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Engine coolingPart report

2009 Ford Focus Engine cooling Problems

Complaints
7about this part
Share
3%of 229 total for the year
Median mileage
39,253miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 7 complaints about the engine cooling of the 2009 Ford Focus, 3% of the 229 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 39,253 miles.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Driving over level pavement in my 2009 Ford Focus approaching a stop light. When I removed my foot from the accelerator, the vehicle continued at the current speed (45mph). I braked, but it wasn't enough to stop the car. I drove through the intersection which was empty, and put the car in neutral. The engine then slowed to normal idle speed. I then drove home and checked the operation, and could find nothing wrong.”

NHTSA complaint #10317010, filed 2010-03, 17,500 miles

“Ever since we turned over sixty thousand miles on our Ford Focus se 2009 we have started to experience a problem where our car's check engine light will go on and the gas pedal will stop working. When this happens, the only thing you can do is: pull over, shift into park, turn the car off and start the car again. At this point the cel will go off and it will be like nothing happened. This is terrifying and extremely dangerous! The first time that the car stalled or went into limp mode was when the weather was damp, so we thought it was weather related. …”

NHTSA complaint #10670186, filed 2015-01, 60,000 miles

“I was driving on the freeway at approximately 65mph, when the car lost power. Stepping on the gas pedal had no response. I put the car in neutral and coasted out of traffic and onto the shoulder. When I stopped on the side of the road, the car was shaking violently as if it was getting ready to stall. I tried repeatedly to step on the gas but there was no response. I turned the car off for approximately 30 seconds and tried to restart it. It started right up and the throttle was acting normally. …”

NHTSA complaint #10436590, filed 2011-11, 55,000 miles

“I was driving my Ford Focus on the highway, running approx. 55 MPH. All at once a wrench light came on in my car, and my car decelerated to approx. 10 MPH. I pulled it off of the road shut the car off and restarted it, and the car ran fine the rest of the way home. Since then it has happened multiple times, without warning. I took the car to my Ford dealer shortly after the first occurrence, and was told that since the wrench light wasn't on they couldn't tell me what the problem was. Yesterday, the car did it again, but this time the engine light came on and stayed on. …”

NHTSA complaint #10427120, filed 2011-09, 39,253 miles

“Ford Focus 2009 april 25, 2014 I had appointment for a routine oil change and tune up. Was told there was oil in my spark plug wells and I needed a valve cover gasket replaced. Total bill $376.65 then 5 days later on april 30th, when I started my car it would not run correctly and was chugging and sputtering really bad. The throttle control/ transmission light came on and also the check engine light. I checked the miles I had driven and it was exactly 25 miles since the oil/tuneup/gasket change. …”

NHTSA complaint #10586541, filed 2014-05

Related service bulletins

Engine cooling: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
201812415%
2017819%
2016504%
201571%
201480%
2013141%
2012271%
201111%
2010114%
200973%
200873%
2007123%
200663%
2005184%
2004226%
2003606%
200210311%
200124314%
200047413%
1999655%

Other parts of the 2009 Ford Focus

Electrical system
45 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
39 complaints
Vehicle speed control
33 complaints
Suspension
25 complaints
Air bags
22 complaints
Wheels
22 complaints
Latches, locks and linkages
18 complaints
Fuel system
17 complaints
Tires
17 complaints
Engine
16 complaints
Other or unknown
16 complaints
Body and structure
12 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2009 Ford Focus

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology