Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Ford Focus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
Ever since we turned over sixty thousand miles on our Ford Focus se 2009 we have started to experience a problem where our car's check engine light will go on and the gas pedal will stop working. When this happens, the only thing you can do is: pull over, shift into park, turn the car off and start the car again. At this point the CEL will go off and it will be like nothing happened. This is terrifying and extremely dangerous! The first time that the car stalled or went into limp mode was when the weather was damp, so we thought it was weather related. We decided to have the dealer look at the car. We brought the car into the dealership. We dropped the car off so that the mechanic could do a test drive. After an entire day of driving, they could not reproduce the problem, or pull a diagnostic code so they gave our keys back and said we cant do anything to help you. …
I purchased my vehicle in 2010, at the time the vehicle had 37,000 miles. A less than a month later the transmission failed. It would not move in any gear, when I placed my foot on the gas it would not move but then it jolted with great force. It also grinds really hard when you're shifting gears. I called the dealer and they agreed to fix the vehicle. I was told that a new transmission was put in the car. About a year later the same problem with the transmission happened. The car was stopped and would not move in any gear. I took it to Ford again and they said a bolt was loose and they fixed it. A few days later the same problem I took it back to Ford and they found that there were metal shavings in the transmission. Yesterday my wrench light came on and my transmission is doing the same thing it did the first two times. …
Driving on highway in rush hour traffic at 65 miles an hour when suddenly losing throttle control down to 35 miles an hour the gas pedal would not respond. Yellow wrench light and wavy car warning lights appeared. Coasted to side of the road and sat for 10 minutes. Started car and tested pedal. Eased back on freeway. Scared to drive this car.
On cold start RPM's fluctuate several hundred RPM's. Brought to dealership but no codes were present. Tech suspected dirty throttle body. Part not under warranty because no codes when scanned. Problem continues especially on cold start but occasionally while in drive at a stop.
Freeway driving at 70 MPH the indicator light for the throttle body/transmission light up and the car went into limp home mode. Very dangerous at these speeds. Same problem as the Ford escape that were under the warranty extention
I was driving on the freeway at approximately 65mph, when the car lost power. Stepping on the gas pedal had no response. I put the car in neutral and coasted out of traffic and onto the shoulder. When I stopped on the side of the road, the car was shaking violently as if it was getting ready to stall. I tried repeatedly to step on the gas but there was no response. I turned the car off for approximately 30 seconds and tried to restart it. It started right up and the throttle was acting normally. Since that first incident, over a year ago, this has happened six more times with the last one being on 11/14/11. I was traveling at 70 MPH on interstate 15 going north up the hill from baker, ca when this happened. Trying to Dodge the other motorists and the big rigs to even get to the shoulder was very scary. I have researched this problem and apparently it is not unique to my vehicle. …
Last year during the summer I would be driving and the engine and wrench lights would come on and I would lose power. Pressing the accelerator did nothing, no response. This has continued to happen occasionally but in the last couple of weeks it has been a daily thing and it happens numerous times each day. I live in virginia and it has not happened in the winter or early spring when the temps are cooler. I drive about 60 miles round trip and the majority of it is on the highway. This is a dangerous situation. I get to the side of the road and turn the car off, let it set for a minute or less and then start it again and it runs. I don't have to let it stay off for any amount of time, I can start it shortly after shutting it off with no problem. The tach jumps up between 2000-3000 rpms and then settles down. I don't have my foot on the gas when this happens. …
Wrench light came on when starting...and went off..gradually came on and stayed on until I turned off engine and restarted...bob ridings Ford here in decatur said they could not check it unless the wrench light stayed on...which never happened...gradually the light would come on when car was being driven...and stalled down at a place I could not get off road to restart...luckily not in heavy traffic which could have caused an accident. Next the wrench light went off and the engine light came on...before I could get it to the garage to be checked, all the lights went off...said palmer from palmer tire and auto checked it and got one code which he tried to get Ford to help him with..before he could hear back (if ever he would have) I took it to bob ridings in taylorville (I had bad experience with one in decatur)and they called said to get his diagnosis..and discussed the fact that both …
While driving at speed, driver loses all control of gas pedal and has to put car in neutral and shut ignition off in order to restart car to reset control of gas pedal. This situation has happened several times over the last 5 months. On oct 2 it happened 5 times on the same drive that day. This is a very serious problem that could cause injury or death. It is lucky that we have been aware of this and it hasn't cause us an accident. But now we must get it repaired because fate will catch up to you at the wrong time. I have researched this on the internet and found other people have had similar experience with this. After research some people have been told it is the throttle body which has a non replaceable sensor on it that controls a signal to the gas pedal. To repair it the throttle body has to be replaced. Please please investigate this. …
Engine complaints in other Focus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2009 Ford Focus?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2009 Ford Focus, 10% of the model year's 229 complaints. The component named most often is engine (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Ford Focus engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2009 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 2009 Ford Focus engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 54,000 miles, and 20% before 25,000 miles.
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.