2009 Ford Focus: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 321 complaints
321
Total Complaints
46,450mi
Median Mileage
Electrical System
Top Issue
37
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

25,000 25th Percentile
46,450 Median Mileage
85,250 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Electrical System
41
Power Train
38
Vehicle Speed Control
33
Suspension
24
Wheels
22
Air Bags
19
Latches/Locks/Linkages
16
Engine
16
Unknown Or Other
15
Tires
13

Severity Assessment

37
Crashes
2
Fires
31
Injuries
3
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"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 HAPPENE..."
"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 WHEE..."
"SECOND TIME IN TWO MONTHS WINDSHIELD HAS DEVELOPED A STRESS FRACTURE. *TR"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Electrical System 41 complaints
25th: 57,800 mi Median: 82,000 mi 75th: 105,421 mi
Power Train 38 complaints
25th: 37,684 mi Median: 58,282 mi 75th: 88,000 mi
Vehicle Speed Control 33 complaints
25th: 29,000 mi Median: 59,000 mi 75th: 74,571 mi
Suspension 24 complaints
25th: 16,716 mi Median: 25,500 mi 75th: 39,500 mi
Wheels 22 complaints
25th: 16,201 mi Median: 32,500 mi 75th: 53,335 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

MI: 45 CA: 33 NY: 18 FL: 15 TX: 13 IL: 13 WI: 12 OH: 12 GA: 11 MO: 10

Who Files Complaints?

1.2%
Original Owners
98.8%
Second+ Owners

Ford Focus — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

YearComplaintsCrashes
20005149358
20012359227
20021198107
2003122470
200449743
200559960
200627035
200752486
200833325
201040828
201115615
20124953179
2013290380
20143580140
2015129942
2016154239
2017115628
2018107524

Maintain Your Electrical System

Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.

  • Clean battery terminals annually with baking soda and water
  • Replace the battery every 3-5 years before it leaves you stranded
  • Don't leave accessories running with the engine off
  • Check for corroded ground connections if you have intermittent electrical issues
  • Replace dim headlights promptly — they're a safety issue and a wiring symptom

Vehicle Rankings

Most complained Worst transmissions Worst engines Worst brakes Most crashes Compare vehicles

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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28