2006 Ford Focus Problems, Recalls & Reliability
270 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2006 Ford Focus, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 6/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 60,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2006 Ford Focus has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2006 sits among all Focus years
What owners report
“The wiring harness flexes where it passes from the body to the tailgate causing the iinsulation and wiring to break and short to the body resulting in a blown fuse and no rear lights. This has occurred whilst driving and when stationary opening the hatchback.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Focus
“The car was involved in a collision and airbags did not deploy when they should have.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Focus
“My 2006 ford vent selector that moves from defrost to vent has broken twice now. I am told it is a 600 fix but i see so many complaints about this issue why is there no recall.. Next same car the gas pedal sticks in cold weather take to a auto shop they clean throtthle body and runs fine for a bit…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Focus
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 216 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 65,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 39,400 and 100,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
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.
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 2006 Ford Focus reliable?
The 2006 Ford Focus drew 270 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 6/100, scored against the model's worst year (2000).
What are the most common 2006 Ford Focus problems?
The top reported problems for the 2006 Ford Focus are electrical (55 complaints), airbags (42), and speed control (25).
At what mileage do 2006 Ford Focus problems show up?
Owners most often report 2006 Ford Focus problems around 65,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 39,400 and 100,000 miles.
Does the 2006 Ford Focus have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2006 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.