Rust (rear arches, sills)
usually 100,000–300,000 km · Wear part
Signs: Bubbling paint
Fix: Rust repair
€200–800
Common faults, service intervals and costs
Ford Focus I
1998–2004 · Ford Focus 1
2
engines covered
10
known faults
44,904
roadworthiness tests in the statistics
14
official recalls
Enter your VIN and mileage and get a plan built for your exact engine and gearbox.
The Ford Focus I was built from 1998 to 2004.
For this generation we cover 2 engines and 10 known faults, each with the mileage range where it usually appears.
The most expensive known risk is High-pressure pump / injectors (Delphi): it usually appears at 120,000–220,000 km and costs €1,000–2,500 to fix.
In UK roadworthiness tests in 2024, at 150–200 thousand km this model most often failed on: lights, wipers and visibility (30.4 %), suspension (24.8 %), brakes (13.6 %). It fails more often than an average car of the same age and mileage on: suspension, steering, tyres and wheels.
Engines
| Engine | Fuel | Timing drive | Oil |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.25 / 1.4 / 1.5 / 1.6 Duratec / Ti-VCT (Ford Sigma) | Petrol | Belt · 150,000 km / every 120 mo | 5W-20 / 5W-30 · Ford WSS-M2C913-C / 948-B · ~3.8–4.1 L · every 15,000 km |
| 1.8 TDCi / TDDi (Ford Lynx) | Diesel | Belt · 150,000 km / every 96 mo | 5W-30 · Ford WSS-M2C913-C · ~5.5 L · every 15,000 km |
Faults typical of this model
Ignition switch / immobiliser
usually 120,000–250,000 km · Wear part
Signs: Intermittent no-start
Fix: Replace the switch
€80–250
Faults by engine
1.25 / 1.4 / 1.5 / 1.6 Duratec / Ti-VCT (Ford Sigma)
Ti-VCT cam phasers / oil control valve
usually 80,000–180,000 km · Medium risk
engine codes: HWDA, HXDA, HXDB, PNDA, PNDB, IQDB
Signs: Rattle on start, rough idle, VCT codes (1.6 Ti-VCT)
Fix: Replace phasers / solenoid; correct oil
€300–800
Ignition coil pack
usually 80,000–160,000 km · Wear part
Signs: Misfire
Fix: Replace coil
€80–200
Thermostat housing leak (plastic)
usually 80,000–160,000 km · Wear part
Signs: Coolant loss
Fix: Replace housing
€100–250
Valve clearance (shims)
usually 150,000–250,000 km · Wear part
Signs: Ticking; check more often on LPG
Fix: Adjust clearances
€150–400
1.8 TDCi / TDDi (Ford Lynx)
High-pressure pump / injectors (Delphi)
usually 120,000–220,000 km · High risk
Signs: Hard start, stalling — very sensitive to water / poor fuel
Fix: Replace pump and injectors; change the fuel filter often
€1,000–2,500
EGR valve / cooler
usually 100,000–200,000 km · Medium risk
Signs: Limp mode, black smoke
Fix: Clean or replace
€200–600
Gearboxes
Manual
Clutch wear
usually 120,000–200,000 km · Medium risk
Signs: Slipping, high bite point
Fix: Replace clutch kit
€500–900
Automatic 4-speed (4F27E)
4F27E solenoids / valve body
usually 100,000–200,000 km · Medium risk
Signs: Harsh 2–3 shift, slipping
Fix: Fluid change, solenoid repair
€300–1,200
Scheduled service
Intervals and typical prices for the 1.25 / 1.4 / 1.5 / 1.6 Duratec / Ti-VCT (Ford Sigma) engine. Other engines differ in oil, timing drive and some filters; the app gives the exact plan.
| Item | Interval | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil + oil filterEngine | every 15,000 km or every 12 months | €70–150 |
| Cabin (pollen) filterClimate | every 15,000 km or every 12 months | €15–40 |
| Brake fluidBrakes | every 24 months | €50–95 |
| A/C service (regas + desiccant)Climate | every 24 months | €70–150 |
| Air filterEngine | every 30,000 km or every 24 months | €15–45 |
| Spark plugsIgnition | every 60,000 km or every 48 months | €50–160 |
| Auxiliary (serpentine) beltEngine | every 120,000 km | €70–180 |
| Coolant replacementCooling | every 150,000 km or every 96 months | €70–150 |
| Timing belt kit + water pumpEngine | every 150,000 km or every 120 months | €450–900 |
| Manual gearbox oilTransmission | every 150,000 km | €60–130 |
| Front brake padsBrakes | usually at 30,000–60,000 km | €60–150 |
| Front brake discs + padsBrakes | usually at 60,000–120,000 km | €150–320 |
| Rear brake padsBrakes | usually at 50,000–90,000 km | €50–130 |
| Tyres (set of 4)Wheels | usually at 40,000–60,000 km | €320–700 |
| Wiper bladesBody | checked at service | €20–50 |
| 12V batteryElectrical | checked at service | €100–220 |
Roadworthiness tests by mileage
Share of tests in the United Kingdom (DVSA MOT, 2024) that this model failed because of each system. Bold red means more often and green less often than an average car of the same age and mileage. Sample: 44,904 tests.
| thousand km | 0–50 | 50–100 | 100–150 | 150–200 | 200–250 | 250+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 5.8 % | 8.9 % | 11.1 % | 13.6 % | 15.6 % | 18.5 % |
| Suspension | 8.8 % | 12.6 % | 18.6 % | 24.8 % | 27.9 % | 28.4 % |
| Steering | 1.6 % | 2.9 % | 4.8 % | 7.1 % | 8.8 % | 9.7 % |
| Tyres and wheels | 4.9 % | 6.2 % | 7.8 % | 8.7 % | 9.2 % | 9.6 % |
| Lights, wipers and visibility | 16.3 % | 21.1 % | 26.5 % | 30.4 % | 31.4 % | 30.5 % |
| Body and corrosion | 2.5 % | 3.8 % | 7.0 % | 10.5 % | 12.7 % | 14.5 % |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 1.6 % | 3.0 % | 4.9 % | 7.2 % | 8.6 % | 10.1 % |
Owner complaints in the US
Which systems owners reported to the US agency NHTSA and at what mileage. Complaints are not confirmed faults and some relate to recalls. Sample: 4,961 complaints.
Official recalls
Recalls the manufacturer published in the United Kingdom for this model (14). The same recalls usually apply across Europe. Ask an authorised dealer to check by VIN whether your car is affected and whether the work has been done.
- Fire risk Risk of fire06/11/2012 · R/2012/115
- Fire risk Risk of fire13/07/2011 · R/2011/067
- Fire risk Risk of fire14/12/2010 · R/2010/209
- Fire risk Risk of fire21/09/2009 · R/2009/071
- Fire risk Electronic cooling fan control module may overheat21/02/2008 · R/2008/001
- Other Roll over protection may fail07/12/2007 · R/2007/169
- Fire risk Wiper motor may fail and overheat18/08/2005 · R/2005/101
- Fuel system Fuel return pipe leak11/04/2005 · R/2005/026
The other recalls (6) are listed in the app.
Other generations
Ford Focus II 2004–2011Ford Focus III 2011–2018Ford Focus IV 2018–2025
Sources and notes
Faults, intervals and prices are indicative and collected from public sources and owner experience; always rely on the service book and a qualified workshop. Test statistics: DVSA – Anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0. Owner complaints: NHTSA ODI (public domain). Recalls: DVSA Vehicle Safety Branch Recalls Database, OGL v3.0. Brand and model names are trademarks of their owners and are used only to describe the vehicles.
Updated 07/10/2026