Tl* - on december 23, 2006 the contact engaged the ignition while she applied the brakes and the vehicle was in park. After shifting from park to drive with the brakes still applied the rpms began to accelerate as though the the accelorater pedal had been depressed. A similar incident occurred shortly after the vehicle was purchased, but she didn't feel the need to complain at that time. *ak
2005 Ford Focus cruise control problems
severe 35 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
35
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
2crashes
When does it fail?
Of the 35 cruise control complaints filed for the 2005 Ford Focus, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 35 cruise control complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 19 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2005 Ford Focus has serious, well-documented accelerator control issues ranging from cold-weather sticking to full unintended acceleration at highway speeds with non-responsive brakes. Owners report multiple failures even after dealer visits, and some incidents resulted in crashes; Ford's warranty response has been inconsistent.
The 2005 Ford Focus cluster shows accelerator and cruise control problems that create genuine safety hazards. Cold weather triggers the most common complaint: the accelerator pedal sticks or becomes impossible to depress, especially on winter mornings. Owners report needing 25 minutes of running time or body-weight force to get the pedal moving again once conditions warm.
The root cause in several cases is accelerator cable degradation inside a plastic protective tube. The cable coating enlarges, breaks apart, or gets fouled, preventing it from retracting after depression. One owner paid $300 at a Ford dealership for cable replacement; another got temporary help from lubrication.
More dangerous are the unintended acceleration events. Owners describe vehicles accelerating from 35–75 mph up to 80–90 mph with unresponsive or ineffective brakes. Some braking required turning off the engine or shifting to neutral to stop. Police involvement and crashes appear in the narratives. Dealers frequently cannot diagnose these events because no trouble codes appear. Multiple owners report bringing cars to Ford dealerships repeatedly without resolution. One owner noted Ford refused full warranty coverage, offering only a 12-month or 12,000-mile parts warranty instead. Cruise control malfunctions also appear—enabling unintended acceleration that brakes cannot counter. Several owners mention other Focus owners with identical problems.
Same Ford Focus cruise control reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2007
Failure modes owners describe
Accelerator pedal stuck or sticking in cold weather
Accelerator pedal becomes difficult to depress or fails to move, particularly in cold mornings or freezing conditions. Owners report needing to tap, push hard, or force the pedal repeatedly to make it respond. Problem often improves or resolves once vehicle warms up.
When: Cold weather conditions; owner #1 reports issue during freezing; owner #7 reports problem returns as weather becomes cold; owner #9 reports on cool morning at 65 mph on expressway; owner #23 reports failure at 86,000 miles; owner #32 reports stuck pedal taking 25 minutes to move in cold weather
Symptoms owners cite: Pedal difficult or impossible to depress in cold weather; Pedal stuck in raised position and will not move; Requires repeated tapping, hard forcing, or body weight to release; Problem intermittent and temperature-dependent; Condition improves after vehicle heats up
Repairs/costs cited: Owner #1 paid $300 including labor for accelerator cable replacement at Ford dealership; mechanic showed cable inside plastic tube was degraded and breaking off; lubrication provided temporary relief; owner #2 paid over $200 at dealership, Jiffy Lube lubricated pulley for temporary help
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner #1 reports Ford dealership confirmed cable replacement needed; owner #7 states Ford dealer in late 2010 found no problem during cold weather; owner #23 reports dealer denied assistance
Accelerator cable malfunction with internal cable degradation
Accelerator cable inside protective plastic tube becomes enlarged, damaged, or breaks apart, preventing cable from retracting properly. When cable diameter increases during pedal depression, it cannot return to resting position, causing continuous acceleration. Cable coating deteriorates inside tube.
When: Owner #1 reports issue at unspecified mileage; owner #5 reports at 150,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Unintended acceleration after normal pedal press; Vehicle accelerates and will not decelerate even with brake applied; Pedal stuck in depressed position; Cable visible to mechanic inside plastic tube showing enlargement and damage
Repairs/costs cited: Owner #1 cable replacement cost $300 including labor at Ford dealership; mechanic showed cable part inside plastic tube was degraded and breaking off; cable diameter increased after pressing, preventing retraction; owner #5 mechanic reported PCV blowing air into plastic tube of accelerator cable
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner #1 agreed to fix at own cost after Ford dealership diagnosis; owner #5 manufacturer not made aware initially
Unintended acceleration at various speeds with unresponsive brakes
Vehicle accelerates without driver input, often starting at moderate highway speeds (35-75 mph) and climbing further (up to 80-90 mph). Brake pedal becomes unresponsive or requires excessive force. Shifting to neutral or turning off engine required to stop vehicle. Multiple dealers unable to diagnose when brought in for inspection.
