2009 Ford Focus Steering Problems

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

I WAS INVOLVED IN A ROLLOVER IN 2009. THE CAR STEERING WAS LOOSE AND CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL ON THE ROAD. I WAS SWITCHING LANES ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ROAD WAS UNEVEN AND THE STEERING SEEMED TO STOP WORKING. ALSO THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. IT WAS A RENTAL CAR.

NHTSA ID

10870650

Incident

Nov 13, 2009

AFTER BREAKING MY LEG AS A RESULT OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITH MISALIGNED WHEELS ON SNOWY/ICY ROADS AND THEREBY LOSING CONTROL (REPORT FILED), I HAVE GONE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO HAS ALLOWED ME TO VISUALLY INSPECT OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. WHAT I HAVE FOUND HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY 4 DIFFERENT MECHANICS IN 4 DIFFERENT REPAIR FACILITIES. THE WHEELS ON A 2009 FORD FOCUS PHYSICALLY CAN NOT BE PUT INTO ALIGNMENT. THE ADJUSTER ARMS ARE TOO SHORT. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THE WHEELS, WHICH "TOE IN", FIGHT AGAINST EACHOTHER FOR ROAD CONTROL. THIS CAUSES PREMATURE TIRE WEAR, AND ON ICE AND SNOW WILL CAUSE A VERY RAPID LOSS OF CONTROL AT ANY SPEED. THE DEGREE OF THAT LOSS OF CONTROL WILL VARY DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF "TOE IN", BUT NEEDLESS TO SAY EVEN A LITTLE LOSS OF CONTROL ON A SLIPPERY ROAD IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE FACT THAT THE ADJUSTER ARMS ARE TOO SHORT TO PROVIDE TRUE ALIGNMENT INDICATES A DESIGN FLAW. THE FACT THAT IT CAN, AND HAS, CAUSED ACCIDENTS INDICATES THAT IT IS A DANGEROUS ONE. THE FACT THAT NO ONE HAS BEEN KILLED DRIVING ONE OF THESE DEATH TRAPS ON A SNOWY ROAD IS NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE. PLEASE MAKE FORD DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10594969

Incident

Jan 28, 2013

POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK LEADING TO LOUD NOISES WHEN RUNNING CAR. FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HASN'T DONE JACK ABOUT IT FOR ABOUT 5 OR MORE YEARS. THERE IS EITHER A PROBLEM WITH THE O-RING OR POWER STEERING PUMP. IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT FOUND THERE COULD BE MORE ISSUES LIKE THE POWER STEERING FAILING. A RECALL IS NEEDED ASAP!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10587596

Incident

Mar 3, 2014

Mileage

37,000 mi

IT FIRST STARTED WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND I STARTED TO FEEL MY STEERING WHEEL SHAKE. NOTHING MAJOR, I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. DAYS LATER, I HAD MY FRONT WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN WHEN I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY AND I COULD HEAR MY FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION CREAKING REALLY BAD. AND NOW EVEN WHEN THE CARS TURNED OFF AND NOT MOVING AT ALL ITS STILL MAKING A HIGH PITCHED SCREECHING NOISE COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION NOISE...NO CLUE HOW THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE. I KNOW ITS NOT COMING FROM THE ENGINE CAUSE THE CARS TURNED COMPLETELY OFF, AND I'VE TESTED IT OUT WITH THE HOOD OPEN TO SEE IF I COULD POSSIBLY HEAR IT BETTER BUT IM STILL HEARING IT FROM THE FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION AREA. I'VE GOOGLED "FORD FOCUS SUSPENSION PROBLEMS" AND TONS OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR SUSPENSION FROM FOCUSES FROM 2000-2011.I DID MORE READING AND PEOPLES CAMBER WILL START TO CHANGE TO THE POINT WHERE THEY'RE BUYING NEW TIRES EVERY YEAR...IM JUST SAYING I DON'T WANT A FRONT SUSPENSION PART TO BREAK APART DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN IM DRIVING 70 AND HAVE ME CRASH INTO A DITCH OR A TRUCK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO CHECK OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10468742

Incident

Mar 13, 2012

Mileage

35,000 mi

TOOK MY 2009 FORD FOCUS TO DEALER FOR OIL CHANGE; TOLD DEALER I HAD LUMPY LEFT REAR TIRE; WAS TOLD I DIDN'T ROTATE MY TIRES; ASKED HOW OFTEN I SHOULD ROTATE; DEALER SAID WHENEVER OIL CHANGED; DEALER COST WAS $25 FOR TIRE ROTATION; I DID IT MYSELF; NEXT DAY PUT CAR UP ON HOIST, ROTATED THE TIRES, AND DROVE; FRONT END SHOOK AND WAS UNCONTROLLABLE; WENT BACK TO SHOP AND PUT TIRES BACK AS THEY WERE; VIBRATION WAS MINOR IN LEFT REAR CORNER; AT 12000 MILES TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR OIL CHANGE; WAS TOLD I NEEDED TIRE ROTATION; TOLD THEM I TRIED @ 6000 MILES AND FRONT OF CAR SHOOK SO HAD TO PUT TIRES BACK WHERE THEY WERE; DEALER SAID TOO MUCH IN CAR AND WAS THROWING ALIGNMENT OFF; THAT NEEDED TO BUY NEW TIRES & WOULD TAKE CARE OF SHAKING IN BACK; SINCE PURCHASE, CAR WAS NEW I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH WHITE KNUCKLES AT A VERY SLOW SPEED IF THE ROAD IS WET OR HAS SNOW ON THE ROAD . AFTER 1/4" OF DRY POWDERY SNOW THE CAR IS ALL OVER THE ROAD AND CAN'T DRIVE OVER 25MPH WITHOUT THE BACK OF THE CAR SWAYING BACK AND FORTH. I HAVE NEVER DROVE ANY CAR IN MY LIFE I AM SO AFRAID TO DRIVE IN ANY AMOUNT OF SNOW OR RAIN. AT 20000 MILES I HAD TO PUT ON 4 NEW TIRES . THE SALESMAN TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE EXCELLENT ON SNOW AND RAIN . I TOOK OFF FOR HOME AND THEY WERE THE SAME. AT 30000 MILES I COMPLAINED AGAIN AND THEY SAID I NEEDED TO ROTATE THE TIRES MORE OFTEN BECAUSE THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS CUPPING. AT 40000 I BOUGHT 2 TIRES AND PUT THE FRONT TIRES ON THE REAR AND THREW THE LEFT REAR TIRE AWAY. I TOOK TO DEALER AND INSISTED IT CHECK ALIGNMENT WITH WHATEVER WAS IN THE CAR; TECHNICIAN CHECKED & SAID LEFT REAR CONTROL ARM MUST HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY HITTING CURB WHICH WAS NOT TRUE; TOLD NEEDED TO SPEND $530 TO CORRECT (WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT); COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM WHEN UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10447871

Incident

Jan 16, 2009

Mileage

6,000 mi

MY 2009 FORD FOCUS HAS HAD OBVIOUS SUSPENSION ISSUES SINCE 6000 MILES. REAR TIRES ALWAYS SLIP IN WET CONDITIONS FROM A STOPPED POSITION DURING A NORMAL INITIAL ACCELERATION. FURTHERMORE AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN (>) 60 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES AND THE CAR SHAKES. I AM A FAIRLY GOOD DRIVER AND IN COUNTLESS "NORMAL" DRIVING CONDITIONS MY CAR HAS GOTTEN INTO AN "OUT OF CONTROL STATE" LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO RECOVER. I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO A FORD DEALERSHIP TO BE TOLD THE TIRES WERE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I REPLACED TIRES, HAD AN ALIGNMENT PERFORMED AND AGAIN IN SHORT ORDER (LESS THAN 6000 MILES DRIVEN) THE ISSUES CAME UP AGAIN. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE. FIRST OF ALL THE NEED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT YOUR BACK TIRES AND REAR OF VEHICLE SLIDING/SHIFTING SIDE TO SIDE IS ESSENTIAL. FURTHERMORE, A CAR SHOULD NOT VIBRATE AND RATTLE VIOLENTLY AT SPEEDS OF ONLY 55 MPH. I FEAR THAT IF I CONTINUE DRIVING THIS CAR IN IT'S CURRENT STATE, I RUN THE RISK OF GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10441177

Incident

Feb 1, 2011

Mileage

6,500 mi

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

DRIVING AT NORMAL HWY SPEED, THE RENTAL CAR (2009 FORD FOCUS) WANDERED AS IF SOMETHING WAS WRONG IN THE WHEELS OR STEERING WHEEL AND THEN FLIPPED OVER ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD. MY ENTIRE FAMILY ALMOST PERISHED THAT DAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10315505

Incident

Jul 3, 2009

Mileage

2,300 mi