Open safety recalls, the components owners report failing most often, crash-test results and running costs for the 2009 Ford Focus, assembled from NHTSA and EPA records.
Everything on this page applies to the model as a whole. Run its VIN to decode that exact car, its engine, trim, assembly plant and factory equipment, alongside these records.
Open a VIN recordRecalls and complaints are filed against a specific model year, so figures differ from one year to the next even within a single generation. See every Ford Focus year.
No EPA fuel-economy match for this model. Naming may differ, or it predates EPA records.

NHTSA frontal crash test
Rated configuration: 2009 Ford Focus 2-DR. Hatchback w/SAB
The parts named most often across 229 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this make, model and year.
10 crashes · 1 fire · 8 injured · 2 deaths
2 crashes · 1 injured
1 fire
Complaints are self-reported and skew toward problems people find alarming, so read this as where to look rather than as a defect rate.
3 complaint-reported fatalities on this model.
incident [XXX], Parking in front of Physical Therapy clinic, suddenly the motor revved and car shot across the sidewalk and went through the wall of the clinic. No one was there and no one was hurt. Insurance was notified. (Hartford) Googling Auro malfunctions for Ford Focus, I come across several things which could have malfunctioned and caused "unpredictable acceleration. Car had within 2 weeks had been to automotive shop for maintenance. I think this was a serious malfunction and should have been noticed. thanks, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Rocker panels rust out and cause the lifting points on the car unable to be used. Mechanics refuse to work on my car due to not being able to lift the vehicle per manufacturer lifting points.
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Focus. The contact stated while parked in the driveway, the contact opened both rear doors; however, while attempting to close the doors, the doors failed to latch securely. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic determined that the latch was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.
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.
My car started to rough idle, when I go to press the gas pedal there is no rev or acceleration or anything. It came up with a code for the throttle body and had it replaced and it worked fine for a while and then it happened again, so I replaced the throttle body again and it started happening right away again. This has happened at 80 MPH and almost caused an accident! I just want this to be understood, and I am not the only other person having this issue!!
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start-up after multiple attempts without warning. The contact initially took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and the ignition switch and housing were replaced. A few months later, the failure recurred, and the contact took the vehicle back to the same mechanic and had the starter replaced. A few months later after the repair, the failure recurred, and the contact took the vehicle to another independent mechanic who replaced the ignition switch and housing for a second time. After the failure occurred for the fourth time, the initial independent mechanic instructed her to place the vehicle in neutral to see if the restarted. The vehicle was started in neutral and the mechanic replaced the neutral safety switch. Despite the repair, the failure recurred. A dealer was notified of the failure and a representative acknowledged that the failure was a known issue; however, there were no recall for the failure. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact was provided the same information as the dealer. The manufacturer was then referred to the NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
THE FUEL PUMP KEEP DISABLING! WHEN TRYING TO CRANK THE CAR IT WILL CONTINUE TO TURN OVER AFTER THE KEY HAS BEEN PULLED BACK OUT OF THE START POSITION
TL* THE CONTACT'S SON OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT SON STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS JUMP STARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER, NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 122,827.
THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO HESITATE SHIFTING THEN WOULDNT GO PAST THIRD SHIFT AND THEN COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD.
WHEN I TRY TO START MY CAR, SOMETIMES IT WON'T TURN OVER WHEN TURNING THE KEY. I HAVE TO TRY A FEW TIMES IF NOT MULTIPLE TIMES IN ORDER FOR IT TO START AND IT JUST KEEPS GETTING WORSE OVER TIME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT HAD TO WAIT UNTIL HE COULD SHIFT INTO THE CORRECT GEAR IN ORDER TO CONTINUE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN). THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.
MY CAR WAS STATIONARY. THE DOORS LOCK AND DO NOT UNLOCK. AFTER HOURS OF SEARCHING THE MANUAL AND GOOGLE I FIGURED OUT HOW TO BYPASS THE AUTOMATIC LOCK AND TURNED THAT OFF SO MY DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK WHILE I DROVE. THAT WORKED FOR A WHILE BUT, THEN THE DOORS JUST STOPPED OPENING FROM THE OUTSIDE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL MECHANICS THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR FOCUS.
Showing 12 of 229 complaints.
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