2009 FORD FOCUS Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start-up after multiple attempts without warning. The contact initially took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and the ignition switch and housing were replaced. A few months later, the failure recurred, and the contact took the vehicle back to the same mechanic and had the starter replaced. A few months later after the repair, the failure recurred, and the contact took the vehicle to another independent mechanic who replaced the ignition switch and housing for a second time. After the failure occurred for the fourth time, the initial independent mechanic instructed her to place the vehicle in neutral to see if the restarted. The vehicle was started in neutral and the mechanic replaced the neutral safety switch. Despite the repair, the failure recurred. A dealer was notified of the failure and a representative acknowledged that...

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AT 65 MILES AN HOUR WHEN SUDDENLY LOSING THROTTLE CONTROL DOWN TO 35 MILES AN HOUR THE GAS PEDAL WOULD NOT RESPOND. YELLOW WRENCH LIGHT AND WAVY CAR WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED. COASTED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SAT FOR 10 MINUTES. STARTED CAR AND TESTED PEDAL. EASED BACK ON FREEWAY. SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR.

THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING PERFECT THEN AFTER A MOTOR MOUNT WAS REPLACED THE CAR STARTED THEN WENT DEAD IMMEDIATELY. THE CAR WILL TURN OVER BUT IT ISN'T FIRING RIGHT NOW IT GAVE NO WARNING. THE COMPUTER READ A THROTTLE ACTUATOR TROUBLE CODE AND THAT'S ALL. THE CAR WILL KEEP TURNING OVER AFTER I RELEASE THE KEY IT HAS NOT DONE THIS BEFORE NOW WE HAD SOME TROUBLE WITH THE IGNITION LOCKING UP AND WE HAVE TO TURN IT REALLY HARD TO START GET THE KEY IN THE STARTING POSITION. THE IGNITION SYSTEM IS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS AND THE THROTTLE BODY WILL UPDATE WHEN I FIND OUT MORE.

FREEWAY DRIVING AT 70 MPH THE INDICATOR LIGHT FOR THE THROTTLE BODY/TRANSMISSION LIGHT UP AND THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP HOME MODE. VERY DANGEROUS AT THESE SPEEDS. SAME PROBLEM AS THE FORD ESCAPE THAT WERE UNDER THE WARRANTY EXTENTION

ON COLD START RPM'S FLUCTUATE SEVERAL HUNDRED RPM'S. BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP BUT NO CODES WERE PRESENT. TECH SUSPECTED DIRTY THROTTLE BODY. PART NOT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE NO CODES WHEN SCANNED. PROBLEM CONTINUES ESPECIALLY ON COLD START BUT OCCASIONALLY WHILE IN DRIVE AT A STOP. *TR

I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE IN 2010, AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE HAD 37,000 MILES. A LESS THAN A MONTH LATER THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. IT WOULD NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR, WHEN I PLACED MY FOOT ON THE GAS IT WOULD NOT MOVE BUT THEN IT JOLTED WITH GREAT FORCE. IT ALSO GRINDS REALLY HARD WHEN YOU'RE SHIFTING GEARS. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY AGREED TO FIX THE VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS PUT IN THE CAR. ABOUT A YEAR LATER THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION HAPPENED. THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND WOULD NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR. I TOOK IT TO FORD AGAIN AND THEY SAID A BOLT WAS LOOSE AND THEY FIXED IT. A FEW DAYS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM I TOOK IT BACK TO FORD AND THEY FOUND THAT THERE WERE METAL SHAVINGS IN THE TRANSMISSION. YESTERDAY MY WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON...

THE CAR WAS ON THE INTERSTATE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH ; THE ENGINE STALLED AND RESTARTED, WHEN EXISTING TO SEE WHETHER IT WOULD GAIN SPEED, THE CAR SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR . IT WENT INTO REVERSE, BACKING UP. AFTER TRYING TO CORRECT IT . THE CAR SPED UP ALMOST CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT, THE CAR RESTARTED WITH THE SHIFT OUT OF DRIVE, I DROVE THE CAR THREE BLOCKS TO MY HOME. I LEFT THE CAR WHEREVER IT STOPPED, THE NEXT DAY, I TRIED TO DRIVE IT; THE CAR PLACED IN DRIVE WENT IN REVERSE BACKING UP. I LEFT IT THERE AND HAD WRECKER COMPANY TO TAKE IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP ON UNION AVENUE. THEY INSPECTED THE CAR AND SAID IT WOULD TAKE $2,0000 TO GET THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED. SINCE, THE CAR WAS UNDER ENGINE WARRANTY FROM ACURA DEALERS OF MEMPHIS, I HAD THE WRECKING COMPANY TO TAKE THE CAR...

I HAVE A 2009 FORD FOCUS. WHEN TURNING ON THE VEHICLE ONE MORNING A WRENCH LIGHT WAS ON AND PRESSING ON THE GAS THERE WAS NO ACCELERATION. WHEN TAKING IT TO MECHANIC I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE P2111 AND THE THROTTLE CAP WAS STUCK OPEN. THIS IS A KNOWN FORD PROBLEM AND THE ESCAPE HAD THEM RECALLED ALREADY. THE CAR ONLY HAS 26,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS A 3 YEAR WARRANTY UNFORTUNATELY NOT COVERED. *JS

WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON WHEN STARTING...AND WENT OFF..GRADUALLY CAME ON AND STAYED ON UNTIL I TURNED OFF ENGINE AND RESTARTED...BOB RIDINGS FORD HERE IN DECATUR SAID THEY COULD NOT CHECK IT UNLESS THE WRENCH LIGHT STAYED ON...WHICH NEVER HAPPENED...GRADUALLY THE LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHEN CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN...AND STALLED DOWN AT A PLACE I COULD NOT GET OFF ROAD TO RESTART...LUCKILY NOT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. NEXT THE WRENCH LIGHT WENT OFF AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON...BEFORE I COULD GET IT TO THE GARAGE TO BE CHECKED, ALL THE LIGHTS WENT OFF...SAID PALMER FROM PALMER TIRE AND AUTO CHECKED IT AND GOT ONE CODE WHICH HE TRIED TO GET FORD TO HELP HIM WITH..BEFORE HE COULD HEAR BACK (IF EVER HE WOULD HAVE) I TOOK IT TO BOB RIDINGS IN TAYLORVILLE (I HAD BAD EXPERIENCE WITH ONE IN DECATUR)AND THEY CALLED SAID TO...

EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN OTHER ENTRIES ON THIS SITE, AND SIMILAR TO THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE NYTIMES TODAY ABOUT GM CARS (ALTHOUGH MINE IS A FORD- PROBABLY THE SAME FAULTY COMPONENT IS IN BOTH GM AND FORD). NUMEROUS TIMES AND AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, INCLUDING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR WILL INEXPLICABLY "STALL OUT"- THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF AND NO LONGER ACCELERATES. FIRST TIME WAS WITH MY WIFE DRIVING WITH OUR BABIES ON THE HIGHWAY. SHE WAS TERRIFIED, AND DID A HEROIC JOB OF GETTING OVER TO THE SHOULDER. SHE TURNED THE KEY OFF AND THEN WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. A FEW WEEKS LATER IT HAPPENED TO ME ON A COUNTRY ROAD- WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WHILE GOING ABOUT 40 MPH. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC. THEY DROVE IT OVER A HUNDRED MILES AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. IN ANOTHER...

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...

THIS HAPPENED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FIRST OCCASION, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE FOCUS AT AROUND 50 MPH, WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR STOPPED ACCELLERATING (IT DIDN'T STALL) AND THE WRENCH PANEL LIGHT CAME ON. LUCKILY SHE WASN'T IN AN ACCIDENT, SO SHE PULLED OVER AND RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT RAN FINE, AND THE LIGHT WAS OFF. THREE WEEKS LATER WE WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH WHEN THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED, THE CAR JUST STOPPED ACCELERATING, THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON, AND AGAIN WE WERE LUCKY WE WEREN'T IN AN ACCIDENT AND WERE ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. WE RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT WAS FINE AGAIN. AT THIS POINT I CALLED FORD AND THEY AGREED TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND PROVIDE ME A RENTAL CAR. AFTER A WEEK, THEY SAID THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A THROTTLE BODY, BUT...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE MOSTLY OCCURRED WHEN ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO SUDDENLY DECELERATE WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE WRENCH WARNING ICON. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,700.

LAST YEAR DURING THE SUMMER I WOULD BE DRIVING AND THE ENGINE AND WRENCH LIGHTS WOULD COME ON AND I WOULD LOSE POWER. PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR DID NOTHING, NO RESPONSE. THIS HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN OCCASIONALLY BUT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS IT HAS BEEN A DAILY THING AND IT HAPPENS NUMEROUS TIMES EACH DAY. I LIVE IN VIRGINIA AND IT HAS NOT HAPPENED IN THE WINTER OR EARLY SPRING WHEN THE TEMPS ARE COOLER. I DRIVE ABOUT 60 MILES ROUND TRIP AND THE MAJORITY OF IT IS ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURN THE CAR OFF, LET IT SET FOR A MINUTE OR LESS AND THEN START IT AGAIN AND IT RUNS. I DON'T HAVE TO LET IT STAY OFF FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME, I CAN START IT SHORTLY AFTER SHUTTING IT OFF WITH NO...

CAR WENT INTO LIMP HOME MODE (WRENCH LIGHT) WHILE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC, SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER ALMOST LED TO ACCIDENT. MY TWO YEAR OLD WAS IN THE VEHICLE, WITH HER SIDE EXPOSED TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN THE CAR LOST CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR AND THROTTLE. RETURNED HOME IMMEDIATELY. WENT OUT TO START IT LATER, NO WARNING LIGHTS, RAN FINE. 2 DAYS LATER, IT WENT INTO LIMP HOME MODE ON THE FREEWAY, THIS TIME CEL CAME ON. CODE P2135, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE BODY. PART REPLACED, PROBLEM HASN'T RECURRED. RESEARCH ONLINE INDICATES THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM (THERE IS A TSB). I WOULD REGARD IT AS A SAFETY ISSUE BASED ON THE FAILURE RATES OF WIDESPREAD (ALBEIT ANECDOTAL) EVIDENCE. THOUGH IT ISN'T UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION, IT STILL IS A LOSS OF CONTROL; THIS SYSTEM IS DRIVE-BY-WIRE, THE SAME AS TOYOTA. I WOULD THINK IT SHOULD BE GIVEN CONSIDERATION FOR RECALL....

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WRENCH WARNING LAMP WAS ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT ON A DIFFERENT OCCASION, SHE ATTEMPTED TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE; THE KEY WAS REMOVED BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED RUNNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,500. *TR