Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Ford Focus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
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.
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.
DRIVERS SIDE DOOR INCAPACITATED. PART INSIDE DOOR BRAKES AND DOOR BECOMES LOCKED IN PLACE. HAVE TO CLIMB OUT WINDOW OR OVER THE PASSENGER SEAT. IN AN EMERGENCY THIS WOULD BE DIFFICULT. I HAVE HAD IT REPAIRED ONCE AND IT HAS BROKEN AGAIN PART ISHARD TO FIND AND COSTLY TO REPLACE ( FOR WHAT IT IS). PART IS PLASTIC. LUKE PROBABLY FONCTION BETTER IF REPLACEMENT WAS METAL.
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.
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.
THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED IN 2010 FOR OUR DAUGHTER FOR COLLEGE. AFTER 6 MONTHS HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRES. THE MECHANIC REPLACING THEM WARNED US THAT ON THIS CAR WE WOULD NEED TO ROTATE THEM EVERY SO MANY MILES BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY WARE OUT. THEN AT ABOUT A YEAR STARTED HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE DOORS NOT WANTING TO OPEN GOT TO BE THE DRIVERS DOOR NOT OPENING AT ALL. SO HAD THE FORD DEALERSHIP FIX IT WAS ALMOST $600. LONG STORY SHORT WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TIRES 3 TIMES NOW , AND WE HAVE THEM ROTATED EVERY 3000 MILES. AS FOR THE DOORS THE BACK DOORS WILL NOT OPEN AT ALL, HAVE NOT FIXED THEM . WE HAVE FIXED THE DRIVERS DOOR AGAIN AND ALSO THE PASSENGER DOOR TWICE ALSO. WE PURCHASED THE CAR FOR THE GAS MILEAGE. AND YES ALL CARS HAVE THEIR PROBLEMS BUT NOT LIKE THIS . SHE NOW HAS TROUBLE THE SUSPENSION, THE IGNITION SWITCH IS GOING OUT AND WHEN THE CAR WAS PAINTED , THE TRUNK WAS NOT PRIMED SO THE PAINT IS ALL PEELING OFF. THIS IS THE MOST COSTLY CAR WE HAVE EVER BOUGHT. WE WILL NEVER BY ANOTHER FORD AGAIN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT BOTH PASSENGER SIDE DOORS, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR, AND THE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES MALFUNCTIONED. THE DOOR HANDLES COULD NOT BE USED TO OPEN THE DOORS. THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK PROPERLY NOR WOULD THEY UNLOCK WHEN USING THE KEY FOB OR ATTEMPTING TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ROD THAT WAS SECURING THE LOCKS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.
2009 FORD FOCUS 4 DOOR, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM OUTSIDE. THE DOOR LOCKS DO NOT WORK ALL THE TIME AND YOU WILL GET LOCKED IN AND HAVE TO CRAWL OVER THE SEATS TO GET OUT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE KEY HOLE ON THE DRIVER SIDE BUT IT DOES NOT UNLOCK THE OTHER DOORS SO YOU CANNOT GET IN SINCE THE DOOR ONLY OPENS FROM THE INSIDE IF IT IS UNLOCKED. YOU CANNOT MANUALLY UNLOCK THE FRONT DOORS BUT YOU CAN CRAWL OVER THE SEATS AND PULL UP THE REAR DOOR LOCKS OR CLIMB OUT THE WINDOWS. FORD HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS AND I SEE SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT AND YOU CANNOT GET THE DOORS OPEN. I GUESS IT WILL TAKE A DEATH BEFORE FORD WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. MY SON HAS TO KEEP THE DOORS UNLOCKED SO HE CAN GET INTO A PASSENGER DOOR AND OPEN THE INSIDE LATCH TO GET INTO HIS CAR. I GOT LOCKED IN AND HAD TO CRAWL OVER THE FRONT SEATS TO GET OUT SINCE I THOUGHT HE WAS JOKING. WE HAVE THE DOOR PANEL OFF AND DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY OUT SO NOW I AM ON THE HUNT FOR REPAIR PARTS. THE HANDLE SEEMS TO BE IN WORKING ORDER BUT THE LATCH IS NOT. WE LUBED IT BUT IT KEEPS LOCKING UP AND YOU CANNOT OPEN IT UP TO SEE WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT. I THINK FORD WANTS PEOPLE TO SPEND A FORTUNE TO FIX THE PROBLEM OR JUST BUY A NEW CAR THAT YOU CAN'T AFFORD. *TR
