2000-2005 Ford Focus recall: latch

Ford Motor Company reported this safety recall on February 1, 2005. It covers about 589,932 vehicles.

vehicles affected: 589,932
reported: Feb 1, 2005
owners notified: Mar 9, 2005
related complaints: 472

Latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch

What is wrong: Certain passenger vehicles with four or five doors and originally sold in or currently registered in connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia, a build-up of corrosion at the pawl pivot area of the rear door latch can cause a binding condition of the pawl that may affect proper engagement of the pawl into the catch. The occupant may experience difficulty opening or closing a rear door, and eventually the rear door may not latch properly.
Risk: If not latched properly, the door may open while the vehicle is in motion. If an occupant fell out of the vehicle, personal injuries could occur.
Remedy: Dealers will have a lower rocker seal added to the door and have the rear door latches evaluated free of charge. A latch that passes the evaluation will be lubricated to prevent future corrosion. A latch that does not pass the evaluation will be replaced. In addition, a sticker will be affixed to the rear doors advising the owners to use the recommended lubricant. The recall began on march 9, 2005. Owners may contact ford at 1‑800‑392‑3673.

Recall number 05V030000

Affected vehicles

Ford Focus 2000-2005 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Owner complaints about the same problem

Owners of these vehicles have filed 472 complaints about locks problems.

2002 Ford Focus 2003 Ford Focus 2004 Ford Focus 2005 Ford Focus

Questions about recall 05V030000

Is there a recall on the 2000-2005 Ford Focus latch?

Yes. Recall 05V030000, reported on February 1, 2005, covers about 589,932 vehicles.

What is the fix for recall 05V030000?

Dealers will have a lower rocker seal added to the door and have the rear door latches evaluated free of charge. A latch that passes the evaluation will be lubricated to prevent future corrosion. A latch that does not pass the evaluation will be replaced. In addition, a sticker will be affixed to the rear doors advising the owners to use the recommended lubricant. The recall began on march 9, 2005. Owners may contact ford at 1‑800‑392‑3673.

Is the recall repair free?

Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers. A dealer can confirm with the VIN whether a specific vehicle is included and whether the repair has already been done.

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