2001 FORD FOCUS Complaints

CONSUMER IGNITION CYLINDER WOULD NOT TURN. *TX THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP AND EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE TO BE RE-CODED. *JB

(1) AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STARTED FLASHING ON FOR A LITTLE WHILE THEN GOING OUT A FEW DAYS BEFORE ACCIDENT. (2) IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING AND WITHOUT CAUSE IN TURN CAUSING ME TO RELEASE CLUTCH AND BUMP IN TO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. ADDITIONALLY AIRBAG CAUSED 2ND DEGREE BURNS ON MY LEFT WRIST AND SPRAINED KNUCKLES ON RIGHT HAND. (3) CAR IS CURRENTLY AT AUTOWAY FORD FOR EVALUATION/REPAIR. *JB

WHEN ACCELERATING IN VARIOUS INCLINES OR DECLINE MY CAR CHOKES AND HESITATES AS IF IT HAS WATER IN THE GAS LINE OR THE FUEL FILTER IS CLOGGED. IT STARTS TO JERK AND SPUTTER AND REFUSES TO ACCELERATE IF I PUSH ON THE PEDAL INSTEAD IT CHOKES OUT. EITHER THE CAR DIES RIGHT THERE OR I MANAGE TO PULL IT OVER AND LET IT DIE ON ITS OWN AS SOON AS I COME TO A STOP. TROUBLE RESTARTING THE CAR AS IF TO MUCH AIR INTAKE TO CHOKE IT OUT. FINALLY IT STARTS AND IT RUNS AFTER BLOWING THE LINES BEFORE PUTTING IT INTO DRIVE IT'S GOOD FRO MAYBE ANOTHER 10 15 MILES AND THE AGAIN IT STARTS PUTTERING AND WANTED TO DIE NO CHOICE BUT TO LET IT DIE TO RESTART. CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES HAVE HAD A COLLAPSED FUEL LINE AND HAS BEEN REPLACE BUT STILL THE PROBLEM PERSISTS AGAIN WHEN IT'S IN THE SHOP IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AND YET THEY DO NOT DRIVE IT AT THE TIME ITS NORMALLY DRIVEN OR AT THE EXTREMES OF THE TRAFFIC WHILE IT HAPPENS SO AS TO SEE WHAT IT DOES. A BEST EXPLANATION YOU CAN FIND FROM A MECHANIC IS NO PROBLEM SEEABLE. AND YET THERE IS ONE FROM US THE PURCHASER. *JB

CLUTCH PEDAL FAILED DUE TO FAILED/DEFECTIVE WELD, LEADING TO DAMAGE TO CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER. WELD SHOWED INDICATION OF INSUFFICIENT HEAT PENETRATION. DEFECTIVE PART SHOULD HAVE NOT PASSED QUALITY INSPECTION. DEFECTIVE PART AVAILABLE. CAR STRANDED IN GEAR. *NM

I HAVE A 2001 FORD FOCUS AND THERE IS AN EXHAUST TUBE THAT RUNS OFF THE RIGHT SIDE (LOOKING FROM THE FRONT) OF THE MANIFOLD WHICH BROKE FROM RUSTING. I SEARCHED SOME FORUMS ONLINE AND FOUND THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. MY CAR ONLY HAS 60000 MILES ON IT SO I DON'T BELIEVE IT SHOULD OF RUSTED AND CRACKED LIKE IT DID. *NM

DT: WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED AND OPERATED AT A REDUCED SPEED. WENT BACK AND FORTH EVENTUALLY ALLOWING THE ENGINE TO DIE. THIS HAPPENED AT ALL SPEEDS. THERE WAS LOSS OF POWER. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT RESTART EASILY. IT MAY TAKE 20-30 MINUTES TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO A DEALER. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE CONSUMER HAS NO IDEA WHY THIS HAPPENED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL, NHTSA 03V482000 CONCERNING THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD, AND FORD STATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

THE IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT PERMIT THE CAR TO START. THE SWITCH (XS4Z-11582-AC CVR ASY AUX FL) HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, ONCE AT 41,407 MILES AND AGAIN AT 57,834 MILES. THE DEALER AND AAA PROVIDED A TEMPORARY REMEDY TO THE STRANDED DRIVER, WHICH IS "WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, HIT IT HARD WITH A HAMMER TO ENGAGE THE IGNITION ASSEMBLY." AAA KEEPS SPARE FORD FOCUS IGNITION SWITCHES IN ITS EMERGENCY SERVICE SUPPORT TRUCKS. *JB

LAST 2 YEARS HAVE HAD PROBLEMS PUTTING KEY IN IGNITION AND TURNING IT. I HAVE HAD TO JIGGLE IT AND PUSH IT IN. I GOT STRANDED AT WORK BECAUSE THE KEY WOULD NOT GO IN THE IGNITION AND TURN. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO DEALER AND THEY SAID IGNITION CYLINDER HAD TO BE REPLACED COSTING ME $392.00 FOR THE PART!!!!!! THEY SAID THAT MY STEERING COLUMN COULD POSSIBLY BREAK DURING INSTALLATION! *JB

2001 FORD FOCUS DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL PUMP.*MR THE CONSUMER SON RECEIVED RECALL 03N01 ON THE FUEL PUMP AND HAD IT REPLACED AT THE DEALER. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. ON SEPTEMBER 6TH THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NAPLES FORD AND THE CONSUEMR'S SON WAS TOLD THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD INDREED FAILED AGAIN. THE DEALER WAS INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THEY COULD NOT REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AGAIN FREE OF CHARGE. *NM

DT:THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS LX. THE IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP , AND WHEN THE CONTACT GOT THE BILL IT WAS $500, INCLUDING TOWING. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED TWICE IN NOVEMBER 2003. IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, AND AGAIN ON AUGUST 8, 2005 IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. THE REPAIR INVOICE FOR AUGUST 8, 2005 STATED DIAGNOSTIC KEY WILL NOT TURN IN IGNITION, NECESSARY TO REMOVE STEERING BEZELS, REMOVE IGNITION SWITC TO DRILL LOCK CYLINDER, REMOVE GUTS AND HOUSING. ALSO, IT WAS NECESSARY TO CODE NEW LOCK CYLINDER AND INSTALL IT. THIS COST $257.00. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS TTHE DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH CYLINDER. THE COST $103.66 AND THE TOWING WAS $85.00 . THE SECOND TIME ALL THIS WAS OUT OF POCKET, BUT THE FIRST TIME IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS REIMBURSED $195, 50% OF THE PARTS AND LABOR. *NM