RoadVitals

2009 Ford Focus Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Jul 13, 2023
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 229 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. 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. 9 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.

Owner reports naming brake

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Brakes
Filed Jul 13, 2023

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.

NHTSA ID
11532153
Incident
Feb 8, 2021
Mileage
80,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 6, 2018

OCCASIONALLY, WITHOUT WARNING OR PREDICTION, WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, MY BRAKE PEDAL WILL TRAVEL NEARLY TO THE FLOOR WHICH REDUCES BRAKING TIME AND ABILITY. BRAKING TYPICALLY RETURNS TO NORMAL AFTER EACH INCIDENT. AT NO POINT DOES AN ABS OR BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT COME ON. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST 1 OR 2 TIMES DURING MY COMMUTE EACH WAY TO WORK, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 18 MILES AWAY OR A 1 HOUR DRIVE TIME WITH TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ID
11083615
Incident
Apr 5, 2018
Mileage
96,000 mi
BrakesSteering
Filed Feb 15, 2018
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE CONTACT TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY, BUT THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AWAY FROM THE SCENE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A HISTORY OF STEERING FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE RIGHT ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH OR THE STEERING FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000.

NHTSA ID
11073128
Incident
Feb 9, 2018
Mileage
5,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jun 30, 2015
Crash reported2 injuries reported

BEFORE TAKING A RIGHT OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, I TURNED MY BLINKER ON (WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE) AND THE CAR ACCELERATED FORWARD INSTEAD OF TURNING. I KEPT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR SPEEDED UP EVEN MORE. I FINALLY CRASHED INTO A FENCE ONTO PRIVATE PROPERTY. THEN I CAME TO A FULL STOP WHEN I HIT AN SUV. THIS CRASH COMPLETELY DAMAGED THE FRONT OF MY 2009 FORD FOCUS.

NHTSA ID
10731389
Incident
Jun 26, 2015
Mileage
1,174 mi
AirbagsBrakesEngine+1 more
Filed Jul 6, 2011

2009 FORD FOCUS. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH TICKING NOISE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE ENGINE/EXHAUST NOISE EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE AFTER IT WAS TURNED OFF. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, SOME FORD VEHICLE MAY EXHIBIT A TICKING/PINGING NOISE FROM THE HOT EXHAUST AFTER THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF AND THE EXHAUST COOLS DOWN, WHICH IS DUE TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM EXPANDING AND CONTRACTING DURING HEATING AND COOLING CYCLES. THE TICKING/PINGING SHOULD BE CONSIDERED NORMAL. THE BRAKE FLUID LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE FLUID WAS LOW. THE TIRES WERE FOUND TO BE OUT OF ROUND, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE TPMS LIGHT ILLUMINATED DUE TO LOW PRESSURE IN ONE OF THE TIRES. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ONE OF THE TIRES HAD A LEAK. *JB

NHTSA ID
10411074
Incident
Nov 9, 2010
BrakesSteeringSuspension
Filed Aug 23, 2010
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED. HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER YET THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE DEALER ADVISED THERE WERE NO FAILURES WITHIN THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD INTERMITTENTLY PULL TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,555 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 18,150. UPDATED 11/12/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THREE ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE BRAKES NOT FAILING. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE APPLIED BRAKES THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT A CONCRETE STORM DRAIN PIPE. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE ALIGNED AND IT PULLS HARD TO THE RIGHT AT SPEEDS ABOVE 45 MPH. UPDATED 11/24/10

NHTSA ID
10351327
Incident
Feb 22, 2010
Mileage
16,555 mi
Brakes
Filed Dec 28, 2009

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. DURING BRAKE APPLICATION THERE WAS A GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM THE BRAKE PADS. SHE THEN NOTICED GREASE AND OIL ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT BRAKE DUST WAS ACCUMULATING ON THE WHEELS. HE THEN ADDED THAT AFTER REPEATED USAGE THE GRINDING NOISE SHOULD DISAPPEAR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

NHTSA ID
10297151
Incident
Sep 8, 2009
Mileage
7,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 22, 2009
Crash reported

TL*-CONTACT RENTED A 2009 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 60-65 MPH ON DRY PAVEMENT AND EXITING ONTO A RAMP THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND FELT THE WHEELS LOCK CAUSING HER TO CRASH INTO THE PRECEEDING VEHICLE . THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FAULTY AND DOES NOT KNOW WHY THE WHEELS LOCKED UP. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 1070 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1055. UPDATED 05/26/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, SHE HEARD A LOT OF NOISES AROUND THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR, AS THE OUGH THE DOOR WAS NOT CLOSED PROPERLY. WHEN SHE EXITED THE RAMP, THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE SEEMED TO GRAB AND SHAKE EVERYTIME IT WAS APPLIED. ABOUT 2 BLOCKS AWAY, THERE HAD BEEN HEAVY RAINSTORM, AND WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE SKIDDED AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES FAILED AND PULLED SEVERLY TO THE RIGHT WHICH CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS A RENTAL. UPDATED 05/28/09.*JB

NHTSA ID
10266428
Incident
Apr 11, 2009
Mileage
1,055 mi
Brakes
Filed Feb 18, 2009

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, A FOCUS, I TRIED TO STOP FOR A RED LIGHT; WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR ACCELERATED MOMENTARILY. I PUSHED HARDER ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR DID STOP. HOWEVER, THIS HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH (MID JANUARY TO MID FEBRUARY, 2009), AND THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED, I CAME WITHIN INCHES OF REAR-ENDING A STOPPED CAR.--THIS WAS AFTER I LEFT ABOUT DOUBLE THE STOPPING SPACE THAT WOULD BE NORMAL FOR A STOP.. THE CAR IS NOW AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SECOND TIME AND THEY ARE TRYING TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM,WITH NO LUCK SO FAR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10259220
Incident
Feb 15, 2009
Mileage
5,635 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .