2009 Ford Focus Cruise Control Problems
18 owner-reported cruise control complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (18)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE IDLED AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WOULD OPERATE ONLY IF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 15 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE WARNING LIGHT DIMMED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,600.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MILES PER HOUR, THE CAR DROPPED OUT OF CRUISE CONTROL AND COASTED TO 5 MILES PER HOUR. PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL HAD NO RESULT. WE WERE LUCKY TO AVOID COLLISION WITH NEARBY CARS AND COASTED OFF THE INTERSTATE INTO A PARK AND RIDE LOT. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER REPAIR. WE WERE TOLD BY FORD DEALER THAT THE THROTTLE BODY HAD DIED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS FORD CERTIFIED PREOWNED CAR IS STILL COVERED BY POWERTRAIN WARRANTY BUT THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THROTTLE BODY. NUMEROUS ACTIONS WITH FORD REGARDING FAULTY THROTTLE BODIES IS WIDELY REPORTED AND WE BELIEVE THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN A FORMAL RECALL FOR 2009 FORD FOCUS. REPAIR IS $875 WHICH WE BELIEVE FORD SHOULD BE COVERING.
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.
AT 75 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE ALL OF THE SUDDEN SPUTTERED AND LOST ACCELERATION. THE WRENCH LAMP ILLUMINATED AND THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE 4 LANE HIGHWAY AND NEARLY GETTING SIDESWIPED, SHUTTING DOWN THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTING RESET THE ACCELERATION. THIS HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES IN A 20 MINUTE SPAN. THE CHECK ENGINE FAILURE CODE ACQUIRED FROM ADVANCE AUTO WAS P2112 THROTTLE BODY STUCK OPEN. FORD IS WELL AWARE OF THE P2112 AND P2111 FAILURE CODES AND THAT THEY ARE AN ELECTRONIC DEFECT WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY. THIS PART HAS BEEN RECALLED ON 4 OTHER MODELS OF FMC VEHICLES. FORD HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE THE PART. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY 2009 FORD FOCUS COUPE APPROX 70MPH ON INTERSTATE 10 IN THE CALIFORNIA DESERT AT 3PM WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY AND RAPIDLY DECELERATED. I WAS IN THE 2ND TO THE LEFT-HAND LANE AND THE RAPID DECELERATION VERY NEARLY CAUSED A MULTI-CAR COLLISION WITH THE CARS BEHIND TO MY RIGHT AND LEFT AS THE CAR DIRECTLY BEHIND ME SWERVED TO AVOID REAR-ENDING ME. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP WHICH WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY CODES OR DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND RETURNED THE CAR TO ME AS IS. THIS CAR IS HIGHLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR
I PURCHASED MY 2009 FORD FOCUS FROM THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN STOCKTON, CA. AS I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK DURING RUSH HOUR IN THE FAST LANE, WITHOUT WARNING, THE CAR WENT IN TO (WHAT MY MECHANIC CALLED) LIMP MODE. THE CAR INSTANTLY WENT FROM 70 MPH TO 15 MPH - VERY SCARY! AGAIN, THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN VERY HEAVY COMMUTE TRAFFIC. DEFINITELY A VERY DANGEROUS SCENARIO. I WAS ABLE TO MOVE OVER INTO THE SLOW LANE AND LIMP OFF THE FREEWAY, DOING 15 MPH FOR ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE. QUITE HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW HOW I DID IT WITHOUT BEING SLAMMED INTO BY OTHER VEHICLES. ALL I COULD DO WAS COAST. I CAME TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER OF THE EXIT RAMP. THE CAR IDLED VERY ROUGH. I TURNED IT OFF, WAITED FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON. IT STARTED RIGHT UP AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED. I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. OUR MECHANIC SAID THERE WERE NO ERROR CODES IN THE COMPUTER. APPARENTLY, THEY WERE CLEARED WHEN THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF. AFTER THIS EVENT OCCURRED A FEW MORE TIMES AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AT HIGH SPEEDS, I DECIDED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHILE I WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO HOME SO MY MECHANIC COULD COME AND CHECK THE CAR FOR CODES WHILE IT WAS STILL RUNNING. IT WAS LIKE CLOCK WORK. THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE AFTER BEING DRIVEN FOR CLOSE TO ONE HOUR AND MY MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CODES WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING. THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED (BY OUR LOCAL MECHANIC) TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $600. LOOKS LIKE THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THERE HAVE PROBABLY BEEN FATALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT THEM. A RECALL IS IN ORDER!!! *TR
