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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
29 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
33 / 0
Average Mileage:
40,244 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2001 Ford Focus seat belts / air bags problems

seat belts / air bags problem

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2001 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 1 of 3)

problem #51

Jul 022020

Focus

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The front dashboard and steering wheel airbags went off. if I was moving this could-??ve ended even worse but luckily I was stopped. My hearing was affected. I was parked at a red light and my airbags went off. I did not hit anything nor was my car moving. Witnesses at a restaurant and auto repair shop say the same. My car had passed that years inspection and there was no signs of this happening. No lights, sounds, anything. It was very sudden.

- Sinking Spring, PA, USA

problem #50

May 172016

Focus

  • 156,300 miles
The front passenger side airbag malfunctioned in that it deployed without reason. I was driving (in motion) straight down a city road. It made an extremely loud noise that affected my hearing, expelled a lot of white powder that smelled bad, and tore up the side of the passenger seat. The airbag warning light went on.

- Davis, CA, USA

problem #49

Jan 192016

Focus

  • 68,607 miles
Takata airbag deployed after the car had come to a stop. Ali stopped to avoid hitting a car that had suddenly braked in front of her. There was no damage to the car in front her as ali was able to stop in time, but there was major damage to her car. When the takata airbag deployed it burnt her left forearm/hand and incurred $107 in medical expenses. Caliber collision says that to repair the car it would cost ali $7,639.37.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #48

Dec 312001

Focus

  • 20,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Driving Ford Focus slowly in snow, a Jeep spun out of control hit the drivers side front of car spun around and hit us again from the rear.airbag deployed and it my passenger full in face. Damaged her face with chemical burns and created a coroidital tear in her eye that is permanent and permanent vision loss in one eye. The impact of the airbag jarred her brain and she now has a brain injury called chiari malformation,

- Kingwood, WV, USA

problem #47

May 022015

Focus

  • 155,146 miles
On 5/2/15 during a collision where my client stuck another driver that failed to yield and ran a stop sign, the airbag inside my client's 2001 Ford Focus deployed. During its deployment it burned the right volar (inside) forearm of my client, causing a full thickness burn. She had to undergo surgical tangential excision of the burn and skin grafting, where they harvested the skin from her right thigh to her right volar forearm. The airbag is dangerous as it caused full thickness burn to her skin, for which she is still recovering.

- Seattle , WA, USA

problem #46

Feb 012013

Focus

  • 139,600 miles
Stopped in traffic for redlight, traffic started to move car in front of me stopped and I rear ended him causing airbags to deploy and smash windshield. When I exited the vehicle to my surprise there was no front end damage only a scuff mark on front bumper where my car went under the 1991 Mercury Grand Marquis that I hit. Received a powder burn to my left hand from airbag deployment. Car that I hit had no damage. Insurance company thinks the vehicle will have to be totaled because air bags deployed. At he time of impact I was traveling between 5 and 10mph.

- Lansdale, PA, USA

problem #45

Oct 192012

Focus

  • 151,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My 16-year old daughter was pulling out of a parking stall and moving forward to exit the parking area. She was traveling about 10 mph when the air bags deployed without warning. She was injured mostly on her right side from the seat belt and also burns from the air bag on her upper torso and neck. Bruises on her legs and very, very sore.

- Danville, CA, USA

problem #44

Apr 202012

Focus

  • 150,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving 5 mph into a parking space the air bags deployed without warning, causing the windshield to shatter. The contact was able to maintain control of the vehicle during the failure. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 150,000.

- Cottage Grove, OR, USA

problem #43

Apr 112011

Focus

  • 125,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving 10 mph the air bags deployed without prior warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was not able to diagnosed the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, however they did not offered any assistance because the vehicle was not included in any recalls. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure mileage was 125,000 and the current mileage was 129,000.

- Pauls Valley , OK, USA

problem #42

Sep 212009

Focus

  • 116,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Focus. While driving 16 mph the air bag deployed. As a consequence, the glass from the window shattered on the occupants in the front seat; which caused minor injuries. The vehicle was in the process of being inspected to determine the cause of the failure. The failure and current mileages were 116,000.

