2009 Ford Focus

incident [XXX], Parking in front of Physical Therapy clinic, suddenly the motor revved and car shot across the sidewalk and went through the wall of the clinic. No one was there and no one was hurt. Insurance was notified. (Hartford) Googling Auro malfunctions for Ford Focus, I come across several things which could have malfunctioned and caused "unpredictable acceleration. Car had within 2 weeks had been to automotive shop for maintenance. I think this was a serious malfunction and should have been noticed. thanks, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

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.

DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT STEADY 70MPH, ENGINE DROPPED TO IDLE SPEED. NO PRIOR INDICATION OF TROUBLE. VEHICLE WAS SLOWING DOWN. WRENCH LIGHT WAS ON. ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAD NO EFFECT. I PUT IN THE CLUTCH PEDAL, AND COASTED UNTIL I REACHED AN AREA AREA WHERE I COULD PULL OFF TO THE SIDE. THIS WAS IN A TIGHT CONSTRUCTION AREA. FORTUNATELY, I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE AND NOT NEAR OTHER VEHICLES AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. OTHERWISE THE OUTCOME MIGHT HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT. WHEN I WAS STOPPED, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, BUT ACCELERATOR HAD NO EFFECT. WITH NO ALTERNATIVE, I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. I THEN STARTED THE ENGINE. OPERATION APPEARED NORMAL WITH NO WRENCH LIGHT ON. I GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND CHECKED CONNECTED MY CODE READER. NO DIAGNOSTIC CODES. DURING SOME SUBSEQUENT DRIVING, THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER EVENTS OR INDICATION OF PROBLEMS. I AM GETTING A FORD OEM THROTTLE BODY TO REPLACE MY EXISTING. THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN FORD PROBLEM THAT HAS AVOIDED A RECALL DESPITE THE POTENTIAL DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TYPE OF FAILURE.

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

AT ANY RANDOM MOMENT, THE CAR'S WRENCH LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR EITHER DIES OR BEGINS TO RUN HORRIBLY. THIS CAN HAPPEN IN TOWN OR ON THE HIGHWAY - ACCELERATING OR ON CRUISE CONTROL - IT DOESN'T MATTER. TURNING THE CAR OFF (IF IT DIDN'T DIE) AND TURNING IT BACK ON, THE WRENCH LIGHT GOES OFF AND THE CAR RUNS AGAIN. CODE INDICATES A THROTTLE BODY ISSUE BUT AFTER TAKING IT TO A MECHANIC TWICE, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET A CODE OR FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER A YEAR. THIS CAN REALLY BE A DANGEROUS ISSUE IF IT HAPPENS WHILE PASSING OR TURNING INTO AN INTERSECTION. ETC. *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