WE OWN A 2009 FORD FOCUS. RIGHT OUT OF WARRANTY IN JUNE OF 2012 MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY, APPROX. 70 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE CAR DECELERATED DOWN TO ABOUT 40 AND WOULD NOT GO BEYOND THAT. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY CHARGED US FULL PRICE FOR A THROTTLE BODY REPLACEMENT. I KNOW THAT OTHER MAKES IN 2009 WERE EXTENDED ON THE WARRANTY FOR THROTTLE BODY PROBLEMS. I WANTED TO REPORT THIS SO THAT WE CAN GET REIMBURSED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ACCELERATION POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE THROTTLE HAD SEIZED IN THE CLOSED POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP AS THE SERVICE SENSOR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEFECT WAS DUE TO A FAULTY THROTTLE BODY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000. *TR
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. I HAVE CALLED FORD DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS AND THEY SHOW NO CONCERN OR INTEREST IN FINDING OUT IF THIS IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM THEY MAY KILL SOMEONE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE BEFORE SOMEONE DIES THAT IS NOT AWARE OF THIS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS RIGHT ANKLE AND FOOT. THE CONTACT SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR HIS INJURIES. THE POLICE REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,285. *TR
TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY IN PASSING LANE WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON,NOTICED VEHICLE SLOWING DOWN. APPLIED PRESSURE TO GAS PEDAL,NO ACCELERATION. I HAD TO GET OFF ROAD QUICKLY BECAUSE CAR WAS COMING TO A STOP;ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IN DOING SO. VEHICLE IDLED ROUGH AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF ACCELERATION. I SHUT OFF VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO START IT UP AGAIN AND HAD ACCELERATION CONTROL AGAIN. TOOK VEHICLE TO FORD DEALER SHIP AND THEY REPLACED THROTTLE BODY. SERVICE TECH STATED THAT THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACING SEVERAL OF THESE THROTTLE BODIES ON FORD VEHICLES LATELY AND THEY EXCEPT A RECALL.MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. FORD KNOWS THIS ISSUE EXIST,GET IT RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO IDLE HIGH AND ACCELERATED ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS HOWEVER THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. EACH TIME THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,074 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33,600.
UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TRAVEL MORE THAN 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL IN RESPONSE TO PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY COAST WHEN LIFTING OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE THROTTLE BODY REQUIRED REPLACEMENT WHICH WAS DONE UNDER THE WARRANTY.
CAR FREQUENTLY REVS ENGINE HIGH WHEN COMING TO A STOP, WHEN AT IDLE THE ENGINE REVS FROM 400-1100RPMS UNCONTROLLABLY. HAS OCCASIONALLY DROPPED ALL POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. FORD DEALER SAID THE PCM IS BAD AND THAT THERE'S A SERVICE BULLETIN ON IT. HOWEVER, THE DEALER SAYS FORD MOTOR WILL NOT RELEASE A REPLACEMENT PART. I'VE LOUDLY COMPLAINED THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR
APPROACHING A STOP SIGN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, DID NOT COME TO A STOP, AS THE MOTOR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE(MOTOR REVVED UP BEYOND 1500 RPM. GOT THE AR UNDER CONTROL, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. RESTARTED THE CAR 4 TIMES AND EACH TIME THE MOTOR WAS RACING. IF I HAD NOT HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE I WOULD HAVE CONTINUED MOVING FORWARD.I DID NOT TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE TO SEE HOW FAST THE CAR WOULD HAVE GONE AS TRAFFIC WAS TOO CONGESTED. DID NOT WISH TO TAKE A CHANCE AND DRIVE THE CAR . I CALLED FOR AN EMERGENCY TOW AND HAD THE CAR DELIVERED TO MY FORD DEALER WHERE IT IS BEING LOOKED OVER. A SIMILAR SITUATION OCCURRED ON 4/16/2009 THE DEALER AT THAT TIME COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. (ODI # 10328218). *TR
APPROACHING A RED LIGHT AT ABOUT 30MPH I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE ENGINE REVVED TO A HIGHER SPEED AND I COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE UNTIL I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND STOOD ON THE BRAKES. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONE IN FRONT OF ME AS I WENT ABOUT 6 FEET INTO THE INTERSECTION HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE 07/2009. THIS IS FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. INFORMED DEALER AND CAR WILL BE LOOKED AT 04/22/2010. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE JUMPED A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED NO PERSONAL INJURY. THERE WAS PROPERTY DAMAGE, AND A POLICE REPORT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE REVVED WITHOUT WARNING ON A SEPARATE OCCASION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.