2001 FORD FOCUS Complaints

IGNITION CYLINDER LOCK UP- I DO NOT KNOW WHAT LED TO THE LOCK UP. A FEW DAYS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED MY EMISSION LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN WENT OUT A FEW DAYS LATER. I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION CYLINDER LOCK UP... PLEASE RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER DRIVING ON BUMPY ROAD CONDITIONS T A CLANKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE STABILIZER BAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THE PIVOT JOINT HAD WORN OUT PREMATURELY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STABILIZER BAR. *AK UPDATED 2/7/2006 - *NM

WENT SO SEARS AUTO CENTER AT 9570 SOUTH WEST FREEWAY HOUSTON TEXAS 77074. FOR A TIRE CHANGE THEY CHARGE 156.00 AND ALSO TOLD ME THAT MY CAR ROTORS WERE BROKEN AND NEED SHOE/PAD TO BE REPLACED. AND CAR NOT TO BE DRIVEN. TOTAL AMOUNT 571.00. CALLED NEXT MORNING TO CANCEL WORK BECAUSE I DECIDED TO TAKE TO DEALER FORD. BUT THAT TIME CAR WASN'T FIXED YET CAUSE THEY TOLD ME TO PAY FIRST BUT I DIDN'T HAVE A CREDIT CARD WITH ME THAT NIGHT SO I LEFT IT THERE AND TOOK BUS. THEY CHARGE 271. NEXT MORNING FOR SOME SHOE/PAD WHICH I TOOK MY CAR THE THE REGULAR MECHANIC AND THEY TOLD ME THAT SEARS DID NOT CHANGE ANYTHING ON MY CAR. SO I PAY THAT MANY MY CAR IS STILL NOT FIXED. I HAVE TO DRIVE MY CAR BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANOTHER WAY TO MOVE. SO PLEASE HELP ME TO TO GET MY MONEY BACK OR TO GET MY CAR FIXED. *JB

JUST DRIVING TO THE BANK AND THE CAR STARTED TO SPUTTER AS IF IT WAS LOSING POWER WHEN I CAME TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT. I HAVE REPLACED THE AIR FILTER AND THE FUEL FILTER. I CHECKED ALL FUSES. WHEN BRAKING I HAVE TO HAVE ONE FOOT ON BRAKE AND OTHER ON GAS TO GIVE IT A LITTLE GAS SO IT DOESNT STALL. *NM

I OWN A 2001 FORD FOCUS THAT I PURCHASED IN NOV. OF 2001. I HAVE HAD INTERMITTENT STALLING PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR STARTING ABOUT 2 YRS AGO. I HAVE REPLACED FUEL FILTER, SPARK PLUGS ETC ASSUMING THESE WERE THE CAUSES OF THE PROBLEM. ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO, I WAS DRIVING ON I-90 IN NEW YORK STATE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 65 MPH. I WAS FORCED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD FROM THE PASSING LANE WITH A TRACTOR TRAILER BEHIND ME. FORTUNATELY, THAT DRIVER WAS ABLE TO AVOID ME. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP OFF THE ROAD AT AN EXIT ABOUT 1/4 MILE DOWN THE ROAD. I FILLED THE CAR WITH GAS AND THE SYMPTOMS WENT AWAY. THE CAR WAS BELOW 1/4 TANK OF GAS AT THE TIME. I HAVE HAD ONE MORE EPISODE OF THIS PROBLEM A FEW MONTHS AGO ON ANOTHER TRIP (ALSO BELOW 1/4 TANK OF GAS). I FILLED THE CAR WITH GAS AND CHANGED THE SPARK PLUGS AT THAT TIME. HOWEVER, THAT SITUATION DID NOT INVOLVE A NEAR MISS OF AN ACCIDENT. IN MY RESEARCH OF THE PROBLEM, I DISCOVERED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD FOCUS VEHICLES. MY CAR WAS MADE IN THE "INTERIM PERIOD" MENTIONED ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. I CONTACTED FORD'S CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE, BUT WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE SERVICE BULLETIN ALTHOUGH MY SYMPTOMS SEEM TO BE IDENTICAL. I TYPICALLY KEEP MY TANK FILLED EXCEPT ON LONGER TRIPS WHICH PROBABLY HID THE SYMPTOMS UP TO THIS TIME. AT THIS POINT, IT APPEARS THAT THE FUEL PUMP WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE. THIS INCIDENT CAUSED THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. BOTH BUMPERS CRACKED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED THAT NO OTHER MECHANIC LOOK AT THE VEHICLE UNTIL THEY DETERMINE WHAT OCCURRED. *AK

I BOUGHT MY CAR NEW AND ONLY HAVE ABOUT 20,000 MILES ON IT (I LIVE IN THE CITY AND I DON'T DRIVE THAT MUCH). OVER THE LAST 2 WEEKS, THE IGNITION SWITCH ON MY 2001 FOCUS IS STARTING TO FAIL. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AND AFTER READING ALL THE PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET AM WONDERING WHY NO ONE HAS FILED A LAWSUIT OR WHY FORD ISN'T ISSUING A RECALL. I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO SHELLING OUT $300+ TO FIX THEIR PROBLEM. I GOT THE SPARE KEY IN THE IGNITION, SO I JUST LEAVE IT IN ALL THE TIME AND LOCK THE DOORS, AND I TRY TO DRIVE AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE. I GUESS I'LL BE USING MY TAX RETURN TO FIX FORD'S PROBLEM IT'S TOO BAD, MY FAMILY & I HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL FORD CUSTOMERS FOR SEVERAL GENERATIONS, BUT I'LL PROBABLY BUY HONDA NEXT TIME OUT. *JB

MY 2001 FORD FOCUS IS EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH LOCKING UP. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED, HOWEVER, IT IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH A LITTLE COAXING. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I TOOK THE CAR TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $300 AND THAT HE HAS AT LEAST 2 OF THE SAME CAR COME IN A WEEK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I TOLD HIM THANK YOU AND WENT HOME AND CALLED FORD, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE AWARE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM BUT I WOULD NEED TO GET IT CORRECTED ON MY OWN. I AM NOT SURE OF THE FIRST INCIDENT DATE. *JB

I HAVE OWNED A 2001 FORD FOCUS FOR THE PAST 4 PLUS YEARS. I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW AND TODAY THE IGNITION ASSEMBLY BROKE. I LOOKED THIS UP ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. FOR A FACT THE PARTS PERSON AT BAYTOWN FORD EVEN STATED THAT THIS HAPPENS A LOT ON THE FOCUS AND THAT THE NEW PARTS HAVE BEEN FIXED. IT WILL COST BETWEEN 300 AND 600 DOLLARS TO GET THIS FIXED. I BROUGHT THIS CAR FOR THE SECURITY AND SAFETY IT OFFERED NOW BECAUSE FORD USED BAD PARTS I AM HAVING TO SUFFER. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOCKED INTO POSITION WHILE SECURING A CHILD SAFETY SEAT. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RELEASE WHEN SHE TRIED TO UNLOCK IT. THE SEAT BELT HAD TO BE CUT TO GET THE CHILD OUT OF THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT. THE CHILD SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT KEPT GETTING TIGHTER. THERE HAD BEEN NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THE SEAT BELT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK