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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.

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

What owners actually said

229 reports
44,000 miles · Dec 8, 2012
Air Bags

MY 2009 FOCUS SES WAS SEEN BY THE DEALER FOR THE AIRBAG LIGHT BEING CONSTANTLY ON IN NOVEMBER 2011. THEY REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG MODULE. THIS WINTER (2012) THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS COME ON AGAIN. IT APPARENTLY HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH HOT/COLD TEMPS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10487745

22,000 miles · Nov 20, 2012
Wheels

FORD MANUFACTURE THE FOCUS WITH A 2 DEGREE NEGATIVE CAMBER. THIS MAKES YOUR REAR TIRES GO DEFECTIVE AS FAST AS 10,000 MILES ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T ROTATE YOUR TIRES VERY OFTEN. YOU CAN GET AN ALIGNMENT EVERY MONTH AND IT WILL NOT FIX THE DEFECT. I HAVE 24,000 MILES ON MY FOCUS AND I HAVE MY THIRD SET OF TIRES ON IT. I'VE DID T…

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FORD MANUFACTURE THE FOCUS WITH A 2 DEGREE NEGATIVE CAMBER. THIS MAKES YOUR REAR TIRES GO DEFECTIVE AS FAST AS 10,000 MILES ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T ROTATE YOUR TIRES VERY OFTEN. YOU CAN GET AN ALIGNMENT EVERY MONTH AND IT WILL NOT FIX THE DEFECT. I HAVE 24,000 MILES ON MY FOCUS AND I HAVE MY THIRD SET OF TIRES ON IT. I'VE DID THE RESEARCH. AN ALIGNMENT SHOP HERE IN WARRENSBURG MO FOUND THE PROBLEM AND FIXES AROUND 4-5 FORD FOCUS A MONTH. THEY PUT IN A KIT THAT BRINGS THE CAMBER WITHIN A FRACTION OF A INCH WHICH WILL GIVE YOU ABOUT 3 TIMES THE LIFE SPAN OF THE TIRES. THE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO ZERO THE CAMBER. IF YOU DON'T GET THIS DONE, YOU WILL BE BUYING TIRES LIKE I DID EVERY YEAR. I DID MAKE A COMPLAINT TO MY DEALER AND THE FORD COMPANY ITSELF WITH NO HELP SO I SENT MY COMPLAINT TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY DEPARTMENT WHICH INVESTIGATES SAFETY ISSUES AND FORCES AUTO COMPANIES TO FIX DEFECTS WITH A RECALL. NEED FOLKS LIKE YOU TO DO THE SAME. THE LAST SET OF REAR TIRES I TOOK OFF SCARED ME. IT WAS SO CLOSE OF COMING APART. MY COMPLAINT IS THE SAME AS THIS GUYS COMPLAINT I POSTED ABOVE. I HAD TO CHANGE MY FIRST SET OF TIRES ON MY BRAND NEW 2009 FORD FOCUS AT 22,000 MILES DUE TO SEVERE CUPPING, MY SECOND SET AT 38,000 MILES, AND MY THIRD SET AT 60,000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO FORD DEALER THE FIRST TIME AND WAS TOLD IT A KNOWN DEFECT ISSUE OF THE REAR CAMBER BUT NO RECALL. TO FIX IT YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR AM APPROXIMATELY $400 KIT AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. IF YOU CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT AND NOT CHANGE THE TIRES YOU GET SEVERE BOUNCING ON THE FRONT END AND MAKES STEERING DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS. THIS IS A COMPANY CAR SO WE CHANGE THE TIRES OFTEN AS A RESULT OF THIS DEFECT FOR SAFETY REASONS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10485307

25,000 miles · Nov 9, 2012
Suspension

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A HUMMING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER REAR TI…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A HUMMING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER REAR TIRES WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND AN ALIGNMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE PERFORMED. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE REAR TIRES WERE REPLACED TWICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE WEARING EXCESSIVELY FROM THE INSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

NHTSA ODI #10483816

42,500 miles · Nov 7, 2012
Electrical System

(COMPLAINT #2) DIFFICULTY IN INSERTING AND REMOVING KEY FROM IGNITION. REPOSITIONING STEERING WHEEL SOMETIMES "LOCKS" AND "UNLOCKS" IGNITION KEYHOLE ALLOWING FOR KEY INSERTION AND KEY REMOVAL. COMPLAINT #1 SUBMITTED AS A SEPARATE COMPLAINT AND WANTED TO INCLUDE 1ST COMPLAINT WITH THE 2ND ONE - TURNING VEHICLE KEY TO START POS…

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(COMPLAINT #2) DIFFICULTY IN INSERTING AND REMOVING KEY FROM IGNITION. REPOSITIONING STEERING WHEEL SOMETIMES "LOCKS" AND "UNLOCKS" IGNITION KEYHOLE ALLOWING FOR KEY INSERTION AND KEY REMOVAL. COMPLAINT #1 SUBMITTED AS A SEPARATE COMPLAINT AND WANTED TO INCLUDE 1ST COMPLAINT WITH THE 2ND ONE - TURNING VEHICLE KEY TO START POSITION GLIDES RATHER THAN "CLICKS" TO EACH POSITION. IGNITION KEY FEELS AND SOUNDS LIKE IGNITION TUMBLERS ARE STRIPPED. DELAY BETWEEN START AND VEHICLE ENGINE ACTUALLY STARTING WHEN KEY GLIDES TO START POSITION. THIS DELAY IS A SIGN THAT VEHICLE WILL NOT START DUE TO FAULTY IGNITION PART. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10483568

