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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

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

33 reports
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61,280 miles · May 24, 2013
EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

CAR WENT INTO LIMP HOME MODE (WRENCH LIGHT) WHILE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC, SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER ALMOST LED TO ACCIDENT. MY TWO YEAR OLD WAS IN THE VEHICLE, WITH HER SIDE EXPOSED TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN THE CAR LOST CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR AND THROTTLE. RETURNED HOME IMMEDIATELY. WENT OUT TO START IT LATER, NO WARNING LI…

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CAR WENT INTO LIMP HOME MODE (WRENCH LIGHT) WHILE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC, SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER ALMOST LED TO ACCIDENT. MY TWO YEAR OLD WAS IN THE VEHICLE, WITH HER SIDE EXPOSED TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN THE CAR LOST CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR AND THROTTLE. RETURNED HOME IMMEDIATELY. WENT OUT TO START IT LATER, NO WARNING LIGHTS, RAN FINE. 2 DAYS LATER, IT WENT INTO LIMP HOME MODE ON THE FREEWAY, THIS TIME CEL CAME ON. CODE P2135, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE BODY. PART REPLACED, PROBLEM HASN'T RECURRED. RESEARCH ONLINE INDICATES THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM (THERE IS A TSB). I WOULD REGARD IT AS A SAFETY ISSUE BASED ON THE FAILURE RATES OF WIDESPREAD (ALBEIT ANECDOTAL) EVIDENCE. THOUGH IT ISN'T UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION, IT STILL IS A LOSS OF CONTROL; THIS SYSTEM IS DRIVE-BY-WIRE, THE SAME AS TOYOTA. I WOULD THINK IT SHOULD BE GIVEN CONSIDERATION FOR RECALL. BELOW ARE EXPERIENCED SHARED ON VARIOUS FORUMS REGARDING THE VEHICLES AFFECTED (2008-2011 FOCUS): WWW.FOCUSFANATICS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=271461 WWW.FOCUSFANATICS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=317251&HIGHLIGHT=THROTTLE+BODY WWW.FOCUSFANATICS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=298322&HIGHLIGHT=THROTTLE+BODY WWW.FOCUSFANATICS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=291391&HIGHLIGHT=THROTTLE+BODY WWW.FOCUSFANATICS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=290333&HIGHLIGHT=THROTTLE+BODY WWW.FOCUSFANATICS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=257103&HIGHLIGHT=P2112 WWW.FOCUSFANATICS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=262099&HIGHLIGHT=P2112 WWW.FOCUSFANATICS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=174484&HIGHLIGHT=WRENCH+LIGHT WWW.CARPROBLEMZOO.COM/FORD/FOCUS/2009/CRUISE-CONTROL-PROBLEMS.PHP WWW.CARPROBLEMZOO.COM/FORD/FOCUS/2008/VEHICLE-SPEED-CONTROL-PROBLEMS.PHP HTTP://BIT.LY/18CCW56 HTTP://BIT.LY/16TOXCC HTTP://BIT.LY/19AQTPN HTTP://BIT.LY/18CCH08 HTTP://BIT.LY/11IK0MU ...AND COUNTLESS MORE ON WWW.FORDFOCUSFORUMS.COM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10513400

86,285 miles · Mar 28, 2013
Vehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS RIGHT ANKLE AND FOOT. THE CONTACT SOUGHT MEDICAL ATT…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS RIGHT ANKLE AND FOOT. THE CONTACT SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR HIS INJURIES. THE POLICE REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,285. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10504818

122,000 miles · Jan 25, 2013
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

GAS PEDAL WANTS TO STICK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10494653

28,000 miles · Nov 5, 2012
Fuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY IN PASSING LANE WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON,NOTICED VEHICLE SLOWING DOWN. APPLIED PRESSURE TO GAS PEDAL,NO ACCELERATION. I HAD TO GET OFF ROAD QUICKLY BECAUSE CAR WAS COMING TO A STOP;ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IN DOING SO. VEHICLE IDLED ROUGH AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF ACCELERATION. I SHUT OFF VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE T…

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TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY IN PASSING LANE WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON,NOTICED VEHICLE SLOWING DOWN. APPLIED PRESSURE TO GAS PEDAL,NO ACCELERATION. I HAD TO GET OFF ROAD QUICKLY BECAUSE CAR WAS COMING TO A STOP;ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IN DOING SO. VEHICLE IDLED ROUGH AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF ACCELERATION. I SHUT OFF VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO START IT UP AGAIN AND HAD ACCELERATION CONTROL AGAIN. TOOK VEHICLE TO FORD DEALER SHIP AND THEY REPLACED THROTTLE BODY. SERVICE TECH STATED THAT THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACING SEVERAL OF THESE THROTTLE BODIES ON FORD VEHICLES LATELY AND THEY EXCEPT A RECALL.MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. FORD KNOWS THIS ISSUE EXIST,GET IT RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10483347

81,401 miles · Aug 13, 2012
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

I WAS DRIVING HOME FRIDAY AND I NOTICE A LIGHT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH AND IT LOOK LIKE A WRENCH, SO AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES THE CAR BEGAN TO SLOWDOWN, SO I PRESSED THE ACCELERATION BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT SPEEDUP AND IT ACTED AS THO THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING SO I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE RIGHT LANE AND OVER TO THE SIDE OF…

