2001 FORD FOCUS Complaints

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I ENGAGED THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR BEGAN TO CLANK AND JERK LOUDLY AND VIOLENTLY. I DROVE' THE CAR ABOUT TWO FEET BEFORE THE STEERING SEIZED UP, THE CAR COULD NOT BE PUT INTO NEUTRAL, DIED COMPLETELY, AND HAD TO BE PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ONE OF THE PISTONS, CYLINDER # 1, WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED, DUE TO THE VALVE SEAT FAILURE WHICH SHATTERED THE PISTON, BROKE OFF PIECES OF THE PISTON SKIRT, AND BENT THE CONNECTING ROD. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE CYLINDER WALL, BUT PIECES OF THE PISTON SKIRT WERE FOUND IN THE OIL PAN, AND PIECES OF THE PISTON CROWN WERE FOUND IN THE BOTTOM OF INTAKE MANIFOLD. VALVE SEAT BREAKAGE IN THE OLDER MODEL FOCUS, IS SO COMMON THAT AERA ENGINE REBUILDERS ASSOCIATION ISSUED TWO BULLETINS (TB 1725 & TB 1939) TO ALERT THE INDUSTRY TO THIS ISSUE. THESE BULLETINS STATE THAT THE 'INTAKE VALVE SEATS ARE MADE OF A POWDERED METAL THAT SHATTERS EASILY'. ON OCTOBER 29, 2012, AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED, I PHONED FORD TO REQUEST A REFUND FOR THE COST OF THE PARTS AND WAS INFORMED, THAT SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL NO REFUND COULD BE ISSUED. THE VALVE SEATS HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN MODIFIED FROM THE FAULTY POWDERED METAL TYPE, THIS SHOWS THAT FORD IS AND WAS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. INTERNET ENTRIES THAT OUTLINE THIS PROBLEM ON THE 2001 MODEL CAN BE FOUND AT NUMEROUS WEBSITES, INCLUDING: HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/FORD/FOCUS/2001/. *TR

HEADLIGHT FAILURE. WITH ENGINE RUNNING, WHEN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS TURNED ON, THE HEADLIGHTS (BOTH) DO NOT ALWAYS GO ON. ALSO, AFTER BEING ON FOR A WHILE (OFTEN WITHIN 10 MINUTES, ALMOST ALWAYS WITHIN 20 MINUTES), BOTH HEADLIGHTS WILL SUDDENLY TURN OFF ON THEIR OWN. WHEN HEADLIGHTS GO OFF, DASHBOARD LIGHTS, AND OTHER OUTSIDE LIGHTS, REMAIN ON. WHEN THE SWITCH IS ON, BUT HEADLIGHTS HAVE GONE OFF, IF THE HIGH BEAMS ARE TOGGLED ON AND THEN OFF, THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO ON (FOR A WHILE). THIS SEQUENCE OCCURS REPEATEDLY. UNLESS IT IS DARK (E.G. IF IN TWILIGHT OR IN DAYTIME RAIN), OR UNLESS I CAN SEE THE HEADLIGHT REFLECTIONS, I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THE STATUS OF MY HEADLIGHTS. DEALERSHIP INITIALLY REPLACED A RELAY, WITHOUT SOLVING PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP THEN REPLACED THE "MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH" CONTROLLING TURN SIGNALS AND HIGH BEAMS, WITH SEEMING SUCCESS. I AM IN POSSESSION OF THE FAILED ORIGINAL-EQUIPMENT "MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH". DEALERSHIP WAS UNDERSTANDING AND HELPFUL, BUT WOULD NOT TREAT THIS INTERMITTENT, SUDDEN, REPEATED HEADLIGHT FAILURE AS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE UNDER WARRANTY. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO GAS PUMP FAILURE, AND TO FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING BREAKAGE, WHICH WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. [NOTE ALSO THAT CAR DESIGN DOES NOT ALLOW HEADLIGHTS TO TURN ON OR STAY ON WHEN ENGINE IS OFF - THIS MAY SAVE ACCIDENTAL BATTERY DRAIN, BUT DEPRIVES OPERATOR OF ILLUMINATION OR SIGNALING ABILITY THAT MAY BE NEEDED IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.]

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AND SMELLED A BURNING ODOR JUST AS ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES REDUCED TO ZERO ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V288000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BATTERY:CABLES) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE RECALL WAS EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

ATTEMPTED TO START MY CAR. INSERTED KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND A WARNING CHIME BEGAN. STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND I CANNOT MOVE IT. IGNITION WILL NOT TURN. CANNOT DRIVE AT THIS TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW HOWEVER, THE WINDOW OPENED AND FELL INTO THE DOOR PANEL INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE WINDOW BUT IT WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE WINDOW MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

HEARD CLUNKING NOISE-REAR SUBFRAME IS COMPLETELY ROTTED AND BROKEN ON BOTH SIDES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5MPH THERE WAS A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

DRIVING ON 4 LANE HIGHWAY, CAR SPUTTERS AND STALLS AS IF OUT OF GAS. COASTED OFF ROAD, AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES CAR STARTED AND RAN FINE. CAR HAS BEEN DOING THIS EVERY FEW WEEKS. CHANGED COIL, PLUGS, PLUG WIRES, OXYGEN SENSOR, FUEL FILTER, CAT CONVERTER AND STILL STALLS. THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS WHEN IT STALLS IN FAST TRAFFIC. WE ONLY DRIVE IT NOW DURING DAYLIGHT AND SHORT TRIPS BECAUSE IT IS NOT DEPENDABLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING 5 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A TURN, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS POSSIBLY CAUSED BY THE FUEL SYSTEM FAILING TO TRANSFER TO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V482000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 78,000.

MY 16-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING STALL AND MOVING FORWARD TO EXIT THE PARKING AREA. SHE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 10 MPH WHEN THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. SHE WAS INJURED MOSTLY ON HER RIGHT SIDE FROM THE SEAT BELT AND ALSO BURNS FROM THE AIR BAG ON HER UPPER TORSO AND NECK. BRUISES ON HER LEGS AND VERY, VERY SORE. *TR