When: Owner #3 reports two occurrences (November 2011 and January 2013) on Interstate 85; owner #5 at 55-60 mph accelerating to 90 mph at 150,000 miles; owner #8 at 35 mph with cruise control activated, vehicle reached 80 mph at 124,000 miles; owner #10 at 35 mph, failure at 32,500 miles; owner #12 at various speeds at 32,000 miles; owner #14 while driving on interstate; owner #15 at 35-40 mph near Midway Airport Chicago; owner #17 at 30 mph resulting in crash at 95,000 miles; owner #20 at 65 mph at 59,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle accelerates unintentionally to high speeds (80-90 mph range common); Brake pedal fails to slow vehicle or requires repeated hard application; No warning codes or diagnostic trouble codes present; Acceleration continues even with foot off pedal; Only way to stop is shifting to neutral or turning off engine; Brakes may show burning smell from excessive friction
Repairs/costs cited: Owner #8 independent mechanic disabled cruise control wires (vehicle not fully repaired); owner #10 two dealers unable to diagnose due to no failure codes; owner #3 had vehicle towed to dealership for diagnosis; owner #5 dealer in process of diagnosis, police stated brakes failed; owner #14 Ford offered only 12,000 mile or 12-month parts warranty, not covering full repair cost; owner #17 vehicle destroyed in crash and towed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner #3 in process of talking to Ford Corporation about incident; owner #5 manufacturer made aware; owner #8 manufacturer notified; owner #10 manufacturer notified but did not assist; owner #14 Ford refused warranty coverage; owner #20 manufacturer notified
Accelerator pedal stuck in depressed position requiring force to release
Accelerator pedal becomes stuck in partially or fully depressed position and will not return to idle even with no foot pressure. Owners must apply repeated force, tapping, or lifting to release pedal. Problem occurs at random speeds and traffic conditions, creating dangerous situations.
When: Owner #6 stuck between shifts at 55 mph on highway; owner #7 occurs intermittently at various speeds at 70 mph, problem reappeared as weather became cold; owner #16 intermittent for three months at 73,000 miles; owner #18 at 30 mph at 50,000 miles; owner #24 at 80,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Pedal cannot be depressed past current position; Pedal stuck even when driver removes foot; Requires repeated tapping or hard pressure to release; Vehicle slows dramatically when pedal stuck in raised position; Intermittent nature makes problem difficult to replicate; Problem may recur within minutes of temporary fix
Repairs/costs cited: Owner #7 brought car to dealership for evaluation; owner #18 taken to independent mechanic who was unable to duplicate failure
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner #23 dealer denied assistance; owner #24 manufacturer aware but did not offer assistance
Idle surge and rough running with independent acceleration
Engine surges, races, or idles high without driver input, particularly when stationary or at low speeds. Vehicle may hesitate to stop when brake is applied. Engine runs rough during these events. Problem occurs from very low mileage on some vehicles.
When: Owner #11 from 50 miles (new car) to 53,000 miles; owner #13 engine racing at a stop with no foot on pedal; owner #19 RPMs accelerate when shifting from park to drive; owner #21 at red light while idling with brake depressed, recurred four times at 55,300 miles; owner #25 no pattern, happens perhaps half-dozen times; owner #26 at 5 mph at 5,000 miles; owner #27 at 12 mph at 42,000 miles; owner #29 at 5 mph at 154,163 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine races or revs independently without driver input; High idle RPMs without foot on accelerator; Engine runs rough during surge events; Vehicle hesitates to stop when brake applied; Occurs at idle or very low speeds
Repairs/costs cited: Owner #11 taken to authorized dealer on several occasions, unable to diagnose; owner #12 tires replaced on several occasions due to failure; owner #13 dealer found nothing wrong with car; owner #21 dealer unable to duplicate failure; owner #25 only recourse is to shift to neutral and press accelerator so engine slows
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner #11 unable to diagnose failure; owner #13 dealer found nothing wrong despite NHTSA recalls on similar Ford models; owner #21 dealer unable to duplicate
Cruise control malfunction causing unintended acceleration
Cruise control system activates or causes vehicle to accelerate unintentionally. When engaged, vehicle fails to maintain set speed and instead accelerates dramatically. Brakes fail to slow vehicle when cruise control is engaged.
When: Owner #2 notes speed control (cruise control) would release accelerator and increase speed temporarily but eventually stops working; owner #8 cruise control activated at 35 mph causing acceleration to 80 mph at 124,000 miles; owner #30 speed control got stuck before, gas throttle sticks at 45+ mph
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control engages and causes unintended acceleration; Vehicle accelerates beyond set speed; Brakes ineffective at reducing speed when cruise engaged; Speed control becomes stuck intermittently
Repairs/costs cited: Owner #8 independent mechanic disabled cruise control wires
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner #8 cruise control disabled by mechanic as solution
Synthesized from 35 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
When the weather gets cold, the accelerator pedal sticks. This time it took 25 min of the car running for it to move. You can push on the accelerator and nothing happens. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford focus. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact shifted the vehicle into the neutral position in order to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford focus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle accelerated independently and the vehicle swerved from side to side. As a result, the brake pedal required excessive force in order to control the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 59,000.
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…
Had cruise control trouble with your 2005 Ford Focus?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2005 Ford Focus?
It's a meaningful issue. 35 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 28 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 49,502 and 124,000 miles, with the median around 74,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 49,502; a quarter make it past 124,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2005/Ford/Focus.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.