2000 FORD FOCUS Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT IS UNABLE TO PLACE THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION WITHOUT FORCE. AFTER ADDING OIL INTO THE CYLINDER THE KEY CAN BE PLACED INTO THE IGNITION NORMALLY; HOWEVER, AFTER A SHORT TIME THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER WOULD HAVE TO REPLACED AND BECAUSE THERE ARE NO CURRENT RECALLS NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE PARKING LAMP AND TAIL LAMPS WERE NONFUNCTIONAL. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE FUSE ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE'S POWER LOCK SYSTEM ALSO FAILED TO OPERATE. SHE DISCOVERED THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE DECK LID HARNESS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V411000 - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM;WIRING IS RELATED TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE VIN NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,300. UPDATED 11/06/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, SHE NOTICED THE DASHBOARD WAS NOT LIT AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO READ THE SPEEDOMETER. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE WORKING. THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE FUSE AND THE DASHBOARD LIT UP PROPERLY. HOWEVER, A SHORT WHILE LATER THE FUSE BLEW AGAIN. THE CONSUMER ALSO DISCOVERED THE TAIL LIGHTS AND PARKING LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING AS WELL. ALSO, THE POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED 4 WIRES HAD BEEN COMPLETELY SEVERED, AND ALL THE OTHERS HAD BARE PATCHES WHERE THE INSULATION HAD RUBBED OFF. THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM, BUT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. UPDATED 11/10/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE STALLED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FUEL FILTER, SPARK PLUGS, AND WIRING WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON THREE OR FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V482000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

IGNITION WAS WORKING FINE. TWENTY MINUTES LATER, THE KEY WOULD GO IN THE IGNITION, BUT WOULD NOT TURN. MY VEHICLE IS IN PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. I FOUND OUT THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH 2000-2004 FORD FOCUS. MINE IS A 2000. AGGRAVATED THAT FORD HAS NOT BEEN MADE RESPONSIBLE TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES. NOT ONLY DO I HAVE AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR, I MISSED A DAY OF WORK BECAUSE I WAS STRANDED. *TR

THE EARLY YEARS FORD FOCUS, 2000 - 2002 ARE EXPERIENCING A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE THAT CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME. THIS PROBLEM INVOLVES THE VALVE SEAT ON THE INTAKE VALVE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. THE VALVE SEAT CRACKS, BREAKS APART AND FALLS INTO THE CYLINDER DESTROYING THE PISTON, HEAD AND BLOCK CYLINDER WALL ON THE SINGLE OVER HEAD CAM (SOHC) 2.0 LITER ENGINES - VIN 'P'. IT IS SUCH A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS RUNNING OUT OF PARTS. AUTO PART STORES KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM. PISTON RING MANUFACTURERS KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM. BOTH OF WHICH ARE SELLING PARTS AT VERY HIGH VOLUMES RELATED TO THE ENGINE FAILURE. MACHINE SHOPS ALL KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND STATE THAT IT GOES FURTHER BACK TO THE FORD ESCORT MODEL ALSO. SALVAGE YARDS KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND ARE GETTING 10 PHONE CALLS A DAY FOR USED SOHC ENGINES. SALVAGE YARDS ARE SELLING ANY AND ALL SOHC ENGINE AS SOON AS THEY GET THEM IN IN VEHICLES. OWNERS WHO CHOOSE TO REPLACE THEIR ENGINES WITH 'USED' SALVAGED ENGINES ARE ENCOUNTERING THE DROPPED VALVE SEAT PROBLEM AGAIN AS THE REPLACEMENT ENGINES FAIL AT APPROXIMATELY 100K MILES ALSO - JUST AS THE ORIGINAL HAD FAILED. FORD MOTOR COMPANY KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM AND IS PROVIDING THE OPTION OF INSTALLING A SALVAGED ENGINE. COST FOR INSTALLING A SALVAGED ENGINE WITH UNVERIFIABLE MILES HAS BEEN QUOTED AT $1250 FOR THE ENGINE, $2500 TO $3000 TOTAL FOR INSTALLATION. THIS PROBLEM IS GREATER AND LARGER THAN THE 'FUEL PUMP' SAFETY ISSUE AND THE 'BRAKE' ISSUE. THE VALVE SEAT CAN AND DOES BREAK AT ANY TIME - THIS PROBLEM IS SHOWING UP IN LATER YEARS ALSO, 2003. *TR

