There are 15 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2001 Ford Focusin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT, THE LOW AND HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE BRIGHTLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO METRO FORD OF MADISON (5422 WAYNE TERRACE, MADISON, WI 53718, (608) 246-3600), BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
2001 FORD FOCUS SE 4 DOOR SEDAN. 67,140 MILES. TURN SIGNAL WILL NOT TURN OFF AUTOMATICALLY ONCE TURN IS COMPLETED EITHER TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. HAVE TO NOW TURN OFF THE SIGNAL MANUALLY. HAPPENED ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK ON 7-19-2011. NOTHING YET HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE OTHER THAN AN INTERNET SEARCH TO DETERMINE WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG. *KB
MY HEADLIGHT FELL OUT OF THE HOUSING AND MELTED THE HOUSING AROUND IT. IT NO LONGER WORKS AS A RESULT OF THIS.... THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE OF THIS PART. I WOULD NOT KNOW WHY THE LAMP IT'S SELF WOULD JUST FALL OUT OF THE HOUSING. I HAVE ASKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS BUT WAS TOLD NO BY THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP BUT YOU CAN'T TRUST WHAT THEY SAY BECAUSE THEY TOLD ME YEARS AGO THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY FUEL PUMP AND THERE WAS, THEY ARE JUST RUDE THERE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLS AND MAKES A THUMPING SOUND. ALL OF THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKER WHEN THEY ARE ACTIVATED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY FAILURES. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,003 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000.
THE HIGH MOUNT BULBS DID NOT WORK. THE BRAKE LIGHTS TURNED AUTOMATICALLY ON WHEN THE TRUNK LID WAS CLOSED. ENGINE OFF. IN THE NEXT DAY A NOTICED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS UNOPERATIONAL.*AK
AUTOMATIC TURN SIGNAL CANCELLATION INOPERATIVE; IT HAS NOT WORKED FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS; HAVE NOT GOTTEN IT REPAIRED, BUT PLAN TO FIX IT SOON. *M
THE PLASTIC SOCKETS IN THE REAR TAILLIGHT LENS ASSEMBLY MELTED. (THESE SOCKETS HOLD THE TAILLIGHT BULBS IN PLACE.) THE TAILLIGHT LENS ASSEMBLY WAS OBVIOUSLY MADE FROM INFERIOR PLASTIC MATERIAL, BECAUSE EVEN THE BACK-UP LIGHT SOCKET; WHICH ISN'T USED VERY OFTEN; WAS ALSO MELTED. THE FORD DEALERSHIP WANTED TO CHARGE $89.00 JUST TO LOOK AT THE TAILLIGHTS, AND JUST AUTOMATICALLY STATED THAT THEY WEREN'T UNDER WARRANTY AND THAT IT WOULD BE AROUND $250 FOR NEW LENS ASSEMBLIES, AND ANOTHER $45 TO INSTALL THEM. *NM
HEADLIGHT LENSES HAVE TURNED OPAQUE AND MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE AT NIGHT. THIS COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. *JB
DT: WENT TO REPLACE THE LEFT TAIL LIGHT AND THE PLASTIC HOUSING WAS COMPLETELY MELTED. THEN, CHECKED RIGHT AND IT STARTED TO MELTING. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, AND SAID WARRANTY EXPIRED, NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *AK
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL WOULD NOT TURN OFF AUTOMATICALLY. THE SPRING ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THIS IS CONNECTED TO THE HORN, AIR BAG AND TURN SIGNAL. *AK THE TURN SIGNAL CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY WAS INSTALLED, PRODUCT CODE#047-002. *SC *JB
TURN SIGNAL FAILS TO TURN OFF AFTER THE TURN IS COMPLETED. *AK
THE LIGHT BULB AND FUSES OF THE REAR TURN SIGNALS AND BRAKE LIGHTS MELTED TOGETHER MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO REPLACE THE LIGHTBULBS, THUS THE ENTIRE TAIL LIGHT HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE WHEN IT WAS FINALLY ABLE TO COME OUT THE PLASTIC ON THE LIGHT WAS BROKEN.*AK
TURN SIGNAL CAME ON AND OFF WHEN USED. DEALER WAS AWARE THAT THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT.*AK
2001 FORD FOCUS SW RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT QUIT WORKING. TRIED TO FOLLOW THE PROCEDURE IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL TO REPLACE BULB. TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO REPLACE LEFT BULB. NEITHER BULB SOCKET WOULD COME OUT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE LAMP ASSEMBLIES. ACCIDENTLY BROKE-OFF THE BULB HOLDER FROM THE LEFT SOCKET. THE BULB AND ITS HOLDER FELL INTO THE LAMP ASSEMBLY. THIS EXPOSED THE LAMP ASSEMBLY FITTING TO VIEW. IT WAS MELTED. THEREFORE, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CHANGE A BURNT BULB BECAUSE THE LAMP ASSEMBLY WAS TOO DISTORTED FROM MELTING TO FREE THE SOCKET. THE LIGHTS WERE SUBJECT TO NORMAL USE.*AK THE TERMS SOCKET AND LAMP ASSEMBLY ARE AS USED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE HAVE STOPPED WORKING. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHY IT STOPPED WORKING. NLM
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026