The Lemon IndexP090C is a standard engine code we haven't explained yet. Full P090C page
20 owner complaints · the #4 code Ford Focus owners name · 7% of Ford Focus complaints that name a code (every car: 0.1%)
Middle of 78,000 miles · most between 4,699 and 100,000 (10 owners gave it)
Ford Focus owners named P090C in 20 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2014, 2015 and 2016 model years, at a middle of 78,000 miles. The part they name most is the transmission computer (TCM) (3 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Ford Focus model years that report P090C
Owner complaints naming P090C, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
Mileage when it happened
78,000 miles is the middle of what 10 owners entered. Half were between 4,699 and 100,000 miles.
The mileage on the complaint form, when the owner gave one.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the transmission computer (TCM), in 3 of the 20 complaints (15%). 2 of those mention it being replaced or repaired, and 1 say the problem came back afterwards. Next: engine software (a reflash) (2).
- Transmission computer (TCM)3 complaints2 mention a repair or replacement, 1 of them says the problem came back · what Ford Focus owners paid
- Software update (reflash)2 complaints2 mention a repair or replacement
8 complaints mention a recall and 7 mention a warranty.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with P090C
60% of these complaints say the check engine light came on.
- Transmission slips or shifts hard55%11 of 20 complaints
- Loses power or goes into limp mode20%4 of 20 complaints
- Stalls or shuts off15%3 of 20 complaints
- Warning lights and electrical faults10%2 of 20 complaints
- Brakes or ABS act up10%2 of 20 complaints
Share of the complaints naming P090C whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
Other codes named in the same Ford Focus complaints, and in how many.
Repair costs
Ford Focus TCM replacement cost
Recalls on these Ford Focus years
- Transmission & drivetrain · 2015, 2016 · issued 2026
The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak. NHTSA 26V376000 - Transmission & drivetrain · 2016 · issued 2018
The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak. NHTSA 18V845000 - Transmission & drivetrain · 2015, 2016 · issued 2018
Also included are four 2017 Ford Focus vehicles that had clutch replacements with potentially affected parts. NHTSA 18V169000
3 recalls for the same systems (powertrain) on the Ford Focus model years above. A recall for the same system isn't proof it's behind P090C. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- P090C: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Ford Focus reliability by year
- 2014 Ford Focus problems and recalls
Other codes Ford Focus owners report
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What P090C means
P090C is a standard (generic) powertrain code. We haven't verified its meaning for Ford yet. A dealer or a scanner with the maker's software can tell you exactly.
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11763818, 11755617, 11744217, 11703609, 11680969, 11676415, 11674945, 11609756, 11556327, 11544438, 11490441, 11487894 and 8 more.
Quick answers
Which Ford Focus years have the most P090C complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2014 (7), 2015 (5), 2016 (3) Ford Focus named P090C most (20 complaints in all, 2012–2016). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes P090C on a Ford Focus?
Owners most often name the transmission computer (TCM) (3 of 20 complaints), then engine software (a reflash). That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
At what mileage does P090C show up on a Ford Focus?
Owners who gave their mileage reported a middle of 78,000 miles; half were between 4,699 and 100,000 (10 owners).
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name P090C on the Ford Focus, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.