AFTER STALLING OUT THE ENGINE OF MY 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION IN 1ST GEAR, THE CAR WOULDN'T START AGAIN AND IN FACT LOST ALL POWER. IT WAS JUMP STARTED, BUT IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR, IT SPUTTERED AND LURCHED FORWARD, THEN DIED AGAIN. WE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE SHOP AS IT WAS UNDRIVABLE. LUCKY WE WERE JUST IN A PARKING LOT AND NOT OUT ON THE ROAD OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. EVEN THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS WOULD NOT TURN ON DUE TO NO POWER. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THE BATTERY IS COMPLETELY DEAD AND THAT THE BATTERY CABLES WERE MELTED. *TR

FORD FOCUS KEY WILL NOT TURN IN LOCK LEAVING ME AND FAMILY STRANDED IN THE HEAT UNTIL A LOCKSMITH COMES. HAPPENS OVER AND OVER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DOORS WOULD NOT REMAIN CLOSED AND RANDOMLY OPENED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR STOPPED WORKING FIRST AND WAS REPAIRED BY THE CONTACT. CURRENTLY, THE FAILURE IS OCCURRING TO THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, HE FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V030000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH). THE FORD MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. HE BELIEVES THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL SINCE THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000. UPDATED 8/10/09 *CN UPDATED 08/13/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL WITH THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. HE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS HEAD DUE TO THE GRAB HANDLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE GRAB RAIL IN THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE BECAUSE IT PROTRUDES FROM THE HEAD LINER IN A FOLDED POSITION. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 06/29/09 *BF UPDATED 07/02/09.*JB

2000 FORD FOCUS SE, PURCHASED NEW 04/2001 --- 06/02 - CAR DIED ON FATHERS DAY, REPLACED BATTERY WITH ONE FROM AUTO ZONE; ?/03 - AT SERVICE CALL FOR RECALL OF HARNESS WIRING, COMPLAINED ABOUT LED LIGHTS FLICKERING, NO PROBLEM FOUND; 10/05 - CAR DIED, TOWED TO FORD, BATTERY REPLACED; 12/06 - SERVICE AT FORD, COMPLAINED ABOUT LED LIGHTS FLICKERING AGAIN, NO REMEDY; 06/07 - CAR DIED, TOWED TO CHRYSLER DEALER (MY EMPLOYER), COULD NOT LOCATE PROB, CHARGED BATTERY, 06/07 CAR DIED, REPLACED BATTERY; 06/07 CAR DIED, TOWED TO CHRYSLER - REPLACED ALTERNATOR; 09/08, IGNITION LOCKED/REPLACED; 02/09 CAR DIED, TOWED TO FORD, REPLACED BATTERY; 06/09, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES AT 35-40 MPH. POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE INSULATION MELTED. SERVICE AT DODGE (EMPLOYER) - REROUTE POSITIVE CABLE DIRECTLY TO BOLT ON CONNECTOR TO BATTERY, PROBLEM CONTINUES - CARRIED TO FORD, THEY ADVISE ALTERNATOR IS BAD AND MUST BE REPLACED. ---- 9 YEARS, 5 BATTERIES, 3 ALTERNATORS, PROBLEM NOT CORRECTED. DEALER CONTINUES TO TREAT THE SYMPTOMS, NOT CURE THE DISEASE. SOMETHING IS CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN CONTINUOUSLY. NUMEROUS FOCUS OWNERS AT LEAST THROUGH 2003 EXPERIENCE SAME ISSUES. SERVICE ADVISOR ADMITTED TO ME THAT THEY "REPLACE A LOT OF BATTERIES AND ALTERNATORS IN FOCUSES" AND THAT "IT SEEMS TO BE INORDINATELY HIGH NUMBERS". OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR INCLUDE 3 SETS OF INFERIOR BRAKE PADS (FINALLY HAD A GOOD SET INSTALLED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC) AND CRACKED MOTOR MOUNTS CAUSING INTENSE VIBRATION ESPECIALLY WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. SEEKING REMEDY FOR ELECTRICAL ISSUES - CONSIDERING CONSULTING ATTORNEY TO START CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THIS CAR FOR PAST 2 YEARS, FINALLY KNUCKLED AND BOUGHT HER A GREAT CHRYSLER PT CRUISER FOR HER PERSONAL SAFETY. I AM NOT IN A POSITION TO ACQUIRE ANOTHER VEHICLE FOR MYSELF AND MUST CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE FOCUS UNTIL OTHERWISE CAPABLE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. WILL NEVER BUY FORD AGAIN. *TR