2004 Ford Focus Electrical System:ignition:switch Problems
NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH · data through 07/14/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How electrical system:ignition:switch ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 387 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2004 Ford Focus overview page.
What owners report
“IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE.. FORTUNATE THAT THE EVENT HAPPENED WHILE AT HOME. I TRAVEL FREQUENTLY AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. THIS COULD…”NHTSA complaint 10168595 — filed 09/19/2006
“I HAVE A 2004 FORD FOCUS LX AND THE IGNITION LOCKED FROZE. THE KEY WOULDN'T TURN, THEREFORE NOT ALLOWING MY VEHICLE TO START NO MATTER…”NHTSA complaint 10167360 — filed 09/05/2006
“ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO I TRIED TO START MY 2004 FORD FOCUS, BUT THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. AFTER ABOUT 10 TRIES…”NHTSA complaint 10161250 — filed 07/02/2006
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Electrical System:ignition:switch complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2004 Ford Focus have electrical system:ignition:switch problems?
Electrical System:ignition:switch is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2004 Ford Focus: 34 of 387 complaints on file (8.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2004 Ford Focus have in total?
387 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 34 involved a crash, 13 involved a fire, 34 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's electrical system:ignition:switch category include?
NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.
