According to Au7o's analysis of 2,200+ owner reports, the 2004 Ford Focus has 3 documented known issues. No issues are rated critical, indicating generally reliable ownership. The most commonly reported issue is Rear Wheel Bearing Premature Failure (1st-Generation Mk1/Mk1.5) with 2,200 owner reports. Across all issues with published estimates, repair costs range from $90 to $800. DIY maintenance guides at au7o.io.
On the 2000-2007 Ford Focus, 1999-2007 Ford Focus (1st-generation Mk1 and Mk1.5) suffer from repeated rear wheel bearing failures, often within months of replacement. One Focus Fanatics owner reported the left rear wheel bearing failing 4 times in 7 months. Root cause is missing or degraded inboard spindle seals that allow brake dust and water into the bearing race, plus alignment drift (excessive negative camber or toe) accelerating wear. Ford acknowledged the seal design in owner communities but never issued a formal recall. Replacement requires the full hub assembly. The 2012-2018 Mk3 Focus has separate bearing issues with different root causes (not covered by this entry).
Humming or growling noise from rear wheels that increases with speed
Rumbling noise that changes pitch when turning (load shifts off bearing)
Vibration felt through vehicle floor
Uneven rear tire wear
ABS warning light if bearing play affects wheel speed sensor
Loose or wobbly feeling in rear end
Grinding noise from rear at highway speeds
How to Fix
Replace the rear wheel bearing/hub assembly as a complete unit - the bearing is sealed and non-serviceable. RepairPal estimates $317-429 per side. When replacing, clean the knuckle bore thoroughly and apply anti-seize compound to prevent the new bearing from seizing in the housing (makes future replacement much easier). If the vehicle is in a salt-belt state, replace both rear bearings simultaneously - the other side will likely fail soon after.
Medium Confidence2,200 owner reportsLast reported by owners Feb 2026Reviewed Feb 2026
On the 2000-2007 Ford Focus, the first-generation Focus ignition lock cylinder uses soft aluminum wafers and a side-bar design. With normal use the wafers and the cylinder sidewall deform, the key cuts grooves into the housing, and eventually a wafer sticks out of position. The key then will not insert fully, will not rotate, or will not come back out of the cylinder, stranding the car. It is one of the most frequently reported mechanical failures on 2000-2005 Focus models and continued in a milder form on later cars. Owners note the original-style cylinder (keyhole offset from center) is the failure-prone version; the revised cylinder has the keyhole centered.
Before replacing anything, try tapping the end of a fully inserted key with a screwdriver handle while applying light turning pressure - this frequently frees a stuck wafer. For a permanent fix, replace the ignition lock cylinder with the revised centered-keyhole cylinder (or a Strattec unit without the side bar); a dealer will key a new cylinder to the VIN. If the cylinder is completely seized, it can be drilled out to get the steering lock released. Note that PATS transponder keys still need to be programmed to the car if the key changes.
On the 2000-2004 Ford Focus, ford uses P1519 for a completely different system than the European manufacturers do. On the Zetec-powered Focus the code means Intake Manifold Runner Control (IMRC) stuck closed. The IMRC is a set of small butterfly plates inside the lower intake manifold that block off a secondary port for each cylinder. At low rpm the plates stay shut so intake air is forced through a single long, narrow runner, which raises port velocity and improves low-speed torque and fuel economy. Higher up the rev range the powertrain control module commands the actuator to open the plates, opening the second port for the airflow the engine needs to make top-end power. A monitor circuit reports back what the plates actually did. When the PCM commands them open and the monitor still reports closed, it sets P1519.
The defining cause on these engines is carbon. The secondary ports carry no airflow for most of the engine's operating life, so oil mist from the PCV system and EGR soot settle on the plates and shaft and slowly cement them into their bores. A shaft that binds only slightly will still throw the code because the plates cannot reach the fully open position in the time the monitor allows. The other documented failure modes are the actuator itself — either the electric motor or, on cable-operated versions, a stretched or detached cable and a bent mounting bracket — plus open or shorted actuator harness wiring and a corroded connector.
What the driver feels is a car that pulls normally at low rpm but flattens out on top: the engine runs out of breath where it used to keep pulling, highway merging and hill climbing feel weak, and fuel economy drops a little. Idle and cold starting are usually unaffected, which is why owners often live with the light — some report it stored without ever illuminating the lamp. On SVT models, which lean harder on the secondary ports for their rated power, the loss is far more obvious.
Check engine light with P1519, sometimes stored without illuminating the lamp
Noticeable loss of power at higher rpm
Engine feels like it runs out of breath at highway speeds or on hills
Slightly reduced fuel economy
Normal idle and low-speed driveability, so the fault is easy to ignore
How to Fix
Start by confirming the plates are actually stuck rather than the circuit lying about them. Remove the engine cover and locate the IMRC actuator on the intake manifold. With the engine off, work the linkage by hand through its full travel — a healthy mechanism moves freely and snaps back under spring tension. If it binds, drags, or will not travel fully, the shaft is carboned in its bores. Check the actuator's electrical connector for corrosion, back-probe the circuit for opens and shorts, and on cable-operated setups inspect for a stretched cable, a detached cable end, or a bent bracket, all of which produce the same code with a perfectly good manifold.
