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CarComplaints.com Notes: Even though the first model year of a major redesign should typically be avoided, Ford did a good job & the 2008 Ford Focus doesn't appear to have any major defects.

That said, the following model years of this 2nd generation Focus (2009-2011) do appear to be slightly better.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
15,172 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.

2008 Ford Focus seat belts / air bags problems

seat belts / air bags problem

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2008 Ford Focus Owner Comments

problem #6

Jul 252018

Focus

  • miles

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

"takata recall" the passenger seat is not registering that there's someone sitting there who 5'5" and weighs almost 135 pounds and is wearing his seatbelt. So the airbag light on the bottom right of the center console comes on and says "passenger airbag off" and the yellow airbag light stays lit up on the drivers dashboard until the car is shut off, all with someone who's big enough for the airbag sensor to know he's sitting there. All vehicles he sits in that have sensors for airbags for the front passenger seat always read that he's sitting there, so I know he's big enough to set the sensor off and for it yo know he's sitting there and to activate the passenger airbag. Pictures are of the yellow airbag light on the drivers, the center console "passenger airbag off", and a few showing where he's sitting in the seat and both the yellow lights are still on. The yellow lights are only on when the vehicle is running, in motion, on highway, stopped, on city streets, turning, and going forward. (itsl's alright to share all pictures publicly, I knew they'd be shared with the public before taking them.)

- Salina, KS, USA

problem #5

Jul 102018

Focus

  • miles
"takata recall" the drivers seat belt stays pushed in when you push the red release button to take off your seatbelt. Unlike the front passenger seatbelt and the three back seatbelts that all four completely release when you undo your seatbelt, none of them stay pressed in they all fully release. The 1st picture is the front passenger seatbelt release, 2nd picture is the back passenger & back middle seatbelt releases, 3rd picture is the back drivers seatbelt seatbelt release, & the 4th & 5th pictures are the front seatbelt release from two different angles showing how it's still pushed in & not fully released even though the seatbelt is unbuckled so the button should be fully released.

- Salina, KS, USA

problem #4

Sep 192017

Focus

  • 66,000 miles
I have an 2008 Ford Focus SE I bought in 2016 and have had problems with passenger seat belt not locking in place, doors not locking/unlocking passenger side, and the biggest problem I have experienced twice is the engine revvening up and making strange noises like it is going to blow up the car does not increase with speed but engine revs and when braking the rev will speed up then decrease to break. Please recall before I get into an accident!!!!!

- Freeland, MI, USA

problem #3

Sep 072017

Focus

  • miles

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

The driver seat belt no longer buckles. It will go into the holster but does not click.

- Nacogdoches, TX, USA

problem #2

Jul 032008

Focus

  • 33 miles
The door lock, locks and you cant open them to get in or out of the car if you wont in or out you have to crawl through the windows. The front end of the car will not stay aligned eats up tires. Head lights. We have had this car in the dealers many times they tell me that its normal. This car has been a lemon since the day I drove it off the lot but they would never fix the problems.

- Bunkerville, NV, USA

problem #1

Feb 032010

Focus 4-cyl

  • 25,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Focus. The contact stated as she was driving someone rear ended her vehicle. The air bags did not deploy and the seat belt did not hugged her tight enough. The contact hit her head on the steering wheel and was driven to the hospital because she received a cut above her eye and had to have stitches. There is a police report if needed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for repair. The contact stated she informed the dealer but had not called the Ford manufacturer. The failure mileage was 25,000. Updated 03/18/10 updated 05/05/10.

- Rio Rancho, NM, USA

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