2001 FORD FOCUS Complaints

KEY WILL NOT GO ALL THE WAY INTO IGNITION CYLINDER ON 2001 FORD FOCUS, SO THE CAR CANNOT BE STARTED. IT APPEARS THAT MANY FOR FORD FOCUS OWNERS, BUT FORD WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A RECALL IS NEEDED. *TR

THE REAR SEAT CENTER SEAT BELT IS INTERMITTENTLY LOCKED IN THE RETRACTED POSITION AND YOU NEVER CAN RELY ON IT TO BE USED. IT SEEMS TO HAVE A MIND OF ITS OWN. CURRENTLY OURS IS LOCKED SO TIGHT IN THE RETRACTED POSITION, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PULL IT OUT AND USE IT. *TR

I HAVE A FUEL PUMP PROBLEM WITH MY 2001 FORD FOCUS STATION WAGON. IF THE GAS GETS BELOW 1/2 TANK, THE ENGINE STALLS AND THE MOTOR STARVES FOR FUEL, BUT THERE IS ABOUT 1/2 TANK OF GAS IN THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE NOW IN 30 DAYS. *TR

THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING TO THE FAILURE. I WALKED OUT TO MY CAR AFTER WORK, LATE AND NIGHT, IN A DARK, EMPTY PARKING LOT, AND TRY AND START MY CAR. MY IGNITION WILL NOT TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT TURN. I TRIED FOR 30 MIN TO GET IT WORKING BEFORE I GAVE UP. IT JUST HAPPENED, NO WARNING OF AN ISSUE. I DO NOT SEE THIS TO JUST BE WEAR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. SPORADICALLY, WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND THEN RESTART MOMENTS LATER. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE ENGINE AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY CABLES. THE DEALER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V288000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BATTERY:CABLES); THEREFORE, SHE WAS NOT ENTITLED TO ANY REIMBURSEMENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000. UPDATED 09/10/08 *BF UPDATED 09/17/08. *JB

THERMOSTAT HOUSING HAS STARTED LEAKING COOLANT. THIS IS REPORTEDLY A COMMON FAILURE ON FOCUS WITH 2.0L DOHC ENGINE (ZETEC). THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING FAILURE MAY OR MAY NOT BE A CONNECTION TO THE VALVE COVER LEAKING OIL ONTO THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING AND HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH PRODUCES A FAINTLY NOTICEABLE BURNING SMELL WHEN DRIVING. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE HESITATED, AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, SURGED, AND EXPERIENCED OTHER SIMILAR SYMPTOMS. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED TWICE WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE BECAME SLUGGISH AND STALLED AT ANY SPEED. AFTER WAITING 20 TO 40 MINUTES, THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL SERVICE STATION FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V482000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 07/29/08 *BF UPDATED 08/07/08 THE DEALER LOWERED THE FUEL TANK, REMOVED THE OLD FUEL PUMP AND FOUND THE SCREEN IN THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. UPDATED 08/07/08

WAS DRIVING HOME AND ENGINE BEGAN KNOCKING AND GOT LOUDER AND WHEN I RETURNED HOME HAD MY HUSBAND LOOK AT IT AND FOUND 3 MOTOR MOUNTS WERE RUSTED OFF. DEALERSHIP REPLACED MOTOR MOUNTS A WEEK LATER AT MY COST AND DIDN'T GIVE ME A RENTAL CAR. *TR

KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE BEHAVES AS IF THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND WILL NOT ALLOW THE KEY TO TURN. *TR

WHILE MY YOUNG DAUGHTER AND I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY 65MPH, I SMELLED RUBBER BURNING, LOOKED IN MY REARVIEW AND SMOKE COMING FROM MY CAR, I TURNED RADIO DOWN AND HEARD THE LOUD WHINING SOUND AS I TRIED TO PULL TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF ROAD WAS A LOUD CRUNCHING NOISE AND I FELT SOMETHING HITTING UNDER MY DRIVER SIDE FLOOR, I HAD TROUBLE STEERING THE CAR BUT DID GET IT PULLED OVER, AFTER MY HUSBAND INSPECTED THE CAR BRIEFLY WE NOW KNOW THAT THE COIL SPRING BROKE CUT INTO MY TIRE AND OTHER DAMAGES, MY FRONT FENDERS WERE ACTUALLY SITTING ON MY TIRES. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED HOME WE DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. I AM THE ONLY OWNER OF THIS CAR. AFTER LOOKING AT OTHER COMPLAINTS I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT I HAVE HAD ALOT OF THESE PROBLEM AS WELL. MY CAR HAS SEEN THE BACK OF A TOW TRUCK MORE THAN ITS SHARE. *TR