If the linkage moves freely and the wiring is good, replace the actuator. If the shaft is seized, cleaning is the cheaper path but the ports must be reached to do it properly. Spraying intake cleaner past the throttle body rarely reaches the secondary runners; the accepted repair is to remove the upper intake, soak the plates, shaft, and bores with carbon cleaner, work the mechanism free, and scrape the deposits out before reassembling with new gaskets. Once deposits are that heavy, the plates and shaft are frequently worn or distorted enough that they bind again, which is why many Focus and SVT owners end up replacing the intake manifold assembly outright.
While the intake is off, address the cause: clean or replace a clogged PCV system and check the EGR passages, since both feed the deposits that jammed the runners. Realistically, a connector or actuator repair runs about $120-300, a manifold-off clean-and-reassemble around $250-500 at a shop, and a replacement lower intake manifold assembly $500-800 installed.
K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Campaign #08E05000011/08/2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK CONNECTORS MAY NOT FULLY SEAT WITH THE TUBE INTERFACE, EVEN THOUGH THE PERSON MAKING THE CONNECTION MAY BELIEVE THAT THE QUICK CONNECTOR IS FULLY ATTACHED.
Campaign #06E05600013/06/2006
EQUIPMENT
RIDE CONTROL, LLC (RIDE CONTROL) IS RECALLING CERTAIN READYMOUNT ASSEMBLIES, P/N 746641MT AND 746646MT, WITH CORRESPONDING AFTERMARKET CUSTOMER PART NUMBERS: GABRIEL G56944 AND GABRIEL G56945, AND PRIVATELY BRANDED PARTSMASTER WITH PART NUMBERS G68944 AND G68945. THE READYMOUNT ASSEMBLIES WERE SOLD AS AFTERMARKET SERVICE EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON CERTAIN 2000 THROUGH 2005 FORD FOCUS VEHICLES. THESE ASSEMBLIES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH A NUT WITHOUT THE NECESSARY WASHER. THE ABSENCE OF THE WASHER CAN ALLOW THE READYMOUNT ASSEMBLY TO PULL APART THE TOP MOUNT.
Campaign #12E00700024/02/2012
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Campaign #06E02600023/03/2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
According to Au7o's analysis of 2,200+ owner reports, the 2004 Ford Focus has 3 documented issues. The most frequently reported are: Rear Wheel Bearing Premature Failure (1st-Generation Mk1/Mk1.5), Mk1 Ignition Lock Cylinder Wafer Wear - Key Will Not Turn or Will Not Come Out, Carboned-Up Intake Manifold Runner Control Plates Jam Shut. None are rated critical, but regular maintenance is recommended.
Is the Ford Focus reliable?
The 2004 Ford Focus has 3 known issues documented across 2,200+ owner reports. No issues are rated critical, suggesting generally good reliability. Regular maintenance following the manufacturer's schedule helps prevent many common problems.
How much does it cost to fix common Ford Focus problems?
Repair costs for known Ford Focus issues range from $90 to $800, depending on the specific problem and whether you choose DIY or professional repair. Au7o provides step-by-step DIY maintenance guides that can help reduce repair costs.
What is the 2000-2007 Ford Focus Rear Wheel Bearing Premature Failure (1st-Generation Mk1/Mk1.5)?
1999-2007 Ford Focus (1st-generation Mk1 and Mk1.5) suffer from repeated rear wheel bearing failures, often within months of replacement. One Focus Fanatics owner reported the left rear wheel bearing failing 4 times in 7 months. Root cause is missing or degraded inboard spindle s… Repairs typically run $250-$500. Severity: medium.
What is the 2000-2007 Ford Focus Mk1 Ignition Lock Cylinder Wafer Wear - Key Will Not Turn or Will Not Come Out?
The first-generation Focus ignition lock cylinder uses soft aluminum wafers and a side-bar design. With normal use the wafers and the cylinder sidewall deform, the key cuts grooves into the housing, and eventually a wafer sticks out of position. The key then will not insert fully… Repairs typically run $90-$400. Severity: medium.
What is the 2000-2004 Ford Focus Carboned-Up Intake Manifold Runner Control Plates Jam Shut?
Ford uses P1519 for a completely different system than the European manufacturers do. On the Zetec-powered Focus the code means Intake Manifold Runner Control (IMRC) stuck closed. The IMRC is a set of small butterfly plates inside the lower intake manifold that block off a second… Repairs typically run $120-$800. Severity: low.
Content on this page was compiled with AI assistance using NHTSA complaints, TSBs, owner reports, and public automotive data. While we strive for accuracy, this information may contain errors. Always verify repair procedures and specifications with your vehicle's service manual or a qualified mechanic.
