MajorCommonBody & Rust

Ford Focus: Side door latch pawl spring tab cracking - door won't latch or can open on the move

Side door latch pawl spring tab cracking - door won't latch or can open on the move is a common body & rust fault on the Ford Focus on the 2012–2015 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $350 to $1,600 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 37 documented faults on the Ford Focus.

Vehicle: Ford Focus
Years: 2012–2015
System: Body & Rust

This page covers the Ford Focus as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Ford Focus faults37 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph for this fault yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of something else.

What goes wrong

A small spring tab inside the side door latch cracks, especially in cars that live in heat, so the door either refuses to latch or appears shut but can unlatch while driving. Ford recalled 2012-2015 model-year Focus in the US (campaigns 15S16 and 16S30, NHTSA 16V-643), but Ford Australia did not recall the Focus; it extended latch warranty and told owners to see a dealer, and how that is honoured varies by dealer and car age. Any of the four doors can be affected and failures tend to repeat on the original latches.

What you would notice

Door bounces back open and will not stay shut
Door-ajar warning on the dash with every door closed
Door has to be slammed several times to latch
Interior courtesy light stays on after doors are shut
Rattle from a door on rough roads

How to check it

Where to look. Inside each side door, at the rear edge where the latch meets the striker on the door pillar

Open and close every door, including both rear doors, at normal closing force, not a slam. Each should latch first time with a solid click and sit flush with the body. Pull on the door edge after closing to check it is truly latched, and watch the dash for a door-ajar light or the interior light staying on. Lock and unlock with the remote a few times and check every door responds. On the test drive listen for a door rattle over bumps. Ask whether any latches have been replaced and whether the paperwork shows new-style latches. If a workshop inspection is possible: a Ford dealer can run the VIN for open recall or latch programs and inspect the latch assemblies with the door trim removed.

What it costs to put right

$350 to $1,600 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has any door ever failed to shut or popped open?”
“Have any door latches been replaced, and do you have the invoice?”
“Has a Ford dealer checked this car for the door latch program?”

Now check the Ford Focus you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

NHTSA recall 16V-643 / Ford safety recall 16S30 (supersedes 15S16) - 2012-2015 Focus side door latches
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE16-001 (Ford door latch failures)
CHOICE Community thread 'Dangerous door fault but no recall by Ford Australia' (Mk3 Focus owners)

Ford Focus buyer questions

Is side door latch pawl spring tab cracking - door won't latch or can open on the move serious on a Ford Focus?

We rate it major and common on the Ford Focus. A small spring tab inside the side door latch cracks, especially in cars that live in heat, so the door either refuses to latch or appears shut but can unlatch while driving. Ford recalled 2012-2015 model-year Focus in the US (campaigns 15S16 and 16S30, NHTSA 16V-643), but Ford Australia did not recall the Focus; it extended latch warranty and told owners to see a dealer, and how that is honoured varies by dealer and car age. Any of the four doors can be affected and failures tend to repeat on the original latches.

How much does it cost to fix on a Ford Focus?

$350 to $1,600 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Ford Focus years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2012–2015 Ford Focus. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.