PlainCars

FORD FOCUS · model year

1999 FORD FOCUS

15 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1999FORDFOCUS carries 15 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1999 FOCUS is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 1999 FOCUS. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

15
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

15 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
AIR BAGS1
STEERING:RACK AND PINION1
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH1
STRUCTURE1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1

Recent Complaints

20061010ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WAS RESTARTED BUT STALLED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND LATER DRIVEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 11/14/2006 - THE FAILURE A AY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS DONE ON THE VEHICLE. THE CODES INDICATED THAT THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR, VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR, AND O2 SENSOR WAS OUT, AND THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL SWITCH WAS OUT OF RANGE. *NM

Mileage: 166,508

20061010ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WAS RESTARTED BUT STALLED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND LATER DRIVEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 11/14/2006 - THE FAILURE A AY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS DONE ON THE VEHICLE. THE CODES INDICATED THAT THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR, VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR, AND O2 SENSOR WAS OUT, AND THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL SWITCH WAS OUT OF RANGE. *NM

Mileage: 166,508

20060424ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL

CONSUMER REQUESTING RECALL INFORMATION ON 1999 FOCUS. *TS THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED EMISSION PROBLEMS. *JB

20041012STRUCTURE

HEAD IMPACT TUBES (OFLEX TUBES) ARE BEING INSTALLED THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME BY HAND ON HEAD LINERS AT FORMER EMPLOYER GRUPO ANTOLIN-WAYNE 47440 MICHIGAN AVE. SUITE 130, CANTON, MICHIGAN 48188. THE HEAD IMPACT TUBE ARE TO BE MEET FEDERAL REGULATED SAFETY STANDARDS, THEY ARE TO BE PUT ON BY A FIXED FIXTURE THAT I BROUGHT TO THE COMPANY'S ATTENTION. THE COMPANY HAS NO MASTER TOOLING TO CHECK SPECIFICATIONS FOR FINISHED PRODUCT. *NM

20040504ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

WHILE PLACING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION., AND MECHANIC REPLACED SOLENOID SWITCH. *AK

20030815SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL ENGINE STALLED. DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER. *AK

20030815ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL ENGINE STALLED. DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER. *AK

20030625STEERING:RACK AND PINION

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 6/25/2003. DEALER STATED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE RACK AND PINION, AND THE TIE RODS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

20030625STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 6/25/2003. DEALER STATED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE RACK AND PINION, AND THE TIE RODS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

20030304AIR BAGS

THE VEHICLE IMPACTED A POLE AT 25 MPH. AS A RESULT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE BENT BUT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED. *NLM

Mileage: 125

20030225ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED, WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A CRACK IN THE ENGINE HEAD AND THE MOTOR MOUNT BEING BUSTED.*JB

Mileage: 73,000

20030203ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE WILL STALL. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PH

20010830ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THE ENGINE MELTED COMPLETELY WITHOUT ANY WARNING. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THIS WAS DUE TO A FAILED IMPELLER IN THE WATER HEATER. IT WAS ON ITS WAY INTO THE SHOP FOR THE USUAL REPEAT PROBLEM WITH THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER (THAT IS WHY THE READING IS 11,000 BUT THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 99,000 MILES). SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT OF THE ENGINE AND IT STOPPED COMPLETELY. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE IMPELLER BROKE, CAUSING THE WATER PUMP TO FAIL AND THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND MELT INSIDE. THE ENGINE IS NOW USELESS. THE CAR IS SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP IN PARTS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT IT IS WORTHLESS NOW AND THAT EVEN A REBUILT ENGINE COSTS MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH. THE ENGINE DID NOT SHOW THAT IT WAS HOT (HOWEVER, THIS IS ON THE SAME INSTRUMENT PANEL AS THE MALFUNCTIONING ODOMOETER/SPEEDOMETER). THERE WAS NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. IT IS UNSAFE FOR ENGINES TO SUDDENLY MELT WHILE ONE IS DRIVING. THE CAR HAS HAD ALL REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND R

20010830ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

THE ENGINE MELTED COMPLETELY WITHOUT ANY WARNING. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THIS WAS DUE TO A FAILED IMPELLER IN THE WATER HEATER. IT WAS ON ITS WAY INTO THE SHOP FOR THE USUAL REPEAT PROBLEM WITH THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER (THAT IS WHY THE READING IS 11,000 BUT THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 99,000 MILES). SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT OF THE ENGINE AND IT STOPPED COMPLETELY. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE IMPELLER BROKE, CAUSING THE WATER PUMP TO FAIL AND THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND MELT INSIDE. THE ENGINE IS NOW USELESS. THE CAR IS SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP IN PARTS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT IT IS WORTHLESS NOW AND THAT EVEN A REBUILT ENGINE COSTS MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH. THE ENGINE DID NOT SHOW THAT IT WAS HOT (HOWEVER, THIS IS ON THE SAME INSTRUMENT PANEL AS THE MALFUNCTIONING ODOMOETER/SPEEDOMETER). THERE WAS NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. IT IS UNSAFE FOR ENGINES TO SUDDENLY MELT WHILE ONE IS DRIVING. THE CAR HAS HAD ALL REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND R

20000323SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

BRAKES SQUEALED WHENEVER BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS WAS NORMAL, AND NOTHING WOULD BE DONE. *AK

Compare 1999FORDFOCUS to Similar Vehicles

FOCUS vs FORDF-150 → FOCUS vs FORDEXPLORER → FOCUS vs JEEPGRAND CHEROKEE → FOCUS vs FORDESCAPE →

NHTSA Investigations

RQ23006Recall QueryClosed

Loss of Motive Power

PE16001Preliminary EvaluationClosed

Door Latch Failure

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1999 FORD FOCUS have?▼
The 1999 FORD FOCUS has 15 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 FORD FOCUS?▼
The most-complained component for the 1999 FORD FOCUS is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC.
Is the 1999 FORD FOCUS safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Understanding NHTSA Complaints → Vehicle Recalls Explained → Safest Car Brands 2026 → Most Reliable Used Cars → Lemon Law Guide →

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.