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I WAS DRIVING HOME FRIDAY AND I NOTICE A LIGHT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH AND IT LOOK LIKE A WRENCH, SO AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES THE CAR BEGAN TO SLOWDOWN, SO I PRESSED THE ACCELERATION BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT SPEEDUP AND IT ACTED AS THO THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING SO I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE RIGHT LANE AND OVER TO THE SIDE OFF, THE FREEWAY AFTER I STOP THE CAR, THEN I TURN THE ENGINE BACK ON AND THE CAR WOULD DRIVE NORMAL,IF I ACCELERATED SLOWLY IT ACTED LIKE THE TRANS WAS SLIPPING,AND AFTER I GOT HOME I WAS GOING TO BACK THE CAR BUT IT WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN I PLACED THE TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE IT WOULD NOT MOVE., THIS IS A 2009 FORD FOCUS, AND AFTER READING THE REVIEWS ON LINE I SEE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY THAT THIS HAVE HAPPEN TO, AND THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PLACE TO BE IN ON THE FREEWAY DOING 70MPH. AND THIS HAPPENED FORD SHOULD RECALL THIS MOD OF VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10470446

13,074 miles · Jul 13, 2012
Vehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO IDLE HIGH AND ACCELERATED ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS HOWEVER THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. EACH TIME THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILU…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO IDLE HIGH AND ACCELERATED ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS HOWEVER THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. EACH TIME THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,074 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33,600.

NHTSA ODI #10465514

20,000 miles · Jun 15, 2012
Vehicle Speed Control

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TRAVEL MORE THAN 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL IN RESPONSE TO PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY COAST WHEN LIFTING OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE THROTTLE BODY REQUIRED REPLACEMENT W…

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UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TRAVEL MORE THAN 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL IN RESPONSE TO PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY COAST WHEN LIFTING OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE THROTTLE BODY REQUIRED REPLACEMENT WHICH WAS DONE UNDER THE WARRANTY.

NHTSA ODI #10461909

59,000 miles · May 11, 2012
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE POWER TRAIN WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE POWER TRAIN WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000. UPDATED 07/13/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME, BUT FORD STATED THAT THE POWER TRAIN THROTTLE BODY SENSOR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. UPDATED 07/30/12 .....UPDATED 01/14/13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS STILL COVERED UNDER POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. BUT, WAS TOLD IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED. UPDATED 1/15/2013 *JS THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO HAVE THE COMPONENT CHANGED. HOWEVER, THE CLOSEST COMPONENT, TO THROTTLE BODY SENSOR IS VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. UPDATED 03/18/13

NHTSA ODI #10458120

25,000 miles · Jun 8, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control

CAR FREQUENTLY REVS ENGINE HIGH WHEN COMING TO A STOP, WHEN AT IDLE THE ENGINE REVS FROM 400-1100RPMS UNCONTROLLABLY. HAS OCCASIONALLY DROPPED ALL POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. FORD DEALER SAID THE PCM IS BAD AND THAT THERE'S A SERVICE BULLETIN ON IT. HOWEVER, THE DEALER SAYS FORD MOTOR WILL NOT RELEASE A REPLACEMENT PART. I'VE LOUDL…

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CAR FREQUENTLY REVS ENGINE HIGH WHEN COMING TO A STOP, WHEN AT IDLE THE ENGINE REVS FROM 400-1100RPMS UNCONTROLLABLY. HAS OCCASIONALLY DROPPED ALL POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. FORD DEALER SAID THE PCM IS BAD AND THAT THERE'S A SERVICE BULLETIN ON IT. HOWEVER, THE DEALER SAYS FORD MOTOR WILL NOT RELEASE A REPLACEMENT PART. I'VE LOUDLY COMPLAINED THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10335218

4,500 miles · Apr 27, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control

APPROACHING A STOP SIGN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, DID NOT COME TO A STOP, AS THE MOTOR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE(MOTOR REVVED UP BEYOND 1500 RPM. GOT THE AR UNDER CONTROL, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. RESTARTED THE CAR 4 TIMES AND EACH TIME THE MOTOR WAS RACING. IF I HAD NOT HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE I WOULD HAVE CONTINUED MOVING FORWARD.I D…

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APPROACHING A STOP SIGN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, DID NOT COME TO A STOP, AS THE MOTOR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE(MOTOR REVVED UP BEYOND 1500 RPM. GOT THE AR UNDER CONTROL, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. RESTARTED THE CAR 4 TIMES AND EACH TIME THE MOTOR WAS RACING. IF I HAD NOT HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE I WOULD HAVE CONTINUED MOVING FORWARD.I DID NOT TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE TO SEE HOW FAST THE CAR WOULD HAVE GONE AS TRAFFIC WAS TOO CONGESTED. DID NOT WISH TO TAKE A CHANCE AND DRIVE THE CAR . I CALLED FOR AN EMERGENCY TOW AND HAD THE CAR DELIVERED TO MY FORD DEALER WHERE IT IS BEING LOOKED OVER. A SIMILAR SITUATION OCCURRED ON 4/16/2009 THE DEALER AT THAT TIME COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. (ODI # 10328218). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10327775

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.