IllustrationFUEL TANK RUSTED WHERE THE HALVES MEET AND LEAKS FUEL. CANNOT FILL OVER HALF WAY. STARTED AS A GAS SMELL LAST YEAR, DISCOVERED A DRIP THIS YEAR. TANK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Focus years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
460–25K
5325–50K
3150–75K
3175–100K
23100–150K
5150K+
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 reportsTHE LITTLE PLASTIC THING ON THE SEAT BELT THAT PREVENTS THE LATCH FROM SLIDING DOWN TO TO BASE OF THE BELT BY THE DOOR FELL OF A WHILE AGO, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO REPLACE IT.
THE BACK DOORS HAVE LOCKED, AND CANNOT BE UNLOCKED WITH THE KEY FOB, LOCK BUTTON OR MANUALLY.
THE MOTOR MOUNT WHICH SIT ON TOP OF THE ENGINE THAT CONSTANTLY MAKE THE ENTIRE CAR TO SHAKE EXTREMELY. MOTOR MOUNT WAS REPLACE AND WITHIN 6 MONTHS THE SAME RESULTS.
AT APPROX. 50,000 MILES THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN EVENTUALLY UNABLE TO TURN KEY OVER. HAD A NEW SWITCH INSTALLED AND NOW SIX MONTHS LATER IT'S STARTING TO GO OUT AGAIN. VERY POOR QUALITY SWITCH.
THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR LATCHES HAVE STOPPED WORKING. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME WITH MY SON IN REAR SEAT AND THE DOOR CAME OPEN AROUND A TURN. THEY ARE LUBRICATED REGULARLY AND THEY WILL MOVE PROPERLY BUT INTERNALLY THEY WILL NOT LATCH, THEREFORE THEY WILL NOT STAY CLOSED. I HAVE A STRAP HOLDING THE DOORS CLOSED. AT FIRST IT HAP…
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THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR LATCHES HAVE STOPPED WORKING. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME WITH MY SON IN REAR SEAT AND THE DOOR CAME OPEN AROUND A TURN. THEY ARE LUBRICATED REGULARLY AND THEY WILL MOVE PROPERLY BUT INTERNALLY THEY WILL NOT LATCH, THEREFORE THEY WILL NOT STAY CLOSED. I HAVE A STRAP HOLDING THE DOORS CLOSED. AT FIRST IT HAPPENED ONCE IN A WHILE. NOW THEY DON'T WORK AT ALL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHILE HAVING THE REPAIRS PERFORMED, THE TECHNICIAN …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHILE HAVING THE REPAIRS PERFORMED, THE TECHNICIAN NOTIFIED HIM THAT THE IGNITION HOUSING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 02/19/16*LJ; UPDATED 05/02/18*JB
SOMETIMES THE CAR DOESN'T CRANK OR START AND IT HAS HAPPENED AROUND 6 TIMES SINCE WE BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2011. IT ISN'T THE BATTERY BECAUSE I HAVE JUST REPLACED IT BUT SEEMS LIKE THE IGNITION SWITCH OR CYLINDER IS THE PROBLEM. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED
THE REAR DOOR LOCKS WILL BECOME INOPERATIVE AT ANY TIME. THE REAL SAFETY HAZARD IS THAT THE LOCKS WILL NOT EVEN MANUALLY OPERATE. THIS WILL IN EFFECT TRAP ANY REAR PASSENGER IN THE CAR. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE THIS COULD PROVE TO HAVE CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. ACCORDING TO FORD THE WHOLE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR MECHANISM MUS…
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THE REAR DOOR LOCKS WILL BECOME INOPERATIVE AT ANY TIME. THE REAL SAFETY HAZARD IS THAT THE LOCKS WILL NOT EVEN MANUALLY OPERATE. THIS WILL IN EFFECT TRAP ANY REAR PASSENGER IN THE CAR. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE THIS COULD PROVE TO HAVE CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. ACCORDING TO FORD THE WHOLE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR MECHANISM MUST BE REPLACED.
THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING PERFECT THEN AFTER A MOTOR MOUNT WAS REPLACED THE CAR STARTED THEN WENT DEAD IMMEDIATELY. THE CAR WILL TURN OVER BUT IT ISN'T FIRING RIGHT NOW IT GAVE NO WARNING. THE COMPUTER READ A THROTTLE ACTUATOR TROUBLE CODE AND THAT'S ALL. THE CAR WILL KEEP TURNING OVER AFTER I RELEASE THE KEY IT HAS NOT DONE THIS…
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THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING PERFECT THEN AFTER A MOTOR MOUNT WAS REPLACED THE CAR STARTED THEN WENT DEAD IMMEDIATELY. THE CAR WILL TURN OVER BUT IT ISN'T FIRING RIGHT NOW IT GAVE NO WARNING. THE COMPUTER READ A THROTTLE ACTUATOR TROUBLE CODE AND THAT'S ALL. THE CAR WILL KEEP TURNING OVER AFTER I RELEASE THE KEY IT HAS NOT DONE THIS BEFORE NOW WE HAD SOME TROUBLE WITH THE IGNITION LOCKING UP AND WE HAVE TO TURN IT REALLY HARD TO START GET THE KEY IN THE STARTING POSITION. THE IGNITION SYSTEM IS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS AND THE THROTTLE BODY WILL UPDATE WHEN I FIND OUT MORE.
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.