42,500 miles · Nov 7, 2012
Electrical System

(COMPLAINT #1) TURNING VEHICLE KEY TO START POSITION GLIDES RATHER THAN "CLICKS" TO EACH POSITION. IGNITION KEY FEELS AND SOUNDS LIKE IGNITION TUMBLERS ARE STRIPPED. DELAY BETWEEN START AND VEHICLE ENGINE ACTUALLY STARTING WHEN KEY GLIDES TO START POSITION. THIS DELAY IS A SIGN THAT VEHICLE WILL NOT START DUE TO FAULTY IGNITION…

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(COMPLAINT #1) TURNING VEHICLE KEY TO START POSITION GLIDES RATHER THAN "CLICKS" TO EACH POSITION. IGNITION KEY FEELS AND SOUNDS LIKE IGNITION TUMBLERS ARE STRIPPED. DELAY BETWEEN START AND VEHICLE ENGINE ACTUALLY STARTING WHEN KEY GLIDES TO START POSITION. THIS DELAY IS A SIGN THAT VEHICLE WILL NOT START DUE TO FAULTY IGNITION PART. COMPLAINT #2 IS BEING SUBMITTED AS A SEPARATE COMPLAINT AND WANTED TO INCLUDE 2ND COMPLAINT WITH THE 1ST ONE - DIFFICULTY IN INSERTING AND REMOVING KEY FROM IGNITION. REPOSITIONING STEERING WHEEL SOMETIMES "LOCKS" AND "UNLOCKS" IGNITION KEYHOLE ALLOWING FOR KEY INSERTION AND KEY REMOVAL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10483565

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

Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 2012
Air BagsCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING 80 MPH AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER WERE KILLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE.…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING 80 MPH AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER WERE KILLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10482123

70,200 miles · Oct 3, 2012
Power Train

ON OCTOBER 1 2012 I WAS DRIVING DOWN MY STREET AT APROX 45 MPH WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. LUCKILY I WAS CLOSE TO HOME AND ABOUT TO COAST DOWN HILL TO MY DRIVEWAY. WHEN I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING BUT NOT QUIETLY, IT SPUTTER AND WAS QUITE LOUD. I LET IT SIT FOR A DAY AND STA…

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ON OCTOBER 1 2012 I WAS DRIVING DOWN MY STREET AT APROX 45 MPH WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. LUCKILY I WAS CLOSE TO HOME AND ABOUT TO COAST DOWN HILL TO MY DRIVEWAY. WHEN I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING BUT NOT QUIETLY, IT SPUTTER AND WAS QUITE LOUD. I LET IT SIT FOR A DAY AND STARTED IT BACK UP ALL LIGHT ARE OFF, HOWEVER WHILE DRIVING (I LIVE 50 MILES, ONE WAY ALL HIGHWAY DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS) TO MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT THIS MORNING OCTOBER 03 2012 I NOTICED AT IF I WERE DRIVING AT ANYTHING LESS THEN 60 WHERE MY FOOT WASN'T ON THE GAS I COULD FEEL WHAT SEEM LIKE THE TRAN SLIP.. I HOPE MY CHILDREN ARE NOT IN THE CAR WITH ME SHOULD THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. AND IM PRAYING IT DOESN'T! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10478414

Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2012
Electrical System

I PURCHASED THE ABOVE VEHICLE IN 2009 NEW. I HAVE DRIVEN IT 43000 MILES SO FAR AND 2 TO 3 MONTHS AGO I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HORN. THE HORN IS MOUNTED TO THE FRAME RIGHT FRONT TOWARDS THE BOTTOM. RAIN OR WATER HAD MANAGED TO GET INTO THE HORN DUE TO IT'S LOCATION. INSTEAD OF A LOUD SOUND YOU CAN BARELY HEAR IT SINCE…

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I PURCHASED THE ABOVE VEHICLE IN 2009 NEW. I HAVE DRIVEN IT 43000 MILES SO FAR AND 2 TO 3 MONTHS AGO I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HORN. THE HORN IS MOUNTED TO THE FRAME RIGHT FRONT TOWARDS THE BOTTOM. RAIN OR WATER HAD MANAGED TO GET INTO THE HORN DUE TO IT'S LOCATION. INSTEAD OF A LOUD SOUND YOU CAN BARELY HEAR IT SINCE WHEN I PULLED IT OFF, IT WAS FULL OF WATER. THIS IS A SAFETY ITEM SINCE IT IS USED TO WARN OTHERS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10478315

53,000 miles · Aug 31, 2012
Latches/locks/linkages

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED USING THE REMOTE. THE DOOR COULD ONLY BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE OR INSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE FAILURE COU…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED USING THE REMOTE. THE DOOR COULD ONLY BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE OR INSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 53,000.

NHTSA ODI #10473180

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.