2000 FORD FOCUS Complaints

IN JULY 2015 I STARTED TO NOTICE A SMELL OF GAS WHENEVER I WAS OUTSIDE MY CAR WHETHER DRIVING OR NOT. I LIVE IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WHERE THE SUMMER TEMPS ARE TYPICALLY OVER 100 DEGREES AND CAN GO AS HIGH AS 114 (OR MORE, ON RARE OCCASIONS). MY MECHANIC WENT OVER THE VEHICLE TWICE IN AUG AND SEPT. THEY PRESSURIZED THE FUEL SYSTEM AND DID NOT FIND ANY LEAKS. AS THE WEATHER COOLED IN WINTER THE SMELL WENT AWAY. IN JANUARY 2016 WE HAD AN UNUSUALLY HOT WEEK, AT FIRST I DID NOT USE THE AC. I NOTICED THAT THE GAS SMELL WAS BACK...BUT ONLY WHEN THE AC WAS NOT ON. IF THE AC IS ON I DO NOT SMELL GAS. DURING THE SUMMER I ONLY SMELLED THE GAS WHEN OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS YEAR I ALSO SMELL IT INSIDE THE CAR. I HAVE NOT BEEN TO THE DEALER. I HAVE LOOKED FOR RECALL INFO REGARDING THIS AND DO NOT FIND ANY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE RPMS INCREASED. THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED OVER A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A HOUSE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE INSURANCE FACILITY AND THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND HEAVY SMOKE APPEARED. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND JUMPED OUT. THERE WERE FLAMES UNDER THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE NEAR THE ENGINE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.

VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING FROM A TRAFFIC STOP ON A FOUR LANE CITY STREET. AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET BEYOND STOP THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND BEGAN SWERVING INTO ONCOMING LANES. BREAKS AND STEERING WERE INEFFECTUAL. BECAUSE OF SLOW SPEED, VEHICLE STOPPED WITHING TWENTY TO FORTY FEET. INITIAL INSPECTION ON SITE INDICATED THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE LOWER SUSPENSION ARM AND DRIVE SHAFT. INSPECTION BY A QUALIFIED MECHANIC AND INSURANCE ADJUSTER STATED THAT RUST HAD WEAKENED SUSPENSION ARM CAUSING IT TO BREAK APPROXIMATELY 5.5 INCHES INWARD FROM THE BALL-JOINT ATTACHMENT POINT. BECAUSE OF THE SLOW SPEED AND LIGHT TRAFFIC THERE WERE NO CASUALTIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. THIS VEHICLE WHILE BEING FIFTEEN YEARS OLD HAS ONLY SEVENTY-SIX THOUSAND MILE AND IS GARAGE KEPT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHIFTING INTO THE DRIVE POSITION, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED TO 20 MPH. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

I WAS DRIVING AND MY HEADLIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE CAR JUST QUIT RUNNING AFTER 10 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND GET HOME I HAVE HAD THIS CAR (2000 FORD FOCUS) FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR THE PLACE I PURCHASED IT FROM DID NOT TELL ME ABOUT ANY PROBLEMS BUT I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS FOR THE WHOLE TIME AND THEY HAVE ONLY GOTTEN WORSE I HAVE PUT AN ALTERNATOR ON IT AND CHANGED A COUPLE OF WIRES THAT WERE MELTED BUT IT DID NOT HELP! I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR NOW ESPECIALLY WITH MY 2 YEAR OLD IN IT WITH ME THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE!!!

THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER (WHERE THE KEY INSERTS/TURNS ON THE STEERING COLUMN) LOCKED UP ON ME WITHOUT WARNING, STRANDING ME WHERE I LAST PARKED THE CAR. NO AMOUNT OF LUBRICATION OR QUICK FIXES HELPED. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THE FORD FOCUS IN THAT YEAR RANGE. I'M GETTING QUOTES FROM LOCKSMITHS IN THE $250 RANGE. LUCKILY I WASN'T STRANDED IN A BAD PLACE! *TR

VEHICLE TURNING AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE SPPEDING. PER INSURANCE COMPANY, VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. PAID FOR REPAIRS, THEN REALIZED THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2000 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE CONTACT STEPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE AS IT FILLED WITH SMOKE AND THEN CAUGHT FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,450.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, SMOKE EMITTED THROUGH THE VENTS AND THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND STATED THAT THE FIRE INITIATED AT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A POLICE AND A FIRE REPORT WERE NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000. UPDATED 2/24/15*CN UPDATED 9/11/2017*CN