2008 Ford Focus

Showing the 2008 Focus S. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 2.0 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.

Fuel economy
28 mpgcombined; city 24, highway 33–35; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$11,600U.S. average; Ohio $10,370 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
Recall campaigns
1over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints
250filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2008 Focus. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 250 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Focus. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by part of the car
PartComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical system57000
Structure41101
Air bags2617014
Latches/locks/linkages25000
Power train23000
Suspension23000
Tires18000
Unknown or other18000
Engine14000
Vehicle speed control14101
Wheels14101
Steering12101
10 more parts
Service brakes11102
Seat belts8101
Engine and engine cooling7000
Visibility5000
Fuel/propulsion system3000
Seats3102
Visibility/wiper3000
Equipment2000
Service brakes, hydraulic2000
Fuel system, gasoline1000

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

  1. 2006205
  2. 2007391
  3. 2008250
  4. 2009229
  5. 2010287
  6. 2011113
  7. 20123,802
  8. 20132,181
  9. 20142,658
  10. 20151,034
  11. 20161,194
  12. 2017906
  13. 2018837

Every Focus year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2008 Focus over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Air bags: frontal

NHTSA campaign 07V541000 · reported Nov 21, 2007 · 45 vehicles potentially affected

CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE DRIVER AIR BAG MODULE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY ASSEMBLED.

Risk: THIS CONDITION MAY PREVENT THE DRIVER AIR BAG FROM PROPERLY DEPLOYING AND REDUCE OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE YOUR DRIVER AIR BAG MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 20, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 19 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2008 Focus, the latest on Feb 24, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: equipment (6), power train (3), service brakes (3), electrical system (2), engine and engine cooling (2).

NHTSA defect investigations

Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.

InvestigationPartOpenedStatus
Preliminary evaluation PE08060
TIRE VALVE CRACKING · covers 3 makes		TiresOct 14, 2008Closed Apr 9, 2009
NHTSA's summary names recall 08T018000, 08T028000
NHTSA's record and documents

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2008 Focus.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Used ones for sale

See used 2008 Ford Focuss for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax

These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.

Specs

EPA class: compact cars. Each version EPA tested:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
Focus
Front-Wheel Drive		2.0 L, 4 cylAutomatic 4-spdRegular Gasoline24 / 33 / 28
Focus
Front-Wheel Drive		2.0 L, 4 cylManual 5-spdRegular Gasoline24 / 35 / 28

Sources and dates

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data