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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.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
229Owner complaints

Model-year median: 864.5

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2009 Ford Focus

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 229 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Electrical System: 45 reports
  • Power Train: 39 reports
  • Vehicle Speed Control: 33 reports
  • Suspension: 25 reports
  • Air Bags: 22 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    204
    2006    391
    2007    250
    2008    229
    2009    287
    2010    113
    2011    3,768
    2012
    Compare all Focus years →

    Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

    What owners reported most

    Electrical System
    45    Power Train
    39    Vehicle Speed Control
    33    Suspension
    25    Air Bags
    22
    All reported categories
    Wheels
    22    Latches/locks/linkages
    18    Tires
    17    Engine
    16    Unknown Or Other
    16    Fuel/propulsion System
    13    Structure
    12    Steering
    9    Engine And Engine Cooling
    7    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    5    Visibility
    5    Fuel System, Gasoline
    4    Seat Belts
    4    Service Brakes
    4    Seats
    2    Exterior Lighting
    1    Visibility/wiper
    1

    Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

    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

    Service Brakes complaints

    4 reports
    Clear category filter
    80,000 miles · Jul 13, 2023
    Service Brakes

    The contact owns a 2009 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the contact felt the front passenger’s side brake was seizing. The contact stated there was smoke coming from the brakes. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over on the side of the road and waited for the vehicle to cool down and…

    Read full complaint

    The contact owns a 2009 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the contact felt the front passenger’s side brake was seizing. The contact stated there was smoke coming from the brakes. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over on the side of the road and waited for the vehicle to cool down and the vehicle started operating normally. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact had the brakes replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 80,000.

    NHTSA ODI #11532153

    96,000 miles · Apr 6, 2018
    Service Brakes

    OCCASIONALLY, WITHOUT WARNING OR PREDICTION, WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, MY BRAKE PEDAL WILL TRAVEL NEARLY TO THE FLOOR WHICH REDUCES BRAKING TIME AND ABILITY. BRAKING TYPICALLY RETURNS TO NORMAL AFTER EACH INCIDENT. AT NO POINT DOES AN ABS OR BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT COME ON. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST 1 OR 2 TIMES DURING MY COM…

    Read full complaint

    OCCASIONALLY, WITHOUT WARNING OR PREDICTION, WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, MY BRAKE PEDAL WILL TRAVEL NEARLY TO THE FLOOR WHICH REDUCES BRAKING TIME AND ABILITY. BRAKING TYPICALLY RETURNS TO NORMAL AFTER EACH INCIDENT. AT NO POINT DOES AN ABS OR BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT COME ON. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST 1 OR 2 TIMES DURING MY COMMUTE EACH WAY TO WORK, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 18 MILES AWAY OR A 1 HOUR DRIVE TIME WITH TRAFFIC.

    NHTSA ODI #11083615

    5,000 miles · Feb 15, 2018
    Service BrakesSteeringCrash

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE CONTACT TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY, BUT THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AWAY FROM THE SCE…

    Read full complaint

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE CONTACT TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY, BUT THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AWAY FROM THE SCENE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A HISTORY OF STEERING FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE RIGHT ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH OR THE STEERING FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000.

    NHTSA ODI #11073128

    1,174 miles · Jun 30, 2015
    Service BrakesVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

    BEFORE TAKING A RIGHT OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, I TURNED MY BLINKER ON (WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE) AND THE CAR ACCELERATED FORWARD INSTEAD OF TURNING. I KEPT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR SPEEDED UP EVEN MORE. I FINALLY CRASHED INTO A FENCE ONTO PRIVATE PROPERTY. THEN I CAME TO A FULL STOP WHEN I HIT AN SUV. THIS CRASH COMPLETE…

    Read full complaint

    BEFORE TAKING A RIGHT OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, I TURNED MY BLINKER ON (WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE) AND THE CAR ACCELERATED FORWARD INSTEAD OF TURNING. I KEPT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR SPEEDED UP EVEN MORE. I FINALLY CRASHED INTO A FENCE ONTO PRIVATE PROPERTY. THEN I CAME TO A FULL STOP WHEN I HIT AN SUV. THIS CRASH COMPLETELY DAMAGED THE FRONT OF MY 2009 FORD FOCUS.

    NHTSA ODI #10731389

    Recall campaigns

    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 ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.