← New search

2009 Ford Focus

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2009 Ford Focus are lower than the model-year median of 864.5.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

189 reports with mileage · 40 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

26 crash reports2 fire reports13 injury reports

Fuel System, Gasoline complaints

4 reports
Clear category filter
39,596 miles · Jul 19, 2014
Fuel System, GasolineVehicle Speed Control

I WAS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH WHEN THE CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN EVEN THOUGH I WAS DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. I THOUGHT THE ENGINE HAD DIED AND I WAS COASTING UNTIL I REALIZED THAT IT WAS STILL RUNNING BUT AT AN IDLE SPEED. I "COASTED" FOR 10 MILES AFRAID TO TURN IT OFF AND BE STRANDED. I GOT IT HOME AND TURNED IT OFF AND RESTARTED …

Read full complaint

I WAS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH WHEN THE CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN EVEN THOUGH I WAS DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. I THOUGHT THE ENGINE HAD DIED AND I WAS COASTING UNTIL I REALIZED THAT IT WAS STILL RUNNING BUT AT AN IDLE SPEED. I "COASTED" FOR 10 MILES AFRAID TO TURN IT OFF AND BE STRANDED. I GOT IT HOME AND TURNED IT OFF AND RESTARTED IT AND IT ACTED AS IF NOTHING WAS WRONG AND HAD GOOD ACCELERATION. IT DID IT AGAIN YESTERDAY (07/18/2014) WHILE TRAVELING AT 75 MPH ON THE FREEWAY. SCARED ME TO DEATH AS I WAS SURROUNDED BY SEMI-TRAILERS AND HAD TO MOVE TO THE SHOULDER WHERE THERE WAS LARGE TIRE PARTS AND RAN OVER THEM. I STOPPED THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT WITH NO ISSUES WITH ACCELERATION. I NOTICED AFTER THE "COASTING" INCIDENT THAT MY FUEL MILEAGE INCREASED TO 46 MPG. ON THE AVERAGE. IT WAS AROUND 35 BEFORE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10614757

62,000 miles · Jun 29, 2014
Fuel System, GasolineVehicle Speed Control

THE CAR LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH. I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE AND THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON. THE ENGINE WAS IDLING BUT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND LET IT REST FOR A MINUTE. I TURNED IT BACK O…

Read full complaint

THE CAR LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH. I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE AND THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON. THE ENGINE WAS IDLING BUT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND LET IT REST FOR A MINUTE. I TURNED IT BACK ON AND WAS ABLE TO ACCELERATE THE CAR FINE. THIS HAPPENED SIX TIMES (LOSING POWER) ON MY WAY HOME. I WAS TRAVELING TO AN EVENT AND HAD DRIVEN 200 MILES WHEN I HAD TO TURN AROUND. THIS WAS A DRIVING HAZARD - ESPECIALLY ON A HIGHWAY! FORD SHOULD RECALL THESE CARS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10606775

67,000 miles · Apr 6, 2014
Fuel System, GasolineVehicle Speed Control

VEHICLE DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, WHILE DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING. WOULD NOT START. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES NOW. TOOK IT TO FORD AND THEY SAY PROBLEM IS WITH THE THROTTLE CONTROL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10577734

54,000 miles · Aug 9, 2013
EngineFuel System, GasolineVehicle Speed Control

THIS HAPPENED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FIRST OCCASION, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE FOCUS AT AROUND 50 MPH, WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR STOPPED ACCELLERATING (IT DIDN'T STALL) AND THE WRENCH PANEL LIGHT CAME ON. LUCKILY SHE WASN'T IN AN ACCIDENT, SO SHE PULLED OVER AND RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT RAN FINE, AND THE LIGHT WAS O…

Read full complaint

THIS HAPPENED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FIRST OCCASION, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE FOCUS AT AROUND 50 MPH, WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR STOPPED ACCELLERATING (IT DIDN'T STALL) AND THE WRENCH PANEL LIGHT CAME ON. LUCKILY SHE WASN'T IN AN ACCIDENT, SO SHE PULLED OVER AND RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT RAN FINE, AND THE LIGHT WAS OFF. THREE WEEKS LATER WE WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH WHEN THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED, THE CAR JUST STOPPED ACCELERATING, THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON, AND AGAIN WE WERE LUCKY WE WEREN'T IN AN ACCIDENT AND WERE ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. WE RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT WAS FINE AGAIN. AT THIS POINT I CALLED FORD AND THEY AGREED TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND PROVIDE ME A RENTAL CAR. AFTER A WEEK, THEY SAID THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A THROTTLE BODY, BUT WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE IT BECAUSE THEY NEEDED TO HAVE IT HAPPEN TO THEM. I TOLD THEM IT WAS UNREASONABLE BECAUSE IT HAPPENED THREE WEEKS APART, AND THE CHANCES OF IT HAPPENING WERE SLIM WITHIN A WEEK. I WAS TRYING TO URGE FORD TO COVER THIS SINCE THE CAR ONLY HAD 54K MILES ON IT, AND IT WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THEY SAID SINCE THEY COULDN'T DIAGNOSE IT, THEY COULDN'T FIX IT, AND EVEN IF THEY COULD DIAGNOSE IT, IT WOULDN'T BE COVERED SINCE ITS NOT UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT THEY ARE VERY AWARE OF, AND THE FACT THAT THEY ARE 99.9% SURE ITS A THROTTLE BODY (THE DEALERSHIP EMPLOYEES TOLD ME THEY'RE GETTING TONS OF THROTTLE BODY REPAIRS COMING IN AND THE PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER), THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO FIX THEM FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CONSUMER. THERE WAS NO MAINTENANCE WE COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THESE DANGEROUS SITUATIONS FROM HAPPENING. NOW I HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR ON MY OWN SO MY WIFE CAN DRIVE A SAFE VEHICLE. SO FORD'S DEFECTIVE PART HAS ALREADY PUT MY WIFE AND I IN DANGER, AND NOW IS COSTING ME MONEY I DON'T HAVE! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10534518

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.