- Hercules, CA, USA

problem #41

Jun 012008

Focus 4-cyl

  • 8,200 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

We were at a complete stop at a stop light and the air bag deployed and has caused some injury to my face and may have cause some loss of vision in my right eye.

- Copperas Cove, TX, USA

problem #40

Jan 162008

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 78,871 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Focus. While driving 20 mph with the brake pedal depressed, the front air bags deployed. The passenger side air bag cracked the windshield. The passenger side seat belt failed. The passenger seat was unoccupied. There was no impact or warning indicators prior to the failure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the air bags deployed due to a crash. No repairs were made. A police report was filed. The current and failure mileages were 78,871. Updated 3/11/08 the consumer stated there was no damage done to the front end of the vehicle. Updated 03/11/08

- Edgewater, NJ, USA

problem #39

Jan 052008

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 94,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Focus. The contact struck a curb while driving at an unknown speed, and the air bags deployed. The insurance claim adjuster arrived at the scene and could not determine why the air bags deployed. As a result, the insurance Agency labeled the vehicle as destroyed. Ford Motor Company stated that this was normal if one would have an impact while driving 30-40 mph. The failure and current mileages were 94,000. Updated 02/12/08.

- Rayne, LA, USA

problem #38

Jan 132008

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 95,925 miles
On my 2001 Ford Focus both airbags deployed during normal car movement. No any accidents happened before, no vehicles or curbs involved, just during movement, fortunately on very low speed. Both bumpers has no any tracks of contact with something. (similar, like NHTSA action number : PE02026).

- Gaithersburg, MD, USA

problem #37

Nov 112007

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 92,001 miles
Defect reported by a professional tow company, the individual a certified ase automotive technician.(verifiable) seat-side airbag deployment while cranking vehicle.. first occurrence: Cranking vehicle on roadside. Driver's seat-side airbag deploys. Second occurrence: Following day, cranking vehicle with passenger seated in front. Passenger seat-side airbag deploys while cranking motor.no collision or impact involved no injuries worthy of documenting. Airbag faults are non-disputable unacceptable. Any unwarranted airbag deployment can cost lives, and warrants a full investigation towards a recall for inspection, and/or replacement of the fault designed airbag system.

- Irvine, CA, USA

problem #36

Aug 202003

Focus 4WD 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
I purchased a 2001 Ford Focus on my way to work while pulling into my parking space the car accelerated unexpectedly then the brakes did not work. I then pulled on the emergency brakes which did not work to immediately stop the car. I crashed head on into the car in front of the parking space. Also, upon impact the airbags did not inflate. The car was supposedly to have front and side impact airbags and one in the steering when and nothing happened. My chest went straight into the steering wheel so hard there was a circular imprint around my chest and stomach. After people came to see about me one man asked if my car was off. I said yes and he pointed out the car still looked like it was trying to accelerate. The wheels were spinning full force. I took the car back to the dealership I only had it for 3 days and nothing was done to correct the failure. The owner of the dealership said since the car was in a wreck it was worthless to him and there was nothing he could do. He even threatened that he would call the police if my family and myself did not leave.

- Ellenwood, GA, USA

problem #35

Sep 102006

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,000 miles
: the contact stated the driver side airbag deployed in an accident and caused burns to the contact driving the vehicle. The airbag warning light was not illuminated. A police report was taken. The vehicle was deemed totaled by the insurance Agency and was not taken to the service dealer. Updated 11/30/2006 -

- Middletown, DE, USA

problem #34

Aug 252006

Focus 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 50,000 miles
: the contact stated the vehicle was in an accident with an air bag deployment. The airbag caught the contact's shirt on fire (investigation #EA02017) causing third degree burns. The vehicle was taken to the service dealer after the accident, however the insurance company decided the vehicle was a total loss and the dealer never made any comments or determinations. A police report was taken. Updated 11/09/06.

- Asheville, NC, USA

problem #33

Apr 122005

Focus 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
Hand badly burnt by airbag.

- Calabash, NC, USA

problem #32

Mar 152005

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 58,000 miles
While driving at approximately 40 mph vehicle was in a head on collision. Upon impact, the air bags failed to deploy. Driver sustained face injuries and received 23 stitches in the face.

- Lancaster, PA, USA

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