustained to my wife. Police and medical personnel were on the scene. She was transported to…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Focus
“As I was stopped at red light it stalled as I drove thru. So I pulled over. Got out to open hood. It was smoking.struggled to open hood. Ran around to get towel to smother the fire. But it was too far gone. Man told me just leave it. It was total loss.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Focus
“I parked the car over night. In the morning on my way to a medical appointment i inserted the key in the ignition and the steering was locked up. The key goes inside the ignition but it would not turn. I only imagine the same situation while i am driving the vehicle. The steering wheel would not…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Focus
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 368 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 50,759 miles. Half of those reports fall between 29,812 and 86,140 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (6)
RIDE CONTROL, LLC (RIDE CONTROL) IS RECALLING CERTAIN READYMOUNT ASSEMBLIES, P/N 746641MT AND 746646MT, WITH CORRESPONDING AFTERMARKET CUSTOMER PART NUMBERS: GABRIEL G56944 AND GABRIEL G56945, AND PRIVATELY BRANDED PARTSMASTER WITH PART NUMBERS G68944 AND…
Fix: RIDE CONTROL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND WILL SET UP PROCEDURES TO INSPECT, REPAIR, AND/OR REPLACE THE AFFECTED PARTS WITHOUT CHARGE TO THE OWNER. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 30, 2012. OWNERS MAY…
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD…
Fix: K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK CONNECTORS MAY NOT FULLY SEAT WITH THE TUBE…
Fix: UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE…
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES WITH FOUR OR FIVE DOORS AND ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO,…
Fix: DEALERS WILL HAVE A LOWER ROCKER SEAL ADDED TO THE DOOR AND HAVE THE REAR DOOR LATCHES EVALUATED FREE OF CHARGE. A LATCH THAT PASSES THE EVALUATION WILL BE LUBRICATED TO PREVENT FUTURE CORROSION. A…
Federal defect investigations
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2004 Ford Focus reliable?
The 2004 Ford Focus drew 499 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 11/100, scored against the model's worst year (2000).
What are the most common 2004 Ford Focus problems?
The top reported problems for the 2004 Ford Focus are electrical (193 complaints), brakes & stability (47), and engine (35).
At what mileage do 2004 Ford Focus problems show up?
Owners most often report 2004 Ford Focus problems around 50,759 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 29,812 and 86,140 miles.
Does the 2004 Ford Focus have recalls?
6 recall campaigns apply to the 2004 Ford Focus. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.