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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.

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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

Latches/locks/linkages complaints

18 reports
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15,000 miles · May 29, 2012
Latches/locks/linkages

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK THE DOORS WITH THE KEY FOB AND MANUALLY USING THE KEY, BUT THE DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND USUALLY WHEN THE WEATHER WAS WARM. THE C…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK THE DOORS WITH THE KEY FOB AND MANUALLY USING THE KEY, BUT THE DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND USUALLY WHEN THE WEATHER WAS WARM. THE CONTACT HAD ALSO BECOME LOCKED INSIDE THE VEHICLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE LOCK ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPAIR. THERE WERE NO FURTHER REPAIRS PERFORMED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

NHTSA ODI #10459870

17,934 miles · Mar 16, 2012
Latches/locks/linkages

DOOR LOCKS RANDOMLY MALFUNCTION. THE KEY TO THE DRIVER DOOR WILL NOT TURN. FRONT DOORS CAN ONLY BE UNLOCKED BY THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. THE REAR DOORS CANNOT BE MANUALLY UNLOCKED. REAR DOORS ARE UNLOCKED BY PRESSING DOWN ON THE LOCK PEG AND USING THE INSIDE LOCK SWITCH ON THE FRONT DOOR TO FIRST LOCK AND THEN UNLOCK, LET OFF THE …

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DOOR LOCKS RANDOMLY MALFUNCTION. THE KEY TO THE DRIVER DOOR WILL NOT TURN. FRONT DOORS CAN ONLY BE UNLOCKED BY THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. THE REAR DOORS CANNOT BE MANUALLY UNLOCKED. REAR DOORS ARE UNLOCKED BY PRESSING DOWN ON THE LOCK PEG AND USING THE INSIDE LOCK SWITCH ON THE FRONT DOOR TO FIRST LOCK AND THEN UNLOCK, LET OFF THE LOCK PEG AND TOGGLE THE SWITCH AGAIN. DISCOVERED THIS TRICK AFTER MANY WASTED TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP. ONE REAR DOOR LATCH WAS REPLACED BUT, THE PROBLEM CONTINUES WITH IT. AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT (36K), I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT BUT, IT IS NOT A RECALL ITEM AND IT WOULD COST ABOUT $200/DOOR TO FIX. THIS IS CAN BE A SERIOUS MATTER IF AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10451881

28,000 miles · Aug 11, 2011
Latches/locks/linkages

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOORS COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED FROM THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE DOOR REGULATORS WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT BACK TO THE DEALER. …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOORS COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED FROM THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE DOOR REGULATORS WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT BACK TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000. UPDATED 09/27/11 *BF UPDATED 09/30/11

NHTSA ODI #10418559

12,000 miles · Jul 16, 2011
Latches/locks/linkagesTires

2009 FORD FOCUS SE. BOUGHT NEW JULY 2009. MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH POWER DOOR LOCKS NOT UNLOCKING FROM INSIDE/OUTSIDE W/KEY,REMOTE,HANDLES. WARRANTY WORK, 3 TIMES IN PAST ONE (1) YEAR ON DOOR LOCKS. LATEST 7/15/11. SAFETY CONCERNS OF BEING TRAPPED IN VEHICLE. CONSTANTLY BEING TOLD BY FORD TECHS. ROAD DUST CAUSING MALFUNCTION. HAV…

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2009 FORD FOCUS SE. BOUGHT NEW JULY 2009. MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH POWER DOOR LOCKS NOT UNLOCKING FROM INSIDE/OUTSIDE W/KEY,REMOTE,HANDLES. WARRANTY WORK, 3 TIMES IN PAST ONE (1) YEAR ON DOOR LOCKS. LATEST 7/15/11. SAFETY CONCERNS OF BEING TRAPPED IN VEHICLE. CONSTANTLY BEING TOLD BY FORD TECHS. ROAD DUST CAUSING MALFUNCTION. HAVE OWNED AND DRIVEN MANY OTHER MAKES/MODELS OF FORD CARS/TRUCKS W/ POWER LOCKS ON GRAVEL ROADS WITHOUT PROBLEMS. ONLY THIS CAR HAS THIS PROBLEM. 1ST. FRONT PASSENGER DOOR HAD LOCK ASSEMBLY REPLACED.WOULDN'T UNLOCK INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. 2ND. LEFT BACK WOULDN'T UNLOCK INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. DOOR LOCK ADJUSTED BY FORD TECH. SO FAR BOTH WORKING OK. 3RD. TRAPPED OUTSIDE CAR. FINALLY UNLOCKED W/ REMOTE AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS. KEY IN OUTER LOCK WOULDN'T UNLOCK DOOR. NOW IT'S THE DRIVER DOOR THAT HAS TO HAVE THE LOCK ASSEMBLY REPLACED AND IS SCHEDULED TO HAVE THIS DONE.ALSO HAVE COMPLAINT OF ORIGINAL NEW TIRES (HANKOOK P195/60/R15) WEARING OUT AND HAD TO REPLACE AT 21,000 MILES ON 7/09/11. PS. TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR IS A USELESS DEVICE. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10413114

42,150 miles · Jun 11, 2011
Latches/locks/linkages

POWER DOOR LOCKS DO NOT UNLOCK AND STAY LOCKED NOT ABLE TO GET THEM TO WORK CORRECTLY. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE FACT THAT IF YOU NEEDED TO GET OUT OF THIS VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10405952

Mileage unknown · Nov 29, 2010
Latches/locks/linkages

MY GRANDDAUGHTER OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE DOOR LOCKS AND LATCHES DO NOT WORK. IT WAS TAKEN IN TWICE TO BE FIXED. THE DEALER SAID IT IS FROM DUST AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY $900 TO UPGRADE THE LOCKS AND LATCHES. THIS CONCERNS ME GREATLY BECAUSE I AM VERY WORRIED THAT IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT MY GRAND DAUGHTER WOULD NOT BE ABL…

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MY GRANDDAUGHTER OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE DOOR LOCKS AND LATCHES DO NOT WORK. IT WAS TAKEN IN TWICE TO BE FIXED. THE DEALER SAID IT IS FROM DUST AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY $900 TO UPGRADE THE LOCKS AND LATCHES. THIS CONCERNS ME GREATLY BECAUSE I AM VERY WORRIED THAT IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT MY GRAND DAUGHTER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10368162

Mileage unknown · Aug 6, 2010
Latches/locks/linkages

DOOR LATCHES AND DOOR LOCKS DO NOT WORK ALL THE TIME. HAVE HAD THEM FIXED NUMEROUS TIMES BUT THEY STILL CONSTANTLY ACT UP AND WON'T WORK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10347752

67,000 miles · Jul 21, 2010
Latches/locks/linkages

THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS ON THE VEHICLE FAILED TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. THIS IS DANGEROUS IN THAT DRIVER AND PASSENGER ARE UNABLE TO ENGAGE OR DISENGAGE THE LOCK IN A TIMELY MANNER, RESULTING IN DELAYS WITH INGRESS/EGRESS OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10344324

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.