Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 Ford Focus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Ford Focus. Last week while the contact was pulling into her garage, the vehicle suddenly surged forward and crashed into the back wall of the garage. The contact noticed smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. The force of the crash loosened the driver's seat belt. There were no injuries. The insurance adjuster stated that they would mail a repair estimate. The contact planned to visit a collision shop before going to a dealer. Donnell Ford (7955 market st, youngstown, oh 44512) was contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact researched the failure online and believed the throttle body May have caused the failure. The contact found many complaints regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 30,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Ford Focus. When the brake pedal was depressed at 30 MPH, the vehicle continued to accelerate without warning. As a result, the contact crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. After the failure occurred, the driver side air bag warning indicator illuminated. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 26,000. Updated 05/30/17 updated 7/9/18
On 5/31/16 while driving on highway 13 vehicle accelerated on its own, gas pedal went to the floor, brakes pedal was hard as a rock and could not be depress to slow vehicle down, shifting gears cause the engine to race, pulling emergency brake did not slow the vehicle down.. Managed to take an off-ramp off the highway, stopping the vehicle by running into some hedges and a tree. Oakland police incident number is 162.
Problems with car accelerating on its own, when driving, it picks up speed, rpms increase and continues even with foot off the gas pedal. Have to hold down on brakes as hard as possible, while car is still accelerating at same time so I will not cause accident. Have to put in park- but then engine revs up to over 6rpms. Took back to dealership twice within first few months of purchase. They stated they cleaned and adjusted the throttle body and second time, they stated they took the complete throttle body assembly apart. Within a few months I was having same issues. When I explained how unsafe I felt driving this car, they just said "well dont drive it". They said that I could bring it in again, but would be charged for any repairs. Iam now fearful every time I drive this car now. I no longer drive the interstates, stay on city streets, driving slower. …
I am driving on the highway, and the used car I just bought with in the last week is shuddering, jerking, and slip out of gear. It only had one owner, and a little over 56,000 miles. Now I have only put 125 miles on it, and it does this. Since it slows down quickly with a fierce jerk of the car, I was lucky and did not cause an accident because of the problem, and other cars behind me slamming on there brakes.
Premature and uneven wearing on original tires (parelli) accident due failure to control and/or stop the vehicle before hitting another car. Over 6,000 dollars in damage to my vehicle and whip lash.
NHTSA 10023297 contents re: negative battery cable corrosion, subsequent heavier gauge ref. P/n 14300 / 14301 OEM history of alternator/battery replacement beyond normal due to corrosion of cabling foia the freedom of information act, or foia (5 U.S.c. 552, as amended), generally provides any person with the statutory right, enforceable in court, to obtain access to government information in executive branch agency records. This right to access is limited when information is protected from disclosure by one of foia?s nine statutory exemptions. Federal register publications, including the federalregister.gov website and the various editions of the daily federal register, the code of federal regulations (cfr), federal register/cfr indexes, and the public laws posted on the federal digital system (fdsys.gov) are not subject to the request for records provisions of the foia. …
I got my vehicle from an auction site, so I do not have any history on it before 2016. The engine light comes on and goes off at regular intervals, especially, when the car is in extremely cold or hot temperatures. The gas pedal, also, gets stuck, regularly, I would have to be very careful with my pressure on the gas pedal to avoid hitting anything. I have noticed this, over the years, with the car in stationary mode and while the car is in motion, city or highway driving but, especially, after having to perform a hard brake in traffic. I would have to keep pressing on the gas petal to get it to release itself from whatever it is allowing getting stuck to, then the performance of the car is better, until the next time of it having to be unstuck. I have taken the car in for this issue but, the mechanics do not understand what I am describing. …
Anytime the temperature becomes cold out, the gas pedal will not budge; no matter how hard you stomp on it. My remedy has been to turn the floor board heater on full blast for about 20 mins.; if I am lucky, this will release the pedal and I am able to push it down to accelerate. (this problem only happens when it is cold out side, I have not experienced it during the warm months; as of yet.) I bought my vehicle at marshal mize Ford, hixson, tn, so I phoned them regarding the issue after I read the nc consumer.org report and gave them the consumer satisfaction program 13n03 information. The reply I received was, "there is no recall on your vehicle. However; if you bring it in, we could find out exactly what the issue is but you will be charged a diagnostic fee. If the throttle assembly is the problem, it will be around $304 plus labor."
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle would accelerate abnormally and without warning. The contact would depress the brake pedal but the vehicle refused to stop. The contact then turned the vehicle off while the vehicle was still in motion. The contact turned the vehicle back on and the vehicle began to perform as normal. A local mechanic was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but denied any assistance with repairs to the vehicle. The dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 55,000 and the current mileage was 60,601. ..updated 04/11/12
Acceleration complaints in other Focus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2007 Ford Focus?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2007 Ford Focus, 7% of the model year's 391 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Ford Focus acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2007 Ford Focus. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2007 Ford Focus acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 45,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.