I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A SCHOOL LOT AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPOT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. I WAS GOING LESS THAN 5 MPH. FOR NO REASON WITH MY FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE THE CARS ENGINE UNEXPLAINED RACED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO GO FORWARD STRIKING THE BACK OF A PICKUP. THE VEHICLE BOUNCED OFF THAT VEHICLE AND I HIT ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE SENDING IT INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. ALL THIS TIME I HAD NO CONTROL AS THE ENGINE WAS STILL RACING AND MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. MY HUSBAND WHO WAS SITTING IN THE FRONT SEAT REACHED OVER AND PUT THE CAR INTO PARK. ALL THE VEHICLES THAT WERE STRUCK WERE PARKED AT THE TIME. HOWEVER THERE WERE CHILDREN WALKING INTO THE SCHOOL FOR AN AWARDS CEREMONY. THERE WAS SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DAMAGE TO ALL THE VEHICLES. IN THE FALL OF 2013 THIS HAPPENED TO THE ENGINE AS I WAS PULLING INTO A BALL FIELD,AGAIN WITH CHILDREN PRESENT. MY HUSBAND HAD TO REACH OVER AND TURN THE IGNITION OFF. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE. UPON CHECKING WITH FORD THEY STATED THAT THERE WEER NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM. SPRAY SILICONE TO THE THROTTLE BODY!!! AFTER THE MAY 29TH INCIDENT I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST AGAINST THE FORD MOTOR CORP. FOR THIS PROBLEM. IN THE SUIT A LIST OF THEIR MAKES AND MODELS WERE LISTED. IN MY CASE THE FORD FOCUS YEARS 2008-2010 WAS LISTED.. MY CLAIMS ADJUSTER WAS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAD THE SAME PRINT OUT. I ASKED IF MY INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD SUBROGATE AGAINST FORD AND HE POLITELY SAID NO AS IT WAS A LOSING BATTLE. I'AM APPALLED THAT THE FORD CO. HAD NO RECALL, AS OF THIS DATE THERE ARE NONE FOR THIS YEAR AND FAILED TO MAKE IT KNOWN TO ALL THESE VEHICLE OWNERS. I'AM THANKFUL THAT THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURY TO ANY CHILDREN WALING IN THE LOT OR BALL FIELD. IS THERE ANY RECOURSE FOR ME? *TR
INNER DOOR HANDLE PART ON DRIVERS SIDE BROKE, WITH THAT BEING THE ONLY DOOR WITH A KEY LOCK AND NO REMOTE ON THIS VEHICLE NOT ALLOWING ENTRY INTO VEHICLE (WAS EXTREME COLD AND LEFT STRANDED OUTSIDE BEING A SERIOUS HAZARD). VERY SMALL METAL PART THAT WAS ENGAGED FROM PLASTIC OUTER HOUSING WAS CAST METAL AND BROKE EASILY, THIS IS DOCUMENTED HAS HAPPENING OFTEN ON MANY ONLINE FORUMS. THIS METAL PIECE IS UNDER HEAVY STRAIN, SHOULD HAVE BEEN DESIGNED FROM STAMPED/MACHINED STEEL NOT CAST METAL. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE AND FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THIS ITEM. *TR
THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INCIDENTS WHERE I CAN NOT GET MY DOORS OPEN BECAUSE THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK. I HAVE HAD TO CRAWL OUT OF ANOTHER DOORS A NUMBER OF TIMES. I AM WORRIED THAT IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER, PASSENGER AND REAR PASSENGER DOORS COULD NOT BE OPENED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT ALL THREE NEW DOORS WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,892.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .