Problems · by component
2005 Ford Focus vehicle speed control problems
45 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Ford Focus cite vehicle speed control, 10% of all 441 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
45
10% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the vehicle speed control
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TODAY MY ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT WITH MY KIDS. I WAS LUCKILY NOT GOING MORE THAN 10MPH AND WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND STOP THE CAR WITHOUT HITTING ANYONE OR ANYTHING. EARLIER IN THE DAY I NOTICED IT TOOK A LITTLE MORE EFFORT TO PUSH THE GAS PEDAL DOWN, BUT NOT BY MUCH AND AFTER THE CAR RESTING FOR SEVERAL HOURS, IT WASN'T AN ISSUE ANYMORE. I WASN'T EXPECTING IT TO BE AN ISSUE LATER ON. AS FAR AS ELECTRICAL ISSUES GO; MY HEADLIGHTS DO NOT LIKE TO STAY ON. I HAVE TO PLAY WITH THE WIRES WHERE THEY CONNECT TO THE HEADLIGHTS IN ORDER FOR THEM TO TURN ON, BUT THEY OFTEN DO NOT STAY ON, AND THEY FREQUENTLY WILL TURN OFF AND ON WHILE DRIVING, SOMETIMES IT'S JUST ONE SIDE, OR ALTERNATING SIDES. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR OVER A YEAR AND EVERYTIME I HAVE WORK DONE TO FIX IT, IT ONLY FIXES IT TEMPORARILY AND IT'S BACK TO DOING THIS ALL OVER AGAIN.”
“THIS CAR HAS DELAYED REACTION OR NO REACTION AT ALL TO PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. IT DOESN'T GO, IT'LL MOVE A LITTLE BIT, BUT MOSTLY JUST FEVS REALLY HIGH THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'LL KICK IN AND BOLT FORWARD, WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY OR FROM A COMPLETE STOP, DOESN'T MATTER. THE CAR LUNGES A LOT, FORWARD AND SIDEWAYS WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH OR FASTER. ACCELERATES SOMETIMES ON ITS OWN. THIS CAR IS VERY SCARY TO DRIVE AND HAS NO BUSINESS BEING ON A FREEWAY...EVER!”
“2005 FORD FOCUS ZX5 S. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CONCERNS WITH UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *LD THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INFORMATION IF ANY INTO AN INVESTIGATION CONCERNING SPEED CONTROL. *JS”
“I HAVE A STANDARD AND WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 55 MPH WHEN MY GAS PEDAL BECAME STUCK IN BETWEEN SHIFTING. I TRIED TO PUSH THE GAS PEDAL DOWN BUT IT WOULD NOT GO. I HAD TO LET MY CAR COAST OVER TO A TURNING LANE IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF COMING TRAFFIC. I PUT MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON AND HAD TO LET MY CAR SIT. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I TRIED TO PUSH THE GAS PEDAL DOWN AND IT STILL WOULD NOT WORK. I THEN TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT AND THE GAS PEDAL STILL WOULD NOT MOVE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AGAIN AND RESTARTED IT AND LET THE CAR SIT AGAIN FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. THE PEDAL FINALLY WORKED BUT AS SOON AS I MADE IT TO THE NEXT INTERSECTION AND MADE MY TURN INTO THE PARKING LOT WHERE I WORK, THE GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK AGAIN. I THEN PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND LET IT COAST INTO A PARKING SPOT.”
“I WAS DRIVING 35-40 MPH NEAR MIDWAY AIRPORT IN CHICAGO. I ATTEMPTED TO BREAK AND MY ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK. I HAD TO CONSTANTLY PRESS THE BREAK TO ATTEMPT TO BRING MY CAR TO A STOP ... BUT THE GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK IN AN ACCELERATION MODE. I ATTEMPTED TO TAP THE GAS PEDAL AND DEPRESS IT ... WHILE KEEPING MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, BUT THE GAS PEDAL WAS STILL STUCK. I HAD TO TURN MY CAR OFF FOR JUST TO STOP THE ACCELERATION AND RESTART MY VEHICLE TO GET OUT OF THE SITUATION.”
“I APPROACHED A RED LIGHT, ON FARM TO MARKET ROAD 1960 (STATE HIGHWAY FM 1960) WHILE IN MOTION AND I PRESSED THE BRAKE. THE MOTOR REVVED UP AND WOULD NOT STOP. IT SEEMED LIKE THE GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK. I ASKED MY DAUGHTER TO REACH DOWN AND PULL THE GAS PEDAL UP. THIS DID NOT WORK THOUGH. THE LIGHT BY THE GRACE OF GOD TURNED GREEN. I CONTINUED DRIVING FORWARD WHILE HOLDING THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE FLOOR. I RELEASED THE BRAKE AND THE MOTOR ACCELERATED FASTER. I IMMEDIATELY STOMPED ON THE BRAKE AGAIN. I WAS ACCELERATING AT A FASTER SPEED. I QUICKLY LOOKED FOR A SAFE PLACE TO STOP SO I TURNED LEFT INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD AND GOT OUT OF HEAVY TRAFFIC. I THREW THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, IT REVVED UP OUT OF CONTROL AS IF IT WANTED TO EXPLODE. I THREW IT IN PARK AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. I TOWED MY CAR TO MY HOME. THE ISSUE IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. I WILL SEND MY CAR TO A MECHANIC ASAP.”
Showing 6 of 45 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.