2002 Ford Focus Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 72about this part
- Share
- 8%of 939 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 37,500miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 72 complaints about the air bags of the 2002 Ford Focus, 8% of the 939 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 37,500 miles. 47 of these say a crash was involved and 1 a fire, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Got in accident, air bag did not deploy. Got fixed??? Ford let me go back out on the road with a brand new safety device and it was not working properly. The time between the accident and the time I got it fixed Ford was very unconcerned and did not answer any of my concerns or questions. My safety was at risk and they did nothing about it.”
NHTSA complaint #10028756, filed 2003-07, 34,285 miles“I have a 2002 Ford Focus zx5, my driver's side air bag deployed while driving down the street at a speed of 35 MPH with absolutely no impact to the car. Due to it deploying and going off it had hit my left shoulder and caused me to swerve to the right, if it wasn't for the fact that I was already in the right hand lane I would've crashed into another vehicle and caused a serious accident as this also happened in the middle of rush hour traffic . I have read on other websites where 2004 and 2006's same air bags have deployed for no reason w/o any kind of impact. …”
NHTSA complaint #10780660, filed 2015-10, 150,000 miles“On the morning of 14 february 2005 my son was involved in a head on crash in an intersection. Our 2002 Ford Focus was totaled (it has 37,000 miles on it, and I bought it brand new from a Ford lot.) the air bags did not go off! Both my son and his passnger sustained neck and back injuries.”
NHTSA complaint #10110663, filed 2005-02, 37,000 miles“I was driving on baker street in west roxbury, ma. I had the right of way when another driver in a 2010 lincoln mkx ran a stop sign and hit me. I was hit on the driver's side. The speed and force of the impact took out the entire front end of my car. My vehicle was dragged off baker street and into the intersection of baker and capital. The driver who hit me was driving at such a speed, that before stopping, they continued on, hitting a stop sign, taking it down and hitting another car, pushing it up onto the sidewalk into a telephone pole. …”
NHTSA complaint #10557955, filed 2013-12, 65,000 miles“While driving at 55 MPH, a car swerved into my lane, causing me to swerve to avoid him. I lost control of the car and struck a concrete divider with the passenger front bumber, causing the car to climb up the divider, back down, and end up facing the other way on the highway. The airbags did not deploy, at that time, but 10-15 minutes later when I re-entered the vehicle, I noticed that the passenger side airbag had deployed partially. The car was totalled.”
NHTSA complaint #10126274, filed 2005-06, 4,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10014622Dec 1, 2004Air bag light in with all or any combination of dtc b1881 b2434 b2438 and or c1947.
Air bags: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 9 | 1% |
| 2017 | 15 | 2% |
| 2016 | 15 | 1% |
| 2015 | 18 | 2% |
| 2014 | 32 | 1% |
| 2013 | 26 | 1% |
| 2012 | 55 | 1% |
| 2011 | 6 | 5% |
| 2010 | 12 | 4% |
| 2009 | 22 | 10% |
| 2008 | 26 | 10% |
| 2007 | 118 | 30% |
| 2006 | 40 | 20% |
| 2005 | 51 | 12% |
| 2004 | 24 | 6% |
| 2003 | 46 | 5% |
| 2002 | 72 | 8% |
| 2001 | 147 | 8% |
| 2000 | 191 | 5% |
| 1999 | 1 | 9% |
Other parts of the 2002 Ford Focus
277 complaintsSuspension
109 complaintsEngine cooling
103 complaintsBrakes
72 complaintsFuel system
67 complaintsTires
62 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
58 complaintsSteering
53 complaintsBody and structure
51 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
45 complaintsWheels
36 complaintsOther or unknown
30 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2002 Ford Focus
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology