2001 FORD Focus

Passenger side control arm broke causing me to reck the vehicle

Key wont turn in ignition

Ignition key gets stuck and will not turn. Will cost me around $200 to fix the problem.

contamination of fuel filer, surging, loss of power,and stalled out

tail light wiring failure; quoted more than the vehicle is worth for repairs.

Ignition stopped working

Key won’t turn to start my car. I can’t see the mileage because the key won’t turn to accessory.

Ignition switch refuses to turn/locked up. Unable to start vehicle due to this problem.

2001 Ford Focus SE after owing the car for 5 months the car would have trouble starting and even stall while driving. After doing some research it appeared to be the fuel pump. There was a recall but not for my VIN number. Even if my VIN number had been recalled the recall was for 10 Years and it is past that. Not two weeks after getting it back from the fuel pump problem after driving the car on a few errands the key would not turn and the car would not start. Again after doing some research yet another common problem with this car. Will have to wait until Monday to look into having it fixed. NEVER AGAIN A FORD!!!

I was at the store with my Son (12 years old) and my grandson (3 years old), when we went to leave the key would not turn and the steering wheel was locked up. It was very cold outside, after about an hour I got a hold of someone to come pick us up. When I got home I did some internet research and found out this is a common issue and No recall? No car, cant pick my daughter up at her friends house (she is stranded), cant take my Grandson home and have to figure out a way to work tomorrow. This is a major safety issue leaving people stranded without warning. Especially if there are health issues or children involved. My dad is 73 and loves Ford, he was surprised and disappointed about this also. What is Ford thinking?.. Greed and money.

Key would not turn in the ignition. Eventually was able to get it to turn again by banging on the key. This problem is VERY easy to find on the internet, and is very well known. It is pretty commonly accepted that the issue is internal parts of the ignition sticking. Locksmiths seem to be able to fix the ignition assembly for around 150.00 – 200.00 rather than the 500.00 that the Ford Dealership wants for the same work.

key will no longer turn the ignition.

The ignition switch jammed, this is a problem be cause a severe ice storm was approaching and I could not start or move my car.

On 2 separate occasions, my Ford Focus just stopped in middle of rush hour traffic., and would not start.
I had it towed to GILBOY FORD in ALLENTOWN, PA where I purchased the vehicle in 2001. I know there is
a recall on the Fuel Pump and Differential Pressure Feedback, EGR, (DPFE) Sensor. The
The service department said they could not find a problem. THE SERVICE MANAGER BECAME VERY NASTY.
I KNOW THIS RECALL APPLIES WITHOUT REGARD TO AGE OR MILEAGE OF THE FOCUS.

Ignition switch/key locked on steering column. AAA towed to Ford dealership; $60 to diagnose and estimate to do repair: approx. $500 – declined.
Paid private party through local NAPA auto parts store to fix for $250. Since this is such a common problem with 2001 Ford Focus, I resent having to pay the $60 when they already knew what was needed to be done to fix the problem. Total Rip-off. This should have been covered under a recall.

stalls, miss fires, runs rough

While I was driving on in Feb 2003, my car suddenly shut down entirely. I nearly missed hitting a parked car. My steering wheel locked, the brakes wouldn’t work and hazard lights wouldn’t turn on, as if the car completely shut down. If I’d been on the Freeway it would definitely caused an accident, I was able to make it slant and then pulled my emergency brake. I waited a few minutes restarted it and it worked. That same day I took it to the dealer to have it checked and they found nothing wrong. I also called Ford and filed a complaint the same day. Also I’ve had to have the dealer replace the key ignition twice.

While driving car suddenly stopped, it only allowed me to pull to the curb. Car had to be towed to dealer since it is totally disabled. Mechanic says the computer needs to be replaced and warranty has expired. I purchased and additional warranty that was no help to me since it does not cover this problem. I want to find out if there are any other similar complaints. I\’ve had this car 3 1/2 years and I feel my problems are barely starting. Any help you can provide me with will be greatly appreciated.

Where do I begin??? The problems listed do not detail half of what has gone wrong. I’ve spent thousands of dollars in repairs to a vehicle that I bought brand new off the lot. A couple of months after purchase the rotors and brake system was replaced. Because of engine stalling the entire exhaust system has been replaced. I had to get an EGR tube and IAC b/c there was an exhaust leak. The PCV valves have been replaced 4 times and the PCV valve assembly twice. Every time I take the vehicle in to get a repair something new is wrong within a month. There are many more that I won’t detail but my main complaint is the fuel system. I heard of a recall on the fuel delivery module and my vehicle was experiencing the symptoms. I took the car in and the dealer first pretended to not know of the recall but remembered when I explained it to them. They checked(?) the system and claimed that there was no problem and tried to charge me for a diagnostic (this was december 2003). My car has continued to skip and surge (the surge caused an accident at a red light) since that time. Now my vehicle will not start and the mechanic says that it is the fuel delivery module so now I have to get my car towed to ford so that they can replace something that should have been replaced 19 months ago.

when transmission shifts into 3rd gear it freewheels and or will not pull

When I first got the car it was a bit chill, I tried to turn the heat on and it gave me freezing air. I bought the car in upstate NY and was going back to CT where I live. A 5

Well from the begining I have had problems with my focus. I bought the car after reading consumer reports saftey ratings…Since the day I bought the car my brakes have squeaked very loudly I took it back the ford dealer where I bought the 2 days after and was told no problem could be found. They still squeak after 4 years and 2 brake jobs. During the first 6 months of owning the car I the car stalled 3 times and was returned to the ford dealer 3 times once again I was told no problem could be found. I took the car in for my 40,000 mile full spectrum inspection and was given a clean bill of health (2004). A few months later while driving on a major metro street the car stalled and who no longer go. After getting the car towed to the nearest ford dealer it was discovered there was a recall on my fuel line in 2001. I paid and it was fixed (at the time i was told the price a parts would be covered but not the labor). Everything was going lovely minus the squeaking breaks still. Then last December while leaving for my cousin\’s college graduation I went to start my car and the ignition cylinder was faulty. Leaving me trapped in a parking garage with 7\’ high ceilings with no way for a tow truck to get to me. I paid the next day for a lock smith to come fix the ignition at the cost of $333.00. I called Ford and the local dealer who seemed shocked. I then did alittle internet searching and found HUNDREDS of other Ford customers with the same problem! Now here I am waiting for a rental car to pick me up so I can enjoy my thanksgiving because my car has experience 2 engine failures and 1 break failure last week.I am so disappointed.

We sued Ford via the Magnuson Moss warranty act. The Focus had been sold prior to the filing of the law suit. We reached an out of court settlement of $3500.The problem with the car was intermittent stalling. The local Ford dealer was unable to determine the cause of the problem.

We have repeatedly had this vehical in the dealers shop for all the reasons above we have paid deductables on all of the recalled items time and time again. As of today and for the last four (4) weeks the car has started up again with the door handles not working properly, and the fuel system is doing something we have paid out many deductables on recalled parts. they have replaced so many parts. We had a warrenty up to the 100,000 miles it is know over that but yet non of the problems have been taken care of they still keep happening over and over. When we get it fixed it last a month or so then starts back up with the same problems. I don’t know the milage for each occation for they have it unmarked in our copies. We have not been told amounts. But we always pay the deductable of a $100.00 even on recalled parts and labor. Our car is know having fuel problems and we are concerned that we will end up having to pay more on the same parts that keep being replaced.

We baught this Ford Focus used, but we didn’t think it was gonna be a money hog. We have had several problems with this car, including the breaks continually squeeling, although we have had new pads put on and the wheels cleaned cause of the brake dust, and still it squills. We also had to go without using the defroster and heat in the winter time, as well as not using the air in the summer, cause the car would die when we turned it on. Not to mention, the car spits and sputters cause of the fuel pump, it is like it wants to go, but not getting any gas to it to run. it shuts down and we can’t get it started again. Also, the gas light somes on and says we are low on gas, when in fact we aren’t, OR in my case, most of the time the gas light don’t come on at all cause it registers as having gas in it, and I HAVE run OUT of gas before. NOT making me very happy. The signal lights on this car is pathetic, I have never owned a car that the signal lights wouldnt turn off by them selves. This car don’t! Not to mention, this car has so much more wrong with it, I will NEVER buy another Focus again. We have had this car to Friendship Ford in Bristol, TN, and they even admitted there were recalls on this car, but yet did NOT fix them, and now I am without a car until they can fix the fuel system on it. I am NOT happy at all with the response I have gotten about this car. They have told me that it was not necessary to fix this or that at this time, and yet I have had more and more trouble out of it. I can’t wait to get it paid off and get rid of it.

Was driving the Turner Turnpike back from funeral, cruise control on at 76 mph. Boom from under the car, oil light comes on, smoke billowing out from underneath. I pulled over, turn the engine off. The whole engine covered in oil. Behind is a trail of oil from over the hill to where I had stopped. I’m pretty sure the engine is gone. No knocking, temp was right, no warning light, just BOOM! Didn’t even get to 50,000 miles. What a crock!

Vehicle was involved in a LOW SPEED crash that left a dent approximatly the size of a quarter on the tip of the hood and bent the bumper support about 1 inch, which resulted in a dual airbag deployment. Physical damage was minimal, the only real damage was the broken windshield and blown airbags, along with the seatbelt lock-up that happens with an airbag deployment, and forces the seatbelts to also be replaced.

Vehicle sluggish when gas pedal pushed, finally stalled out and wouldn’t start for a period of time. When started only ran for a moment then stalled again. Vehicle towed to dealerwhere fuel pump and filter were replaced.

this car\’s engine shut down while traveling in the fast lane at 40mph when i turned on the air conditioning. The compressor had to be replaced but the fact that the car shut off every time i tried to turn the heat or air on even while driving highway speed was very dangerous.I also experienced difficulty with the key several times I had to wiggle and jiggle it to get it to turn on…currently we stopped for gas and went to start the car and it would not turn over….We just get a clicking noise.I am not sure what is wrong with it ..we are trying to determine that now.

There is just to much paperwork to copy out, but would like to mail copies. I am going to pick up car this afternoon just had second fuel pump fitted and new gas tank. To date no recall info received by post. However I have been drenched with gas on more than one occassion while filling car. I have nearly been killed when car cut out at 55mph on highway narrowly missed by two other motorists. Vehicle has 38,000 miles & has had the following repairs. 1/countless engine sensors 2/Four new tyres 3/new front brake pads 4/new front brake rotas 5/new front wheel bearings 6/two fuel pumps 7/one fuel tank 8/Waiting for third set of a frame plastic covers 9/three stereo players 10/Tracklink reset three times 11/Still have realy noisy brakes 12/Engine sounds like 10 year old car 13/Rear passenger window works when feels like it 14/Right hand door speaker sounds as if broken 15/New tires fitted showing signs of odd wear 16/Tail gate leakes water 17/ Thought Lincoln/Mercury dealer might give better results NO just longer wait.

the tire and the brakes went out and the car stated sliding. After the crash there were bolts that were found on the grass where the crash happened

The same as eveyone else. The vehicle is stalling at unpredictable times due to fuel delivery system/fuel pump. I am a ASE certified mechanic. I talked to Ford, then I called the local dealer. They told me, as they have in the past it’s a fuel pump issue. They would have to charge me 75 bucks to check it out (because according to Ford, It has to be done by them regardless of my qualifications) then if it’s not having the performance problem at the time they would not be able to verify it’s the fuel pump. Since it’s intermittent i chose to pull the tank and investigate my self. I agree "kinda" that it’s a fuel pump issue. The reason I say this is because I pulled the tank tonight, disassembled the pump/sending unit assembly and found a large amount of sediment in the base and around the sides of the body the pump sits in. Additionally the screen/sock on the inlet side of the pump motor was almost completely clogged with the stuff,. The tank itself had a light film of the brown stuff which easily is wiped with a clean rag. Looking at the gunk, it would seem to me to be very bad gas, but why just the Focus. I put the same stuff in both my other two vehicles and no problems. I can’t analyze the stuff to determine what it is for sure but can assure you it’s only a matter of time before it caused enough cavitation for the pump to heat up burn out. I did not see evidence of any gaskets or anything else internal attached to the tank going bad, but since I use the same fuel else were w/o problems it almost has to be a situation like a seals/sealant deteriorating and producing the nasty stuff. I plan on saving $250 and clean it all and see if things improve. The pump is only available from Ford (interesting). Ford needs to do somthing about this before they allow somone to get killed out there on the hiway.I just purchased this vehicle used a month ago for my 15 year old daughter. I should have done better research first.

The reason some of these are not dated is because the problems keep on persisting they say they can not find out what the problem is. My car dies on me and the can not find the cause. It makes a winding sound when I take off and still they can not find the cause. My gears always wind and as soon as I get it out of the shop about one to two weeks later it is doing it again, When I am driving it jerks like it wants to die or go out of gear(keep in mind I have had these problems a couple of months after I bought it). I have had to replace the tires two times I am on my third set of tires and they are messed up now. I am not a bad driver I know it is not me I have a child that is constantly with me I do not drive crazy to make all of these problems happen. I have had the brake replaced once already and now they are sqeeking again. My car cigarette lighter keeps on burning out. I just get so frustrated that I am spending all of this money for them to work on my car with the warranty and then tell me they don’t know what the problem is and now the warranty is out I have to pay for this peice of junk. I have had 2 other cars and they never gave me any problems and know I am stuck unhappy everyday with this car I can not stand to drive, I feel unsafe in it everyday.

The rear wheel bearings went and also damaged the spindle. I was informed by the repair shop that this was some sort of update that Ford should have informed me of and repaired. I was never notified. The rear brakes have been repaired 4 times. The front brakes once. The tail lights and dash lights have failed 6 times. I have listed only the last repair info in the list above.

The quality of the paint on my 2001 Ford Focus — purchased at Crown Ford in Nashville, Tennessee — is substandard. Immediately after I purchased the new vehicle on 11 October 2001, I noticed chips in the paint. The dealer did respond by respraying the front and rear bumpers, but the chipping simply recurred. There are also chips and minor scratches on the rest of the car; Crown Ford\’s reaction to my complaint was to give me a free bottle of touch-up paint. I do most of my driving at approximately 40 miles per hour on city roads; I do very little Interstate driving. I do not recall ever hearing the sound of the impact of road debris on the body of the car; the paint simply is coming off, and even gentle cleaning produces swirls and light scratching. I wash the car almost weekly at a self-service, touchless car was and I always use apply clear-coat protectant. I realize that the Ford Focus is an inexpensive vehicle, but the poor quality of paint is causing the exterior of the vehicle to deteriorate constantly. (I have a 1959 Volkswagen Beetle, which I purchased used and for which I have all repair records, with the original paint and it has experienced no such problems, even when the pain has been hit by road debris.) Ford must receive a mandate to fix this inexcusable flaw. Thank you.

The last 2 tumblers in the ignition won’t budge. The emergency locksmith from AAA told me that there was nothing he could do & that the car would have to be returned to the dealership to have the steering column removed so the ignition could be replaced and then re-key the doors so I only have to have one key (after paying to have the key programmed, of course!).My mother also has a 2001 Focus & has had her ignition replaced twice for this same problem.

THE INGNITION SWITCH HAD LOCKED UP ALONG WITH THE STEERING WHEEL.

The fuel pump has been replaced 3 times this year of 2004. It is still in the shop at Deland Ford. The battery has been replaced 2 x, the timing belt, and a head gasket. The key ignition switch has been replaced 2 x. The first time was cost to me of $250. The second time, the dealership replaced it free of charge. This car is a piece of junk. Please advise. I am making monthly payments of 372, and still owe around 9000 for this car!!

The driver\’s side airbag of my 2001 Ford Focus deployed on an empty highway late night 07/16/2004 for no apparent reason. When preparing to fix the airbag, driver\’s seat and pillar, Ford dealership technicians said they downloaded from my car a notice of impact to the underside. Thus, no work could be done under warranty unless authorized by Ford Corporate Customer Service. When I called Ford Corporate, they (with little sympathy) said nothing can be done b/c the dealership downloaded a notice of impact. In other words, both sides have said \"we\’re not accountable unless the other side says we are accountable\". I have 2 arguments as to why my repair should be covered under warranty: 1. Given the circumstances – 11pm highway driving, middle of Pennsylvania, not a scratch anywhere on vehicle other than small isolated dent on underside – I do not believe the dent happened at that time. 2. Even if a magical stone jumped from the road to scratch the underside of my car, this should absolutely never cause my airbag to inflate. The dent under my car is harmless and un-noticable. Being hit in the head with an airbag and sent across 2 lanes at highway speed could have killed me.

THE CAR STALLS WITH LESS THAN HALF TANK OF GAS IN TURNS AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE WIPERS QUIT WORKING FOR AWHILE ONCE THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW MOTOR WOULDNT WORK AND WINDOW WAS STUCK DOWN AND THE CAR GETS HORRIBLE GAS MILEAGE NOW AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR A WHILE I AM IN MILITARY AND THE DEALERSHIP HERE IN ITALY WOULDNT HELP ME AND I CONTACTED FORD THEY TOLD ME TO GO TO LOCAL DEALER WENT TO THEM AT 24000 MILES NOTHING WRONG WENT BACK WHEN HAPPENED AGAIN AT 32000 MILES NOTHING WRONG WENT BACK AT 35578 AND AGAIN THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG NOW CAR OVER 36000 AND I CANT GET FIXED HAVE TO WAIT TO GET BACK OT STATES FOR DEALER WARRANTY I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A FORD AGAIN WOULD NOT RECCOMEND ONE EITHER.

the car stalls at a half tank of fuel or less on a right turn

Since the crash just happened yesterday (12/22/02), I do not have an estimated repair cost yet, but my feeling is that either the bill will be very high or the car will be totaled. My 16 year old daughter was driving. She was doing about 30 mph on the dirt road near our house. A dog ran out in front of her. She tried to stop quickly; the car spun out of control and she hit an embankment/ditch. The airbags deployed, and she received 2nd degree burns on her left arm from the airbag, as well as a burn on her chest from the seatbelt. She also received a bloody nose from the impact of the airbag. We were able to bring her home from the emergency room, so we are grateful, but we are very concerned about how she could have been burned more seriously.

See failures

See failures

See failures

See failures

RIGHT REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM/rear trailer arm BROKE IN HALF, NEAR THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL, OF MY FORD FOCUS 2001After driving on sandy road during a rain shower.

Replaced pidds sensor ob 04/22/02. Problem now is windshield leakage. Many other cars in my area with same problem. This is third attempt to repair. Contacted Ford, will notify their engineers and my dealership will \\\"try\\\" to get engineer to come and look at my car. Please check out this problem. My dealer says this is an on going problem with the Ford Focus. Thank you! Sincerely, Robbie L. Evans.

Re: suspension–The car had been making a rattling sound up front for some time before I finally took it in to be looked at by my mechanic. At that time I was told it was only a matter of time before the ball joint and control arm failed, and that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. I was also told that I have a less serious problem with the left rear bearing, which will eventually need to be replaced.Re: transmission–This car is manual, and 3 days ago while attempting to shift from second to third gear, it became stuck in second and the stick became loose and useless. It is being repaired today.

Purchased the car in May 2004 supposed to have had 115 point check certification sticker farom Sam Paack Fivae Star Ford in Carrolton, Texas. May son only does local driving between Lewisville and Denton Texas to work and school and he put on 12,000 miles traveling on I- 35. aHe had to have two diagnostic chcecks and the results showed brakes, tires and fuel emission systems needed immediate repair. A clean enjine kit was done first. Then four new tires were replaed since on last thread.I took the car to Firestone and Bill Utter Ford in Denton, Texas. Total out of pocket expenses where $1300.00. I called Trey Russell General Manager at Sam Pack, and I wrote him.HE had excuses that this was jsut noral wear and not covered. We took out a Millennium Card for extended coverage. I was appalled by the lack of customer service skills shown by the general manager. Furthermore I would never buy another car from this dealership since they I beleive misrepresent customers and do not care about customer service. Furthermore, this type of expense should not have occurred in 8 months. This was not the first time I purchased a used car, but it has been the most expensive for repairs. I could elobrate more but this will become a book. My son Lawrence could explain in detail, his number 940-453-1951.Thank you.

Power steering sensor went out also have had heating up of wire at batt. Terminals wear melt coating off. Continue to have stalling problems — have changed plugs, wires, run fuel cleaner through, also went as for as changing charcoal pack and still having problems with stalling. Ford says there is nothing wrong with my car but it stalls when let off the gas and dies leaves me with no power steering or power brakes. Please help me some one is going to get hurt or maybe even killed over this problem

ON DECEMBER 8 2002 I HIT A CURB AT ABOUT 35 M.P.H. AND WHEN THE AIRBAGS WENT OFF I GOT 2ND DEGREE BURNS

My Wife has a 2001 Ford Focus ZX3 on 20th July 2004 fortunatly I was driving the vehicule alone and not my wife with our 2 year old son, when without any warning or indication of failure while traveling on the 407 Hwy at approx. 100kmh I smelt burning on looking in the rear view mirror I saw white smoke I pulled over but could not find anything and no more smell as I drove off again the smoke appeared again this time I checked everthing and found that the front passenger coil spring had snapped and was gouging deep into my front tire 2 inches in from the inside, another 100yds and it would have shredded the tire and probably allowed the spring to dig into the aluminium rim the consequences do not bear thinking about, the cost $640.00 so far is for the replacement of the 2 front springs a new tire and an alingnment and does not include the tow or the cost of renting a car as the repair has taken 2 days so far, I cannot believe a car only 3 years old can have a spring of this size fail and the positioning just over the tire be so dangerous.

My wife had to take her 2001 Ford Focus for repair while I was on a business trip. The car had a bad axle. (Fine with me) The mechanic (Non Ford Dealer) also found a front broken coil spring. I have heard about a recall on broken coil spring but I don\’t know it is applies to out vehicle. Ford Motor Company will not tell me Yes or No??They keep telling that they need to research this or I need to check with the Ford Dealer?? To make a long story short, I was placed on hold for several minutes and transfer to several different people.I just want to know if there is a recall and if there is one how can I get reimburse for the repair. I still have the receipt including the broken coil spring.Any help would be greatly appreciated.Donald Dube

MY WARRANTY WAS 36,000 WHICH IS UP. FIXING THE BRAKES WAS NO PROBLEM BUT I DONT FEEL MY WHEEL BEARINGS NEED REPLACED THIS QUICKLY WITHOUT HAVING SOME KIND IF DEFAULT IN THEM FROM THE START. MY CAR IS MAKING THIS LOUD, ROARING SOUND, WHICH IS DRIVING ME CRAZY. I’M WRITING TO SEE IF THERE’S ANYTHING THE HEADQUARTERS OF FORD CAN DO. THERE ARE RECALLS ON 2001 FORD FOCUSES BUT JUST SO HAPPEN NOT ON MY CAR AND WHY IS THAT WHEN IM HAVING COMPLICATIONS WITH IT. IT SOUNDS LIKE A TRACTOR AND IVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 16 MONTHS. I WAS A STUDENT IN DALLAS AND THAT WAS THE ONLY TRAVELING I DID. I’M NOT HARD ON VEHICLES AT ALL. THE WHEEL BEARING ARE GONE BAD ON MY CAR AND I HOPE THERE’S SOMETHING SOMEONE CAN DO. ITS THE FRONT ONES. BY THE WAY IT DOESN’T SEEM AS IF MY TRANSMISSION IS CHANGING THE CORRECT # OF GEARS.

My security system basically went nutty…it even sounded funny when the horn sounded, the cruise would also stick or not work at all when it should have been turned on. I have had the HEGO sensor or the front oxygen sensor replaced 3 times, one at my own cost…I had a huge bulge pop out on my tire early on, firestone replaced it at no cost…the brakes have intermittantly squealed since the vehicle had few miles on it, when I took it in to get it fixed, it basically felt like they had loosened them because you had to press on the pedal harder to stop, soon after they started squealing again, all ford will tell me is that I need new brake pads at my cost because it is road hazard…should a car with 40,000 miles need brake pads? I think not. The last complaint that I have is that the car will stall with no apparent reason why…no matter what the speed is or if I have just started it or have driven it all day it does not matter, I will just be stuck until it decides to start again.

My daughter slammed on the brakes at 40mph and the vehicle steering wheel jerked to the right and she felt a drop in the left front side of the car, the car started sliding and hit a curb. When the car came to a stop the front left wheel was broke off. A tow truck took it to the ford dealership. They said it needed a control arm; hub assembly; tie rod end; tire & wheel; axle; brake line; brake pads & rotor; trans pan and inner tie rod. They concluded it was in an accident and it was her fault and the cost would be $2,387.77 just for the mechanical only. She purchased the car september of 2002, putting over $8,000.00 down on the day of purchase with a remaining balance of $6,000.00. At the time of the accident she had no insurance. I beleive there was a problem with car to cause it to go out of control, and feel ford needs to address it.

My complaint is reguarding the fuel delivery system. My car began stalling. It only happens when the car has a quarter tank or less of gas. The worst episode was when I was on a ramp going from one highway onto another. My car stalled right in the middle of the ramp with cars coming around a blind turn behind me. Luckily no one was hurt. If the Ford focus is known to have this problem they should put out a recall for this. After it happened and I checked on the internet I found out from this ite that there was an extended warranty on it. I then called ford where I was told that my car did not fall under those covered. I explained that it was doing the exact same thing they were extending the warranty for some focus’ but they did not care. I could have been seriously hurt and I am extremely upset that they knew the car might do this never informed me and that when it actually happed refused to even pay to have it fixed.

My car has been stalling and had lost acceleration. This malfunction has been very dangerous and had almost caused serious accidents. Once again another problem caused by shoddy manufacturing work and terrible labor. I want reimbursed for the money I have spent on a vehicle that is only 4 years old. Faulty moulding has lead to several leaks in the trunk & a puddle in the drivers side underneath the carpeting. I have had nothing but problems with this car since buying it in october of 2000. I am outraged at the fact that Ford refuses to recall a vehicle with so many problems. I am definitely intesred in filing a class action lawsuit.

My car has been stalling a lot. When my daughter were in an accident about a year ago, the air bag didn\’t come out. Now the power windows doors and locks do not work. The emission light keeps popping on. My cd player has a shortage in it. The wheel and axle keep making noises, and I have had that fixed several times.

My 2001 Focus ZX3 will sputter, lose power, and threaten to stall. This occurs at any speed. It has stalled and left me stranded once. When towed to the dealership, nothing could be found wrong with it and so I was charged nothing. It started up again just fine, but periodically threatens to stall again. Also, the paint over the driver side rear wheel is bubbling up and coming off.

In November of 2002, I noticed a squeal under the hood of my 2001 Focus. The first time I took it in, they claimed they heard no sound. I then told the mechanic you must actually "step out of the car to hear the noise." He did hear the noise and Ford had to replace the belt tensioner and serpentine belt. I began noticing that my windshield wipers would function "at will." The left headlamp and turnsignal was also malfunctioning. I could not get the wipers to turn off at times. I would turn the headlights off and back on again, and the wipers would turn off. This would also work at times when the wipers would not turn on, but not always. I never noticed an absolute "consistency" as to what would get the wipers to function properly. They also would not function at the correct speed. They would go fast when I wanted them to go slow and vice-versa. I had taken the car in twice to have this problem fixed. They replaced the multi function switch both times. A week following the second visit, I noticed they would not work again. I scheduled an appointment for the third time. In between the time I scheduled the appointment and the actual day of the appointment, I noticed the gas light had come on when I still had about 36 miles worth of gas left in my car. I noticed the light was on for a bit and then it went off. So, I told them about that problem as well when I took the car in. They replaced the fuel pump and sending unit assembly. Also they replaced whatever wires were causing the multi function switch to go out again and again. I left the dealership and made a stop at a convenience store. When I tried to start my car, it would not start. Not a sound or anything. The car was totally dead. I called Ford to have them tow the car, etc..etc…This time, they claimed they needed to replace the clutch safety start switch, which they did. Why on earth is it one thing after another?? Also…my breaks squeak constantly. I had let this go for a time. I felt uncomfortable bringing this up to them when the car had so many other things going on with it because they began treating me like an inconvenience. However, I, being the consumer, have every right to a properly functioning vehicle. I told them about that since they already had my car. They did adjust the breaks and clean them up, or so they say. They claim the squeaking breaks are "normal." I do not buy that. I feel as if I have purchased a complete lemon and I believe that I have. I will never buy another Ford and would never wish that on anyone else either. Do not buy a Ford.

Ignition switch seizing and unable to start.Has happened twice, first repaired using the ‘updated fix kit’ as sold by Ford Canada. Happened again about 2 years later.I understand Ford is not willing to concede to this as they don’t see it as a safety issue. The second time it happened it was around 11pm on a Friday night on a small side road near Mack and Woodward, downtown Detroit. There’s no way in hell anyone can convince me that my safety was not in jeopardy because of this.

Ignition switch locks and will not turn.

Ignition Lock Cylinder keeps Jamming up. Can’t turn key to start car. Taking car in this week for the fourth time. June 13, 2004.

Ignition key would not turn to start the car. The ignition switch had to be replaced. The warranty failed to cover this part of the car.

Ignition failed locked down key will not turn.. have already fixed the problem and paid $227.80 for repair so for everything is fine at the moment I am even scared to say that cause something might go wrong but thank you very much

I was driving down the road and the rear passanger door of my car came swinging wide open. Apparently the latch has broken. Ford wanted to charge me 280.00 to fix the latch. I refuse to pay to get it fixed. Had a person been in my back seat when this occured, they could have died. Fords response has been… “your car is out of warranty because of mileage”. My car does infact have 92000 miles on it, but the fact that I am a heavy comuter has nothing to do with a safety disfunction on a door that I do not use. What does the door latch have to do with the mileage on the car? Ford has denied responsiblity and refuses to look further into what could be a HUGE safety defect on my car.

I purchased a 2001 Ford Focus SE 4-door sedan in November 2002. The car was a manufacturer buy-back from the originalowner and therefore had a small warranty left. At the end of November 2002, I brought the car back to the dealership to have the spark plugs, spark plug wires and a faulty belt replaced. At the end of December 2002, the car was making a strange noise and the engine light was on, so I returned the car to the dealership. A day or so before my appointment with the dealership, I received a recall notice from Ford regarding the pinch bolt. Unfortunately, I received that recall notice too late the faulty pinch bolt had already failed and caused so much damage to the rack and pinion that it had to be replaced (at this time, the car had less than 40,000 miles). I have since replaced the front brakes. I also experienced a faulty valve in the heating system that was allowing water to flow into the car’s cabin and soak the carpeting. Getting to the transmission problem, about a week ago, the car refused to accelerate going up a hill and instead the engine revved. No matter what I tried, I could not get the car to accelerate past 30 mph. Since the car is now long past its small manufacturers warranty, I had an independent mechanic look at the car. He recommended that I flush the transmission and see if that would help the problem. I spent $100 on a transmission flush. That didn’t work and the problem continues. I calledFord Motor Company to complain about the car and to ask for a buyback, but my request was refused. I then took my car to Wiscasset Ford. They diagnosed the problem(s) with the car (at no charge). I need a new transmission. They gave me two options for payment. 1) pay for the new transmissionout-of-pocket, estimated cost at $2500 – $3000; 2) buy an extended warranty on the drive train for $500. I am planning on purchasing the extended drive train warranty which will allow Wiscasset Ford to replace my transmission and will also give me an extra 15K miles for the drive train.

I own a pretty yellow Focus that is a \"lemon\". I am so tired of spending money on this car and wish that they would just take it back.1)tires over $700.002)brakes $290.00 (told by Midas manager that the system that they have made for the Ford Focus is very strange and that the parts are so very expensive) not even ware on the brakes. Submitted information on the Ford Focus brakes site and I am sad to see that so many are having problems like I am this car is dangerous!3)windows (they have fixed the window 2 times now and they keep forgetting to put in the spacer. Needless to say I have never been able to roll down the passenger back window.)4)air conditioning (not cold. They checked and said it was fine).5) steering/controlling car (wet roads and terrible in the snow and ice so I do not drive it in the winter)6)sluggish (still have problems with the fuel system and I have had the pump replaced under warranty. The car bucking/quit on me in the middle of a really busy intersection and I heard brakes hit behind me and skidding. I am very happy they were watching out for us and did not hit us. I received a notice from ford in the mail that said I could take the car back in for a new pump they were building after January 2004)7)paint is coming off8) blinker system went haywire!Very sad to see a product like this on the streets. I do stop to tell everyone that is driving a new Focus without plates on it to do some serious investigating before they purchase the car.

I just think that this call should have been taken off the market and Ford should have bought our cars back, my is going in the shop 4/11 for numerous recalls, the steering is hard to control, when driving down the highway it sounds like the engine/or transmission is going to fall out, my window on the driver side seems like it’s going to fall off the track, when in cruise it sometimes bucks and carried on driving down the highway, windshield wipers make and horrid sound when on. Fuel mileage is awful.

I have not had the car repaired yet because I was told the new fuel pump design that Ford speaks about in their letter is not yet available. I have been experiencing problems for at least the past year. The car hesitates and loses power after going around a cloverleaf and with less than half a tank of gas but had never stalled. I seem to be able to recover. I talked to the dealer about it last summer and they told me they had no way of testing/reproducing because there were no cloverleafs close by. Then, on January 6, on a day we were having arctic weather, the car hesitated going around the loop and did not recover. Eventually it just stalled on the highway and would not restart. I managed to restart the vehicle and decided to try and get to the next gas station. Unfortunately it stalled again… this time where there was no breakdown lane (four lane highway). I continued to try to start the car, if only to have heat. After about 7 or 8 tries and sitting there for 15 or 20 minutes with traffic flying by, I managed to get it going. After this I was able to get to the station and fill up. I called the dealer the next day and explained what happened. He said if I can keep the tank at half full or better, then I should be ok and to call back to make an appointment when the new pump is available. This is what I’ve been doing and so far so good. I drive 70 miles a day and it’s not so convenient stopping to fill up so frequently, but it’s better than being stranded. Unfortunately, another dealer I spoke to said it may be another 4 or 5 months before the pump is available. I have 73000 miles on my car and it just past 3 years the week it broke down. The problem started maybe 10k miles ago. I have been on various Ford forums online and people either have no resistance from the dealer, or they get ominous warnings of what it will cost them if they don’t find the problem. I’m waiting for the new pump so I don’t have to go through this twice.

I have had several repairs for this car. In regards to steering, wheel, tire as well the suspension. As the car was under 18000 mile I had so much problem with mentioned above problems. I could not control my car when it rained or when ever the road was not in perfect shape.

I have had numerous problems with my Focus. about 3mo after I bought it, the transmission began to feel like it was slipping, and making a noise. I took it to the purchasing dealership, and a mechanic told me it was the torque converter. They didn’t have a loaner car for me, so I made an an appointment for the following week. The next day on my way home from work, the car shut down. I called a tow truck, they took it to the closest dealership. When I called the dealership the next day, they said the fuel pump went out. They told me that the stutter I was feeling in my car was probably that. A few days later, the same problem. took it back to the selling dealership, and the shop supervisor went out with me. He said I was driving the car out of context. What he meant by that, he wouldn’t elaborate, but said there is nothing wrong with my car. I have been driving it since, and the computer will fade in and out, but I won’t lose engine power. My car has to have new brake pads every couple of months, new tires, and other maintenance things. At less than 40000 miles, it needed new spark plugs, and wires, which I happily bought. The dealership wanted $300, because the plugs were in the back of the motor. I went to my car, popped the hood, four spark plugs lined the top of the head cover. There was no further explanation of the attempted over charge. My car has several other problems. The positive cable on the battery, has melted back, there is a loud roar in the cab of the car, and three of the four lug nuts on the right rear tire has snapped off. The explanation for the lug nuts, was that the tire was loose, not fastened properly. But this problem occurred 3-4 mo after I bought it. The tires had not been taken off. I am to the point where I hate Ford for selling me this car. I will ever buy Ford again, but I love the concept of the car

I bought my Focus used, it had 38,000 miles, On a trip the engine began to act up. It was revving all the way up but would not go above 40 mph. After calling a tow truck the check engine light came on, the dealership that I took it to had it for over a week and had difficulty locating the problem. It started and drove just fine for them. I had the fuel pump and filter replaced, as well as the fuel system flushed. While it was there they performed recall work on my battery cable routing, and my one of my engine control arm bolts. Everything was fine for a few months, then I had a tire throw tread, the front passenger side. 1 week later it was back to get the other tire replaced because it had a bubble in it, after learning that I got the rest of the tires replaced. A few weeks ago my brakes started squeling, I had the pads checked they were fine, after they kept making noise I insisted that they were changed. After driving about 100 miles I started hearing a spinning thump. That became very loud. Back into the shop, they replaced a brake caliper, and also I had to get yet another fuel filter, it was begining to become restricted, again. The brake problem even though it had been doing it for a while since I did not have a Ford dealership do it was not covered under my warranty, and I am sure that something else will go wrong. Yay!

I bought my 2001 Ford Focus used in July of 2003, soon after I bought it I began having problems with my brakes. a few months after I bought it my turn signals quit returning. in spet of 2004 I began having problems with my ignition. It would take me 5-10 mins to start my car. I brought my car in and was told that I had to many keys on my key chain and that it was weighing down the ignition. I had 4 keys on my key chain. my trunk has never latched properly since I bought it either. In March of 2005 I was at a grocery store, when I got back in my car I tried to start it and my ignition had locked up. I had to have it towed into the nearest Ford dealership where I was told that my key was old and I needed to have my ignition fixed again and my keys reformated….. again. 2 weeks after I had my ignition fixed I went out to start my car, I have battery and lights but the car won\’t turn over, it won\’t even click.

Hydroplaines at certain speeds even with new tires and alignment!(Originally Submitted December 17, 2002)

fuel system-stall out at freeway speeds-and at any longright hand turns-contacted dealer/out of warranty,to manymiles to consider.Brakes-rotors and pads worn out at 24,000miles-dealerstated maintenance issue,normal for the ford focus-they directed me to call ford motor co.to complain…

Fuel modulator was faulty. The car would stall and then start after 5 minutes. This would occur a couple times and then it would not start again. It would lose power and hesitate, the gauges (odometer/gas/rpm) would fluctuate back and forth. The lights for engine check,oil, and skid control would light up and the gauges would fluctuate – this still occurs even after the fuel system was corrected.If I restarted the engine after this occurred it would turn them out.The suspension problem is in progress and it seems to occur more when there are two people in the car. The passenger side wheel is squeaking and riding roughly, it also squeaks when someone leans and bounces on the fender up and down. The mechanic we are going to get to repair it says it is suspension as there is a leak of oil out of there.

Front strut spring corrosion . Strut spring broken

Front rotors and brake pads. Went out at 19,369 miles and a second time at 35,000 miles. I bought this car new at Ciener Woods Ford, Kernersville NC. They charged me $192.50 in May of 2003 and on January 12, 2005 they want me to pay for it again. These are manufacturer defective brake pads and rotors. I don\’t feel I should pay for their mistakes. The service department even told me \"the brake pads should last 35,000 to 40,000 miles. The dealer (part owner and general manager) states \"19,000 miles is good for brake pads doing city driving.\" The dealer also states \"I am trying to get something for nothing.\" And also states \"Maybe I should take my vehicle elsewhere.\" No, I paid for a brand new car with expectations of getting 30,000 to 40,000 on my brake pads and rotors. The dealer states: \"He has never heard of this problem and I am the first person to complain to him about it. Many others are having this same problem and FORD needs to satisfy their customers. Checkout these websites: www.fordbrakesclassaction.com www.fordfocusbrakeproblems.com

FRONT BRAKES WORE OUT TWICE IN 89000 MILES, ROTORS ONCE BUT THE DEALER SAID IT WAS MY FAULT.CLUSTER GUAGE ELECTRICAL SHORT BEEN LOOKED AT 4 TIMES, NEVER FIXED.

First problem noticed is that my stalls on hills – mostly when the weather is cold. When I called the dealership, and they said it would cost $80 JUST to look at it. I didn’t have the money, so I’ve lived with it. The problem has improved over the summer months, but I am dreading the upcoming winter.Then in May, the engine light came on. I called Ford again, and again they said it would cost $80 JUST to look at it, so I took it to a garage that ran diagnostics for free. They said that the ECR valve had failed and that it would cost me approx $175 to fix it, but that I should try calling Ford because emission components are often covered for 10 years. I called Ford again, and they were non-responsive and said that I still would need to pay the dagnostics, etc. I’ve not had the money to take it in, so my engine light is still on.Then last week my windshield wipers failed in a downpour in rush hour traffic! I went online to look up how I might be able to fix them since I already know what fords canned response will be. I am dismayed to find that the problem is major and one that I cannot afford to fix.My finances are in a state of crisis right now due to medical bills, which is why I have not been able to fix any of the above problems. When I found out that I’m not the only Focus owner experiencing the SAME defects, called the dealership and left a message and also sent them a letter via Planetfeedback. They did not respond. They do not care. I honeslty think that the WANT their customers to die in accidents so we will quit complaining. I am a single mom, so I cannot go without transportation. My loan is upside down right now, so I cant trade it for another car. I am terrified to drive my car and feel so trapped.

First off, after the first 10,000 miles at a constant speed, the car would start skipping and jerking and didn\’t have the torque it once had. I took it to the dealer where they replaced one of the oxygen sensors. That did the trick for another 10,000 miles when I had to have it replaced again. Now after 33K miles it needs it again.At 25K miles the brakes were bad. As a mechanic I knew this was to soon for the brakes to wear out so I took it to the dealer where I was told that it was from my driving conditions. I didn\’t let them touch my car. Instead I bought a set of cross drilled rotors ($195) and a set of performance pads ($65) and did the work myself. Also at 25K I noticed that the positive battery was cooked and black in color. I let the dealership handle that one since it has been a recall issue for starting engine fires.This morning I woke up after a heavy rain last night to find my floor mat on the right side soaked. I found the leak under the dash, but I\’m not exactly sure where its coming from. It didn\’t have a odor to it like anti freeze would nor did it have a green tint in the vacuum cleaner after I sucked it out.It\’s just annoying as hell to have this much trouble with a car with less than 36K miles. If Mr. Ford would buy it back, I would love to sell it to him so he can see that quality, or lack of, that his company so proudly upholds.

Engine light on. Jerky gear engaging. Choppy acceleration.8/02 replaced alternator8/02 replaced V belt10/02 blinkers out & electric windows broke10/02 battery light on "corrosion on wires"1/03 wouldn’t start, battery light on, "wire fell off alternator" airbag light on then off

Engine is always stalling and will only start up at random times. This happens most in warm weather. No accidents yet, but it’s only a matter of time. My car will cut out while I drive in a canyon or on the freeway and sometimes won’t start up again until 5-10 minutes later. I only have enough money for diagnostics and even those turn up nothing.

Engine hesitation, loss of power, surging and rough idle.Had car towed to Ford because it died in traffic and wouldnt start again. The Ford dealership couldnt find anything wrong the car charged me $200 total for diagnostic and towing and sent me on my way. The car has had the same problems for two weeks since my visit to Ford.What can I do?

Deployment of both air bags in an impact less than 25 m/p/h causing the passenger air bag to break windscreen.

Could not turn the ignition switch with the ignition key. The ignition cyliner failed. (Car locked up..Steering, transmission etc.) Could not determine milage without the key on. Once repaired found the failure occured 600 miles out of warranty.

Complaint Information Description : Ignition Cylinder Ford Focus LX 2001 93,975 miles. Like so many other complaints I have read on the internet. Insert key – Ignition LocksUP You\’re stranded and have to call a tow truck. Cost for repair by Ford Dealership $489.20 When we first started noticing ignition problem – we called Ford to get a price on the part as my husband was going to replace himself. Was told by Parts gal that he could not perform this himself – it\’s not like the old days – there are now special instructions regarding the wiring and insulation it has to be done by Ford. About a week later the ignition was completely locked we had no choice but to call Tow truck and take to Ford. Tow Truck driver informs us this is common defect with all 2001-2006 Ford Focus and Tempos. Before we had it towed my husband thought maybe the key was just worn out – Ford said the key did look worn and the key did need replacing but it had to be done special because key contains a chip and it takes special programming – key cost $35.00 p/key labor would cost $50.00 – We decided to go ahead and have it towed in case this wasn\’t the problem. (Don\’t want to be throwing away money) Next day I confronted Ford mechanic about this being a known cylinder defect and asked why it wasn\’t a recall – Mechanic says he agrees it should be a recall – but instead it was a TSB telling techs how to fix and to my horror fix it with another identical faulty part. I asked if there was special pricing since it was Ford\’s fault. Answer NO. Asked if new keys were included in price – Answer NO. I asked if problem could reappear. Answer YES. Imagine if my daughter or I were out in the middle of no where or on a road trip – what could have happened or the expense for towing. I am scared to drive it out of town now and I am horrified that I had to pay out of pocket $489.20 for a known defect that will more than likely happen again and again. Why is Ford fixing the problem with another faulty part -Rip off Scam?

As of this moment, i have had to have a new tumbler in the ignition installed twice, and now it seems like it will need a third repair.This is ridiculous. It seems like every few months another repair needs to be made for this car to even start.

Also Nov/20/01 my electric windows stopped working once again…..warrenty covered that.

After three unseccessful attempts to have my Ford Focus repaired for engine stalls(while on the highway with the kids in the back seat,with 18-wheeler behind me).iIonce again took my car to ford for warranty work.They found that the fuel pump was not suppling enough pressure and fixed it I thought,when at work with the car running and the exhaust at running temperature,all the fuel leaked out and could of very easily caused a fire which could of caused a great lose of life not only for myself but also for my wife and kids who always drive the car

About 8 months ago, I was driving our Ford Focus to work and it stalled when I was going about 35mph in the middle of rush hour trafic. I was able to coast to the side. We had the car towed to the dealership and they told us it was an electrical problem and we had to pay $250 because it wasn’t covered under our extended warranty. When we picked the car back up the next day, it stalled again before we even got off the lot. We asked if they would check the altinator (which we had requested the 1st time). They did and said it had to be replaced. This was covered under our extended warranty. Well, now 8 months later, my husband was driving on the expressway in the middle of rush hour and the car stalled on him. He was stuck in the middle of the highway. He tried to get the car to restart, with no luck. After about 5-10 min., while he was on the phone with 911, a car smashed into the back of him totalling the car and causing much pain.

A recall issued for a suspension bolt was performed and the reinstalled bolt is now loose and rattling. Having bought the car in Texas and shipped it to Hawaii, I am having trouble having anyone look at it without charge, even though the dealer, Honolulu Ford is aware of the recall, they insist on charging $50.00 just to check it out.On a trip through New Mexico, the fuel pump went out in the Sandia mountains and forced us to limp into Albq. New Mexico and stay three days to await repair, warrantee work repaired and replaced the pump.

2001 ZX3 Focus bought in December 2000. All along I have had problems with my radio just cutting off as I drive down the road. By cutting off I mean no power going to it. Not a big deal to me because it rarely happens. It all started in July 2003 with a water pump leak. I took it to the dealership to have it repaired and I picked it up that afternoon and it was leaking oil. This was July 21(it did not leak oil before I took it to the dealership) Fixed the oil leak and they blamed it on a hose that they said had been leaking oil for a long time, but I never saw any oil on the driveway, if you know what I mean. So I picked it up the next day and as I was driving to get lunch, my car overheated and the thermastat housing was cracked. So then less than two weeks later on August 6, my battery assembly failed and they had to replace it. A month after that My fuel pump went out and I was stranded at a gas station and had to get towed to the dealership. Which they were nice enough to pay for my tow. So I got the recall notice in January for the fuel pump and just got the new model on May 28, 2004. So as I was there I asked about my back seat hinge. The hinge does not lock into place. So whe I slam on the brakes the seat flies forward. Real safey problem for people that ride in my back seat. I found out later that this is a recall, but for cars made through September 30, 2000. My car was made on October 10, 2000. So I called the customer service line and the told me that it was my problem to deal with since it was made after September 2000. Only 10 days after!! Needless to say the got a piece of my mind. It’s a safety issue and FORD is ignoring it!

2001 FORD FOCUS SE/SE COMFORT Car suddenly stalls when taking a sweeping right hand turn. Power steering is inoperable, leaving auto in middle of road or highway ramp.

1) Fuel level sensor failed requiring removal of the fuel tank and replacement. Still under warranty, I was not charged.2) Front and rear brakes needed to be replaced between 32K miles and 35K miles. Ford paid for nothing.3) Wiper motor failed while driving in heavy rain. Ford claims my VIN is not in the recall group and will not repair it for free.

2001 ford focus recall for faulty fuel pump. *nj the consumer stated over the last few months the vehicle has stalled several times. the consumer discovered a recall, but the dealer wanted to charge 95.00 just to perform a diagnostic test to determine the cause of the problem and the test would only detect a faulty fuel pump when it was in failure mode. the test would not reveal a problem since the failure only occurred on the road and on an intermittent basis. *jb updated 04/20/10 the consumer stated for years his daughter had problems with the vehicle stalling. updated 05/07/10.*jb

2001 ford focus zx3 ignition does not turn. consumer states that the dealer told her it would cost around $350 to fix the problem and then the problem might return. she would like to know if nhtsa has any suggestions. *kb

2001 ford focus with various defects. consumer states that the vehicle has had work done numerous times and has the same problems listed in the recalls but her vehicle is not listed in the recall. she would like ford to replace the vehicle.*kb

2001 ford focus customer states that the fuel pump and fuel filter are bad an needs to be recalled**cc after the repairs were made in late summer of 2004, the consumer experienced the same problems in march 2007 the pump was replaced again. the manufacturer referred to the problem as a safety and customer satisfaction issue not a recall.*jb updated 06/26/07. *jb

2001 focus faulty fdm was replaced. this caused vehicle to hesitate, surge, stutter, and lose power during acceleration. *ts ***nar*** the consumer discovered a recall had been issued, but was told his vehicle was not included. the consumer later discovered his vehicle was manufactured at the exact plant that was included in the recall. *jb

2001 ford focus wore through an air conditioning hose. *ts ***no answer required*** the consumer stated the air conditioning hose was designed poorly. it hangs down between the front tires and if the tires come up against a curb, it smashes the hose into the alternator pulley. not only that, if the hose breaks, it leaks oil and then a belt has to be replaced. *jb

2001 ford focus ignition cylinder broke, problems with the tire equipment, engine light illuminated and the sway bar bushing needs to be replaced.*mr the ignition cylinder had been replaced three times. the steel belts were showing through the front tires at 54000 miles. the sensor which caused the engine light to illuminated was replaced three times. the front brakes were replaced twice. the battery, radiator, thermostat and fuel pump also failed. *nm

Both springs failed in the consuemr's 2001 ford focus. *bf

Since the warranty on the vehicle expired, consumer would have to pay a service fee to get the engine stalling recall performed. (nar) *ph *cb

The entire steering column had to be replaced after it broke. *ph (nar) the consumer is requesting reimbursement for the cost of replacing the steering column and enclosed is a copy of the safety recall issued in regards to the steering column. *cb

While merging into traffic 2001 ford focus stalled.*mr (nar) defective fuel delivery module. *cb

Dt: 8-10 months ago consumer bought a 2001 ford focus. service dealer noticed air bag sensor was not working and went ahead and installed a new air bag. this weekend was involved in an accident and the airbag did not deploy. this past weekend consumer's vehicle was involved in a frontal impact involving another vehicle. no repairs as of yet were done. the airbags had not been checked out, no explanation was given as to why the airbags did not deploy. *ak

Steering wheel locks when key is put in the ignition. the ignition switch and clock spring were replaced twice before. vehicle will be taken to dealer for repairs again.*ak

While driving air bag indicator light illuminated and stayed on during the duration of the drive. this occurred with out any collision. *ak

I was sitting at a red light. when the light turned green, the driver in front of me moved and i moved behind him i must have slightly tapped his bumper. i am saying must have because the other driver kept on going as nothing had happened. both air bags deployed and the passenger bag cracked the windshield. the driver's air bag gave me 2nd and 3rd degrees burns on my left arm. i called ford trying to get them to fix it for free because i feel that the switch that enables the air bags is defective and because the car only has 40,000 miles and their warranty is 36,000. ford told me to get my insurance to pay for it. my car has no damage with the exception of the air bags and windshield. *nlm

Keeps shut off n over heating

Dt: company name is prime health medical, inc./ [xxx]. got recall letter on may 6, 2005 on part she has already fixed, and was denied reimbursement because she did not take it to a dealer, the part failed before she received recall letter. called dealer, and was told they had on parts . paid $148.58 for rear door latch that was in the recall. was told recall part was not available until middle of may 2005, and needed to replace parts as soon as possible because of business and safety reasons. *ak information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Ignition key gets stuck and will not turn. ford has known of this problem should have to pay for repairs and reimbursement.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while idling at a stop sign, the vehicle stalled and the battery and oil warning indicators flashed on and off. the vehicle was pushed by a bystander to the contact's residence. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel pump failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact called a unknown local ford dealer and was informed that the vin was not included in a recall. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 173,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. upon driving over a speed bump at an unknown speed, the contact heard an abnormal noise and the vehicle swerved. after reaching her destination, the contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the subframe was completely corroded. the vehicle was inspected by an insurance adjustor who confirmed that the rear subframe was corroded and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was 115,909.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact observed that the crossmember failed without warning. the vehicle was diagnosed by the contact, who was an independent mechanic. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 40 mph, the engine stalled without warning. the contact pulled over to the side of the road and the vehicle restarted normally after some time. the failure recurred several other times. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 107,333.

This has happened several times. the vehicle accelerates to 2000-3000 rpm by itself. sometimes while at idle and sometimes while driving at any speed in town or the highway. i have not been able to resolve the issue and have spent money on tps, throttle body, spark plugs and wires, coil pack, fuel pump and filter and it still does the same sudden acceleration. the local dealer said they have not been able to correct that issue with older ford focuses. is there a fix to this issue available? maybe a recall? i have been close to hitting a moving vehicle, after exiting ih 35 and coming unto a traffic light on the access road. i almost rear ended several vehicles stopped at the traffic light. upon exiting the interstate i was approaching the intersection, my vehicle accelerated to about 3500 rpm and i could not stop it using the brakes even though i was practically standing on the brake pedal. i was able to put the gear in neural and thus did not hit the vehicles at the traffic light. the vehicle eventually idled down but it was very dangerous and an extremely scarry situation. i have not used the vehicle since even though i have spent a lot of money on repairs. i would probably not buy a ford again. i am going to sell the car but will tell the buyer that the issue has not been fixed. thanks for any help available

No dash light tail lights or markrr lights

The car jerks when i put it into reverse. the cars stalls when i put it into drive. i have to take off in 2nd gear. then i can put it into drive and it takes off just fine.

Car will not idle when stopped at a light in the city, when shifting into drive from park, runs rough at low speeds while in traffic and going though parking lots. started one morning, ran horribly, stalled and hasn't started since. the back door doesn't stay latched when shut.

On 9/2/2020 around 10 pm in michigan i was making a pizza delivery, i pulled into the subdivision where i had to make the delivery, all the sudden my car completely shut off. i couldn't accelerate or brake. i got my car fo saftey away from the houses because my first instinct was safety. i grab my phone to call my boss, i thought my car juat broke down. then i saw smoke and sparks. i called the emergency services and the cars smoke got darker and the flames got bigger. i was very scared. all my windows exploded and the car melted to ground. by the looks of my photo the fire started near the battery and cables. ever since that night, i've been scared of fires, hot surfaces, and weary around cars. i'm lucky to be alive but it was very dangerous as the flames reached about 10 feet high. luckily it did not catch anything near by on fire.

There are numerous electrical problems with my rear lights. my license plate lights will not work at anytime and sometimes none of the rear lights work at all.

See complaint 11338120 i wanted to add pictures

While i find rust recalls for 2001 focus fusions and windstars ford claims there is no recall for frame collaps from excessive rust problems. we pulled out of our drive headed up a blind hill and the front end totally collapsed leaving us as an easy target. several good folks jumped into action to help us get the mess safely off of the state highway by blocking traffic and helping us drag it back into our driveway. we are in our 70's and only drive the car 7-8 thousand miles a year. it has been babied and maintained by the book it entire lifetime . conversations with ford have gotten us no where! where do we turn ?

Keeps over heating. *tr

2001 ford focus zx3 stalls when driving and almost caused someone to rear end my car. now wont stay running when idling. car cuts off at lights or stop signs or when breaking or engaging clutch.

Car was driving fine running a few errands. stopped at a store for about five minutes , when i got back in and started the engine all i heard was a loud clanking noise and the idle was rough. did a little research about the car and discovered all the complaints about engine failure . so thats what happened to mine . dropped valve seat.

My mechanic identified excessive dangers corrosion of the engine cradle and advised that the engine could fall out while driving. i called the ford dealer who sent me to ford. the took my information, ford ref. rff14807554. they would not commit to examining the car. i am afraid this problem could be widespread and dangerous to others. this deterioration of the steel is not normal. i have a background in working in metals for 30 years. i offered to donate my car for review and ford was not interested. many old focus are on the road. my car has been garaged and has only 82,640 miles. i do not want anyone hurt because of this problem ford has had recalls in the past for escapes & windstares for subframe corrosion on the engine cradle.

Was on my way to the va hospital 04/04/2018 started car, it would shake vigorously. check engine light and oil fuel light keep coming on and off. had a complete tune up. going to the va hospital on 4/16/2018 start car, check engine light came on and fuel light came on again. had inner tire rods replaced. going to a va appt, on 05/10/2018 start car check engine light cam on, cv valves replaced. 5/30/2018 on my way again to the va hospital, start car check engine light came on again. please advise, since it very difficult to miss and reschedule appts at the va hospital. thank you.

After driving from work to home, about 4.6 miles, i turned right into my parking space in front of my home when the brakes failed while the car accelerated directly into the rock wall that serves as a barrier between the parking, walkway and building; i immediately pulled up the emergency brake, put it into park and turned the car off. i had it towed into my mechanic and was notified that they found "throttle cable was bound up" and they "re-routed cable properly." i would like to know if anyone has ever had this experience with their vehicle accelerating when brakes are applied on this model. i would like to know how the cables can become bound up. this was a very frightening experience. i have taken very good care of this automobile and have maintenance performed according to manufacturer suggestions in their guide book.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving various speeds at night, the low and high beam headlights failed to illuminate brightly. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the vehicle was taken to metro ford of madison (5422 wayne terrace, madison, wi 53718, (608) 246-3600), but the vehicle was not diagnosed. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 130,000.

My driver side passenger door has been acting up for many years now and ford will not fix it. now my door will not close. many of the 2001 ford focus have been recalled for this issue and they say my vin no. is not one of them. please help me get my door fixed. when i went to get it inspected on 11.2.18 they opened my door and now it will not close and again they say that i have to fix it. as mentioned, this has been an issue for years and i am still dealing with it. my car is in excellent condition and do not want to get rid of it. i believe that ford is responsible for fixing the latch. my car has had a few recalls that were fixed, one of which was a few years ago that they honored. i hope to get this issue resolved quickly and they will not pass my car for inspection and i need my vehicle. thank you.

This car has electrical issues,the dash and tag lights flicker,the car has been turning off while i'm driving with my son in the car over 3 times now,on the highway and on main street,its so scary i've had panic attacks and got a stress rash on my face. im so scared that i can't drive it,i've had the fuel pump replaced,spark plugs,motor filter.i just try to keep getting it repaired costing me my bills money being a single parent. i'm overwhelmed and don't know what to do.

Key won’t turn in ignition so car can’t move. vehicle was stationary and parked on the street

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the rear driver's door latch ceased to function. the failure occurred without warning. kunes ford was contacted (1234 e geneva st, delavan, wi) and referred the contact to nhtsa. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 199,000.

My car is 2001. i started to have problems when turning on. i thiught it was starter. but mines thats still good. i thought alternator or bttery but they are new. so they checked with camera and valve pistÓns not working. i looked up reviews about car make and year. many comments read valve bent. pistons gone bad. now im another owner with same problem. this car in reviews is considered a lemon. good thing it didnt want to turn on when it was parked already at home. i read others occurred in motion.

I bought the car drove it off the lot about 3 hours i had to get it towed. the dealer got it back for 6 months an finally i got it back. now it is doing the same thing. battery cables have damage. cranks but won't start.

The front passenger side airbag malfunctioned in that it deployed without reason. i was driving (in motion) straight down a city road. it made an extremely loud noise that affected my hearing, expelled a lot of white powder that smelled bad, and tore up the side of the passenger seat. the airbag warning light went on.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the timing belt needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 105,000.

Had good tune up,car was doing good and now just as i have read problems with the fuel system,is exactly what happened out of nowhere starts giving me issues starting and staying running.after testing i have 90%of fuel pressure which should only be 40-45 max????was checked in shop over a week and looking through recalls i believe it is a defect in the fuel system the fuel is going somewhere but not allowing car to run.to take off there is no taking off ,like the oedal does nothing just for looks.would like to hear back.

As described in nhtsa action number ea02022, car stalls at below 1/4 tank, particularly on right hand turns.

2001 ford focus with 146k miles. adult driven one owner and well cared since new. noticed clunking sound so took it in for brakes to the ford dealer. was told by dealer they can't fix as entire subframe is rotted and "i was one pothole from the engine falling out". it appears that dealers use this line as i found other complaints with the exact same wording. how can you recall the escape and windstar for the same problem and not the focus? because focus owners don't have the same money that those other higher end cars have? i was driving my new baby around in this car and thank god i didn't hit that one more pothole or both our lives could have been ended! all it takes is an internet search to realize that this is a common problem. the subframe is a very important component to a car that should not just rust away in 14 years! clearly the design or materials used were at fault for this. ford needs to recall these cars before more people are killed or injured!

Takata airbag deployed after the car had come to a stop. ali stopped to avoid hitting a car that had suddenly braked in front of her. there was no damage to the car in front her as ali was able to stop in time, but there was major damage to her car. when the takata airbag deployed it burnt her left forearm/hand and incurred $107.00 in medical expenses. caliber collision says that to repair the car it would cost ali $7,639.37.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving, the vehicle pulled to the right independently and the contact lost control of the steering wheel. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the lower control arm, ball joint assembly, and axle needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the contact did not know if the vehicle was repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 02v289000 (steering). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 165,611.

On 5/2/15 during a collision where my client stuck another driver that failed to yield and ran a stop sign, the airbag inside my client's 2001 ford focus deployed. during its deployment it burned the right volar (inside) forearm of my client, causing a full thickness burn. she had to undergo surgical tangential excision of the burn and skin grafting, where they harvested the skin from her right thigh to her right volar forearm. the airbag is dangerous as it caused full thickness burn to her skin, for which she is still recovering.

Driving ford focus slowly in snow,a jeep spun out of control hit the drivers side front of car spun around and hit us again from the rear.airbag deployed and it my passenger full in face. damaged her face with chemical burns and created a coroidital tear in her eye that is permanent and permanent vision loss in one eye. the impact of the airbag jarred her brain and she now has a brain injury called chiari malformation,

After a 2~ hour drive, engine was turned off and restarted 5min later. an intake valve seat dropped and it instantly smacked the piston on the first turn of the engine, it hit hard enuf to blow the piston apart and the connecting rod put a hole thru the piston liner. putting coolant in to the crank case, as it was no longer connected to the piston any more. needless to say it was not able to drive. i repaired the auto with a aftermarket head from http://cificinc.net/ and a short block out of a parts car. after doing some research im not the only person to have this failure, there are focus all over the net that have had this failure. i seem to be lucky as its much more common for it to happen around 110/140k then 206k the escort also has the same engine or one of the same spi sohc 1.9/2.0 engine family and can also have this failure. . . i repaired the auto only because of its above average mpg, had it not gotten high 30s or better, i would have gotten rid of it. as the value of the auto is around 1,400~ and the repair was about half that, doing all the work my self...taking it to a shop was out of the question as the cost to repair would have been 2x the value of the auto or worse....

My car will lose speed going up hills and start to act like it's running out of gas. i have had it go dead while going down the road and the steering become hard to move. it surges going at very low speeds of about 10-15 mph and jerks. sometimes the even going on straight roads where there are no hills the car starts to act like it's running out of gas and die. the only thing that showed when i had it checked was the throttle body position sensor which i replaced and now says out of range and no one knows why.

When vehicle has ideled or traveled at slow speeds for a long period, the vehicle will not accelerate. it will also stall has lost fuel efficiency and driver can smell fuel. mechanic states the fuel rail pressor sensor is leaking. mechanic states part is on national back order. one can only assume that back order is caused by same or simillar malfunction.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would suddenly stop accelerating and responding when depressing the accelerator pedal.the speed of the vehicle would not increase past 30 mph. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the spark plugs, but the failure continued to occur. the manufacturer was not informed of the failure. the failure mileage was 200,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the vehicle stalled sporadically at various speeds. the failure occurred when making a right turn or when low on fuel. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel pump failed. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 135,000.

Tl* the contact owned a 2001 ford focus. while driving at approximately 60 mph, the vehicle caught fire. the vehicle was destroyed and towed to the salvage yard. the cause of the failure was unknown. the manufacturer was notified. the vin was unknown. the approximate failure mileage was 111,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving at approximately 65 mph, the vehicle started to jerk and the contact smelled smoke. the battery warning indicator illuminated. the contact stated that the vehicle was stopped on the side of the road and the ignition was turned to the off position as the contact exited the vehicle. the contact observed flames under the hood of the vehicle. the vehicle restarted without being prompted and started rolling forward. the fire department extinguished the fire. a police report was filed and there were no injuries reported. the vehicle was towed to a tow yard where it was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 02v288000 (electrical system). the failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

As i was coming from dr's appt. with daughter and mom a roaring sound started in the rear. it kept getting louder and louder, car's rear would sway to the right side a little. but as i was driving down the street trying to at least get us all home safe. the rear driver side wheel came off and just rolled down the street about a half-a-block. a man came out noticing the tire roll pass him, helped me retrieve it and get it back to my car. looked at the wheel and car axle i guess that's what you call it, and told me my wheel bearings were gone.

While driving a 2001 ford focus se and navigating a curve, the rear drivers side door failed to remain secure and suddenly opened while vehicle was in motion. upon attempting to close the door, it appears the door latch does not engage and the door cannot be closed secure. upon further inspection, there is significant corrosion around the latch mechanism. the door must be manually restrained with ropes to remain closed. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the technician was unable to diagnose the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 50,000.

Right front coil spring broke as i was driving to the mechanic to have a ball joint on my left front tire replaced. heard a clanging noise while driving. i thought it was from the bad ball joint, when mechanic checked he said the coil spring had snapped. called ford about safety recall which came up when i put my vin number into their website. i was informed that the warranty period was over and my car was not covered. it cost me 600.00 to have both repairs done by a mechanic. i filed a complaint with ford while on the phone with them and their advice was to save my receipt and if a recall goes into effect for this problem, i will get reimbursed. i have seen hundreds of complaints about this problem, yet ford just ignores the issue as it is still happening. now today my back window made a noise and the window fell down and won't go back up. i've already had a new battery, alternator, plugs and coil pack replaced because of surging and stalling. i am also getting poor gas mileage. i was told by ford that there are no open recalls on my car yet i have and am having the same problems that many of the recalls in effect are listing. very poor customer service by ford. *js

Brakes replaced at 48,763 miles we are now at 77,000. for the last 2-3,000 miles if feels like air in the line when you step on the brake peddle it does not immediately engage, there is a gap before the brakes engage & the gap is growing a potential safety issue. there is no noise associated with the brake actions. *tr

It start with door busting all the time ,then i switch it off ..now it want crank ,just bust. *tr

Checked your site for recalls. found field service action number:03m02 re: coil springs. previously checked for recalls two year ago. this notice was not on your site then. as the original owner, i have made it a point to keep abreast of all recalls. i was never notified of this notice by ford. used the same dealer for repairs for the last 5 years. called ford today. ford said the dealer had a copy of this notice. never informed of this by the dealer (auto nation, bellevue dealership). your site posting of the notice said it expired after 10 year or 150,000 miles. ford said i was out of luck as "what ever came first, years or mileage". i suspect that ford never notified nhtsa of this problem & i also suspect ford is doing a cya. *tr

1.engine fades or loses power rapidly during execution of freeway- speed turns (off ramps for example) without braking; i have gone from 50 to 20 mph within 1-2 seconds while in front of another vehicle and semi (very dangerous). the vehicle was tuned and typical parts replaced for smog check a few months ago and passed smog check without comments. this problem started around 100k and has happened to other drivers who borrow my car. the ford dealership (serramonte ford) was unable to recreate the problem so i paid 150 dollars for a can of fuel additive and lost use of the car for 8 hour even though i was asked to drop it off start of morning. 2. now it stutters or hesitates during high acceleration (ie passing lane or going uphill) on highway; the vehicle is no longer reliable esp. if you should need to rapidly increase power. i have read of possible connection related to either a fuel pump or debris from the fuel tank inner coating/material composition degrading over time. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the rear passenger door latch failed to latch and remained opened. the door was forced closed by the use of ropes and a seat belt. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rear door latch needed to be replaced. the technician informed the contact of nhtsa campaign number: 05v030000 (latches/locks/linkages); however, the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 108,900.

As i was driving home after dropping my daughter off the car just stopped. i let it roll to a complete stop and then put it in park. i tried to crank the car and i got nothing. all the lights, horn, and all still works by the engine does nothing. *tr

I was driving on interstate 5 in portland or. my engine just stopped!! right in the middle lane of traffic. luckily it was early rush hour so it was stop and go traffic. but, was very scary and difficult to get my car off the freeway. i was told that 2001 ford focus's have a fuel line problem that has been recalled. i purchased this car in 2008. there was only 1 previous owner. this recall was not repaired on this car. please help. thanks *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving 10 mph, the warning indicators did not illuminate on the dashboard. the failure occurred numerous of times. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and recommended the replacement of the faulty wiring. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the approximate mileage was 162,600.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the vehicle stalled at temperatures above 85 degrees. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the technician replaced the fuel pump. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 108,182. upated 9/4/14*cn updated 1/8/2015 *js

Under normal use the exterior door handles on three of the four car doors broke. within a week's time all three broke and the only way to open the doors was to reach through an open window and pull the interior handle. at my expense the ford service dept. replaced the broke handles, however the right rear part couldn't be located to repair it. this should have been a safety recall. should their have been an accident prior to my replacing the handles, someone trying to help a person stuck inside wouldn't have been able to get the passenger out of the vehicle. when i looked online to read about these handles i found that this was a bad design year for door handles and after about 3 years it was then redesigned. why not a recall then? *tr

Key does not turn properly in ignition cylinder and door locks. *tr

Slow acceleration, loss of power, surging, hesitation, stalling. *js

Was driving my car at 55 mph at 11:20 pm on way home from work car made jerk lost all power no brakes no steering black smoke coming through vents to inside of car and flames coming from under hood car fully engulfed in flames blew up. *tr

Bought vehicle 2nd hand, cash, everything worked fine. now, i have no brake lights, & my door locks no longer work on the remote, or the "all lock/unlock" button, & now my trunk latch is not working correctly. the door locks are self locking (meaning that they lock at any given time whenever they please.) the brake switch has been replaced, all bulbs have been checked & replaced, fuses keep getting blown. cannot locate fuse for the door locks. ford has a campaign for the year 2000 for a door latch issue, campaign #05s27 nhtsa id# 05v-030. also, campaign #05s50 nhtsa id #00v-411 for a tail lamp issue. there are no recalls on this yet after doing weeks of research i am finding that it is an issue with the ford focus from 2000 to current. after calling several dealers, none of them would tell me anything, & that "they didn't recall any problems before from anyone else". how is it that i can find this issue on the internet but the dealers "never heard of it"? why is there no change in the indicated issue of the wiring harness to the rear tail light assembly? wouldn't this be a hazard? i didn't know they weren't working until i got pulled over by law enforcement. so, this issue happens while the vehicle is being driven!!! therefore, a diligent owner who checks their lights regularly will not know it happens until (a) said person gets hit from behind, or (b) gets pulled over by law enforcement. here are a few links for your reference: link: http://www.cargurus.com/cars/discussion-t574_ds546293. link: http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?s=2146e9390be4cc339ae4f6438baf3812&t=104972. link: http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1250643. link: http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=149053. link: http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=268411. link: http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=206427 *js

Right front coil spring broke while driving on the road. the broken spring penetrated the right front tire and immediately disabled the vehicle. it has been documented that this is a common problem for this vehicle, and it was determined that the springs were manufactured improperly and do not resist corrosion. ford has recognized the probelm through several tsbs and even had a customer satisfaction program 03m02 with at least 2 supplements concerning the issue and replacement of the faulty parts. i spoke with a local ford dealer (hondru) and they told me the program expired and the car is no longer covered. i then spoke with a ford representative through direct customer service and they confirmed this was the case. they confirmed the conversation with number cas4271469-z6w0f2. the representative's name was kendra. i am deeply concerned about this because it is a significant safety risk to me an my family. the coil spring is a significant component of the suspension, and when it brakes the driver's ability to control the car is extremely compromised. to make things worse, the broken spring destroys the tire immediately, further reducing the ability to control the car. since it was documented that there was a fault in the manufacturing process, and ford and nhtsa knew about the problem, these parts should have been replaced under a recall due to the safety concerns. *tt

Subframe is rusted through. *tr

2001 ford focus. consumer writes in regards to electrical system failure. *smd the consumer stated the vehicle was a lemon. over the past 2 years alone, he has spent $2,000 in non-routine repairs. every time there was an issue, the vehicle was taken to the repair shop for the problem, but was never fully fixed. on one occasion, the vehicle started smoking and the wiring caught on fire.. the consumer was informed, the vehicle needed all new wiring, after the dash lights and tail lights went out 3 times. also, the cruise control and all the lights inside the vehicle stopped working. *jb

On our ford focus, the exterior door handle, on the front driver's side does not work. you can reach in the window (or lean over ctr console) to pull the handle and open it. the handle on the outside is stuck in the full pulled out position, and cannot be pushed in. the back driver's side door started periodically started having problems opening. i thought the problem with the back door may be due to the child safety locks being engaged. i opened the rear door, inserted, and rotated the key. as far as i could tell, there was no change. you could pull the handle on the inside, and outside, and the mechanism seemed to be working, so i closed the door ....before changing the rotation back. now, the door will not open any, from the inside, or outside. this is a great concern because if there was an accident, or fire, the person in the back seat may not be able to exit this vehicle. i would like to know: is there a way to reset the child safety locks, without opening the door (since this door will not open)? *tr

On our ford focus, the exterior door handle, on the front driver's side does not work. you can reach in the window (or lean over ctr console) to pull the handle and open it. the handle on the outside is stuck in the full pulled out position, and cannot be forced in even. the back door started not working periodically. i thought the problem on the back door may be the child safety locks being on. i opened the rear door, inserted the key, and rotated it. as far as i could tell, there was no change. you could pull on the inside, and outside handle, and the mechanism seemed to be working, so i closed the door ....before changing the rotation back. now, the door will not open from the inside or outside. this concerns me if there were an accident, or fire, the person in the back seat may not be able to exit. i would like to know if there is a way to reset the child door locks-without opening the door (since the door will not open)? *tr

Tl * the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving 45 mph, she attempted to make a right turn when the vehicle stalled without warning. the contact was able to restart the vehicle but after driving for a several minutes the failure recurred. the contact stated that the vehicle had been repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline). the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 162,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph and changing gears from second to third, the vehicle began shaking uncontrollably. the vehicle was not been taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnosis. the manufacturer was not made aware of the problem. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 87,000.

Sunday 05 jan 2014 i had recently parked my car, turned it off, and was outside of my vehicle (2001 ford focus) when i began to notice smoke coming from the hood of the vehicle. i was confused at first, as the car was completely off for a few minutes before any problems began. within a matter of two minutes the smoke had increased, thickened, and began to smell. my friend was nearby and had noticed that something was not right. he came over and we both took a couple steps toward the front of the car to figure out what was going on. immediately flames burst up from the hood. at this point we instantly ran from the vehicle, dialing 911. the flames got worse as we waited from a distance for the fire department to arrive. at this point i was unsure as to whether the car would completely blow up or not, as the flames became worse with every minute. the fire department arrived within approximately five minutes. they were able to put the fire out in a few minutes, but had to break the window and then pry the hood open in order to do so. after the fire was completely out and the scene was safe i was able to talk with the firemen. they showed me under the hood and said the fire seemed to be something electrical and looked as if it had started near the front right of the vehicle under the hood (somewhere close to the passenger headlight). they also explained, as i had already assumed, that the vehicle was unsalvageable. *tr

Ignition switch on the vehicle is completely locked up and will not turn. my wife is a diabetic and has numerous health complications due to her diabetes. if we were out and became stranded it could have cost us her life. i am disappointed with ford for not fixing this issue.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. in addition, the vehicle was consuming far more fuel than rated. the contact did not take the vehicle to a dealer or mechanic for diagnostic testing or repairs. the failure mileage was 140,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the alternator failed due to corrosion and it was cracked in several places.. the contact replaced the alternator himself. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 143,000. ...updated 12-24-13 *bf

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to accelerate. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the fuel pump had to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 110,000. the current mileage was 127,598.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that while parked, she heard a loud grinding noise as oil and radiator fluid leaked from under the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. the mechanic stated that the engine would have to be replaced because the valve stem had fractured, causing the piston to detach from the engine. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the vehicle would randomly accelerate and decelerate independently as if it were going to stall. the contact took the vehicle to a dealer but was told that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. the contact also stated that there were no warning lights when the failure occurred. the failure mileage was 88,000 and the current mileage was 90,000. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the vehicle began surging and then stalled. the contact took the vehicle to a mechanic where it was determined that the fuel delivery module failed. the mechanic told the contact that there was a recall for the fuel delivery system, but when the contact spoke with the manufacturer regarding nhtsa campaign id number:03v482000 (fuel system) they were told that the vehicle was not included. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 109,000.

I've had my 2001 ford focus for years now and i have had problems with my ignition (got that replaced) and my windshield wipers work when ever they want to and will sometimes turn on its own. also my trunk will not open at all. i've taken it to different places to get it fixed and no one has been able to open it. i purchased this vehicle so that i could save on gas but all i'm doing is wasting a crap load of money on just repairing everything. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus equipped goodyear eagle authority tires (size 225-50-16). the contact stated that while traveling 70 mph, there was a burning rubber smell as and the vehicle veered to the left and crashed into several barriers. the contact sustained minor injuries. upon inspection, it was determined that the passenger's side rear tire tread had separated from the actual tire. the vehicle was destroyed. a police report was filed. the manufacturer was contacted about the failure. the failure mileages were not available. the tire was not replaced.

I was at the gas station filling up the car when i was finished i went to start the car only to hear a sound that reminded me of running over coins with a vacuum and then all of a sudden the vehicle turned off and would not restart. i had the car towed to my place of residence and my father-in-law later on had it towed to a mechanic shop. the mechanic there said that the valve seat broke off and messed up the head and cannot be repaired it has to be replaced. i have since been without a vehicle. i also have been doing some research on this matter and have found that this has been an ongoing problem with others and their ford focus. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle independently decelerated to 30 mph. the vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the roadway for a brief moment. the failure recurred sporadically over a span of four years. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who stated that the fuel delivery would need to be replaced. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 03v482000 ( fuel system, gasoline), which the vin was included, however the recall was expired. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact was displeased to know that he was not notified of the recall in a reasonable time for the vehicle to be repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start and the key broke off in the ignition. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnosis where it was stated that the ignition needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired but the problem recurred. the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 186,000. *tr

Ford motor company knew and has know for years about bad valve seats in their 2000-2004 focus's with 2.0l split port injection engine. where ever these heads were made , the quality control for this part was not evaluated properly. the engine drops a 'pressed in' steel valve seat that falls into the cylinder and puts too much stress on the piston, bore, and connecting rods of the engine. under this stress it generally will cause rods to break, warp or come through the block wall. (which is what happened to my engine). it may be a cooling problem, it may be faulty design or poor craftsmanship. regardless, if this car won so many awards over it's lifetime from motor trend or other institutions....then they should be backing the many people who have had to fork out thousands in engine repairs and parts to fix this problem. it seems to show up at variable mileage...which i'm sure is due to each individuals driving habits. and it's obvious it's a defect --due to the similarity each person has experienced. it almost always happens to the same cylinder (number 4) and it's always just this particular engine...this is not coincidence...this is poor quality control...and should be addressed as such. i believe a recall by ford is in order....without question by ford motor....they're ceo makes millions...how about fixing these cars....it might explain why so many people stop buying fords and go foreign....and i can hardly blame them when they do! you need to come half way with the people on this matter ford motor---it's hurting your reliability and dependability issues. i replaced the engine for a whopping $2896.00 and will never buy a ford anything. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the engine exploded while sitting idle at a traffic stop. there were no injuries. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer to determine the cause of the failure. the failure and the current mileages were 197,000. *tr

I have a 2001 ford focus lx with 199,871 miles on it and its my first ford car. i have owned many of ford trucks in my life and always fixed problems with them myself. but with my focus, every time in the past 4 years when i turn a corner roughly around 15 mph or over, it cuts out and the car bogs out and jumps like the engine is going to jump out then i get a bad smell almost like sulfur coming from the car. all fluid levels are good with a full gas tank. this happens whether the car is hot or cold. usually i can just punch the gas pedal to the floor and it will eventually gain rpm's again and go with no problems until i turn sharp again. i have recently replaced spark plugs and cables, alternator, transmission and clutch plate, fuel pump and various pcv valves and hoses. had the fuel pressure tested and it was fine. this problem has been consistent like this for the past 4 years with no other problems. i have always been a ford guru but this car is making me think twice. i have 2 small children that go with me almost everywhere with me and just today as i turned a corner getting on the highway ramp, it bogged out worse then ever with many angry drivers on my tail. i thought i was going to crash the car into the guard rail. i hit the pedal to the floor like i usually do and it started going again, but in fifth gear it kept jumping and cutting out. i turned off the side of the road to turn the car off then back on and it ran fine all the way home. i have read many forums with the same issues on my make and model and tried many solutions with no luck. with your expertise, do you have any ideas why this is happening. i see this problem allot with focus but never any working solutions. *tr

Before i finalized the purchase of the car, it was examined thoroughly by a mechanic. the 2001 ford focus' title was transferred to me a week and a half prior to the accident. on the day of the crash, it was a misty day and there was a fair amount of traffic. i slowed down when i saw an accident on the side of the road. while in the process of coming to a stop, the brakes failed and i crashed into the car in front of me that had come to a sudden stop. there would have been enough space for me to stop safely, but i slid. the airbags deployed when the collision occurred, which smashed the windshield. shortly afterward, the person from whom i purchased the vehicle had mentioned she hadn't liked the performance of the brakes, even when the car was new. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. the contact was able to move the key in the ignition, but there was no response. the failure recurred frequently and without warning. the contact stated that the battery was drained and he would often jump start the vehicle, which would temporarily resolve the failure. the vehicle was taken to a private repair shop for diagnosis but were the technicians were unable to duplicate the failure. the battery was replaced. the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 80,000. the current mileage was 85,000.

Saturday may 04/2013 my car killed over 30 times driving about 5 miles. this happened last year doing 60mph on the freeway. it is impossible to restart a manual transmission at this speed. in this case, i drove into the service department of ford of bellevue and it continued to kill while there trying to move it. the service person blew me off wouldn't even take the time check it out or even listen. as i was driving out it killed too many times to count. the sales manager said to bring it in monday. sunday it stopped killing. when i brought it in monday, i asked for the service manager, the service employee went to find him & it took about 10 minutes, that was curios as the place was deserted. when the service manager arrived, he refused to discuss the matter only saying we were busy. i had contacted ford as well as the franchise holder auto nations previously but nothing was done. last week i sent a letter to the chief engineer at ford but i suspect nothing will be done at that level again. in my research i found the following information today that was posted by another individual " the vehicle is stalling at unpredictable times due to fuel delivery system/fuel pump. i am a ase certified mechanic. i talked to ford, then i called the local dealer. they told me, as they have in the past it's a fuel pump issue..." there is more to this posting but the bottom line ford knew of this problem all along and chose to ignore it. this is an accident waiting to happen & it could be a killer. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the front driver's side floor mat became wet. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where it was diagnosed that the condenser box to the air conditioning unit was cracked and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure and current mileage was unknown. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the liftgate wires failed. there was also a crack in the seam of the liftgate window and rain water was able to enter the veihcle. the failure caused the wires to short and melt. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection and they stated that the wiring needed to be repaired. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 128,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving 5 mph, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. the vehicle was towed to the contact's home. she was informed of a recall for nhtsa campaign number: 03v482000 ( fuel system, gasoline). the manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was unavailable. updated 04/30/13*lj

The right front door lock is jammed or stuck, i cannot open the door from the inside or outside,the other 3 door locks work fine. *tr

Stopped in traffic for redlight, traffic started to move car in front of me stopped and i rear ended him causing airbags to deploy and smash windshield. when i exited the vehicle to my surprise there was no front end damage only a scuff mark on front bumper where my car went under the 1991 mercury grand marquis that i hit. received a powder burn to my left hand from airbag deployment. car that i hit had no damage. insurance company thinks the vehicle will have to be totaled because air bags deployed. at he time of impact i was traveling between 5 and 10mph. *tr

I was driving to work and i turned on my cruise control, i had to barely brake for a caution when a car was coming in my lane, once i went around them...i left the cruise control off....but the car sped up on its own...approximately 65-70 miles an hour. my brakes were working just fine. i called my dad to see what he wanted me to do....i drove on to work (approx 20 more miles) and didn't have my foot on the gas pedal the whole time....the cruise was off...the pedal was stuck and the car continued going 60 miles per hour....once i came to my exit, i took it out of 5th gear (manual transmission) and the car revved up horribly...i pulled into work and shut it off. restarted it and it was doing the same thing. these cars need recalled!!!! *tr

Front right lower balled joint separated and broke the control arm almost separated the wheel from the car. the car has not been repaired. *tr

I was stopped at a red light, when the light turned green and i engaged the gas pedal the car began to clank and jerk loudly and violently. i drove the car about two feet before the steering seized up, the car could not be put into neutral, died completely, and had to be pushed to the side of the road. one of the pistons, cylinder # 1, was extensively damaged, due to the valve seat failure which shattered the piston, broke off pieces of the piston skirt, and bent the connecting rod. no damage was done to the cylinder wall, but pieces of the piston skirt were found in the oil pan, and pieces of the piston crown were found in the bottom of intake manifold. valve seat breakage in the older model focus, is so common that aera engine rebuilders association issued two bulletins (tb 1725 & tb 1939) to alert the industry to this issue. these bulletins state that the œintake valve seats are made of a powdered metal that shatters easily. on october 29, 2012, after the vehicle had been repaired, i phoned ford to request a refund for the cost of the parts and was informed, that since there was no recall no refund could be issued. the valve seats have subsequently been modified from the faulty powdered metal type, this shows that ford is and was aware of this issue. internet entries that outline this problem on the 2001 model can be found at numerous websites, including: http://www.carcomplaints.com/ford/focus/2001/. *tr

2001 ford focus. consumer request reimbursement for repairs and investigation for possible recall. *smd the consumer is requesting an investigation into the common problem of valve seat breakage in fords older engines. the breakage was due to intake valve seats that were made of a powered metal that shattered easily. the consumer wrote to ford requesting reimbursement for the damage caused to her engine. on september 17, 2012, roughly two miles after exiting the highway, the consumer came to a complete stop at a red light. when the light turned green, she engaged the gas pedal, and the vehicle began to make an unusual noise and jerked loudly and violently. she was able to drive the vehicle abut two more feet, before the steering seized. the vehicle would not go into neutral and it died completely and had to be pushed to a parking lot on the side of the road. the vehicle was then towed to a mechanic and a diagnosis revealed, one of the pistons, cylinder #1 was extremely damaged, due to the valve seat failure which shattered the piston and broke off pieces of the piston skirt and bent the connecting rod. there was no damage to the cylinder wall, as pieces of the piston skirt were found in the oil pan and pieces of the piston crown were found in the bottom of the intake manifold. *jb

Headlight failure. with engine running, when the headlight switch is turned on, the headlights (both) do not always go on. also, after being on for a while (often within 10 minutes, almost always within 20 minutes), both headlights will suddenly turn off on their own. when headlights go off, dashboard lights, and other outside lights, remain on. when the switch is on, but headlights have gone off, if the high beams are toggled on and then off, the headlights will go on (for a while). this sequence occurs repeatedly. unless it is dark (e.g. if in twilight or in daytime rain), or unless i can see the headlight reflections, i have no way of knowing the status of my headlights. dealership initially replaced a relay, without solving problem. dealership then replaced the "multi-function switch" controlling turn signals and high beams, with seeming success. i am in possession of the failed original-equipment "multi-function switch". dealership was understanding and helpful, but would not treat this intermittent, sudden, repeated headlight failure as a critical safety issue under warranty. this vehicle has been subject to gas pump failure, and to front suspension spring breakage, which were covered under warranty. [note also that car design does not allow headlights to turn on or stay on when engine is off - this may save accidental battery drain, but deprives operator of illumination or signaling ability that may be needed in emergency situations.]

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact was driving approximately 65 mph and smelled a burning odor just as all of the instrument panel gauges reduced to zero abnormally. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number 02v288000 (electrical system:battery:cables) but was advised by the manufacturer that the recall was expired. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Attempted to start my car. inserted key into the ignition and a warning chime began. steering wheel was locked and i cannot move it. ignition will not turn. cannot drive at this time. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that he attempted to open the rear passenger side window however, the window opened and fell into the door panel independently. the contact stated that he attempted to close the window but it would not respond. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the window motor needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. the failure mileage was 116,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving 5mph there was a clunking noise coming from the front of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnose that the front coil springs fractured. the vehicle was being repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not offer any assistance. the failure mileage was 122,000.

Heard clunking noise-rear subframe is completely rotted and broken on both sides. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that when driving 5 mph and attempting a turn, the vehicle would stall without warning. the contact stated that the failure was possibly caused by the fuel system failing to transfer to the engine. the vehicle was not been inspected by a dealer or an independent mechanic. the manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline). the failure and current mileages were approximately 78,000.

Driving on 4 lane highway, car sputters and stalls as if out of gas. coasted off road, and after a few minutes car started and ran fine. car has been doing this every few weeks. changed coil, plugs, plug wires, oxygen sensor, fuel filter, cat converter and still stalls. this car is dangerous when it stalls in fast traffic. we only drive it now during daylight and short trips because it is not dependable. *tr

My 16-year old daughter was pulling out of a parking stall and moving forward to exit the parking area. she was traveling about 10 mph when the air bags deployed without warning. she was injured mostly on her right side from the seat belt and also burns from the air bag on her upper torso and neck. bruises on her legs and very, very sore. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that all four of the power windows fell into the door well independently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who set the windows to stay up and taped the power window buttons so that they could not be pushed as the windows would fall again. the manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. the failure and current mileage was 90,000. updated 12/5/12 *cn updated 12/10/2012 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle overheated without any warning. the vehicle was taken to a dealer multiple times who was unable to diagnose the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 92,000 and the current mileage was 93,000.

Rear door will not stay latched and swings wide open. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph the vehicle stalled without any warnings. the contact was able to restart the vehicle. the failure occurred intermittently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and an independent mechanic for diagnostic. the technician and mechanic stated that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline) that might be related to the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 20,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact was traveling 30 mph when the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was restarted shortly thereafter. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the vin failed to qualify under nhtsa campaign id number:03v482000 ( fuel system, gasoline). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 157,000...updated 01/30/13 *bf the consumer stated the dealership found pcv hose at the back of the engine collapsed (repaired), performed fuel induction sytem flush, aaa replaced entire cooling system. the vehicle has been repaired as a whole. updated 2/5/2013 *js

Driving with cruise control set at 60 mph when car accelerated gaining speeds over 75. i pulled over, shut down engine, lifted hood and saw accelerator linkage was stuck. i cleared linkage, started engine and car ran normally. this happened 3 more times on later dates with cruise control engaged. car starts accelerating until i stop vehicle, shut off engine, and free up linkage/metal. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact was traveling 30-60 mph when the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle decelerated and stalled. the contact stated that the failure only occurred when driving in warm, humid conditions. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic and the manufacturer was contacted who confirmed that the vin failed to qualify for repairs under nhtsa campaign id number: 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 75,000 and the current mileage was 96,000.

On 7/27/2012, the car caught on fire while being driven. the smoke started coming into the interior through the vents. when attempting to pull over,there was no brake (my guess is that the brake line had melted.). my husband used the e brake and park to stop and someone yelled...get out of the car.my husband and son jumped out and the car became engulfed. there is nothing left. he told me that just before that it started hesitating some,like it was going to cut off, but didn't. for a more detailed statement please contact him. i am so thankful that they got out... thank you, *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the ignition cylinder would not release the key. the contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic to have the ignition cylinder repaired. the contact stated the ignition cylinder had no problems after the repair. the failure mileage was 148,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that two the front driver side and the passenger side rear door handles fractured from the vehicle. the contact would have to leave the windows open in order to later enter the vehicle. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer however, the contact stated that the window regulator was defective and would need replacing. the contact was concerned that in the event of an emergency no one would be able to exit the vehicle immediately. the manufacturer was notified of the failure who stated that the contact should take the vehicle to the nearest dealer for a diagnosis and offered no additional assistance. the failure mileage was 20,000 and the current mileage was 74,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the keys became stuck in the ignition cylinder and could not be used to start the vehicle. the vehicle was not taken to a repair shop or to the dealer for inspection. the vehicle was repaired by a locksmith who replaced the ignition cylinder and issued a new key. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the contact stated that the problem could have been related to a defective side bar in the ignition cylinder lock. the vin was unavailable. the current mileage was 140,000. the failure mileage was 130,000. ...updated 08-10-12 *bf the consumer stated the cost of the repair was 177.00. updated 08/13/2012 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving 25 mph, there was a sudden up shift and the vehicle accelerated uncontrollably on its own. the contact attempted to down shift into neutral to apply the brakes, but the vehicle failed to brake. the contact was unable to stop the vehicle and it accelerated up to 40 and 60 mph. the contact had to shut the vehicle off to stop acceleration. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer or repair shop for inspection or repair. the manufacturer was made aware; however no further assistance was provided. the failure and current mileages were 109,000.

The key for my ford focus will go into the ignition but not turn. i have tried to turn the steering wheel but it still won't get the key to turn in the ignition. after doing some research, i am finding that this is a major and very common complaint with ford focus owners and ford will not issue a recall. the car is not drivable and in order to get it to a repair shop we will have to tow it which will be another expense. if ford is aware of this problem and will not do anything to recall it, something needs to be done. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the rear driver side and rear passenger side window regulator motors failed. several months later, the front passenger side window regulator motor failed. the dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 111,000 and the current mileage was 115,000.

Tl* the contact owns 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that abnormal cranking noise were coming from the rear driver side window. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer and the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 90,000 and the current mileage was 93,000. updated 09/19/12*lj the consumer stated the window regulation failed and could not be used to close the window. updated 09/26/2012 *js

My last oil change i was inform the front subframe is badly rusted, to the point the mechanic could push a screw driver through it in spots. he informed me that driving it was a major safety risk, as the frame could fail, causing an accident. he said ford has not issued a recall. they must be waiting for a higher body count when the front end of the car fails while going down the interstate. *tr

Went to start my car this morning and the key would not turn in the ignition. after doing some google research, found that this is a very common issue with the focus, and has to do with parts in the ignition switch becoming stuck. i was able to get the key to turn eventually by banging on it, and have now left the key in the ignition to avoid the problem occurring again. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving 5 mph into a parking space the air bags deployed without warning, causing the windshield to shatter. the contact was able to maintain control of the vehicle during the failure. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 150,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact was driving 20 mph when she noticed that the vehicle would not acclerate before stalling without waring. the contact was able to restart the vehicle. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was contacted they advised that the vehicle was not under recall and provided no further assistance. the failure and current mileages were 170,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle suddenly stalled and immediately restarted independently. the failure recurred intermittently when driving various speeds and occasionally, the vehicle could not be restarted. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing where the mechanic advised the contact that the failure was caused by the fuel system. the dealer was unable to determine the exact repair the vehicle would need in order to remedy the failure. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline) but was advised by the manufacturer that the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 152,000.

The contact heard metal scraping the ground and then plastic being dragged underneath the vehicle. she immediately stopped the vehicle and discovered the fuel tank on the ground. she called the fire department to get permission for triple a to tow the vehicle. the contact stated that the bolt that holds the arm in place on the fuel tank had no thread remaining. *js

Fuel pump failure at only 65297 . fuel system has no sign of foreign matter in tank. car was running fine before fuel pump failure. cost to replace fuel pump and labor cost of dropping exhaust system and protective metal shield to gain access to fuel tank . fuel tank must be removed to repair. no engine light came on prior to car not starting while in my driveway. this is a outrageous repair for a car with such good maintenance . i request an investigation into defective fuel pumps on this year and model car. *tr

2001 ford focus. consumer writes in regards to reimbursement for fuel pump replacement *tgw the consumer stated her mother had not experienced any problems with the vehicle prior to the recall. however, in feb 2011, the vehicle came to a dead stop without warning. the vehicle was towed to a service station, because it couldn't be restarted. the problem was soon diagnosed as a fuel pump failure and subsequently it was replaced. the consumer's mother contacted the dealership and was told she was eligible for reimbursement. but, soon after the statement was retracted. ford stated the replacement coverage was for a period of ten years from the original warranty start date on the vehicle. *jb

Car began to hesitate and stall. multiple start failures. dealer repeatedly failed to fix the problem even though it was under recall for exact issue (csp 03m01). this issue started in january of 2009. the dealer stated it was a vapor management vacuum leak and "repaired". issue not resolved. fuel filter replaced again in march of 2009. issue not resolved. in may of 2009 dealer did multi-point inspection found no cause for problem. issue not resolved. november of 2009 back at dealer for inspection still no cause found. april 2010 car back to dealer had computer tested still no cause found. it's shocking to me that this car had a csp on it for the very issue i was having...and it was never resolved. now the car is out of fords 10 year recall and they won't fix the know defect. seems like ford and the dealer delayed repair until after recall coverage! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact was driving 40 mph when the steering wheel became loose and a clunking noise emitted from the front of the vehicle. the power steering also failed, causing the vehicle to steer to the left abnormally. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where the private mechanic confirmed that the front spring from the struts had detached and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 44,099.

When exiting a corner or banked turn at any speed, the car will sputter and then shut off when gas levels approach 1/4 tank. the car will either coast and then regain power or completely die and come to a stop. at freeway speeds this is extremely dangerous to the occupants and passing traffic. the car will also sputter during bursts of quick acceleration. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated the front and rear passenger seat belts failed to lock and unlock properly. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer to determine the cause of failure. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 79,000 and the current mileage was 83,500.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving approximately 70 mph, the contact noticed the entire instrument panel and other gauges failed to function properly. the speedometer and fuel gauge also would not display an accurate reading. immediately the vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road and the engine was turned off. upon restarting the vehicle it began to function for a brief period and the failure recurred. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the instrument panel cluster was replaced. the similar failure recurred six months after the repair was performed. the contact stated the instrument panel cluster would need to be replaced for the second time. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the malfunction. the approximate failure mileage was 89,000. updated 03/14/12*lj updated 03/19/12

Going uphill on freeway, the car started lurching. the lurching was intermittent as it would run smooth again and started lurching. i experienced a loss of power going uphill until i went down to 3rd and second gear. i had the fuel pump, fuel filter, and fuel pump relay replaced. the symptoms are very similar to recall number #03v482000(2001 ford focus fuel system recall). i called ford about this recall, they looked up my vin number and said told me there is no recall for my vehicle. *tr

Engine suddenly had no oil in it. in turn, the engine is now blown. *tr

On may 9, 2011 my car went for emergency repairs to bill wilcox's charlon ford agency of ridgecrest, ca. after $1725 repairs, i experienced a reduction in mileage, dropping from 30-31mpg to 25-26 mpg, a 17 to 18 % drop. that began immediately, with the initial purchase of gas - in visalia; and, it was later confirmed was caused by the improper use of a torch on a suspension cross member. the car was taken to rob holbrook's auto crew in clearfield, utah, checked for undercarriage damage and evidence that charlon ford's repairs caused the problems. he is a licensed safety inspector for the state of utah. widespread damage to that main cross member, where the attachment for the rear motor mount is affixed to that portion of the sub frame, was confirmed. the sub frame was quite distorted, bowed in and out, and exhibited evidence that the mount had been removed by use of a torch so the rear dog bone motor mount could be replaced. deformation of that cross member and resultant changes to the suspension were the reasons for low mpg and tire wear because of improper camber. bill wilcox, stated to california bar that toe-in was only adjusted while the camber was overlooked or could not be adjusted. but, the use of a torch to this unit is not called for - unless it is to replace that unit. leaving the suspension cross member in that condition, leads to a stress point that could lead to cracking and tearing, and could prematurely cause rusting which weaken those attachments to the suspension. if repairs are made it is imperative that it and surrounding structures be returned to proper dimensions. but problems arise when improper heat affects strength and creates permanent softness and increasing brittleness. the cross member had to be replaced and a new alignment performed - at a cost of $851.74. *tr

I've had numerous problems with my ford focus and despite regular maintenance i've been stranded on the side of a highway countless times.thus far i've replaced the engine twice. twice i've had to replace the alternator. my throttle does not return to idle and has unexpected moments of acceleration and i've had to replace the engine throttle sensor. both of my front coil springs have broken and were very close to puncturing my tires. after taking my vehicle to numerous mechanics none of them have been able to diagnose why my car shakes so badly. i have very poor visibility at night with the exterior lighting which is significantly less compared to other vehicles. my fan has had to be replaced since it was malfunctioning and my car was having problems overheating as well. during the course of all of these car malfunctions, i've been in dangerous situations on the side of the highway and in risky neighborhoods at night. this car has proven to be very unreliable and unsafe. *tr

My main complaints are the power windows, air conditioning, fuel system issue 3 of the 4 power window mechanism in my car have broken and two are wedged up, which wasn't a huge safety concern to me because i rarely have people in the rear seats. now, i have to decide if i should fix my driver window or wedge it. it is a safety concern for me because if i get into an accident and cannot open my window then i might make it out alive. my a/c is broken as well so in the summer months, i need to choose to either fix my a/c or fix my power window so that i can have ventilation. also, i have been trying to get an issue fixed with the fuel system as it sometimes lurches in the middle of driving. it hasn't stalled on me yet in the middle of an intersection like it has for some people, but i am worried it will happen soon. i am hopeful ford will fix my window issues as this is a direct cause of cheap parts. *tr

Vehicle surges and lacks power or engine dies. when doing online research of these symptoms. i found a recall that is expired for the vehicle. (recall # 03v48200) i believe the recall should be extended indefinitely do to the nature and scope of the problem. this vehicle is reliable other than that and can provide many more years of use. also, these are generally good starter vehicle for young drivers, and could prove to be a safety issue for inexperienced drivers, including their personal safety if the vehicle leaves them stranded beside the road. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact was driving 60 mph when the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic but the mechanic was unable to diagnose the failure. he then informed the contact of nhtsa campaign id number: 03v482000 (fuel delivery module) and referred the contact to the manufacturer. the contact called the manufacturer regarding the recall and was advised that the vehicle was not included in the recall. the contact then took the vehicle to the dealer where the dealer replaced the fuel delivery module. the had not experienced any failures with the vehicle following repairs. the failure mileage was 92,400. updated 10/04/11 *bf updated 10/05/11

This vehicle has suddenly died dozens of times since april of 2011. it dies when applying the brakes on the interstate, it dies when braking in a parking area. there is no specific speed when this occurs. the vehicle starts back up after two or three times while giving it gas. it happens when the gas tank is full or low and our very reputable mechanic can find no cause. this is extremely dangerous, especially in high traffic areas and i have seen where numerous complaints have been filed online and i hope reporting this will show a pattern with these vehicles. *kb

Coil spring on front passenger side broke while driving on the highway. unable to move the vehicle because a metal object from broken spring jammed into the front tire. the car is old, but has been kept inside a garage and has low mileage.

The latches on three of the doors either do not latch which makes the door fly open or it latches and doesn't open, after inspection the latches are so corroded with rust that they do not work at all. before i realized that the door wasn't latching i had a propane tank for a grill in the back seat when i made a right hand turn and it hit the door and the door flew open and the tank went flying down the street and almost hit a pedestrian. there have been recalls on this but my vin # isn't on the recall but should be! i was quoted over $800 to fix the doors. this is a safety issue and i shouldn't have to pay for it. *tr

I put the key in the ignition to start the car and the key would not turn and my steering wheel locked up. i spoke a friend about it and she stated she has the same problem she has a ford focus please tell me what to do if it was an emergency i would not be able to leave or pull off in the event of something happening. *kb

While passing a car while driving down a two lane road, my accelerator pedal continued going down to the floor on its own. i tapped the brakes, checked to see if there were any obstructions by the pedal, tried everything i could to free the accelerator pedal but nothing worked. by this time the car was traveling in excess of 80 mph and applying the brakes were not slowing the car down at all. finally i put the car in neutral and while the engine kept racing at full throttle, i turned off the ignition and coasted to the side of the road. my husband returned to look at the car and found the accelerator cable disconnected and lodged between the mounting bracket and the throttle actuator, jamming the throttle at full throttle. fortunately this happened about two miles from the house. he was able to reconnect the cable and drive the car home, but he said that while driving back, the throttle was slow to throttle down when he released the pedal. once back home he found the cable had disconnected again. we are going to contact ford to see if there has been any recalls on this for the 2001. we found recalls on the 2000 model but none on the 2001. we also found one complaint that was described exactly as ours with the cable disconnecting and hanging up on the bracket. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving 10 mph the air bags deployed without prior warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who was not able to diagnosed the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure, however they did not offered any assistance because the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was 125,000 and the current mileage was 129,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus se. the contact stated that the driver side rear door would not latch. the dealer was contacted who advised that there was a recall for the failure under nhtsa campaign id number: 05v030000 (latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch) but the vehicle was not included and the recall had since expired. the manufacturer was contacted who stated offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 70,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that there was a malfunction with the battery, causing the vehicle to stall intermittently. the contact also stated that the battery cables were hot and he was unable to touch them. the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle had not been included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 02v288000 (electrical system:battery:cables). the manufacturer was aware of the failure. the vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. the failure and current mileages were 130,000.

2001 ford focus se 4 door sedan. 67,140 miles. turn signal will not turn off automatically once turn is completed either turning left or right. have to now turn off the signal manually. happened on my way home from work on 7-19-2011. nothing yet has been done to correct the failure other than an internet search to determine what might be wrong. *kb

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the latch on the rear driver and passenger side doors would not close properly. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they advised that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign id number 05v030000(latches/locks/linkages: doors:latch). the failure recurred seven years later. the manufacturer was contacted and they advised him that they previously repaired the vehicle under the recall and would not provide any further assistance. the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact noticed that while attempting to make a right turn, with a quarter tank of gas or lower, the vehicle would suddenly stall without warning. the dealer was notified who informed the contact that they were aware of the failure and that the manufacturer had issued a silent recall for the fuel delivery module. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic who inspected the vehicle and informed the contact that the vehicle needed an entire fuel pump assembly. the manufacturer was aware of the failure; however, did not repair the vehicle under campaign id number: 03v482000 ( fuel system, gasoline). no repairs were performed. the current and failure mileages were 115,101.

Tl* the contact own a 2001 ford focus. when the contact applied the brakes and stopped the vehicle it accelerated. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer to have the throttle positioning sensor replaced. a year after the vehicle was repaired, the vehicle continued to accelerate. the transmission and the throttle positioning sensor were also replaced; yet, the vehicle continued to accelerate whenever the brakes were applied. the contact stated the throttle positioning sensor was defective and caused the vehicle to accelerate. the contact was concerned that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. the failure mileage was 153,000. the consumer also stated the vehicle went into neutral while driving. the mechanic stated it was due to a faulty tps sensor. the consumer stated the sudden acceleration would cease for abut six months and then return. the tps sensor was replaced three times. updated 07/29/11

The a/c evaporator core leaking refrigerant into vents of car. fumes making driver and passengers nauseous as well as a/c failure. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus se. the contact stated that when driving at various speeds, the vehicle would suddenly stall without warning. the contact stated that the failure would only occur when the fuel tank was one half full or more. in addition, the vehicle would lunge forward abnormally and would often hesitate. the vehicle was not inspected by the dealer nor repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and they advised him that the vehicle had no recalls associated with it. the failure mileage was approximately 26,000.

In july of 2010 i was driving my 2001 ford focus in stop and go traffic. the lady infront of me stopped, i had turned for a second, when i turned back i saw the airbags blow in my face. i was traveling a maximum of 10mph there was no damage to the other vehicle or mine (from the accident). the driver airbag burned my arm, the passenger shattered the windshield, gun powder covered the roof lining. the parts manager at the local dealership said that the airbags where rated 25-30mph. i contacted ford in august of 2010, in january of 2011 they finally replied by saying that "all equipment functioned properly." *tr

I was driving my 2001 ford focus and for no reason the passenger seat side air bag went off. the loud noise scared me and i almost wreck the vehicle. my ears are still ringing from the loud blast from the air bag went off. i checked and found there are some pending law suites for this same occurrence in other 2001 ford focus. i feel the ford motor co. needs to look into this problem before someone get seriously hurt or killed. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the lamination on all four glass windows exhibited significant separation. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection and they informed the contact that each window would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 93,000.

There were no warning signs. on may 09, 2011, the key became stuck in the ignition and would not come out. did some research online to find out this is a common problem with no recall. *tr

The events leading up were intermittently spaced this has been happening since i purchased the vehicle from a private owner in 2004. when i would put the key in the ignition the wheel would not turn and feel locked i would sit for 10-20 minutes and work on it by pushing the key in hard and turning the wheel as hard it would come loose and the ignition would turn. this impacted my life as a nuisance. recently in dec of 2010 the occurrences became more frequent two to four times a week constantly being stranded until i could get the ignition and wheel to turn. happening frequently while at the store, work or somewhere away from home and again causing a great nuisance and frustration as it has made me late for work several times, allowed me to be vulnerable in situations that could have been avoided with proper recall. then around dec 20th 2010 the ignition stopped working. i was at work leaving for the day and i sat there for over an hour, not knowing any of this was a normal recurrence with other ford focus owners. after working on this myself i had to contact my spouse to come and try and he was unsuccessful as well. i have kept up the maintenance on my focus and it is in very good condition for the year. currently it has not been fixed only towed to my home residence. the cost is so high for the ignition replaced i have been given estimates of $500 plus extra for towing. this cost comes after months previous i had replaced the radiator tank at a $400 cost. this car seems to have some of the highest amount of recalls and service bulletins and i do not understand how the main power to the car, the ignition, is not seen as a hazard to the public who purchased these vehicles. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the vehicle would suddenly stall intermittently without warning. the dealer made three attempts to replace the fuel pump however, the vehicle continued to stall without warning. the failure began five months ago and the contact did not inform the manufacturer of the failure. the current mileage was 65,622 and the failure mileage was 63,739. updated 5/2/11 *cn updated 05/16/11

After purchasing car with 62k miles on it, i discovered a coolant leak the next day. this leak has gotten worse over the last week. a search of different internet sites found at least 15 reports of the thermostat housing coming loose/breaking loose from its position against the engine block. this is where the leak is coming from on my car, and the description in at least one other case appears to be identical to my own leak. the descriptions found online range from nearly immediately after purchase to approximately 1 year after purchase. this leak is severe enough to generate a 2ft wide by 4ft long puddle of coolant in approximately 12hours. continuous leak even after car has sat for greater than 12 hours rules out a failure only while under pressure. *tr

The ignition on this car has been replaced already by the first owner. well, the key cannot not be removed from the ignition. now the key has broken off in the ignition. the key stub can be removed and the engine will still run. this morning i moved the 01 focus and i shut off the car and took the key out but the shifter was still in drive. i locked the door, walked behind the car and it rolled backwards into me. lucky my neighbor was there to help me stop the car. there are many complaints from other focus owners regarding the failure of the ignition switches and ford will not recall the car and fix this dangerous problem. thanks for any help in this matter.

Interior dashboard lights went out, also noticed extrior rear lights went out. replaced fuses, blew new fuses immediately so some sort of short in the electrics. wiring on hatch lid appears to be frayed. we have found a recall for this for the 2000 version of this car but not the 2001.

Driving down the highway our children rolled down the back power windows and they would not go back up - swerved into other lane trying to contain the situation because of the noise from the traffic has to exit the highway immediately to note that the windows would no longer go up - had to manually push them up to keep them up - although while driving they will go back down - which cause a jump in reflexes. to temporarily fix the problem we have applied duct tape. also when it rains there is now water accumulating on the passenger floor board and spreads to the back seat floor board - has door seals checked and will replace although this is a real health concern because of rust and mold. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus zx3 (na). the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the fuel system stalled and he was unable to move the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the fuel was not being pumped to the engine which caused the failure; the fuel pump needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance and advised him that his vin was not included in any recalls. the failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

Hi, i recently went to a ford dealership to get an oil change on my 2001 ford focus, so when they lifted my car up to change the oil they noticed something that was a major problem, my front subframe had about a half a foot diameter hole in it because it had completely rusted out, it was all corroded and they said that if i had hit a pot hole in the road that it could have broken in half and the front end would fall straight to the ground because the front subframe holds up the whole front of the car. i think this should be a recall because this is a major safety risk to all drivers of some ford focus because they may not know about this, because i would have never known about this unless they had told me at the dealership. i can send some pictures of the subframe if you like. i just want to make sure no one gets seriously injured because of this front subframe rusting away, i was told by ford that the front subframe should last the life of the car, but apparently that wasn't the case for mine. i am getting it repaired as soon as possible because of the safety risk it can cause. thank you for your time reading this. *tr

I have had my focus now for only about 3 years, & have had more problems than i have had with any other vehicle i have ever owned before, combined. ford focuses from the years 2000-2003 have an apparent ignition problem, and i am one of the unfortunate owners to be left stranded by this issue. i am completely astonished that practically every single focus owner has had this problem & yet the ignition has not been recalled! i have had 2 other recalls on my vehicle, both very stupid trivial items which has never affected me in the slightest. i am very close to just scrapping this vehicle, & i am positive i will never be purchasing another ford ever again. it disgusts me that something that seems like it was made to break... something that left me stranded & without a car for over 2 weeks now... is also something that every other focus owner has had to replace out of their own pocket. how has this issue not been resolved by ford yet?!?!? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact was driving 5 mph and applying the brakes for a traffic stop when the vehicle stalled without warning. the contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. the failure would occur intermittently and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis and possible repairs. the dealer advised the contact that there was a leak in the pcv hose. the vehicle was repaired yet the failure recurred. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer but the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. the dealer advised that the vehicle was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign id number: 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline) that could potentially be the cause of the failure. the manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall. the vehicle was not further repaired. the failure mileage was 56,000 and the current mileage was 56,500.

I am the original owner of a 2001 ford focus purchased in mooresville nc the vin is #[xxx]. the fuel pump had to be replaced. the pump is the same one described in the ford extended coverage program03n01 dated 2003 and supplements 1 & 2 dated january 2004. ford said my was not covered under the program because it was built in aug. 2001 after june 13, 2001 cut off. the car was built in the wayne assembly plant, the location of the fuel pumps that fail. after more search on the internet , my husband found a technical service bulletin article #04-5-6 describing the procedure for installing a new design fuel delivery module in the 2001-2002 ford focus. under the issue it states: there is a new design fueled delivery module available for service on 2000-2002 focus built before 12/31/2001 at wayne assembly plant and built before 2/13/2001 at hermosillo plant. the ford motor company said that my does not qualify for the extended coverage program as it was built in aug. 2001. we think that because the car this the pump described in the bulletin, was built at the wayne assembly plant within 2 mos. of the june 13, 2001 that ford could have cove the repair but the company will not. this is an $800 repair. the steering column locking key cylinder is also in need of replacement again. i need to turn the key manually back to a neutral position for the engine to run after starting the car. this is the third locking cylinder that i have had installed in my car. i think four cylinder is a little much for a 9 year old car! information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

2001 ford focus. consumer states faulty fuel pump *tgw the consumer stated as she was driving, the vehicle began to loose power. the vehicle began surging to the point where she had to press the accelerator all the way down to the floorboard and the vehicle was still barely maintaining power to get out of the way of traffic. the fuel filter was replaced and she was able to get the vehicle back onto the highway. as she began to drive, the vehicle began to surge again and finally the vehicle shut off. after doing some research, the consumer discovered the vehicle was built using a faulty fuel pump which was found to be a safety issue. nhtsa required ford to issue a csp 03n01 which replaced the fuel delivery module. the consumer stated her vehicle should have been included, but because the vehicle was built two months after the end of the csp production date range ford would not replace the fuel pump free of charge. *jb

I own a 2001 ford focus. i was in stop and go traffic on a road near my house when i accidentally bumped the person in front of me. both my passenger and my driver's side airbags deployed, smashing my windshield! the officer that reported to the scene said that there was no way i was going fast enough for them to deploy because i had been sitting in the traffic for a while and we were merely rolling. there was no damage to the front of my car or to the back of the other person's car so i feel that the airbags probably should not have gone off. is it possible that this is a defect?? *tr

2001 ford focus se, vin [xxx], 62000 mi. - both front coil springs are broken, many people have had the same problem and ford only issued extended warranty number 03m02 for 1999/2003 model years. i have had the car for almost 2 years and never received any info from ford about the problem. spring breaks and rubs against tire and causes blow out. faulty springs. ford admits defect but said i was past warranty date as of 09/26/2010 they would no longer cover the problem - disgraceful. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

The ignition will not turn without large amounts of spray lubricant and pummeling the key while in the ignition to cause the tumblers in the cylinder to fall into place. this is a major safety issue, because it happens without warning, and right now, during these epic blizzards we are experiencing, it has caused me to be in danger. this problem is common among owners of this vehicle. many people have developed ways to temporarily fix it since they don't have money available fix this unexpected safety issue, which is not part of preventative maintenance of an automobile.... while others have opted to just get the car towed to a dealership, which replaces the ignition assembly with the same faulty parts, and then charges up to $500. this ignition needs to be recalled by ford, and it needs to be replaced free of charge with a reliable ignition assembly. this morning, after having to find other transportation to work for two days, i finally dedicated three hours to getting the ignition to turn. i had to leave the key in the ignition, because i cannot afford to lose my job by being absent or tardy. i am in an initial probationary period at my job, and i think it goes without saying that if i had enough money to fix ford's mistakes, i would probably just go and buy a different car altogether. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford focus. the vehicle was parked when the contact attempted to turn the ignition on but it would not respond. the vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. the approximate failure mileage 100,000.

Ford focus 2001. ignition locks up requiring new tumbler. key won't turn in the ignition. the car won't start nor can you get it in neutral to push it off the road. it is a known defect but not remedied by ford. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph and making a left turn, he heard noises. the vehicle was inspected by the dealer who stated that the left rear coil springs had fractured. the vehicle was repaired. the contact also stated that there was a problem with the headlight lenses which became foggy over time. the dealer stated that they had changed headlight manufacturers because of the problem. the failure mileage was approximately 81,800. updated 1/19/2010 *cn updated 03/25/11*jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the passenger side doors would not open. there was a recall for the unlatched doors that was repaired by the dealer; however, the failure has occurred again. the drive side and rear right passenger windows have failed. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic who informed her that the plastic clip that holds the windows together was broken and to contact the manufacturer regarding the repairs. the driver seat would not move back and forth because the seat handle was stripped. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 180,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that she experienced numerous issues with the vehicle which included the passenger side struts which had to be replaced twice. the vehicle would sit sideways when parked. the back of the front passenger seat would not lock into place, so it slid forward while the vehicle was in motion. the headlights were too dim and did not provide adequate lighting on the road. the front driver's side seat belt alarm would ring although the seat belt was engaged and the latch would also pop open suddenly at times. the vehicle stalled while the contact was driving and would accelerate suddenly. the contact called the manufacturer who stated that the repairs would have to be performed at the contact's expense. the current and failure mileages were approximately 107,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the third brake light on the tailgate had malfunctioned. all other brake lights were working fine but the third brake light has failed due to the wires melting. the contact has called the manufacturer regarding the brake light and referenced the recall for the electrical system:wiring (00v411000) for the 2000 model ford focus. the manufacturer informed the contact that due to the vin number the vehicle is not included in the recall and he can not receive a remedy repair. the contact stated this is the same issue which is stated in the recall and the manufacturer should be responsible for the repairs. the failure mileage was 108,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while traveling 65 mph the contact noticed that the steering wheel had suddenly jerked to the right without warning, seconds later the contact noticed that the traction control light had appeared on the dashboard. the vehicle had not been diagnosed and there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 137000.

My 17 year old daughters' 2001 ford focus had her stranded after work august 13 when she put her key in the ignition, but it wouldn't turn. we called aaa, and they couldn't 'fix' it, so we had it towed to the nearest ford dealer only to be told the repair will cost between $450.00 and 1000.00!!! i'm a single mom and my daughters' still in high school for gosh sake. i thought this vehicle would be a safe and dependable one. i spent a lot of my savings on this car and insurance for her. i don't know what to do now, i've got a vehicle we can't start. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that fuel was not flowing into the engine properly. when he first started the vehicle it began to function properly, however within a few minutes the vehicle would hesitate. the contact changed the fuel filter and the vehicle functioned normally for a few days. the contact noticed that the vehicle would hesitate, lose power and stall whenever it was driven for more than an hour at 40 mph. he had to shift into neutral gear and then back into drive gear in order to temporarily fix the failure. when the contact called the manufacturer about recall 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline), he was informed that his vehicle was not included. the vehicle was not inspected or repaired. the current mileage was approximately 150,000. the failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

My 2001 ford focus zx3 has always had problems with the steering column locking and the key refusing to turn in the ignition. i have usually been able to get it to release after a few tries. recently, it's gotten worse. i have had several incidents where i was not able to get the key to turn for a few minutes, leaving me with fears of being stranded. unfortunately, my luck ran out yesterday. i tried both keys, i tried just letting it sit, i tried tapping the keys lightly with a hammer, as did the tow truck operator. now i'm out $125 for the tow to the dealership, $500 for a new ignition lock, and $180 for two new keys, because of the wear on the old keys. i am shocked both at the price, and at how frequently this seems to happen. i have been a proud ford focus owner for 9 years, but the ongoing problems with this car make me leery about ever buying ford again. *tr

My cars battery was not working, as told by a triple a mechanic. i took my car to the repair shop to get it replaced and they said that the battery was working fine, the alternator was bad. they said the car wouldn't go out of the shop if it wasn't fixed. so i paid them $416 to get the alternator fixed. after i got the car back within a day, it stopped working again. the same problem and the car would not start, while i was driving home they messed up my meters, the lights wouldn't turn on and the car wouldn't start, not only did they charge me wrongfully there was no alternator problem, the battery was bad. i called them and they wouldn't answer me properly, they said that it wasn't their fault and i should replace the battery myself. they hung up the phone. this company is a fraud, they lie and wont answer my calls. my car is messed up, they changed all the wires the lights wont work, the gauges don't work. i called the sheriff and they said i should take them to court, they also replaced my tired and they used different tires. im extremely mad and i need help. *tr

The rear passenger and rear driver windows are broken. it started with the rear passenger, not going up, or down, then not staying up at all.. then it was the rear driver side that did the same thing. the problem is even when you think it is up and in place, all of a sudden it is a quarter down, or half way down. if it rains you might as well tape plastic over windows, to keep rain and cold out. i have been reading the complaints that are filed on odi.nhtsa.dot and also reading the multiple ones that come up on the internet when you type in ford focus window problems. how many people does something need to affect before they do an investigation of an item? it is obvious to me that the issue ii the window motor regulator. *tr

2001 ford focus has failed twice during long trips. vehicle stutters, struggles and will maintain a speed of only 35-40 mph during these episodes. stopping, restarting will reset and allow another 5-10 miles of proper operation and then in happens again. during both instances it was hot and humid. was able to continue trip both times, but this is a scary situation on the interstate!!!!! suspecting fuel control module, but everything tests fine at the shop and unable to recreate symptoms for mechanic. online ford database says this vehicle is not included on the recall for fuel system malfunction, but the sysmptoms are exactly as described in the complaint.

Sticking accelerator pedal 2001 ford focus se. 2.0l l4 dohc driving down the interstate heading to work and was going to set the cruise. i couldn't get it to activate tried speeding up and slowing down and setting - didn't operate. a few moments later a car merged in front of me from the on ramp. i slowed down let traffic on the left go by. i then merged to left lane and depressed the accelerator and it stuck at/near full throttle. i tapped the brakes to see if the cruise had engaged - no change, looked to see if there was an obstruction by the pedal - none found, tried pulling pedal back with my foot - no effect, tried stomping on accelerator to see if it would unstick - no change. i was now going over 80 mph and close to rear ending a car in front of me i stepped on the brakes hard, it didn't slow down. at this point i turned the ignition off and merged to the right and off to the emergency lane. i opened the hood and inspected the accelerator linkage at the throttle plate. found the cruise control cable had disconnected and got lodged between the cruise control cable mounting bracket and the throttle plate actuator keeping the throttle plate at or near full throttle. i reconnected the cruise cable went to work returned home and have set the car aside for further inspection. *tr

I purchased my 2001 ford focus se in march 2001. the first window regulator broke in 2004, leaving one rear window in the down position and unable to open; it just stopped working. the 2nd regulator broke in 2006, leaving the other rear window in the down position and unable to open; also just stopped working one day. the 3rd regulator broke (front driver's side) on 6/23/2010 only this time, the regulator didn't just fail and stop working, the whole thing burst into pieces when i attempted to roll the window up and shattered the window while i was driving. glass came raining down inside the vehicle, leaving a minor cut to my leg (because it was very minor, i'm not considering it an "injury" and checked the "no" field below). fortunately, i was driving in a parking lot when it happened so low speeds didn't allow the glass to blow around but if i had been on the freeway doing high speeds, i could have potentially experienced severe cuts from the shattering glass flying into my vehicle. the first two window regulators that broke (both rear) have not been replaced as of yet, i couldn't afford the parts (quoted as $120 each at the time) so vice grips are inside the door holding the windows up, both faulty regulators are still available. the front drivers side had new glass placed in it on 6/24/2010 and cost $146.00. they did not have a regulator at the repair shop so that window is now also being held up by other means and the faulty regulator is still available for that window as well. i plan on replacing all 4 of them this weekend, even though only 3 have broken at this point, i'm sure the 4th is soon coming so it will be replaced as well. i have found numerous online complaints about regulators breaking on this model vehicle so it appears to be a common problem, but when glass starts shattering while driving, that significantly raises the risk/safety factor and cause for concern. *tr

2001 focus 112k mi. bought from local ford dealer, 1 yr old w, 21k on it. a recent inspection by my own mechanic tells me that the rear sub frame is rotted and it is dangerous to drive it. especially at highway speeds. the local dealer laughed when i inquired about a nine year old car w/ rusted frame. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving at approximately 15 mph, the vehicle suddenly stalled. the contact pulled over and when he restarted it, the vehicle functioned properly. the dealer, when contacted, stated that they were unaware of such a problem. the failure continued to occur intermittently. the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in any recalls related to the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 129,000. the current mileage was 130,275.

First, i heard a noise in my rear wheel well. a few days later, the noise got worse and i could feel light shimmying in the car. i brought it immediately to a mechanic who diagnosed a broken rear wheel bearing that my wheel to wobble and lose stability. replacement requires a whole new drum, at the cost of $300. *tr

I have had a ford focus 2001 for two years and in those years i have had to replace the engine and engine mounts. i have found out that this i common place in almost all ford focus's. i fear that this car might leave me anywhere, now one week ago the ignition cylinder has broken. this is not wear and tear. i demand that these cars of 1998 threw 2003 be labeled as lemons and have ford issue a recall or reimbursements on them. *tr

Failed ignition key lock caused my car to stall and freeze in place. preventing me from restarting my car in traffic. additionally, i was unable to unlock the steering wheel to guide the car off the road to a safe place. this has happened once during my ownership of the vehicle, and was repaired using ford parts, at a non-ford mechanic. cost approximately $350. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving at approximately 10 mph, the engine stalled. the contact tried to restart the vehicle after a minute it would not start up. the contact then noticed smoke emitting from the hood which soon became a fire. the fire department extinguished the fire and a fire report was filed. the vehicle was totaled. the current and failure mileages were approximately 93,000. updated 6/21/10 *cn updated 06/24/10.*jb

I have had my ford focus wagon for three years now. i had to repair a alot of things on this car! tranny, alternator, fuel pump, timing belt, and the only door that opens from the outside is the passenger right front, which my kids have to climb through to get to the back because both back doors broke not even four months from the day i bought it. also the driver door only opens from the inside because of the companies defected car door handles. my friend has the same car, and its the same way. not mentioning how everytime i stop it dies out and i have to try and keep starting it. it seems there is always something wrong with it. *tr

2001 ford focus, front strut spring broke in 2 places. i just got in the car and it sounded like a rifle shot went off....started to drive off and stopped for the 'clunking' sound. drove to near by repair shop, said the trouble was the spring. checked recalls, in case...2000 models had recall for spring breakage, but not the 2001 models. have written to ford and am submitting vehicle info tomorrow for consideration. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the key would not turn when she tried to turn on the ignition. the contact called roadside assistance who ¿slammed¿ the key into the ignition to start the vehicle; the key had to be ¿slammed¿ everytime to start the vehicle. the vehicle had not been taken to an authorized dealership at the time of the complaint. the vin was not available. the current and failure mileages were approximately 82,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that when sitting stationary with the engine running, the vehicle would stall. the contact was able to prevent the stalling if keeping slight pressure on the accelerator but once the pressure was released, the engine would idle and then stall. the contact believed the failure was directly related to nhtsa recall campaign id number 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline) but had not confirmed if his vehicle was included in the recall as of yet. the failure mileage was 110,000 and the current mileage was 129,000.

2001 ford focus zx3. the key will go in the ignition but it wont turn, and i googled it and this is a very commen occurance with the focus. in this situation i was lucky cause the car was at my house and not somewhere else with my fiance or my 5 year old daughter and 5 month old son that could have been very unsafe.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact was driving approximately 60 mph when the engine hesitated and the speed decreased to 30 mph. suddenly, the vehicle stalled. the contact pulled over to the side of the road and after waiting fifteen to twenty minutes the vehicle resumed to normal operation. the failure occurred approximately between every 10 to 40 miles. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the sensor and fuel filter were replaced. the failure continued to occur. the failure mileage was 100,000. the current mileage was 130,000.

My2001 ford focus zx3( manual transmission )with over 105,000 miles on it has had a electronic throttle problem since it had 30,000 miles on it. intermittently the engine speed would not decrease when your foot is taken off the accelerator pedal. the car would act like the cruise control was engaged. the car could be controlled by heavy braking or depressing the clutch. it was taken into three different ford dealer at least seven different times only once did they claim to see the problem. that time the mechanic show me disconnecting a electrical plug under the hood caused the throttle controls to go to a fail safe mode making the problem disappear for period of time(days).i was told to bring it back in when it happened again. i did that, mechanic was know longer with the dealership. several parts were changed several different times but did nothing to correct the problem. when the problem is present the engine speed will decrease to a fast idle once the car comes to a complete stop. the problem will go away sometimes after shutting off the engine and restarting but not always. *tr

Having problems when i put my key in the ignition (2001 ford focus). my steering wheel gets locked or something. i would get this problem every so often no i've had it since friday. it is very frustrating!!! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the ignition locked 4 to 5 times which made it impossible to turn the key or start the vehicle. the problem became progressively worse over time. he was previously able to restart the vehicle immediately after a few attempts. at the time of the complaint, the vehicle failed to start. the contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealership or spoken with the manufacturer to-date. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the current mileage was approximately 60,000. the failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while attempting to depress the brake pedal at speeds of 5 mph, the pedal fell to the floorboard and would not engage. the emergency brake was utilized in order to bring the vehicle to a halt. the vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic who advised the rear-brake knuckle line had failed. the repair was performed at the owner¿s expense. the dealer was contacted and advised filing a complaint with the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 149,000 and the current was 152,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact was driving approximately 65 mph. the engine loss power without warning. the vehicle was able to restart. the failure occurred whenever traveling at the speed rate of 65 mph. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline). the vehicle has not been repaired at this time. the failure mileage was 120,000. the current mileage was 128,000.

I have had numerous stalling condition while driving that have been frightening. several fuel modules have been replaced as well as harness repairs. the dealer has finally replaced the harness going to the fuel pump stating it had been rubbing against the body and grounding out. i am not sure this will fix the problem since it is intermittent. it appears the dealer has done several wiring harness repairs leading to the fuel pump.

Turned off my 2001 ford focus (with only 36,320 miles on it) as usual and when i returned to car and attempted to start it up, the key would not turn in the ignition. had to have it towed to the dealership where they had to drilled out the tab, and build and install new key cylinder for a total of $427.84. they did not offer the old part to me and i didn't think to ask for it. thankfully, it happened during the day while i was at my dentist's, and not at night after work. have since found out that a class action law suit has been filed in california. there should be a recall of these cars. *tr

I parked my car on the side of the street and turned it off. when i came back to it about 20 minutes later i put the key in the ignition but it would not turn. the key would not turn forward or backward at all. i tried moving the steering wheel back and forth to try and get the key to move but then my steering wheel completely locked up as well. i was then unable to move anything on my car and it was stuck on the side of the road in a metered parking space. i had to call a tow truck which cost $69. i had it taken to the nearest ford dealership and they replaced the ignition lock which cost me $530.73. this is the second time my ignition has been locked up. *tr

I tried to start my car and the key wouldn't turn in the ignition, therefore i was unable to start my car. it has only occurred this one time, i am having the ignition replaced. *tr

I was driving from home to go to my parent home. i had to slow down due to traffic. my brakes failed. i was able to slow down by down shifting and hand brakes and had the car towed to the repair garage. the repair garage found that the passenger side rear brake cylinder had blown out and was squirting brake fluid all over. this the second time this had happened. the first time was in july 2007 when the driver side rear brake cylinder had failed on the freeway, causing major damage - odi # 10304293. please investigate and take action to recall this serious life damaging component on a otherwise good vehicle. *tr

I was driving on the freeway and the vehicle in front of me slowed, therefore, i used brakes. the brakes failed. i had barely enough time and space to move to the next lane and thereby hitting other vehicle. the car was towed to the repair garage and body shop. the repair shop determined that the driver side rear brake cylinder blew out and therefore brakes failure. there was brake fluid on the freeway. i avoided killing myself and others due to my safe driving training at the barber school, given to me by my parents when i turned 18. please do something to recall these vehicles so other people will not die or get seriously injured. *tr

I was driving, and wanted to shift to lower gear (from 5th to 4th - manual transmission) for braking. the transmission was stuck in the 5th gear. i used the clutch to coast to a safe stop and had the car towed to a service location. the mechanic diagnosed it due the broken cables from the shifter to the transmission. the mechanic replaced these cables and the car is ok. we did not save the cables.*tr

Key won't turn in the ignition. has gotten progressively worse over a week and now won't turn at all. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving the vehicle loss power and stalled. the speed is unknown. the vehicle was towed to the nearest repair shop where they advised her that the fuel pump failed. the manufacturer was contacted and stated that there were no recalls on her vehicle. recall nhtsa campaign id number 03v482000, fuel system, gasoline is related to the failure; however, her vin was not included. the vehicle was repaired for over $650 at the owner's expense. the current and failure mileages were under 120,000.

2001 ford focus. key won't turn in ignition, won't budge. i tried moving the steering wheel, tried using the other key, tried pressing the key in harder- nothing. ignition has given me problems before: it would take two or three tries before it would turn, but it's never refused to move like this. also, there were times when it didn't want to give the key back; i would have to jiggle and turn it, but it always came out after a few seconds of struggling. *tr

I own a 2001 ford focus. up until now, i have had no issues with my vehicle. i currently woke up today 1-15-10 and was unable to turn my key in my car. my car was in park and i had tried moving the steering wheel while turning key but still did not turn. i later searched on the internet and found results instantly on the ford focus defect for 2000-2003 models about the key being unable to turn. my car currently only has 90,000 miles on it and i am in the middle of my second of five internships for physical therapy. this is a huge problem. this defect should be highly considered for recall! this is a huge issue for many drivers. please help us out. thanks for your time. *tr dustin r. brown iowa

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. she stated that her door handle came off since the latch was not locking or unlocking all four of the doors. recall number 05v030000, latches locks linkages, doors latch is related to the failure. the dealer repaired the latches but are not required to repair the handle. the contact wants the dealer to also replace the handle. the ford manufacturer stated that they would not replace the door handles. the failure mileage was 107,000.

Key will not come out of ignition of my 2001 ford focus. the key will turn the car on, but will not come back out of the ignition. i fear that at some point the key will not turn the engine over, leaving me stranded during winter weather. at this point i cannot get it fixed due to the high cost of having it replaced. i have found numerous complaints about this same problem, which tells me ford has a faulty mechanism. why hasn't a recall been made? *tr

No events to indicate failure. went to vehicle after working to after dark. put key into ignition and key would not turn. simply would not turn! several attempts were made over a 20 minute period. i, fortunately, was leaving my place of employment. however, it was still cold outside, dark and not a safe environmental situation. i feel fortunate that i was not stranded. *tr

I inserted the key into the ignition of my 2001 ford focus zx3 and the steering wheel locked up and the ignition would not turn. *tr

Ignition sticks and moves around, horn fell completely out from under the car and hit someone's car, the fan box and all fell completely off and down, backfiring stalling rattling vibrates front right side around tire area rattles horribly, check eng. light stays on mass air flow sensor is bad transmission sensor is bad lighter stopped working car completely goes dead spits sputters, manifold pipe broke so now its loud. its all day long non stop period we have replace several sensors and tubes and wires for it doesn't work not getting the gas mileage i should and i have had it 11 months but hardly dove it 3 total all together i cant afford any thing else to fix these problems 3 days after i bought it its been pure ?!@#$%. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford taurus. after starting the ignition, the gear shifter level could only be placed in drive, after shifting from neutral. also the rear exterior brake lights failed to function. his vehicle identification number was excluded from recall campaign id number 04v106000 (exterior lighting:brake lights:switch). no repairs were made. the failure mileage was 102,000. the current mileage was unknown. the vin was unavailable.

Water leaks onto the passenger side floor in the front.. apparently from a defective seal on the bottom of the windshield. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. she had her vehicle repaired according to recall# 03v482000 ( fuel system, gasoline). after the repair while at a local gas station she saw a puddle of gasoline from under the fuel tank. the vehicle was towed back to the dealer and an updated version of the component was installed. years later, while driving the driver-side head light failed. she pulled over to a local store and turned the vehicle off. minutes later smoke engulfed the front-end of the vehicle, and then flames erupted. the fire department extinguished the flames and cut the battery cables. a fire fighter speculated that the battery caused the fire. the manufacturer was contacted in reference to recall #: 02v288000 (electrical system:battery:cables). upon contact she was advised that her vehicle identification number was excluded from the vin range. she was in the process of sending correspondence to the manufacturer that exemplifies the failure. the failure mileage was . the current and failure mileages were 115,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. she received a recall notice for the rear door handles which were repaired at the manufacturer's expense (see nhtsa campaign id 05v030000). the front passenger door came open due to a defective door handle while the contact was driving. the manufacturer was contacted and advised her to take the vehicle to the dealer where they would further investigate the defect. repairs to the passenger door were scheduled with the dealer at the owner's expense. she also stated that the engine failed and was replaced per the extended warranty. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 97,000 and the current mileage was 124,000.

Key won't turn in ignition of 2001 ford focus. it was difficult to turn for a while and now simply won't at all. my baby and i were stranded out shopping. called a locksmith and had the ignition lock replaced. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus . the vehicle intermittently exhibits a no-start condition. a technician from the dealer concluded that her vehicle identification number was excluded from recall # 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline). her vehicle remained at the dealer. the failure mileage was 83,000.

Ignition switch wont turn. *tr

The ignition on our 2001 ford focus has locked up and will not turn at all. *tr

Issue: keys stuck in the ignition. vehicle: 2001 ford focus se failure occurs intermittently, car will start if you jiggle the keys however keys remain in the ignition. i have tried moving the tilt steering, attempted to remove the key in every gear, ensured that the car was in park by parking on a hill with the wheels straight, nothing will allow me to remove the key. this is a safety issue as you could be stranded anywhere if jiggling the key does not consistently work to start the vehicle. additionally i am forced to leave my key in the ignition and use the spare to reenter the vehicle which leaves me at a high risk for vehicular theft. i have had to have the tumbler in my ignition replaced which will hopefully resolve the issue. costs: $105 labor/hr plus $115 plus taxes in parts (prices in cad). no aftermarket parts available. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 16 mph the air bag deployed. as a consequence, the glass from the window shattered on the occupants in the front seat; which caused minor injuries. the vehicle was in the process of being inspected to determine the cause of the failure. the failure and current mileages were 116,000.

Vehicle engine rpm was running high and low while idling. then car completely shut down and would not restart. previously had similar problem and replaced the fuel pump with ford pump in 2007 and was told that the pump is bad again. *tr

On 10/7/2009 my 2001 ford focus se wagon ilc (ignition lock cylinder) would not break to start car. i have tried everything and still will not budge. i just found out on many web forums that this is a common problem and needs to be recalled by the ford manufacturing dealerships. now my car is stuck up at the billings airport at wok and i don't have the time or money to get this fixed. i feel and all ford focus owners from year 2000 to 2003. need this repaired fast. it is totally ¿!@#$%!! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while engaging the accelerator pedal, the vehicle shut off due to the fuel pump. the manufacturer stated that they were unable to provide any assistance. the contact is aware of the safety risk since the failure could potentially cause a crash. the current mileage was 46,000 and the failure mileage was 45,000.

The ignition in my 2001 ford focus needs to be replaced again. i first had it replaced in sept of 2004 with only 36000 miles on it. now with 93,000 miles it will have to be replaced again. *tr

My key gets stuck in ignition and won't turn on the car. already got stuck and had to keep messing with it for an hour until i was able to jiggle it and unlock the steering wheel to start the car. there is definitely a problem with the ignition switch. i don't want to end up stranded somewhere and not be able to get my car started due to this defect. *tr

We have a 2001 ford focus se. my brother stopped to put in gas. when he returned to the vehicle, the key would not turn in the ignition(car wouldn't start). he had to call a tow truck and get the car towed home. he than had ford dealership pick up the vehicle to inspect. the ignition locked up, needs a new key cylinder...charge for the tow $80. charge for the fix $1451.84. *tr

We have a 2001 ford focus that would cut out and die during acceleration. we found that this model had a recall notice on it and took it to the local ford dealership, jack kissee ford, and was told that it was not covered. the findings that they returned to us was that it needed the fuel pump and fuel filter replaced, the same as the recall. we took in the safety recall information from your website with all relevant information. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. when the contact attempted to start the vehicle, the key became stuck in the ignition. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. prior to the failure, the contact noticed that the key would occasionaly become stuck in the ignition, but could be removed. the current mileage was 97,000 and failure mileage was 75,000.

Extremely poor gas mileage on my 2001 ford focus, . hesitation started over the last couple of months. had a full tune up. now the car hesitates at all speeds and it seems like it is going to stall at any moment. did a recall search and found out that the fuel pump is on recall for that particular model and year so i am heading to the dealer the first of the week to get it done. fingers crossed. *tr

My ford focus ignition just stopped working! no problems before, the key would only go in half way, then i got it to go in with a slight tap of a hammer! then the key would not turn over! this is a major problem!! got it towed to the dealership, they said this problem is very common! a common problem that cost me $426.27! *tr

Ignition lock won't turn, key goes in but does not turn the ignition, couple of days of jiggling the key to get it to turn and now it won't turn at all. *tr

I own a 2001 ford focus,i was coming back from dallas and my car lost power. i had to get onto the shoulder,it would not go faster than 20 miles. i had surges in power. i did make it home without an accident. next day car would not start. called and had it towed to my mechanic. my mechanic said it started fine,i left it there ,next day it would not start. mechanic called and said it needed a new fuel pump and filter. i then called spikes ford in mission tx. they said my vin # was not on the recall. so i called ford myself,computers were down,they said to have it fixed and call them back.they will not do anything. *tr

The connecting rod broke in the engine. our mechanic said that almost all 2001 ford focus has this problem. i know i have 130,000 miles on the vehicle but i kept up with all recalls and maintenance. just lucky we made it home safe. if there is such a problem with most focus why wasn't it fixed by ford before a break down and lost of my vehicle. *tfr

I was driving normally on a 45 mph road and pushed in my clutch to coast up to the stop light that was about to turn green again, when my car just died unexpectedly. my clutch was still in so i started my car back up and kept driving, but this is about the 10th time that this has happened to me this month, and my car should not be randomly dying while i am driving, thus far there have been no consequences, however it is slightly worrisome. so far i have not been able to resolve the problem. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving various speeds, the vehicle hesitates as if it will stall. after several months of experiencing this issue, the contact took the vehicle to the dealer. a mechanic replaced the fuel delivery module according to nhtsa campaign id number 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline), which corrected the failure. currently, four years later, the failure has recurred. the dealer stated that because the vehicle was previously repaired and was only covered for 12,000 miles, they would no longer be responsible for any new repairs. the failure mileage was 75,000 and current mileage was 150,000.

Ignition lock broke and the car would not start. this left me stranded in a pretty rough neighborhood. after getting a lift home, i see this is an incredibly common problem with the 2001 ford focus, leaving people stranded in some pretty dangerous places. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while backing out of the driveway at an unknown speed, the contact turned the steering wheel and heard a noise. the steering wheel became inoperative. the vehicle was inspected by a certified mechanic, who stated that the steering shaft failed. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 89,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 40 mph, the vehicle shut off without warning. the contact drove to a repair shop and the mechanic replaced several parts; however, the failure was not corrected. the fuel pump was eventually determined to be the cause of the failure. the dealer and manufacturer stated that his vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline). the current and failure mileages were 83,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. on may 25, 2008, the vehicle would not move when the contact attempted to accelerate. he took the vehicle to a repair shop and the mechanic stated that the fuel pump failed. the mechanic further stated that the part could not be replaced because he did not have the proper tool to remove the fuel pump. only the ford dealer was equipped with the tool. the dealer stated that his vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline). the estimated repair cost would be $1,000. the manufacturer confirmed that the vin was not included in the recall and would not assist with the repair. the current and failure mileages were 59,000.

Our daughters 2001 ford focus caught on fire from the engine, burned into the cabin. the car was off and parked in a lot. we purchased the car from a ford dealership when it was 3 years old, and have never been told of this problem. the car has been totaled. we are so fortunate that our daughter was not injured, nor that anyone else or property was damaged. she had only been out of the car for about 4-6 minutes before it erupted in flames. prior to that the car appeared to drive fine. no smells, no warning lights. very scary. i felt that i need to tell someone, as the insurance company, appears to want to just settle the claim, with no investigation. how are we to make cars safer, if the insurance companies, the last line of defense, don't notify anyone? *tr

2001 ford focus ignition lock up. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving approximately 35 mph on normal road conditions, the engine began to idle excessively high. on a separate occasion, the vehicle stalled without warning and lost power steering. the driver experienced extreme difficulty steering the vehicle and had to use excessive force to turn the steering wheel. the vehicle was able to resume normal operation. the failures occurred intermittently. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and they wanted to charge the contact for a diagnostic; however, the contact refused due to the cost. the technician refused to repair the vehicle unless the aftermarket parts were replaced by the manufacturer. the parts consisted of the pcv valve and fuel filter. the vehicle has not been repaired. the manufacturer conducted a campaign (03v-482) to address the stalling in the vehicles. the contact experienced the identical failures mentioned in the campaign, but the vin was excluded. the failure mileage was 118,000 and current mileage was 119,000.

1. i own a 2001 ford focus. 2. the ignition locked. there was no indication that anything was going wrong. as a result, i could not go to work, as i work an hour away. 3. ford is not willing to extend a "goodwill repair or warranty" on my behalf, and so i will have to pay to replace the ignition. research has proven that in some cases, the replacement will result in the same problem. also, this is a frequent problem in ford focus models from 2000-2003 and yet ford has not taken ownership of the problem. i will ultimately have to have my car towed at my own expense and the ignition repaired at my own expense, for a manufactured problem. the total of both will likely be more than half of the current blue-book value of my car. *tr

My daughter was driving 2001 ford focus se wagon approximately 45mph when she described steering locked up in turn then she heard tires squealing and vehicle jerked hard left causing her to go off the road, hit a rock wall and flipped the car end over end. the air bags did not deploy. she landed upside down but was able to exit vehicle through broken window. she received cuts and bruises and was taken to emergency room for x-rays where they said she had no serious injuries and was released. on scene investigation by police and tow truck operated suggested ball joint failure or other steering/suspension failure. car was totaled. *tr

The ford focus 2001 key will not turn in the ignition, i have spent many hours, and a large sum of money trying to repair the problem to no avail. i have gotten stranded at night alone, many hours from home on more than one occasion. it is frightening to drive my car any long distance for fear of being stranded. *tr

Driver's side door on 2001 ford focus hatchback will not unlock and open. stays in locked position and driver has to exit through passenger's side. *tr

Key will not turn in ignition. car had to be towed to hertrich in milford de and ignition replaced and key programmed to new ignition. the first time happened at approx 30,000 miles and the second time at 87,000 miles. service tech said cylinders were jammed and it took beating it with a hammer to release them to unlock the steering wheel. my daughter had driven to walmart to have her oil changed. they called her back to tell her they could not start her car to drive it into the service bay. called ford to report their problem as my daughters friend also has had the same problem with her ford focus. *tr

I own a ford focus and the ignition would not turn on. it just locked up for no reason. had to have ignition replaced at 85,000. miles. *tr

The engine snaped and now the car is no longer working. however prior to that it would idle acting as if it was stalling out and making noises. *tr

The ignition switch so called 'safety' lock on my 2001 ford focus wagon refused to release, after repeated tries, so i couldn't start my car, the wheel wouldn't turn, and i was left stranded away from home. these cars should be recalled and ford made to repair the defective merchandise that they pumped out into the market. this is a safety hazard and apparently a common complaint with focus owners. *tr

2001 ford focus ignition switch not turning when trying to start vehicle. my started early morning after work -20 outside. lucky i was home. googled and somebody said hit it with hammer and it will turn or replace new ignition switch. hit it many times and now it got worse. fix is not cheap and it is a very common complaints from many people all over the country. this is a safety issue due to it could happen while driving or in severe weather condition or safety evacuation that would not be possible if you can't start your vehicle. can somebody do something about this because ford is getting away with negligence or i suppose will just bail them out so they can keep ripping people off with expensive vehicles and faulty equipments. is that how this works. screw the tax payers and consumers who keep this country productive. ford needs to be responsible for their products and their commitments to their customers. please recall this defect. *tr

Key keeps getting stuck in ignition, having to leave key in car. happens multiple times during the day and during the week. will have the ignition replaced. *tr

Battery positive terminal corrosion on my 2001 ford focus have replaced battery twice and alternator once because of no start, dead battery and alternator. battery cable shows battery corrosion. *tr

Out of nowhere the key would not turn in my ignition. i have had my car for 3 years and never had a problem, i stopped to buy xmas gifts at the mall, and when i returned, i could not turn the key in my ignition. and now every day i spend 20 minutes or more just trying to start my car. i have been late for work on several occasions since this happened. and the worst thing is never knowing when it will be really bad, or if i will end up stranded in the middle of nowhere! being that this could end up in being stranded, i believe that this should be a safety recall on the 2001 ford focus. *tr

Windows fell down while driving driver window and both back windows. *tr

Just paid 401.00 at the dealership to create a new tumber on a key ignition. *tr

While driving my 2001 ford focus back in november of 2008', i experienced the engine stalling while driving on the freeway. the headlights started to flicker along with the dashlights going haywire. i then drove the vehicle home and had it towed to my auto repair facility. they found nothing wrong and could not do what i described to them. approx. 1 week later it did the same thing again, this time the check engine light stayed on, and they were able to receive some diagnostic codes. they cleaned some ground wires but stated that was all they could find, the same thing happened a few days later, i called my mechanic, and we both agreed that i should send it to the ford dealer. i had it towed again, this time to the ford dealer where i stated that the problem only occurs while it is being driven. after approx. 1 week, the dealer stated they were unable to duplicate the problem, but they advised me that the alternator dropped to 11.5 volts. i advised them to replace with a new alternator. they advised me that they were sure that is what the problem was. on or about 1/2/09, i experienced they same electrical problems that i have been having over the last 2 months. i drove it to the dealership immediately and advise them i was having the same problem and that it was not the $ 550.00 alternator that i paid for. i again reiterated to them that it has to be driven, to have the symptoms occur. since i had the new alternator installed i only put on 325 miles. my service manager kory foster with gosch ford in hemet, ca has only called me twice since 1/2/09. when he calls he has always stated that he cannot find anything and he does not no what the problem is he has not heard of this type of problem with the ford focus. i have told him everytime i have seen him and when he calls to drive it ! it is the only way to get it to stall out. the last time he called me which was last week sometime, that i could come get my car if i needed it. i advised him to keep it until it is fixed. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while merging off the highway at 10 mph, the contact heard a loud noise and noticed the rear driver's side tire rolling back onto the highway. she recovered the tire and noticed that the bolts, lugs, nuts, and wheel bearing were still attached to the tire. a report was filed with the manufacturer and they stated that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 01i017000 (wheels lugs, nuts, bolts); however, the dealer could provide a warranty for the repair. the vehicle has not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 100,000.

I have a 2001 ford focus and as i was leaving work one day, i went to start my car and the key wouldn't fit in the ignition. after i was finally able to put my key in it would not turn. i had to call ford and they told me that this is common with ford focus' and told me to hammer in my key because a barrel was defective in the ignition. i hammered in my key and was able to start my car; however, this is an ongoing problem.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving between 5-10 mph, the engine shut off without warning. the vehicle would not restart and was towed to the dealer for repair. the dealer stated that the fuel pump needed to be repaired. the contact paid for the repair. he discovered a recall for the fuel pump, but the dealer did not inform him of the recall. the nhtsa campaign id number was unknown. the failure mileage was 55,000.

2001 ford focus iginition key does not turn to start vehicle. *tr

This came out of nowhere. one day the key would not turn over. it was as if the steering column was locked. we googled the problem and found that it is very common in ford focus's built between 2000-2003. the quick fix was to carry a hammer around and give it a hit when the key gets stuck. this has worked pretty well until this morning. it took me 15 minutes to start the car. *tr

My second 2001 ford focus station wagon(# ) has just started to lose fuel pressure sporadically when driving. several times it has caused a loss in break-ability, since the engine isn't running smoothly when the pressure drops. it definately causes the car to stall and not run as well, which could lead to a wreck. my first 2001 ford focus wagon (#) had the same issue, and it was repaired by ford under the nhtsa 03v482000 recall, yet ford is denying the second wagon for a recall repair. i hope to resolve this issue quickly, as it may cause harm to someone if i leave this intermittently-bad pump in the car. this fuel pump pressure failure occurs almost every other day now, which makes the car unreliable to drive in heavy traffic. i would like ford to consider this car as they do my other car, and fix the fuel pump problem that is definately a manufacturing issue. this car has less than 70,000 miles on it. it shouldn't have a fuel pump problem already. i will see what i can do to fix it; and i will keep the old part for reference and possibly refund if you are able to research this and hold ford accountable for their fuel pumps that don't produce adequate fuel pressure consistently. *tr

2001 ford focus recall for faulty fuel pump. *nj the consumer stated over the last few months the vehicle has stalled several times. the consumer discovered a recall, but the dealer wanted to charge 95.00 just to perform a diagnostic test to determine the cause of the problem and the test would only detect a faulty fuel pump when it was in failure mode. the test would not reveal a problem since the failure only occurred on the road and on an intermittent basis. *jb updated 04/20/10 the consumer stated for years his daughter had problems with the vehicle stalling. updated 05/07/10.*jb

During a recent automobile accident, the driver side seat belt did not secure the driver. the drive suffered facial injury when contact was made with the steering wheel. i will contact the ford dealership this week. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while purchasing the vehicle, the contact was informed that the motor mounts, which hold the engine in place, needed to be replaced. she was instructed to bring the vehicle to the dealer the following day for repair. when she arrived at the dealer, she was informed to leave the vehicle. when the contact arrived to retrieve the vehicle two days later, the dealer refused to provide paperwork stating that the vehicle was repaired. one week later, the check engine warning indicator illuminated and a loud rattling sound was heard coming from the engine. she called the dealer to return the vehicle for repair, but they refused to take her calls. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop and a mechanic stated that the motor mounts were never replaced and would cost $3,000. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 127,923 and current mileage was 128,000.

My daughter was driving on the freeway when her car just died, while driving. it started up again immediately, but it has happened several times in the last month. i went online to view recalls, and it stated that 2001 ford focus had a recall on this issue. i also found 2 other items that are happening to this vehicle that were also recalls. i made an appointment with the dealer to have these recalls fixed, but when they pulled up the vin number, they said that there were no recalls for this particular car. the other recall i found was the electrical system, and battery failure. i have already burned up one battery because of this issue. the recall states that the cabes overheat and may melt. this vehicle did this as well. the other recall is where the latch on the back door begins to not latch properly, causing the door to come open while driving. the back door will not latch properly on this vehicle either and at times we have to open and close it several times in order to get it to latch. these 3 recalls are all things that have happened on 2001 ford focus vehicles, which our vehicle is, but because our vin # doesn't match the recalls, they refuse to fix them. these are true safety issues. my daughter could be killed because of these issues. how can i have my vehicle added to these recalls? i am extremely upset and concerned that these items will not be addresses when ford knows that they are a problem on other 2001 focus vehicles. i will sue should something happen to my daughter due to this issue and fords unwillingness to correct the problems. *tr

This is the 2nd time my ignition in my 2001 ford focus has had to be replaced. i called the dealership they acknowledged this is a recurring problem with ford focuses. i have been stranded with out resources and this happens at random with no warning. the cost of towing, parts, and labor cost around 500.00. i find this very frustrating that ford will not recall the ignition switch, full well knowing this is a problem. i find this to be a safety issue, not knowing if you are going to be stranded in the middle of no where. it is a financial burden as well as an inconvenience, that after being fixed once should not occur again with in 2 years, my car only has 66,000 miles on it. *tr

My vehicle, 2001 ford focus, displays all the symptoms regarding a faulty fuel pump fuel delivery module. at one-quarter tank, the engine will stall on right turns. during extended driving, the vehicle will surge and stutter eventually stalling, and during idling, the vehicle will drop power requiring constant pressure on the accelerator. i took the vehicle in for service on feb 7, 2007 and was told that my vehicle came off the assembly line three months too late to have fallen under the extended warranty. i am furious that ford would provide a 10yr extended warranty on it's vehicles - regardless of mileage, but would exclude models that have vin numbers just outside the window of "known occurrence of problem". the vehicle had stalled on a major highway (us95 in las vegas clark county), and fortunately no one was hurt. the vehicle had over $1300 of service completed during this incident, but the issue has now re-occurred. symptoms began in late september, and have gotten progressively worse. i do not feel safe driving long distances, as the vehicle has begun stalling around corners and during idling. i currently can not afford payments on a new vehicle, and want ford to honor its pledge for safety by admitting more vehicles under its extended service warranty. ford's technical service bulletin regarding this defect is 03n01 and ford claims that over 671, 000 vehicles are affected. i suspect very few 2001 focuses are still on the road, and fewer ever received notice regarding this "recall". i find it hard to defend their patronizing position that "(they're) sorry, but there is nothing that can be done". i have spent thousands of dollars to keep this vehicle road worthy, i and i refuse to spend one penny more. for a vehicle model that has had so many flaws, i am appalled at the lack of support actually provided. i will note, that ford was very helpful in replacing the ignition assembly-three times. thanks recall id from nhtsa: 03v482000 ford tsb 03n01. *tr

To best describe what is happening your website has a campaign for my complaint here: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/defect/results.cfm?action_number=ea02014&searchtype=quicksearch&summary=true the nhtsa campaign id number is 02v288000. my wife drives a 2001 ford focus se. the battery cables and battery are going through extreme corrosion that requires me to clean the connections at least once every 2 weeks. the corrosion is also causing heat that is melting the cables insulation. when the corrosion goes untreated, within 2 weeks the car will not start due to bad connection. the problem right now is that the original complaint was in 2002 and ford is not recognizing the problem even after me telling them about the recall information i linked above. i have called in a complaint already to the nhtsa but have not heard back. any help in dealing with this matter is greatly appreciated. thank you. *tr

The problem i'm have with my 2001 is my key will not turning my ignition. after review the complaints i see several people is having the same problem. can you review the complaints with the ignitions. *tr

I was trying to leave work to go home. i put the key in the ignition and the key would not turn. i was told to take it to a ford dealership, where they told me i needed to replace the ignition, a cost of $500. *tr

While in curve driving 50 mph steering locked up, not sure if car cut off but i was unable to straighten out wheel resulting in accident where i hit telephone crushing pelvis, and breaking my left arm.. i spent 37 days in hospital and now have plates and screws in my pelvis and arm. it has been a month since the accident and i am now in a wheel chair for 2 months healing time before i can start therapy to begin walking, and doctors say i will have to have a hip replacement in the next 2 to 5 years. help me please ford is responsible for this i am 24 years old.. *tr

On 10/3/08 i was changing oil on my 2001 ford focus with 60000 miles and noticed rust holes through the front subframe, which holds the motor, lower wheel control arms to the car body. it is a very crucial part that should last the life of the car. i took the car to the dealer and they said the frame was defective and that if i hit a large bump that the frame may break in half and that it was unsafe to drive. the dealer said that the car is out of the warranty period and there was nothing they could do about it. i called ford and they said the same thing. this repair was estimated by the dealer to be around $900.00. the car is being repaired as i write this. i feel that this is a defective part ford has used and they should inspect and replace the part on this model before one does break and someone gets hurt. *tr

Noticed coolant leaking onto pavement for several days. for fear of overheating took it into a pep boys as was closest repair facility. they found the thermostat housing (plastic i might add) was faulty and with parts and labor it came to $455 for the job. the nearest ford dealer said they would need 2 days to even look at the problem. *tr

Ignition switch wont turned on. *tr

My ignition locked up. i had to have my car towed home. i searched the internet to find repair methods and found tons of complaints from fellow focus owners. this problem is extremely common and cannot be fixed, it has to be replaced adding up to a total of $500.00. my car is no longer under warranty, but i have found that ford is aware of the situation and is doing nothing about it. my wife also owns a focus and i'm just waiting for that phone call. hopefully she's not stranded in a bad neighborhood. please do something about this. search focaljet.com and focusfanatics.com for complaints. theres also an online petition for ford that has been signed by over 2,000 focus owners to date. thank you. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving between 20-80 mph, the accelerator pedal would become stuck momentarily. the dealer stated that the throttle body was defective and needed to be replaced. the part was unavailable and the dealer stated that it was being redesigned especially for this failure, and would not be available until december of 2008. the vehicle is inoperable and awaiting the replacement part in order to be repaired. the failure and current mileages were less than 30,000.

2001 ford focus caught on fire under the hood, it started near battery, car is a total loss. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing numerous failures. the main failures were the electrical system, brake system, bent tie rod, shaking and vibrating, rear window mechanisms, and flooding after it rains. the leak occurs on the passenger side and the water rises 2 to 3 inches. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer due to the inspection costs. the failure mileage was 130,473.

On hot days after the car has been brought up to operating temperature and is restarted it goes into a mode where it consistently stalls at idle and low rpm. it has a manual transmission. this is an intermittent problem and only occurs some of the time. nether ford or independent mechanics have been able to diagnose and fix the problem. intermittent and unexpected stalling is a significant safety problem. *tr

My son & i got done eating i left the restaurant parking lot & thought i would stop by the next place when my rear passenger side door opened up out into traffic. lucky no one was riding in the back. and no accident happen. after several attempts of playing with the lock i got it to close & haven't used that door since. i made several attempts in contacting ford directly and all i got was a survey form which had nothing to do with my problem. back in 2005 when they recalled my car for failure on door locks i had taken it to valley view ford and had it serviced. now three years later the problem exists and nobody wants to do anything about it. maybe it takes someone to die and sue them. very unhappy with ford, i now will never buy another ford again. *tr

I own 2 separate ford focuses - both 2001 models. one is a zts and the other an sx. about a year ago, the sx ignition locked up and the car would not start. we had to have the ignition cylinder replaced. now, barely a year later, the zts model is having the exact same problem. searching online for a cheaper solution (the dealer charges upwards of $300 to fix the issue), i found that this is a very common problem and widely known but not acknowledged. i've been stranded twice alone with this car and now the ignition won't turn at all no matter how much i try to jiggle the key. this is unacceptable and could lead to very dangerous situations. the problem needs to be acknowledged by ford and repaired. *tr

My headlight fell out of the housing and melted the housing around it. it no longer works as a result of this.... there were no events leading up to the failure of this part. i would not know why the lamp it's self would just fall out of the housing. i have asked if there was a recall on this but was told no by the local ford dealership but you can't trust what they say because they told me years ago there was no recall on my fuel pump and there was, they are just rude there. *tr

The ignition lock cylinder on my 2001 ford focus zx3 locked up, left me stranded. unable to start the car. ignition lock cylinder had to be replaced. the mechanic stated to me this is a very common problem with ford focus 2000 -2003 models. ford refuses to admit to a problem. i have the old part if needed. repair cost $333. *tr

My daughter tried to start the car to go to school and couldn't get the key to turn in the ignition. fortunately, she was at home when it happened, unlike the many others that have had the same problem at a repair cost of over $300, and the number of bad ignitions that are in the ford focus cars, it should be ford's responsibility to replace the defective ignitions. we have had many cars that were older than our focus and have never had this happen before. *tr

2001 ford focus, sever gasoline leak, when noticed half a thank had leaked in 1 hour. stopped car, had it towed after allowing the leak to stop. could had get on fire, road got covered with gas. dealer found disconnected gas line to gas pump on gas pump. could not connect the gas line back since neck was damaged, replaced gas pum and gas line. pump was changed by same dealer on 2005 after car died because pump broke, recall was in effect and pump changes as recalled. *tr

Rear electric window malfunction.\ ford focus se 2001 it started with the window not going down since 2004 and now one window you can pull down by your hand. *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 will start with the fact the car is on it's fourth battery. it has had the wiring harness replaced along with every sensor in the car some twice. there was a steering column recall done on it. the two back windows tracks have been broke a total of six times. the door handles brake three so far. the stereo is broke for the second time. i have had to do the brakes twice so far and all this and the car only has 63,498.8 miles . *tr

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

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the side view mirror on the vehicle was repaired and the transmission also slipped. after the repairs were complete, the vehicle did not drive the same. the dealer stated that the parts needed were not in stock and they kept the vehicle for one month. in addition, whenever the left turn signal was activated, the vehicle would shut off entirely. the lights were replaced; however, the vehicle continued to lose power whenever the signal lights, hazard lights, or air conditioning were activated. the headlights continued to short and, while driving at night, the high beams had to be activated. the seat belt in the rear driver's seat was inoperable and the driver's seat continued to move backwards from the steering wheel. she also stated that the key can be removed from the ignition while the vehicle is in motion and while the ignition is on. finally, none of the warning lights on the instrument panel are functional. the failure mileage was 23,000 and current mileage was 95,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving approximately 5-10 mph, the steering wheel pulled to the left without warning. as a result, the vehicle sideswiped a parked vehicle. the mirror was damaged. the police was not called to the scene. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and has not been repaired. an independent mechanic stated that the steering control arm disengaged, which caused the failure. the failure and current mileages were 93,000.

The ignition on my 2001 ford focus will not release the steering wheel or start the car. the key will go in but not turn. this is the second time this has happened to me on the same car. a local dealership replaced the ignition 22 months ago. this is frustrating and has left me stranded in both instances. i would like to see if this has happened to anyone but me? the car is a 2001 ford focus lx. *tr

Front coil spring broke. *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

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

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

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

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

Front coil spring broken. *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

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 15 mph, the windshield wipers would fail intermittently and only work temporarily in the highest speed. afterwards, they would slowly stop working completely. the contact has not taken the vehicle to the shop; however, he spoke to the dealer on the phone and they offered no assistance. he discovered a recall for this failure, but the manufacturer stated that his vin was not included. the windshield wipers were currently stuck in the up position. the current and failure mileages were 65,600.

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

My 2001 ford focus ignition was locked up and key would not turn when attempting to start my car. i was stranded in an unsafe part of city while waiting for aaa to show up and provide assistance. *tr

Well documented problems with 2001 ford focus zx3 ignition lockup. thousands of cases, yet no recall from ford. key won't turn in ignition. happens repeatedly. could endanger safety. *tr

Defective front coil springs fractured, wedged against tire, causing partial loss of steering control. right side fractured july, 2005, left side fractured may, 2008. coil spring & related parts replaced both times. *tr

Ignition switch locked up leaving us stranded. called ford customer service, they claim they could do nothing and told me to call a dealer and have it fixed. this call was made at around 9pm so there were no dealerships open. my fiance hit the key while in the ignition several times and was finally able to get the key to turn and unlock the ignition. i am unable to remove my key from the ignition for fear it might do this again when i am alone. *tr

Engine failed at 109,000. it threw a rod and destroyed the engine with no warning. *tr

2001 ford focus with various defects. consumer states that the vehicle has had work done numerous times and has the same problems listed in the recalls but her vehicle is not listed in the recall. she would like ford to replace the vehicle.*kb

The ignition in my 2001 ford focus won't turn, leaving me stranded. this is the 3rd time this has happened, each one leaving me stranded in different parts of the state. *tr

The wiring in my 2001 ford focus zx3 that connects the rear hatch to the front of the car deteriorates significantly. the wiring on my car has stripped through the insulation, and has broken 4 of the 8 wires completely in half. this disables the center brake light, the license plate lights, the windshield wiper, and the trunk lid causing a potentially hazardous situation. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while attempting to accelerate at any speed, the vehicle hesitates for several seconds before eventually accelerating. the failure occurs everytime the vehicle is driven. the vehicle has not been in any crashes due to the failure and has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the current mileage was 107,000 and failure mileage was 100,000

We were at a complete stop at a stop light and the air bag deployed and has caused some injury to my face and may have cause some loss of vision in my right eye. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 50 mph, the vehicle began to hesitate and then shut off a few minutes later. the vehicle was towed to a garage and the mechanic stated that the fuel pump failed. the mechanic replaced the fuel pump. the contact received a ford recall notice (03n01) in january of 2004 and took the vehicle to the dealer. the dealer informed her that they would not change that part until the failure occurs. currently, the contact is experiencing difficulty receiving reimbursement from the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 86,781 and current mileage was 87,800.

The valve cover gasket leaks prematurely, which causes oil to drip onto the exhaust manifold. the burning oil creates fumes. the poorly designed seals around intake air box allow fumes from the engine compartment to enter the passenger compartment. these two design failures combine with each other to expose passengers to burning oil fumes. now, i have to replace the valve cover gasket to avoid exposing myself to burning oil fumes. *tr

The key once inserted in the ignition will not start my car (2001 ford focus). *tr

Key will not turn the ignition-2001 ford focus zx3 i'm have to wait until mondayjune 2, 2008 to find someone to fix the problem/repair 2 day wait without a car. *tr

2001 ford focus zx3 ignition does not turn. consumer states that the dealer told her it would cost around $350 to fix the problem and then the problem might return. she would like to know if nhtsa has any suggestions. *kb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving at any speed, the vehicle would begin to stall and then shut off. the vehicle would also stall and then regain power. the vehicle was not diagnosed by the dealer. the failure mileage was 86,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact started the ignition and the vehicle made a strange noise. the engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle could not be driven. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for a diagnostic. the current and failure mileages were 125,000.

2001 ford focus electronic door lock failure. consumer states that the driver side electronic door lock failed, causing the door not to be opened with a key or keyless entry. *kb the dealer stated driver door latch and right rear door lock actuator were frozen, which caused the central security module to short out. *jb

Sunday morning (4/6/2008) i got in my car and backed down my driveway. while turning the wheel and going down the driveway i heard a very loud metal on metal sound. i put the car up on jack stands and inspected the suspension. i found the drivers side spring was not seated on the strut base. at this time i drove the car to sears auto repair in novi, michigan. while driving the car to sears the spring moved a couple times, made some noise, and affected the steering of the vehicle. sears inspected the springs and found the drivers side spring was corroded and fractured in a couple places at the top. i ended up replacing both springs and it cost $436.86. on monday (4/7/2008) i decided to go on the internet to find out if other people had the same issue with the ford focus springs. i found out it was not an uncommon issue. in fact ford issued a tsb (03m02s2) and extended the warranty on the springs to 150,000 miles or 10 years (only if serviced at a dealership). unfortunately i found this out after i repaired the car on sunday. i was never notified by ford of tsb on the springs. also, it should be noted that i bought the car used (about 1.5 years ago) from a ford dealership which should have inspected the vehicle for things like this (spring corrosion). on monday (4/7/2008) i decided to call the ford customer service line (800-392-3673) to see what can be done to reimburse my expenses and discuss the safety concern. i was told by the customer service representative that ford did not view this as a safety concern. i am a mechanical engineer designing safety critical suspension components (not coil springs) and to me this is not an acceptable answer. if the coil spring were to fracture further and cut my tire when driving on the freeway i can imagine that would not be a very safe situation. i don't understand ford not issuing a recall over a poor quality suspension component which could cause injury. if needed i have the old parts in my possession. *tr

My key will go into the ignition of my ford focus, however the steering wheel remains locked and the key will not turn at all. even after "jiggling" the steering wheel, i can't turn the key at all. after several attempts for some reason the key can turn. i have tried several different "tests" to see if perhaps parking straight on,etc will allow me to start my car however there is no rhyme or reason to it. this problem leaves me quite frustrated, possibly stranded, and possibly in danger as i can't start the car when i need to. it has been a couple days and i thought i was going crazy so i have not done any repairs yet. but after reading that this is a prominent problem, looks like i will have to fix it. i am afraid to drive it anywhere for fear that my car will not let me turn the key. *tr

Lock cylinder locked. *tr

Coil springs. left front coil spring broke with out reason. thankfully the spring did not blow off of retaining area. if it had while i ws driving this could have potentially caused my steering to lock up blow a tire or who else know what. and the outcome from any of these could have been life threatening. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving approximately 25 mph and approaching a traffic light, the battery light illuminated. the contact noticed smoke coming from the hood and then flames appeared. she stopped and exited the vehicle when it became completely engulfed in flames. the police and fire departments arrived and a report was filed. the vin, engine size, and powertrain were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 52,899. updated 04/11/08 *bf the dealer stated consumer had vehicle in a pinch bolt torqued and a zetec engine cable routing. the dealer also replaced both front coil springs. updated 04/11/08 *tr

The device in the steering wheel housing that cancels the turn signal has failed for the third time since i bought the car. the part is obviously defecting in design. this failure results in my reluctance to use the turn signals since i must turn them off manually after completing the turn. and not using turn signals compromises driving safety. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalls and makes a thumping sound. all of the exterior lights flicker when they are activated. the dealer was unable to find any failures. the vin, engine size, and powertrain were unknown. the current mileage was 40,003 and failure mileage was 37,000.

I had received a letter in january 2004 from mr. frank m. ligon, director of service engineering operations of the ford motor company. the letter stated that in accordance with program 03n01 (engine stalling in 2000-01 ford focus vehicles) customer's vehicles "may experience engine hesitation, loss of power, surging, and other similar symptoms ultimately causing the engine to stall completely...as a result of contamination of the fuel pump filters."..."ford is offering to replace your vehicle's fuel pump (parts and labor), at no cost, if your vehicle exhibits any of the above conditions...valid for a period of 10 years from the original warranty start date, with no limit on mileage." ...i had been experiencing the above forementioned safety issues with my 2001 focus, and took the car to the dealership for service. the dealer had to replace the fuel pump and filter, originally stating that it was covered under this program, but called back later and ultimately changed their mind. the explanation given was that this program was no longer "open." since the company has acknowledged this particular safety concern, confirmed the letter being sent and my vehicle fitting the program 03n01 guidelines of make, model, year, and timeline (10 years unlimited mileage), and has refused to repair this defect free of charge, as stated in their letter, ...i would like to file an official complaint on this issue ...and i would appreciate your assistance in resolving this runaround that the ford motor company has given me. i got the letter, had the problems and safety issues as stated in that letter, it hasn't been 10yrs, so why did i have to pay for their defect? thank you for your time and assistance! *tr

I bought this car in jul07. in dec07 started having problems with car surging/jolting while driving on highway (55-65 mph) then car would just stall, completely die. engine light would come on, no power steering no lights. i would manage to get it over to the side of the road narrowly avoiding accident and car would not start. after sat for about 10 mins it would start. it would drive ok for about 10-20 miles and then surge and die. it happens periodically and in between the car may drive fine for weeks. service center can't find anything wrong with it. it just happened again 3-18-08 while i was driving on interstate at 65mph, jolted twice and completely died. i was nearly killed as a semi was behind me and another beside me. i had to fight the car to get it off the side of the road and narrowly missed the semi running up over the top of me. after sitting for 10 min it started again but would not reach full power. i could only get it up to about 50 mph, then started jolting and died again after about 6 miles this continued for 30 miles. engine light was on. i had that read by adv auto later and it was two codes one for mass airflow sensor. it has been in service garage since then. they can't find anything wrong with it. i did notice that this seems to only be happening when it rains. they sprayed water today on the front of the car while it was running and it died in their shop. they still have no idea what is wrong with it. it also has a loud vibration/noise in front end. motor mounts have been changed, new alternator, new battery, new belt replaced dec 27,07. the vehicle died again feb 5, 2008 6 times. it dies at all speeds and sometimes stalls at stop lights/signs. i am extremely frustrated with it and need a reliable car to get to work and am making car payments on a car that has been in the shop 36 days in the last 90. also very concerned about causing an accident or killing myself, my kids or someone else. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 40 mph, the contact heard a loud noise and the vehicle began vibrating and jerking. she pulled over and stopped the vehicle. she noticed that the front passenger side tire was sideways. no one has inspected the vehicle yet, but the contact was informed that the axle split in half. the purchase date and powertrain were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 30,050.

My daughter was driving around 30 to 40 mph and when she hit or tap the brake the car would vibrate and try to cut off. the car did cut off and would not start . i towed the car to a shop and found that the valve seat came loose and fell on the pinions, therefore, destroying the engine. the valve seat was totally gone and went through the exhaust. ford mechanic recommended replacing with new motor and manifold plenum since they would not be able to get all the metal from the valve seat out of the plenum. i could get a used motor but found other on the internet that had the same problem, therefore the problem could happen again. *tr

I have a 2001 ford focus and like other complaints my ignition also jammed up, and left me down and had to find a way get home from my job ,and cost me $ 240.00 for a locksmith the next day. i think ford should take action and recall this vehicle, and repay all that had this problem. gc *tr

2001 ford focus ignition key will not turn to start car. elderly wife was forced to wait in car in below freezing temps. until help arrived. we have scheduled the car to be repaired at a cost of approx. $400. this presents a financial burden that we cannot afford. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the cv-joint makes a noise when the vehicle made a right turn at approximately 5 mph. the dealer stated that they were unable to diagnose the failure. an independent mechanic stated that the cv-joint was defective. the vehicle has not been repaired. the current mileage was 40100 and the failure mileage was 40000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 2 mph the vehicle hit a patch of ice, slid into a curb, and caused the suspension front control arm to bend. a new suspension front control arm was installed by the dealer. on march 14, 2008, while making a turn the vehicle made a clunking noise, the steering failed, caused the vehicle to hit the curb and the suspension front control arm was bent again. the failure mileage was 60000 and the current mileage was 87587.

The ignition will not turn to the "on" position, regardless of what is tried. the cylinder apparently is stuck, and the car will therefore not start. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the engine light would illuminate and the vehicle would stall, stutter, skip, and not run when the tank reached a quarter tank. initially, the contact was informed that the cylinder head needed to be replaced. then she was informed that the timing belt, gear, pulley, and tensioner needed to be replaced. the components were replaced. finally, the contact was informed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. ford stated that the vehicle was manufactured too late to be included in nhtsa campaign id number 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline). the purchase date and speed were unknown. the current mileage was 88,000 and failure mileage was 83,073. updated 03-04-08 *bf\the fuel pump was replaced.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the engine warning indicator light illuminated intermittently and the vehicle surged forward. while idling at a stop light, the engine shut off. the dealer stated that the fuel delivery module malfunctioned and they made the replacement. prior to the contact owning the vehicle, it was previously serviced in 2004 under nhtsa campaign id number 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline). the failure mileage was 100,000 and current mileage was 103,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. in an attempt to drive the vehicle with the key in the ignition, the steering wheel locked and the key would not turn. the failure occurred twice. the dealer stated that the steering column needed to be replaced. the current and failure mileages were 93,750.

Ignition switch seizing, unable to start vehicle. 2001 ford focus wagon. has happened, and been replaced 2 times. i understand this has happened to thousands of ford owners, yet ford refuses to acknowledge it as they do not see it as a 'safety issue'. the second time it happened to me, it was around 11pm on a friday night, on a small side road near mack and woodward, downtown detroit. there's no way in hell anyone can convince me my safety was not in jeopardy because of this faulty part! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 40 mph, the vehicle would vibrate and the engine stalled. the vehicle would restart and backfire before accelerating. there were no prior warning indicators. the dealer diagnosed the failure as the fuel system, but the contact was unsure about what they said needed to be repaired. the manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline). the failure mileage was 40,000 and current mileage was 79,000. updated 05/07/08 *bf updated 05/07/08. *jb

Key will not turn...can't start car..key tumbler defective. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving at various speeds, the rear door latch malfunctioned. the rear latch light illuminated to indicate that the door was ajar. the contact also experienced difficulty closing the rear latch. within the last sixty days, the malfunction occurred approximately twenty times. the vehicle was previously repaired in 2005 for nhtsa campaign id number 05v030000 (latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch). the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 54,143 and failure mileage was approximately 53,800.

My car has had several issues with the engine stalling and shutting off...i encountered my first incident just recently, about a week ago. my car shut off and would not start while i was driving. it happened right as i was changing lanes. i thought i needed a jump but when that did not work i had my car towed to a mechanic. they told me that my fuel system was clogged/blocked, i don't remember the exact statement, but they told me that i needed a fuel system flush, a fuel filter, and a new fuel pump. i checked the recall list and saw that my card make and model were on the recall list for fuel system failure and when i called the dealership they tell me that my car does not qualify. i tell me that my issue was caused by something else...this is the first major problem that i have had with this car and now ford is trying to say my car was not a part of the recall and are refusing to fix the problem. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact struck a curb while driving at an unknown speed, and the air bags deployed. the insurance claim adjuster arrived at the scene and could not determine why the air bags deployed. as a result, the insurance agency labeled the vehicle as destroyed. ford motor company stated that this was normal if one would have an impact while driving 30-40 mph. the failure and current mileages were 94,000. updated 02/12/08. *lj

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 20 mph with the brake pedal depressed, the front air bags deployed. the passenger side air bag cracked the windshield. the passenger side seat belt failed. the passenger seat was unoccupied. there was no impact or warning indicators prior to the failure. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the air bags deployed due to a crash. no repairs were made. a police report was filed. the current and failure mileages were 78,871. updated 3/11/08 *cn the consumer stated there was no damage done to the front end of the vehicle. updated 03/11/08 *tr

On my 2001 ford focus both airbags deployed during normal car movement. no any accidents happened before, no vehicles or curbs involved, just during movement, fortunately on very low speed. both bumpers has no any tracks of contact with something. (similar, like nhtsa action number : pe02026). *tr

I have a 2001 ford focus, originally there has only been one owner to this vehicle. very recently, i experienced a very loud noise in my left rear tire which as days past, i was unable to drive the car. my tire had begun to wobble to the point i thought that it may come off my car. this was caused by defective wheel bearings in the tire. *tr

Key will not turn all the off and can't be removed. *tr

I am the second owner of this vehicle the day after i purchased the 2001 ford focus the engine light came on and i had loss of power. i took it back to the dealership and they replaced some parts and also had replaced a few recalled parts. the engine at that time had 78,000 miles on it. i have owned the car for a year and a half it currently has 128,000 miles on it now and had to replace serveral parts which are oxygen sensors catalyc converter, struts, shocks and idle pulley. i get my oil changes and tune ups on a regular basis. one morning went to start my car to go to work and it would not start. it was acting as if it had run out of gas but i had over a half of tank of gas in it. after trying to start it it finally started and was making a horrible rattling noise in the engine. it ran for about 15 seconds then died. i left it alone then called a tow truck to take it to an autorepair shop and had a diagnostic test done on it. i was told that a bearing had broke off and hit my third cylinder and smashed my spark plug. it also hit the piston and the piston was cracked. there were no warning signs and i would not have had a clue that there was anything wrong with my car. the auto repair place said the i was lucky that it happened at home and not while i was driving because it could have been very dangerous. i am now having to get a remanufactured engine costing me $3,300. which i have to have financed. is there any thing that i can do?*cn

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 60 mph, the vehicle began to shake then the driver side rear tire detached from the vehicle. as a result, the tire crashed into the windshield of another vehicle. the mechanic replaced the tire however; he was unable to determine the cause of the failure. the vin, engine size number of cylinders and tire information were unavailable. the current and failure mileages were 101,000. updated 01/29/08 *bf updated 01/29/08 *tr

In my 2001 ford focus zx3, there is a serious electrical problem. several things do not work or have shorts, or the switches operate other things. right now, the dealer is installing a new wiring harness for $500 at least. i just found that there is a recall for 200 focus on this issue. this is the same car as mine. mine should also be covered. the problems began just a few days after the 3 year warranty period ended, but i thought it was minor and i could leave it alone. the dealer is all-american ford in hackensack, nj. can you help me?*cn

Recently the ignition lock on my ford focus jams up. i place the key in the lock, which is a bit sticky, and then the key will not turn. after 15-30 minutes of trying to turn it, it will start, other times no. we are still researching on the web how to replace this part. *tr

I have a 2001 ford focus. for the past 3 years now i have had a problem with the battery discharging. i have had the battery replaced more than once and this is not the problem. recently, my car did not start 12/22 and again on 12/26, 12/27 and now today, 12/30/07. i had to have someone jumpstart my car each time except this morning. no one is available this early in the morning. i am tired of ford saying they cannot find the problem. i know there are hundreds of people out there having this problem. we need ford to come forward and admit ownership of this problem and either fix our cars at no charge or issue a blanket recall or something. i cannot afford the towing charges, the days off work while the car is in the shop etc. this will go on for a couple of weeks and then i can go 3 months, maybe 6 months with no problems. i have tried not using my dome light and keeping it in the off position. i manually turn off my radio and headlights before leaving the car in case that was what was draining the battery, but that was not the problem. i do notice that a couple of days before the battery goes dead the car will start lunging a couple of days in advance but only about one time per day. *tr

2001 ford focus zts - ignition wouldn't start during summer months (not predictable); have been stranded on side of road a few times until engine cooled down (30 minutes to 1 hour) before would start again. last week, when key inserted into car, steering wheel would be locked up and key wouldn't turn. finally failed on me two days ago; luckily i was at home and not on the highway with my 2-year-old in zero-degree weather! dealer said it was faulty solenoid switch in starter. have read this is very common problem that repeats itself! i hope to not have to go through this again. *tr

Noticed a creaky sound coming from the front of the car. when mechanic looked at it, the left front coil spring was broken. car has 72,000 miles. replaces both front springs. have never known coil springs to just break on a car. and judging from the other complaints filed here and elsewhere on the internet for this year car, it is a fairly common problem. shame on ford for not following up on this. *tr

As the owner of a ford focus 2001 - i attempted to start my car and was unable to turn the key in the ignition. i was stranded in a parking lot - had to be towed. the problem is chronic in ford focus - yet ford is not recalling or attempting to assist customers in any way to remedy the flaw. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact was unable to restart the vehicle after adding fuel. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the failure occurred on december 15, 2003 and recurred approximately three weeks ago. the ignition lock assembly switch was replaced. the cost to repair the vehicle was $433 at the owner's expense; however, the first repair was covered by the warranty. the ignition switch should not fail after three years. the ford manufacturer stated that they were unable to assist because the warranty expired. the failure mileage was 52,474 and current mileage was 52,732.

After car has warmed up for 30 minutes approx. it restarts after turning engine off but will not idle on it's own. the driver must keep there foot on the gas pedal at all times, except when car is moving and engine is engaged. the car has a standard transmission. this doesn't happen everytime. but after car has warmed up and has had the engine turned off 2 or 3 times this accores. if the engine is allowed to cool down for 15 min. to 45 min. the car will idle again. the time is dependent on the outside temperature. *tr

About 4 months ago i went to put key in ignition and i struggled for an hour or more to get it to turn. very frustrated at that point that i finally have resided to keeping the key in the ignition, which is not a good idea,but afraid of being stranded somewhere. *tr

Passenger and driverside doors on the 2001 ford focus zx3 have quit opening from the outside of the vehicle. doors have lost the ability to be opened and i was informed by the dealership that the locking mechanisms we "frozen". to this date i have not been able to get the doors fixed must leave window down to reach to the inside to open the doors in that fashion. *tr

Brought 2001 ford focus in for recall on rear door latch, campaign id: 05v030000. dealer at enfeild, ct ford would not honor recall for the rear latch door which had the same failure and failed open while at highway speeds. they claimed the recall only covered the rear passenger doors and not the rear hatch of a wagon. *tr

2001 ford focus zx3 with <55,000 miles has been found to have both from springs broken. at the time of discovery neither spring had worked lose from the perch, however with additional time the springs would be able to move and potentially puncture a tire. *tr

Ignition switch- my key won't enter the ignition. i have read hundreds of complaints online about this defective part. ford needs to issue a recall on this faulty part. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitates, stalls, and has to be restarted each time. the vehicle was taken to ford at least 12 times; however, they could not duplicate the failure. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic and he discovered that the fuel pump failed. his vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 03v482000 (fuel system, gasoline). the vehicle was returned to the dealer and they stated that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. the current mileage was 72,000 and failure mileage was 42,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the rear windows collapsed in the vehicle. the mechanic stated that the plastic holder failed and caused the cables to intertwine, which then caused the window motor to malfunction. the passenger side rear passenger window was replaced at the cost of $300. the manufacturer advised the contact to take the vehicle to a ford dealer for a diagnostic, but they could not guarantee that they would be able to assist. the powertrain was unknown. the current mileage was 25,000 and failure mileage was 23,000.

Vehicle ignition lock froze without any previous indication of malfunction. ignition key was unable to operate lock. driver was left stranded and lock smith had to be called to drill out the ignition as a temporary fix and the ignition lock cylinder replaced as a permanent repair. vehicle make: ford vehicle model: focus se year: 2001 *tr

Defect reported by a professional tow company, the individual a certified ase automotive technician.(verifiable) seat-side airbag deployment while cranking vehicle. . first occurrence: cranking vehicle on roadside. driver's seat-side airbag deploys. second occurrence: following day, cranking vehicle with passenger seated in front. passenger seat-side airbag deploys while cranking motor.no collision or impact involved no injuries worthy of documenting. airbag faults are non-disputable unacceptable. any unwarranted airbag deployment can cost lives, and warrants a full investigation towards a recall for inspection, and/or replacement of the fault designed airbag system. *tr

Thermostat housing is leaking. found internal seal wall cracked/washed out allowing leakage past seal ring. steady drip of coolant from thermostat housing even after replacing seal ring. found many other complaints of same problem in discussion threads on internet. coolant puddled under car where pets can drink it and loss of coolant causing overheating. *tr

I bought my 2001 ford focus in april 2007 from a used car dealership. one day a couple of months ago i went into a store and when i came out my key would not go into the ignition and the steering wheel was locked. fortunately i grabbed a passerby to help me and he was able to get the key into the ignition and i was able to drive the car. then a few days ago i got home from work one night, parked my car, and went inside. next morning when i tried to leave for work the key would not go into the ignition and the wheel was locked again. after an hour of trying to get the key in, i had to call a mechanic to tow the car to the shop and get it repaired. it cost me $400. *tr

Brakes have been failing frequently. after taking it to be repaired the first time in june, i attempted to make a stop at a red light and the car was nearly ii the intersection before the brakes worked. the problem is repeated and i feel as though the car is unsafe to drive if the brakes can not be repaired properly by even the dealership. *tr

I have a 2001 ford focus. water started leaking into the front passenger floor. i took it to the dealership and they could not find a problem. the leaking continued. after it rained again, the water leaked into the floor all over my new video camera. i took it to the dealership where i live and told them what had happened. they said they could not find a problem, yet the car did not leak again. recently my husband was doing maintenance on the car and found a "for sale" sign spray painted black lodged over the cabin air filter. he removed the sign and now my car is pouring water again. after doing some research, this is a common problem among ford vehicles, especially '00 to '04 ford focuses. there needs to be a recall. *jb

Key can not turn ignition cylinder. this is the issue every time i try to start the car. *tr

2001 ford focus zx3 ignition failure the key gets stuck in the ignition and does not turn and the car i guess is known for it and the company does nothing about the problem the customer has to pay for the new ignition every time it happens and the car is known for doing this. *jb

A/c fan switch burned along with the connecting wire block, putting smoke into the vehicle, if the vehicle hadn't been turned off after seeing smoke could have resulted in fire. *tr

2001 ford focus. original owner. maintained. spark plug blew out of cylinder. dealer suggested most expensive fix - new cylinder head and spark plugs. not covered by warranty. will instead just get spark plugs rethreaded and trade in car asap before any other major issues. car lost power. was at a stop light and then made a right turn. lost power and loud explosive noises resulted on freeway access road. police had to come out until tow. dangerous situation. *tr

Ignition switch locked up beyond a mere steering lockup and could not be started. i had to pay to have the vehicle towed to the local ford dealership. vehicle has 84k miles. i hope i won't be paying for a repair that is likely to break again soon. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving approximately 65 mph, the engine would stall. the vehicle also decelerated without the contact removing her foot from the accelerator pedal. she did not hear any noises or notice any warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. he notified the dealer and manufacturer and they stated that the problem was due to the fuel pump and that his vehicle was not included in the extended warranty. the failure mileage was 90,000 and current mileage was 104,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 40 mph, the vehicle began hesitating and shaking and shut completely off when turning. the failure only occurred once. the contact has not taken the vehicle to the dealer. nhtsa campaign id number 03v482000 (fuel system) was referenced. the purchase date was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 105,000. updated 12/12/07

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. approximately two years ago, the contact noticed that her gas mileage was significantly lower than other 2001 vehicles of the same model. the dealer stated that recalls were issued for the ford focus, however, the manufacturer stated that there were no recalls regarding gas mileage. the speed was unknown. the current mileage was 98,000 and failure mileage was 30,000. *updated 12/27/07 *lj updated 12/12/07 *tr

I own a 2001 ford focus and within the last month it has become increasingly more difficult to turn the key in the ignition. i did some research and found that this is due to a substandard/defective ignition switch cylinder. i also found that this is not an uncommon problem, quite the contrary; there are several car forums that have complaint after complaint specifically about this issue. for example, here is one at consumeraffairs.com: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/ford_focus_ignition.html i accept the fact that car owners are responsible for their own maintenance but an ignition cylinder should not be going bad in a 6 year old car. furthermore, i have read several ford focus owners say that they have had this repair done more than once. i am a college student; i cannot afford to keep paying out $500 to get this fixed. please do the responsible thing and recall this part and replace it with one that works. don't make me regret buying a ford in the future. https://secure.ford.com/servlet/satellite/footer/contact-ford/contact-us-email?contactmaintopic=vehicleserviceissues *jb

Cooper cobra gt radial - model: 87tp195/60r15 m + s problem: (2) tire separations and (1) separation with bubble. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that the ignition locked while attempting to start the vehicle. she had to strike the tip of the key while it was still in the ignition for the vehicle to be started. the dealer repaired the vehicle in june of 2006, however, the failure recurred in august of 2007. the dealer would not repair the vehicle because the warranty expired. the current mileage was 57,834 and failure mileage was 56,000.

Bought new in '01 ford focus. noticed right off brakes would make a grinding noise and squeak. tires were worn real bad on inside on one front size since we bought it. repeated alignments with no improvement. still experience this problem. started experiencing problems with it missing during acceleration. check engine light came on in february 2005 and took it to the dealership. they replaced sensors that had recall,was recall code p0401. engine light stayed on. they said that we were using gas that was dirty and waiting too late to put gas into the car and that was why it was stalling. we paid $272.98 for them to replace this whole section that had to do with the fuel being filtered. car loses power and stutters going around curves with even over a half a tank of gas. stalling to the point we must pull over into the emergency lane afraid of accident! i own car i bought brand new and it jerks and sputters like some piece of crap from jd byrider! everytime we start the car you smell oil burning for15 minutes afterwards. had it checked no leaks or anything could be found. april of 2005 noticed when the car idled at a traffic light the thermostat would show shoot up showing it was running hot! took it in to the dealership and they found anti-freeze leaking. was told the thermostat housing and thermostat had to be replaced. retested it and was told problem solved. our bill was $375.00. this was first brand new car and was taken well care of, it only has around 78,000 miles on the odometer. i was told there was a silent recall on these for the engine problems and they were being fixed for no cost to the owner. we were not notified of a recall and paid for all of this out of pocket .car is paid off now and cannot enjoy having a paid off car with low mileage because we are scared to drive it and bought a new car that was safe to drive around with our kids! time goes on and it is getting worse. sometimes not wanting to start at all! engine still stalls despite all these repairs. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 5 mph, the contact heard a popping noise coming from under the hood. she then noticed steam rising from the engine and the vehicle shut off. approximately 5 minutes later, she was able to restart the vehicle. the dealer stated that the egr valve caused the failure and they replaced the valve and the hose assembly. the contact stated that the vehicle drove roughly after the egr replacement. she returned to the dealer and they stated that the engine caused the failure. as of september 5, 2007, the dealer had not replaced the engine. the failure and current mileages were 141,000.

I purchased a 2001 ford focus on my way to work while pulling into my parking space the car accelerated unexpectedly then the brakes did not work. i then pulled on the emergency brakes which did not work to immediately stop the car. i crashed head on into the car in front of the parking space. also, upon impact the airbags did not inflate. the car was supposedly to have front and side impact airbags and one in the steering when and nothing happened. my chest went straight into the steering wheel so hard there was a circular imprint around my chest and stomach. after people came to see about me one man asked if my car was off. i said yes and he pointed out the car still looked like it was trying to accelerate. the wheels were spinning full force. i took the car back to the dealership i only had it for 3 days and nothing was done to correct the failure. the owner of the dealership said since the car was in a wreck it was worthless to him and there was nothing he could do. he even threatened that he would call the police if my family and myself did not leave. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. on august 19, 2007, while driving 10 mph, the contact heard metal scraping the ground and then plastic being dragged underneath the vehicle. she immediately stopped the vehicle and discovered the fuel tank on the ground. she called the fire department to get permission for triple a to tow the vehicle. the contact stated that the bolt that holds the arm in place on the fuel tank had no thread remaining. she filed a complaint with ford and they stated that they could not be of assistance. the current and failure mileages were 87,000. updated 12-12-07. *kb updated *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact heard a noise coming from one of the front wheels. when he drives over speed bumps, it sounds as if something is loose under the vehicle. he also stated that when he drives between 50-75 mph, the vehicle vibrates and the steering wheel shakes. he had the tires rotated and balanced and the front end aligned, however, the mechanic stated that those were not the cause of the vibration and noise. the contact found nhtsa recall number 02v289000 (steering: linkages). the contact stated that his vehicle would not start and he had the battery inspected. the mechanic stated that the battery was fine. the vehicle started when the contact looked under the hood and moved the battery cable. upon closer inspection, he realized that the cables looked and smelled burnt. he then discovered nhtsa recall number 02v288000 (electrical system:battery:cables). he notified ford about the two recalls and was informed that his vin was excluded from both. the contact feels that his vehicle should be included since he is experiencing the same failures. the current mileage was 43,800 and failure mileage was 38,000.

2001 ford focus has a defective brake system. this causes the brakes to wear prematurely. *kb

First occurrence happened when my wife and daughter were driving in the baltimore tunnel and the engine started to stumble and loose power finally stopping soon after they exited the tunnel allowing them to pull oven onto the shoulder. if the engine died 30 seconds sooner who knows what could have happened, there is no place to pull over in the tunnel. she managed to get to a gas station to fill the tank and then the car ran fine. it was at 1/2 a tank when it died. when she got home i changed the fuel filter and we had no more problems for 3 months. the second occurrence happened when i was driving the car to clemson sc for my daughter to use while attending college. i ran the tank to almost empty and noticed some loss of power but i thought i just got to close to empty, filled it up and all was fine again. while i was passing an 18 wheeler, fuel at 1/2 tank, the car started bucking violently and loosing power. i had to wait for the truck to go by and then make an extremely aggressive move cutting off the car that was following the truck so i could get to the shoulder. once again after sitting for awhile the car started and i was able to limp to a gas station fill it up and it was fine. my concern is for public safety and a company the does not support the products that they sell. ford has been aware of this problem forever and sent letters to almost 600,000 owners telling them of the possible problem and giving them an extended warranty on the fuel delivery system for up to ten years with unlimited mileage. what about the rest of us? we don't deserve the same consideration? i had to pay $500.00 to fairway ford in anderson sc because my vin number wasn't included in the replacement program. ford, and all there talk of quality, ?q1? flags flying at all of their facilities, seems to be more concerned with share holder value, than the safety of their loyal customers. *tr

Could not insert my key into the ignition. it would only go halfway in. i was stranded in a parking lot and had to call a friend to pick me up. had to have it towed to dealer where they drilled the lock out and replaced with new cylinder. the old part was totally destroyed by the drilling. *jb

Initially the problem seemed to be hesitation in the transmission at high speed on the highway. however, it gradually worsened and resulted in surging and loss of power. the throttle because totally unresponsive and i had to coast to a stop on the side of a busy highway. the car is in the shop presently. given the amount of data out there to show this is a common defect for the 2001 focus, i expect ford to cover the repair. *tr

2001 ford focus totally destroyed by a engine fire customer states that he has been waiting for 2 years to get a decision from ford**cc the consumer stated that his vehicle was totally destroyed by an engine fire and further stated that there was a recall issued for this vehicle for the same defect. the consumer provided pictures of defect, copy of a recall issued by alldata online, and the description of the damage. *tr

Puddle of coolant on daily basis. slow but continuous leak. had to have thermostat housing replaced. part made of plastic rather than metal. *jb

Tl*the contacts son owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 55 mph, the contacts son noticed smoke rising from under the hood, followed by flames. approximately one minute later, there was an explosion. the fire investigator stated that the fire may have been caused by the transmission. the fire destroyed the vehicle. the failure and current mileages were 70,000. updated 09/12/07 *tr

July 11, 07 i had to travel for work and three hours out the car stopped in the road and at that time the car continued to roll so i merged to the side to get of the road, the engine light came on and didn't start till 30min later. i had to turn back around and head home and the car continued to stop and start over 20 times till i made it home. at times it would not pick up speed or it would decrease. 07-26-07 i took it to a ford dealership service center and they brought up that the problem was in the fuel pump, fuel filter and pc valve and other items that did not pertain to the problem but needed future attention. the lady who helped me told me i need an updated version of the fuel pump and was charged $590.43 for everything including fees. august 1st, 2007 a friend had told me that a dealership in his area was replacing all fuel pumps for ford focus 2001 that failed within an extended warranty of 7 years under 100,000 miles and that the company was not telling anyone until the part failed and they brought it in for service. i looked up the claim on the internet and found that it was true. i got information from the dealership and company that my particular vehicle number , was not included in the replacement program. i still have no answer as to why my vehicle was not selected when my car clearly showed symptoms of the defected fuel pump. the answer i receive was that it could be a variable of reasons including where it was made and where the part was made. i was also told that my car has a 3yr warranty and there is nothing that they could assist me with. the more i tried to get answers about the program and the cars involved, who i can speak to or what can i do to solve this issue the more the representatives got aggravated and rude. since ford would not provide me with details or help with my fuel pump defect i wanted to seek help through the nhtsa to do an investigation of my vehicle in order to push a recall for my model. *tr

I had to have my ignition switch replaced because the key would not turn in the ignition. the mechanic indicated that this is a common problem with the 2001 focus. *jb

Passenger side front coil spring fractured. loud crunch noise when turning right or left. no accident or injuries. i am going to have the spring replaced this week, 07/18/07. *tr

The car almost stalls then surges like a kick. it happens mostly at around 30mph. all the lights come on and the speedometer and gas gauge go all the way up and then back down to zero then everything goes back to normal. i had the battery replaced but now the problem is back after only 2 weeks with a new battery. i took to a repair shop and they cannot find the problem. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 25 mph, the vehicle began to make a loud rattling noise. there were no warning indicators or prior failures. the contact drove approximately 1/2 mile to her residence. the mechanic stated that the bottom piston failed in the engine. the current and failure mileages were 93,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 58 mph the fuel pump failed on two occasions. the dealer stated that the fuel delivery module failed. the current and failure mileages were 84,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact was unable to turn the key and unlock the steering wheel when he attempted to start the vehicle. the dealer stated that the ignition cylinder needed to be replaced. as of july 16, 2007, the vehicle has not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 53,000. updated 09/05/07 *tr

While driving on an interstate highway the car began to surge and loose power. eventually the car stalled completely. this happened while traveling in normal conditions at ~65mph. the date given is the most recent occurrence. this same situation occurred once before ~1 year ago under the exact same conditions. engine surge has been a persistent problem with the vehicle since it was new (~6 years). *tr

First, my rear passenger window would not scroll up and down. this is after having my 2001 ford focus for 2 years. i rarely use my rear windows. i thought it was a motor problem. when i opened the door and checked by myself, i was shocked to see that it was not the motor but the regulator which is made of plastic. i think ford did this intentionally. after a few months, the drivers side rear window also would not scroll up and down. i immediately knew what the problem is, the plastic regulator. so what i do is to pull the window up and hold it to the frame using a piece of paper. to fix this problem would cost me $300 a piece. that is $600 total to put in another plastic that will eventually fail. to make matters worse, today my front passengers side window also went down. same problem. white plastic regulator. that puts my total cost of fixing this to $1200. i have decided not to buy a ford again if this problem cannot be fixed. they need to recall the ford focus exhibiting this problems and fix it. it is simple, stop using the plastic as the regulator. the funny thing is that you can't purchase the regulator on its own. you have to buy it plus the motor which i do not need. every ford focus owner is having this problem. my car is paid off and i don't think i will be looking at a ford again if this is not resolved. *tr

Ford focus ignition key will not insert. this is a safety problem because i am stranded with an immobile car. *ak

My wife owns a 2001 ford focus lx,we have been having intermittent ignition problem with this car for months where the key did not turn the ignition. i called ford service , and they advised to replace the ignition which will cost between $380 and $480. i could not afford this,, and lost time at work to go and mess with the ignition. i had to wiggle it back and forth ,sometimes taking me 2 hours, to get the key to turn. i read forums on the internet that many people had the same problem. why could not ford reimburse any cost or do this for cheaper then the amount i was quoted. the cars will sit in the driveway until i could get enough money for repairs. the car wont even turn now even after wiggling it back and forth, so i may have to get the car towed to the dealership.*ak

Over a two year perio, three of the four electric windows on the vehicle failed to perform, specifically opened and closed. all three regulators and motors were replaced, at a ford delership,for approximately $1,200, $400 per window. *ak

Ignition key currently cannot be removed from lock. previous to this status, it was very difficult to turn once inserted. problem evolves between these two types of issues. see fords tsb 05-21-17. issues are well known. failure means that one either is stuck somewhere and cannot get the car started (think winter and maine) or, as currently is the case, having to leave the key in the ignition while out and about! ford refuses to cover the cost of the repair although this is a well known issue and should be, in my opinion, a recall. first incident was 22 may 2007 but issue will not go away without a costly repair. *tr

The high mount bulbs did not work. the brake lights turned automatically on when the trunk lid was closed. engine off. in the next day a noticed that the cruise control was unoperational.*ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 65 mph, the vehicle began to hesitate and eventually shut off. the vehicle would not restart and was towed to the dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. the contact restarted the vehicle and drove away, only to encounter the same failure. a different dealer replaced the fuel pump assembly. this is the second time the fuel pump assembly had been replaced. the first time was in 2004 at 40,000 miles. the engine size was unknown. the current mileage is 72,000 and failure mileage was 71,000. updated 06/26/07 *tr

I own a ford focus 2001,zx3 for 59,000. the check engine light came on 6 times now! 2 for a dpfe sensor out, 2 for egr presser valve. also started to stall,buck and surge at 35,000 miles, and found out the fdm had to be replaced. that lasted for a short time which the symptoms came back, and the fdm was replaced again. i have had to deal with inconvenience and the last repair which was dpfe sensor which ford picked up 50% of cost but this car is a lemon! i also had to replace the ignition switch when the key would no longer go in.now the check engine light is on yet again and i have to go back to bob baker ford. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the current and failure mileage were 53800. while driving at 35 mph under normal driving conditions, the engine stalled without warning. the contact was able to roll the vehicle into a parking lot. after about five minutes the contact was able to start the vehicle again. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the fuel pump failed. same problem as nhtsa recall # 03v482000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus se. the contact stated that the vehicle would hesitate and loose power while driving. the failure occurred without warning. the dealer replaced the fuel filter, but the failure persists. the contact stated that the failure has been ongoing and resulted in a vehicle crash. the manufacturer stated that her vehicle was not included as part of any recalls. a valid vin, the engine size, and powertrain were unknown. the current mileage is 110,000 and failure mileage was 90,000.

2001 ford focus customer states that the fuel pump and fuel filter are bad an needs to be recalled**cc after the repairs were made in late summer of 2004, the consumer experienced the same problems in march 2007 the pump was replaced again. the manufacturer referred to the problem as a safety and customer satisfaction issue not a recall.*jb updated 06/26/07. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. while driving 70 mph the engine hesitated, sputtered, and completely shut off. the engine warning light illuminated immediately afterwards. the contact stated that the engine was warm and there was approximately 1/4 of a tank of gas in the vehicle. he had to wait approximately 5 minutes before he was able to restart the vehicle. a defect investigation recall campaign # 03v482000 included similar symptoms. the dealer stated that the failure was the fuel pump. the fuel pump was replaced, and no other failures have occurred. the current mileage is 40,500 and failure mileage was 39,800.ak

I was driving home from work one night and as i was driving all the lights, inside and out, except my brake lights went out. i took it to a repair place and they told me i have to take it to a ford dealership because it was something wrong with my entire electrical system. this is not safe. i could've been in an accident. i have searched for recalls on 2001 ford focus zx3 and have not found any. i also looked up how much it would cost to replace it ($359). this is not a small problem. problems like this are very dangerous.

I drive a 2001 ford focus. my car was parked overnight, and as i went to back out of my parking space to go to work, i heard a loud clunking noise and my car struggled to back up. i left my car parked as i thought it was a problem with the brakes. i drove the car to work the next morning (going 65 on the freeway), and the noise continued to worsen and i started to smell burning rubber. i brought the car to a repair shop. the next day they said i was very lucky the tire did not blow because the spring had broken and was rubbing against the tire. this is a problem i know ford is well aware of. i don't know what i would have done had anything happened to me and my family as a result of this gross negligence by ford. repairs ended up costing $570 to replace both front springs, struts, and mounts. *jb

Ignition key will not go into ignition. had to have car towed to local mechanic.

Both front coil springs broke within 7 days of each other, causing the car to sag and drive abnormally. *jb

Tl* - the contact owns a 2001 ford focus with a current and failure mileage of 140,000. the contact stated that she was driving 55 mph on a hot day and the vehicle would sputter and lose acceleration , then lost power. the contact stated that the engine would stall, but the car would still be driving until the contact applied the brakes. the contact had the mechanic changed the spark plugs, wires, and fuel filter, but the problem persisted. the contact called the manufacturer, and they told him to take it to the ford dealer to get it diagnosed. the mechanic stated that it was a failure in the fuel distribution system, but the parts were on nationwide back order. *ak

My ignition and steering wheel locked when i was trying to leave work. after having the car towed to a garage, i found out it is going to cost me about $400 to replace the ignition switch. my problem is the gentleman who towed my car told me this was the third focus he towed this week for the same problem. the mechanic told me that this is a common occurrence in focuse's. i worked really hard to pay for the car and expect better service from ford. if this a common occurrence, i feel it should be a recall. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. the contact stated that this vehicle is performed similar to the information found in nhtsa recallm campaign # 03v482000. the ford manufacturer stated that this vehicle was excluded from the recall. the current and failure mileage were 61,000.*ak

Strange noise when turning and/or hitting bumps. both front springs were broken with the left spring broken in two places. had to replace both springs and struts and have front end alignment done. *jb

Tl* - the contact owns a 2001 ford focus zx3. the contact purchased the vehicle ,and two weeks later the heat stopped working. the contact stated that she took the vehicle to the dealer for repairs, and they did an incomplete repair job. the dealer got the heat to work but it only worked when the contact turned the heat on high. the contact stated that on a really bad snow day she smelled rubber burning and turned the heat off and opened the window. she had to shut the window and turn the heat back on, and when she did fumes began to gather in the vehicle, and the entire vehicl was filled with smoke. the contact continued to drive home when the car shut down entirely. ford and toyota gave her the run around concerning replacing the vehicle and a trade in. the contact was instructed to continue using the vehicle while a trade in was being negotiated. when the contact went to sign negotiation papers she was declined. *ak the consumer stated after picking up the vehicle, all the lights illuminated, the consumer was told it was fixed. the salesman test drove the vehicle and it cut off in the middle of the steet. updated 03/30/07. *jb

My 2001 zx3 focus would eat tires .. got it used but with only 30,000 miles put new firestone tires on and had it rotated every 3000 miles to keep it from shaking .. did that 4 times and sold the p.o.s. the people at firestone told me it was bad engineering on fords part . brakes would make nose that the dealer had no clue what it was . .. now i date someone i with a 2002 ford focus. at 30,000 new brakes and rotors . new pcm . and the list is still adding up. if the focus isn't a lemon ... then there is no point of the lemon law. time to change it and make it harder to sell cars that are made so cheap!!! *jb

It had become harder and harder over the course of a couple of months to turn the key in my ignition. then one night after work, i put the key in the ignition and it would not turn at all. i contacted aaa, and they sent out a locksmith the next day. the locksmith had to completely replace the ignition because, according to him, certain pieces were broken. *jb

Driving on highway, 45 mph...5:30 am mst...no indication of any problem. vehicle driving smoothly, no sputters and no indicator lights. drove my son to his workplace approximately 20 miles and on the way home, vehicle simply stalled, jerked and as i stepped on the gas....nothing. cars swerved around me as i struggled to pull off to the right. i was nearly hit by three different vehicles. it was very dark and i was alone in the car. i managed to walk to a gas station/store and called my daughter. her husband helped me tow the vehicle to kearns auto center near where the car had stalled. the fuel pump had to be replaced. manager advised that the fuel pump shield was a 2002 addition, even though vehicle was sold and manuals distributed was for a 2001 ford focus. the shield had allowed gas to leak until it totally destroyed the fuel pump itself. there was no disclosure, vehicle was bought brand new with 8 miles showing. manual and care schedule was for that of a 2001. vehicle mileage at the time of incident was 47,312 miles...ford customer service, and two dealers in the salt lake city area were notified of the situation, none have responded. *nm

Ignition lock cylinder failed, preventing car from starting. key would go into ignition but would not turn. i was stranded in parking garage until a tow truck that could reach it was located. ignition cylinder rebuilt, new keys created, total cost $550. dealer kept old parts. this is the second failure of the same part. it was first replaced in october 2003. *jb

I was out shopping at night in a dark parking lot and when i went to my car the key would not turn i was left stranded for hours until a tow could come get my car the key would not turn it was locked. *nm

At seemingly random time my 2001 ford focus zx3 stalls. so far the stall has only happened when at a stop, but sputtering and loss of power randomly at highway speeds has me worried about an eminent stall. i have had the fuel filter changed as well as the egr valve and egr pressure flow sensor and nothing has solved this problem. *mn

Rear window does not operate automatically either from the driver's mechanisms nor the one by the window. this is the second window, this has happened to. the first window, also rear on the driver's side broke couple of years ago and we had to have it fixed at the time. since this is the second window, and now the driver's window is starting to sound like it's going to break, i fear this should be considered a defect, and the manufacturer is not using proper material to ensure the vehicle works properly. being unable to open and/or close the window presents a hazard, thus this matter should be taken seriously by the manufacturer and fixed at their and not our expense, especially since it is an ongoing problem. *jb

Tl* - the contact called regarding the 2001 ford focus. the contact stated the vehicle would not start. the contact had the battery replaced, and two days later the vehicle would not start. he lifted the hood, and saw smoke coming from the battery cable. the cables melted. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop. the battery cable and the harness were replaced. the failure mileage 102,000. the contact was told there was a recall for the battery cable. the contact called the manufacturer, and was told the vehicle was not a part of the recall. *ak

I own a 2001 ford focus se automatic: my ignition lock and the steering wheel are jammed. it is a very recent development and i am finding out that i may have to pay hundreds of dollars to fix it, which i am very unhappy about since it would have been prevented by a recall of the vehicle. i still have no idea how i am going to fix it and i might have to end up towing the car which will cost even more and i don't have enough money to do that, but if i leave it on my street then i will get a parking ticket. shame on you ford for not issuing a recall, what am i supposed to do? another problem with my focus is that the rear passenger side window broke in 2005. the motor got jammed and broke or something, but now my window won't roll up and my car is getting rained inside of, again thanks ford for not issuing a recall on that problem, which is a problem that every ford focus owner that i know has. i will never buy a ford again, and i will tell everyone that ford's suck!!!!! *nm

Water leaks into passenger floor when it rains i have had to dealer twice still not fixed now warranty has run out. *jb

Bought a 2001 ford focus (used) from a orivate party. the person i bought it from had the ignition changed twice and it has locked up on me in less than a year. i bought a cylinder and key set from auto zone and changed it out myself, $90 later the car will not start because of the anti-theft in car and i refuse to take it to my local ford dealer (arceneaux ford). ford should replace these ignition cylinders because they are junk and seem to occur often. *nm

Tl* - the contact stated that ignition will not turn with the key. this happened four times , and shetook the vehicle to the dealership on 1-3-07. the contact stated that the weather was not a factor, and she will have the repair order from the work done. *ak

The driver side rear window operating cable mechanism broke. this was shortly followed (within a month or so) by the failure of the same mechanism in the rear passenger side window. both windows fail to rise and any attempts to use the window switches are answered with grinding cracking sounds. the windows are currently held up using coat hangers. *nm

The ignition on my 2001 ford focus zx3 has locked up on numerous occasions, rendering it impossible to start the car, as the key will not turn in the lock. each time this has happened to me in the past, i was eventually able to start the car by jiggling the key in the lock for up to ten minutes. this time, however, after jiggling the key in the ignition for a full forty-five minutes, there was still no give in the ignition. i tried turning the steering wheel to either side as hard as i could while turning the key, and it did nothing to fix the problem. after finally giving up, i did an internet search to see if there was some advice online, and i saw right away that hundreds, if not thousands of people have had the same problem with their cars. each time, it takes them having to replace the ignition for a cost of between 200 and 700 dollars, all costs included. i am extremely concerned that i will have to take the same course of action, as i don't know what else i can possibly do. i can't even have a friend pull my car to the dealership, as it is impossible to steer it in its present state. i will have to pay the cost of a professional tow-truck and then pay the dealer to replace the ignition on top of it all. i understand through my research online that the reason this issue has not been dealt with through a recall by ford is that it does not pose "an immediate and imminent health risk." that may be so, but it causes ford focus owners, like myself, countless amounts of frustration and anger to not be able to use our cars. my car is now sitting on the curb outside my house, in perfectly drivable condition in every way, and i can't even turn the key in the ignition. if you have other complaints about this issue, please lobby with all of your influence to have ford address and fix this problem. thank you for your time. *jb

Tl* - the contact stated that the ignition cylinder switch has seized. he could not put the key in the ignition. this was the first time the contact had a problem with the ignition switch. the vehicle has 40,000 miles. the contact has not contacted a repair shop. he was going to contact a locksmith. the vehicle was operable on 1/3/06. there were no warning signals. *ak

Continually stalling of the engine vehicle while driving, hard to start as it will stall during startup. it began just stalling for a second about once a week at the most. now when i drive it, it does it about every 10 seconds. it has lead to my car failing to speed up, the engine kicking and stalling while driving and the car altogether failing to drive while on a busy highway. it is now nearly undrivable. the car will be looked at in the following week but ford says that while they have recall for the problem on the same year and model of vehicle, it does not include my vehicle because of the manufactured date. *jb

I own a 2001 ford focus ztech. my car was stalling at random in the middle of driving and finally wouldnt start at all. i took it to a dealership. they said my battery cables were melted, so they replaced them, rerouted them, along with my clips, etc. they couldn't figure out why my cables would be like that and said that is probably why my car doesn't start all the time, but they couldn't be positive so they recommended that i replace my starter as well. they charged me $998. this also happened to me in previous years. i went to the vehicle recall site and see that ford started a recall in 2003 on this very same problem. why didn't i receive recall information on my car? i've stalled before in the middle of traffic last year for the same problem and had my battery replaced. this happens too much. i have small children's safety to worry about. what bothers me in addition to that is that the ford dealership that i used should have noticed this recall and related it to my vehicle's problem. i feel this is a terrible safety issue, and i can't afford to keep getting new batteries/cables and starters. also, my key keeps getting stuck in the ignition, and ford won't do anything about that either, even though my dealer said it's a very common problem with this product. they said it would cost me at least $400 to fix it. i've already gotten stuck at a store twice. it just works when it wants to. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 55 mph on normal road conditions, there was a vibration coming from the rear side of the vehicle. it was taken to an independent shop, who determined that new tires should be installed. the tire manufacturer recommended the pressure was 44 psi. 20,000 miles later, the problem recurred and the tires were cupped and the belt broke. the tire pressure was regularly checked were rotated regularly. after the second incident, the vehicle was taken to the service dealer who admitted that ford had an ongoing problem. the manufacturer was notified, who also admitted to the contact that there was a problem but would not offer to correct the issue. make tire: dayton/model: unknown/size: f15/manufactured: dayton.*ak

Went to leave work one evening, put my key in the ignition and it would not turn. i was stranded and had to call my husband to pick me up. had to have car towed to dealership. they installed new ignition tumbler. since this is a known problem with this vehicle and i have only owned the car for a little over a month, the dealership paid half of the bill. *jb

Water leak into the front passenger foot well. started in july, went back to the dealer three times, final time was told it needs to go to a body shop, possible defective body panel issues? *jb

When i tried to start my 2001 ford focus this morning to return home, the ignition locked. i had this problem fixed 2ce before while under warranty. it is no longer under warranty. when i went on the web for info i spent hrs reading of all the other consumers with the same problem and that ford has done nothing to solve this. it was suggested i write to this site. *nm

Ignition cylinder locked up and i couldn't get the key in. had to have it drilled out and replaced - $300. *jb

2001 ford focus: ignition key will not turn after insertion, so the car won't start. jamming key hard into column and maybe rocking the steering wheel eventually enables the key to turn and start the vehicle. intermittent, but now becoming more frequent. last time it took 40 minutes to start car - could be personal danger. *jb

As in nhtsa campaign id # 03v482000, my 2001 ford focus stalls when the fuel tank is less than 1/3 full, the vehicle is accelerating, and turning to the right. ford will not fix the problem because they claim to have reached a solution on vehicles assembled after june 13, 2001. my vehicle was assembled june 19, 2001. since it exhibits the same symptoms, they had not corrected the problem by june 13, 2001. according to nhtsa documents ford didn't start installing redesigned fuel pumps until sometime in 2004. nhtsa should require ford to extend the program to all focus vehicles that used the poorly designed fuel pump and display failure symptoms. *nm

Ford focus year 2001 - the ignition has locked up twice. had aaa locksmith make a new key that worked better- old key you have to hit with force to make it work. now it turns but won't start. *nm

Automatic turn signal cancellation inoperative; it has not worked for about 3 months; have not gotten it repaired, but plan to fix it soon. *m

I tried to start my car and the key seemed "stuck". i tried everything to turn it to no avail. called a locksmith and he said it was a very common problem with the ford focus, and that he responds to calls about this issue all the time. the key ignition cylinder just breaks on these cars. i took it to my mechanic who confirmed this and is in the process of replacing the ignition cylinder. the part from ford is substandard and that is why it breaks all the time. this should be recalled! what is the point of a car if you cannot start it due to a mechanism constantly breaking? what if i were in a bad area of town, what if i really really needed to leave immediately but couldn't due to a faulty part that is a known issue!? *nm

I have a 2003 ford focus. now i am having a problem with steering wheel lock-up. my search on the internet has shown that this is apparently a very common problem with the focus. this problem will occur out of the blue and now i am beginning to think that it isn't just my key. there is a problem with this lock design. ford needs to recall this. *nm

Key will not turn in ignition. eventually after a half hour of trying, the car turned over and i was able to drive it to the dealership. i told them i was having problems with my ignition, and they asked me if my car was a focus. apparently this is a common problem in the ford focus. the tumbler needs to be replaced. i have a 2001 ford focus se wagon. why do you have to replace an ignition in a 5 year old car? i had a 10 year old car without any ignition problems ever. *nm

I have a 2001 ford focus and in 2005 i had to replace my ignition cylinder. the key wouldn't turn at all. i bought the cylinder from ford and replaced it myself. now, a year later, i am having the same problem again. my key will not turn the ignition. i have tried troubleshooting but nothing has improved. i have to buy another cylinder again. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the driver side airbag deployed in an accident and caused burns to the contact driving the vehicle. the airbag warning light was not illuminated. a police report was taken. the vehicle was deemed totaled by the insurance agency and was not taken to the service dealer. updated 11/30/2006 - *nm

2001 ford focus. key will not turn tried both keys w/o help have been having trouble and now will not work. this is the car my daughter takes to college and lucky it was sitting in my driveway not with her on a dark campus all alone. *jb

Cracked thermostat housing. i recently needed to have the plastic thermostat housing replaced on my focus, as it was cracked and leaking. i have been researching on the web and found numerous other entries regarding the problem. i have not seen a recall or any info regarding if there is a systematic failure of the part. i have the part if needed for research. *nm

The plastic sockets in the rear taillight lens assembly melted. (these sockets hold the taillight bulbs in place.) the taillight lens assembly was obviously made from inferior plastic material, because even the back-up light socket; which isn't used very often; was also melted. the ford dealership wanted to charge $89.00 just to look at the taillights, and just automatically stated that they weren't under warranty and that it would be around $250 for new lens assemblies, and another $45 to install them. *nm

My focus is exhibiting the problems associated with this recall - nhtsa campaign #02v288000 electrical system:battery:cables i took my vehicle down to the dealership and they told me even though my car is having the same exact problems it is not covered under the warranty. i got the same response when i called the ford customer service number. i have replaced the alternator twice and the battery 3 times. the cables are all chewed and burnt near the terminal ends. i've had numerous terminal ends so hot that they start melting off and into my battery. right now my car will not start and my battery cables are burnt. *nm

Concern: 2001 ford focus zx3 (ignition switch stuck) this car has only 35000 miles. as i have searched for repair instruction for this problem i know it is wide spread. my daughter drives this car everyday to college and the ignition switch stuck and left her stranded. the key would go into the cylinder but would not turn. this could be very dangerous if she were alone and stuck in a parking lot in the dark!!! i believe the scenarios are significant enough that ford needs to remedy this as soon as possible. winter is setting in and people all over the country are going to be getting stranded in their ford focus'. this won't get attention until someone dies! ford is all about the money! *nm

Ignition switch deteriorated resulting in a failure; there were no prior indications of the imminency of this failure. ignition subsequently completely failed to turn. entire ignition switch system replaced. the keys will be the next to fail, as they are wearing down in a much more substantial manner than i have ever seen an automobile key deteriorate. *nm

I had taken my grand-daughter to the dentist and when we came out the key ignition would not turn and the steering wheel was locked up. i spent the most of the morning trying to get it to turn one more time so that i could take it to ford town to get it fixed. i knew what had happened because my daughter has a 2004 ford focus and hers had just locked up about a month before and she never did get it to turn over, she had to have her car towed and the ignition cylinder drilled out, finally we were able to get it to turn over one more time and the man at ford town told me to leave the key in the ignition and the next day they would try and work my car in to have it fixed. i took it to ford town the next day and they fixed it and it cost me $184.37. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle was in an accident with an air bag deployment. the airbag caught the contact's shirt on fire (investigation #ea02017) causing third degree burns. the vehicle was taken to the service dealer after the accident, however the insurance company decided the vehicle was a total loss and the dealer never made any comments or determinations. a police report was taken. updated 11/09/06. *jb

Car won't start. key will not enter ignition. from what i understand, this is a recurring problem with this model. *nm

Ignition lock, could not turn key. *jb

For a week i was having trouble turning my key in the ignition of my 2001 ford focus. then one morning i could not turn my key at all. i had to have the car towed to the dealership. according to the dealership this is a common occurrence with the ford focus. they had to replace the ignition cylinder at my cost. i was told that even though this is a common occurrence, ford will do nothing about it because it is, according to them, not a safety issue. i want to know how this is not a safety issue when this problem can leave someone stranded anywhere with no warning.*jb

Ignition lock-up. first time major disaster with independent mechanic and dealership costing me $1055.26 just because the key cylinder/key would not work. second time it locked up, 14 months later, still cost me over $500.00 for fix and new keys at dealership. *jb

2001 ford focus ignition cylinder locks up 10/10/2006 car is stranded overnight in a parking lot in an unsafe neighborhood lock cylinder was replaced at a cost of $300 plus tow fees. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the key would not turn the ignition switch. a locksmith was called and the ignition switch was replaced. the dealer was not alerted.

Dt*: the contact stated the key became stuck in the ignition on several occasions. the key was able to be turned, however it was not removable. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer on several occasions, where the ignition switch was replaced twice. the problem was not corrected, and the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the defect.

I own a ford focus zx3 (2001). i seem to have the same problem as everyone else with my car. my ignition key would not turn and i was left stranded. i have done some research about the issue, and it seems to me that every other focus owner had to deal with this problem. the solution to the problem is purchasing a new ignition cylinder (~$400). ford need to admit to a faulty part and low quality of materials. please help this be an official recall. thank you. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the doors were inoperable from both inside and outside. to get into or out of the vehicle the door must be left ajar. the dealership determined the door latches must be replaced.

Radio/cd/clock unit appears to short out at various unpredictable times. the cd or radio will act as if the unit is turned off; however the clock display also disappears from the panel. after 10 minutes or longer the clock display will return to the screen - with the correct time and the radio/cd portion can be turned back on as if was turned off. during these "shutdowns" i can not do anything to make the unit work. this includes using the on off buttons and any and all of the other control option/buttons. this has happened three times that i am aware of since i have been driving this 01 focus 4 door model. starting in april of this year 2006. *jb

Ignition switch on my 2001 ford focus locked. unable to put key all the way into ignition switch. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicles ignition shuts down and the vehicle can not be shut off. the problem occurred one time and the dealer was unable to resolve.

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle's fuel pump had failed 4 times, which caused a loss of power followed by stalling. the contact mentioned recall number 03v482000 (ford recall 03n01), for the fuel filter, but did not contact the manufacturer to see if the vin was included.

Dt: the contact stated while driving 35 - 40 mph, the check engine light and battery light illuminated. while pulling the vehicle into a parking lot all the dashboard lights darkened and the vehicle hesitated as if it was going to stall. it was parked for about 3 minutes and the vehicle would not restart. the vehicle was observed by an independent mechanic who determined that a barren came out of one of the pulleys however that would not cause the vehicle to stall. the vehicle was left at the scene of the incident. two days later the contact returned to the vehicle and the vehicle was burned. the insurance investigator observed a security video which identified the vehicle smoking and a window had fallen.

Dt*: the contact stated when the vehicle was started, the engine stalled completely. the vehicle was restarted, and stalled a second time. the vehicle was shifted into park, and would not start back up for 3 days. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer, where it was determined that the fuel pump had failed. there was a nhtsa recall# 03v482000 which pertained to the gasoline fuel system. the fuel delivery module had previously been replaced 3 times with no success. the manufacturer was also notified, who informed the contact that there was nothing that could be done.

2001 ford focus, 6 yrs old, only 38k miles. ignition cylinder locked up and i was unable to insert key more than halfway. vehicle had to be towed to dealer ($75), who replaced cylinder for $350. dealer reports they still see this repair about once a month on the 2000, 2001 models. *jb

My ignition will not turn. i have tried everything. i guess the ignition cylinder needs to be replaced. *nm

*this is a safety issue!* when leaving work my car would not start, the starter would not engage and accessories would not come on...i went inside for 10 min to try to arrange a ride home...when i came back to the car i decided to try one last time and the car started right up no problem. while driving home (at about 8.30pm local time...fully dark outside) at approx. 50 mph the car died including most accessories, most notably, the headlights. when i tried to steer the car to the side of the road, the steering wheel locked. this all happened very quickly, i was braking and there seemed to be some power assist to the brakes but not full braking power. i was headed straight at a large tree when the car suddenly came to life again and i managed to just miss it. i limped the car about a 1/4 (at 10 mph) to my brothers apartment and it died 2x again on the way. after several days trying to diagnose the problem i discovered that wiggling the key in the ignition induces the car to die. upon researching this problem i found that this has been reported on a wide scale basis and it concerns me that a recall has not been issued. i was very lucky not to be injured or killed by this problem and many many people are unaware of this risk (as was i until only a few days ago). i have found no way to get the matter corrected via the manufacturer as the current replacement part is almost identical to the original and is noted for short lifetime and for failing in the same manner. *nm

2001 ford focus. key ( ignition switch) failed. key won't turn . *nm

I have a 2001 ford focus -- clogging of the fuel delivery module (fdm) filters in the subject vehicles leaded to stalling and other related symptoms. these symptoms become increasingly obvious to the driver as the clogging gradually increases over extended periods of driving. stalling in these vehicles is most likely to occur when accelerating through a right hand turn such as merging into freeway traffic when the fuel level in the fuel tank is less than 1/4 full. *nm

Ignition cylinder ford focus lx 2001 93,980 miles like so many other complaints i have read on the internet. insert key - ignition locksup you're stranded and have to call a tow truck. cost for repair by ford dealership $489.20. when we first started noticing ignition problem - we called ford to get a price on the part as my husband was going to replace himself. was told by parts gal that he could not perform this himself - it's not like the old days - there are now special instructions regarding the wiring and insulation it has to be done by ford. about a week later the ignition was completely locked we had no choice but to call tow truck and take to ford. tow truck driver informs us this is common defect with all 2001-2006 ford focus and tempos. before we had it towed my husband thought maybe the key was just worn out - ford said the key did look worn and the key did need replacing but it had to be done special because key contains a chip and it takes special programming - key cost $35.00 p/key labor would cost $50.00 - we decided to go ahead and have it towed in case this wasn't the problem. (don't want to be throwing away money) next day i confronted ford mechanic about this being a known cylinder defect and asked why it wasn't a recall - mechanic says he agrees it should be a recall - but instead it was a tsb telling techs how to fix and to my horror fix it with another identical faulty part. i asked if there was special pricing since it was ford's fault. answer no. asked if new keys were included in price - answer no. i asked if problem could reappear. answer yes. imagine if my daughter or i were out in the middle of no where or on a road trip - what could have happened or the expense for towing. i am scared to drive it out of town now and i am horrified that i had to pay out of pocket $489.20 for a known defect that will more than likely happen again and again. why is ford fixing the problem with another faulty part -rip off scam? *nm

My ignition locks up and i am unable to turn the key. this has happened 4 times now and each time i have to have the ignition lock cylinder replaced costing me around $400.00 each time. the first time it happened at about 16,000 miles and now i have 85,000 miles on my car. there is no sign when and where it is going to happen, it just does and then it leaves you stranded and in need of a tow truck, which is more cost to the consumer. *jb

My ignition key often sticks in the ignition and can not be removed. this is a very common problem and ford knows all about it. they will only replace it with the same defective piece of junk. it makes the cars unsafe as they sometimes lock the column and sometimes make it impossible to restart the car in unsafe locations, such as high crime areas or adjacent to interstate highways. it makes the cars vulnerable to theft. ford will do nothing about it and it seems every focus will have this problem. i will never buy another ford product as they do not own up to their design failures. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the ignition cylinder locked completely, and would not move. the key was also not able to be inserted all the way in to the ignition. the vehicle was not able to be started, and no electrical components engaged. the vehicle was towed to a service dealer, who drilled out the ignition cylinder, and replaced the cylinder and ignition switch. the dealer cited a faulty ignition switch as the cause of the problem.

2001 ford focus-window regulators fail without notice. 5 times the window regulators failed, 3 of those while driving under normal conditions, the window either dropped or would not roll back up if window was open. the first 3 times it was over 100 degrees outside and the air conditioning would not cool the back seat where my newborn was sleeping. all 4 windows have done this at least once, the driver side front window has done it twice. ford fixed the problem 4 times and refused on the fifth time. the customer service representative from ford in dearborn, mi hung up on me 3 times refusing any service. *jb

When trying to put the key in the ignition the ignition locks up and will not allow the key to enter or while key is in the ignition the key will not turn. but after a while, trying to make it work the ignition gives in. i have reported this to the ford dealership and there were no recalls on this. now i am afraid to drive it anywhere because the key may not work. both keys are doing the same thing. *jb

Key will not turn in the switch , replaced switch one time, the next time i had to have the keys reprogrammed one time and now my pos is sitting across town will not crank because the key will not turn. if i sit in the car and bang around on the key while in the ignition for 3 or 4 hours i might accidentally get the car to crank. now once the vehicle ( i don't know why i call it a vehicle its more like nightmare ) does get started up and as long as i leave the key in the ignition switch it will re-start. this has been an on going problem for 4 years. *nm

Inserted key in ignition and key refuses to turn. this has happened on several occasions. car needed to be towed to the local ford dealer for repairs. *nm

I was driving my 2001 ford focus in the left lane of a 2 lane highway at about 40 mph when i turned the ac on and the car just stopped. i took it to a garage and they told me i needed a new compressor which would cost 1000 dollars..i found a garage that would do it for less using a used one...my problem was this would happen every time i turned the air or the defroster on. i was afraid i would cause an accident..and am still afraid today when i drive it far..wondering if it will stall out at high speed again and cause me to have an accident. i also have had problems with the key jamming and not turning and my newest problem is i stopped for gas and when i tried to start it all i got was a clicking sound.. *nm

Frozen ignition lock. *nm

Both rear passenger windows systems have failed, with no warning, within a month of each other. the window will not open or close, and unless it is secured in the frame, it will slide down into the door and stay there. the window regulator that fails is a ford (plastic) part, that costs over $130 and needs a special tool to replace. every place in town that i called about this says they repair more ford focuses than any other car, as this part is clearly defective. i see many focuses with windows taped up, etc. i'm considering just gluing the second window into place in the frame, as over $200 (parts and labor) to replace a defective part is money i do not have. *jb

Door handles on both front door failed and do not open the car doors. failed within 2 weeks of each other. *nm

We own a 2001 ford focus. for several years we have been chasing a fuel system or electronic system bug in-which this car for some reason stalls. our ford dealer has been checking the spark, fuel injector and other systems looking for the stalling issue. it seems like it would stall only when you teen drivers were behind the wheel, only happens in the summer and always on crowded highways in rush hour traffic. tuesday we goggled ford focus fuel pump and found that ford won a lawsuit not to recall 2000-2002 focus for stalling issues related to the fuel system. we are shocked that ford would put that many drivers at risk. the focus being a cheap small car is driven by mostly young inexperienced drivers. my kids have had this car stall several times on the busy interstate around milwaukee and green bay. our local dealer replaced the bad parts n/c but the point is that lives were put at risk. if a focus is run over by a semi because of stalling out in traffic, who would know the real issue or be able to recreate the circumstances that lead to the accident. the little car and driver would be crushed. *jb

Went out to start car parked in garage and ignition cylinder would not turn when the key was inserted. vehicle was towed to the local dealer where he replaced the ignition cylinder. this is the second time the problem has occurred on this vehicle and the first time it was replaced free of charge but they have told me they only replace these types of parts once under recalls? *jb

Every single door on my 2001 focus has given me problems. there is only one door on my car that is currently operating correctly, which probably won't last long. my two front doors do not open from the outside. my rear passenger door does not close. i have also had problems with the rear drivers side door not closing. on several occasions i have not been able to open the drivers door from the inside. ford has made a terrible product and i imagine many people are out of a lot of money due to ford's carelessness. i will never buy another ford as long as i am driving and i will encourage others to do the same. i consider the ford company to be careless business people. their first concerns should be safety and quality. if my son were to ever get hurt because of their lack of concern, it would become an extreme issue. i would like ford to either fix the problem with my car or buy it back because i simply do not want it. *jb

This complaint is in response to help another person in electrical complaints. the flicker you have with your 2001 focus is supposedly a ground issue to the chassis. it appears to have fixed my problem with the instruments and headlights and anything electrical flickering sporadically. the fix is pretty cheap under 20 bucks and you could do it yourself if you are somewhat mechanical. as for my complaint. for a car to be in the top 10 for a few years and a great economy car this is not the car with an answer. i have such replaced 2 alternators under warranty, 3 batteries before i fixed my ground problem. replaced pvc valve 2 times, radiator, trunk release actuator, numerous headlights and fog lights, radiator and hoses that were busted from overheating, couple of belts, driver door lock, something with the gas tank i think to be a fuel pump. all of this with 30k on the car. since then i have only replaced tires and rims on the car at 130k i decided to replace any part after warranty with aftermarket gear. so now the car has a cold air intake, svt engine, aem on board computer to adjust with laptop, nitrous, aftermarket hella lights, new paint job, new dash indiglo lights, new stereo speakers, interior. so after all this i guess i should have just bought a lexus and called it a day. the car now runs great and has not had a single part failure since. *nm

The ignition cylinder is a known failure in the 2000-01 ford focus. i have a 2001 ford focus and this is the second time i have had to replace this part. the steering wheel and ignition lock up and the vehicle is useless. the worn keys seem to worsen the problem. there is a 12-18 month life span on the part and that is unacceptable. if you would go to automotive talknet.com and choose the topic ignition cylinder on the ford focus you will see how much of a recall this should be and how we should be reimbursed for all the money we have spent. *nm

Vehicle stalls underway due to clogged fuel filter. i have replaced the fuel filter three time in the last 10,000 miles. appears to be clogged with black material. believe this could be related to ea02022. this last time my 17 yr old was the driver. *nm

2001 ford focus air conditioning was repaired due to leak, consumer would like to be reimbursed for parts. *kb ***nar*** the evaporator and heater core was leaking. *jb

Ford focus 2001 ignition switch jammed. does not allow the car to be started. it has left me stranded several times. the internet is full of people who have complained of this problem with the ford focus and the local ford dealer claims that there is no recall and it will cost $450 for the dealer to fix this very obvious manufacturing defect. *nm

Problems with the ignition switch - multiple times - finally had locksmith change the ignition. *nm

I was driving on the garden state parkway when my wipers failed to work in the pouring rain. i pulled over and decided that i needed to get home. luckily, for me the rain let up enough for me to get home. it is a very scary experience when your driving and wipers go dead. please investigate this thank you. *jb

Vehicle starts surging and losing power 2 days later, vehicle stalls in left turn lane and continues at every stop(i have to double peddle to keep vehicle running). found recall on nhtsa website take vehicle to dealership however, i am told that my vehicle doesn't fall under nhtsa: 03v482000. i am filing this complaint to have the plant my vehicle was built in to be re-evaluated i am having the same exact problem that the recall describes. *nm

When we pulled up at the store the car was running fine; however, when we tried to leave the store the steering wheel was locked up and we could not start the car. we tried many different things (as it says in the manual) including the manual override on the base next to the gear shift and checking for blown fuses. we ended up having to have the car towed to our home where a locksmith came out and replaced the cylinder in the ignition. he also had to recode the keys so that they would work in the ignition. the worst part was that we had absolutely no warning that this would happen (no warning lights, no prior problems, etc.) and we were stuck out in 98 degree heat with our 2 small children!! *nm

The rear wiper in my 2001 ford focus zx3 stopped working. upon investigation i found that 5 wires in the wiring harness going into the hatch lid had cracked insulation and exposed conductors. one wire was completely severed. i have used electrical tape to temporarily render the situation safe until i can make a more permanent repair. i have also learned than many other 2001 focus owners have experienced the same problem. i believe the exposed conductor constitute a serious fire hazard. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle the ignition locked. the vehicle was towed to a local dealer. the dealer replaced the steering and ignition lock assembly. the manufacturer has been alerted.

Dt*: the contact stated upon entering the vehicle, the key would not turn in the ignition. the vehicle was towed to the dealership and the ignition switch was replaced. three years later, the same problem occurred, the ignition switch is being replaced by the dealership.

Broken coil springs. *jb

Headlight lenses have turned opaque and make it very difficult to see at night. this could lead to an accident. *jb

Electrical system seems to be shorting out. interior lamps flash and flicker. side mirrors work sporadically. headlamps flash and flicker on occasion. nothing has been done to correct this due to lack of funds. *nm

2001 focus fuel pump failed. *ts the fuel pump failed while the vehicle was being driven and had to be towed to the dealer. the service dept manager shared a recall with the consumer which was given to them jan 2004 regarding a recall of the fuel pump. the consumer never received that recall notice. the dealer replaced the fuel pump free of charge. the consumer requested reimbursement. *nm

2001 ford focus wagon se: [xxx] intermittent problem: rear hatch opens when car is started. rear hatch cannot be closed when car is running. when i jiggle the wiring harness at the top of the hatch, i hear crackling noises. eventually, after jiggling the harness, i can get the problem to go away. i also had the fuse blow for the rear lights a while back, but replaced it with no further problems, thinking nothing of it. nhtsa campaign id 00v411000 addresses a problem with the deck lid wiring harness shorting out where it bends, and developing broken wires. loss of tail lamps is one of the consequences. i believe the hatch opening is a related problem too, although the recall does not specifically mention it. this recall is for year 2000 focus wagons. mine is a 2001, but its manufacture date is 2000. ford customer service refuses to do anything for me, saying that the vin is not covered under the recall. meanwhile, i am driving around with this electrical issue. you would think that ford would treat customers better, rather than just saying they do on their commercials. i have never had their customer service say "yes" to any of my issues. they just record the complaint and happily ask if there's anything else they can "do" for me. they also say that even if the car were covered, its mileage is too high. is there a mileage limit on this recall? i didn't see it. please see if you can get these slightly-later-manufactured focus wagons added to the recall. thank you for you help! *nm updated 07/16/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Yesterday morning as i was backing out of my driveway i heard a clunk in the front end of my ford focus and when i drove the car pulled to the left. i drove my car to the dealership about 3 miles away. after explaining the problem to the service rep he told me it might be a spring failure that is covered by a recall. i was surprised i had not been notified of this recall and he told me they only do something about it if the consumer complains! this is crazy! what if i had been going 70 mph when the spring broke? this is the second recall i haven't been notified about this year. earlier is was a fuel pump that failed causing the car to lose acceleration, this time as i was driving 70 miles an hour! the part was replaced free of charge as it was covered by the recall. *jb

Second time ignition cylinder in 2001 ford focus has locked up. first left me stranded and had to have car towed in. today, ignition has locked up again. dealership doesn't know if they will pay for it, but they'd better. have seen thousands of post about this problem--why isn't ford addressing this problem???*jb

I was driving my 2001 ford focus i just bought from an independent dealer and 3 or 4 days later the engine started stalling out of the blue. i didn't think anything of it until my engine light came on while driving. i got it tested and it said cylinder 2 misfire. i got the spark plugs and wires changed and it didn't do it anymore. then a week later it started doing it again. this time with my wife driving the kids to a doctor appt. everything seems to be ok with the car except the stalling. when i turn the ac on the stalling seems worse. i have had the car for 4 months and have tried everything i can to get the problem fixed. but, no one can seem to figure it out. there have been a lot of close calls with accidents. *nm

My 2001 ford focus wagon drove fine on saturday night, but on sunday morning the electrical system had gone haywire. when i turned on the ignition, no sound came from the ignition, but the lights on the dash flickered on an off, i heard a clicking sound, the "door open" bell came on, and i smelled electrical smoke. the ford dealer said that i needed to replace the battery, the battery cables, and the starter. this sounded a lot like the nhtsa recall campaign 02v288000, but my vin was not covered under this recall. *nm

Key will not go back into the ignition cylinder. *jb

Ignition key difficult to insert then ignition mechanism and steering wheel locked. *jb

I have a 2001 ford focus zx3. my wife and i were on a cross-country move from michigan to arizona. we were in new mexico (in the middle of the desert) when the vehicle began to jerk/pulse at 70 mph, and then the vehicle proceeded to stall. all vital systems were fine. oil was okay. we had a little more than half a tank of gas. the engine was not overheating. we proceeded to drive at 35 mph to the closest ford dealership which was jack key, in deeming, new mexico. they did a diagnostic, and came to the conclusion that it was the fuel pump and filter. they were able to repair the vehicle, but we had to stay in town overnight. after the incident, i thought that it was a little bit bazaar that a car less than ten years of age would loose it's fuel pump and it had just over 78,000 miles on the car. i began to do some of my own research and found that my vehicle was manufactured in august of 2001. in june of 2001, they started to change the fuel pumps. so any car made before june was recalled, but however, mine was not since the car came off the line in august. so, nicely enough, i'm left with a hefty bill...and if it was made only 2 months earlier, ford would have replaced the part for free. maybe ford didn't weed out all of their issues with the 2001 fuel pump?? *jb

Ford of ocala sold me a bio hazard car that has ruined my life, my health, my finances, and possibly my future. they refused to do anything, ever, knowing i was beaten down, sick and forced into debt from the losses this car caused me. they knew i could not afford an attorney, so they, and the attorney general and the florida governor all just treated my issue as unimportant... blew me off. this includes ford customer care and ford board of directors as well. www.donottrustford.ocatch.com (0 before catch iz a zero) tells the story, clearly. *jb

2001 ford focus engine stalling. *jb

2001 focus faulty fdm was replaced. this caused vehicle to hesitate, surge, stutter, and lose power during acceleration. *ts ***nar*** the consumer discovered a recall had been issued, but was told his vehicle was not included. the consumer later discovered his vehicle was manufactured at the exact plant that was included in the recall. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving at any speed and without warning the vehicle stalls. after one hour the vehicle restarts. the dealer replaced the fuel pump, fuel filter, cam, oxygen sensor, fuel sensor, fuel line, coil tech, and vacuum hose; however this did not remedy the problem.

Dt*: the contact stated the dealer determined the wire jackets on the wire harness at the deck lid, wore away and resulted in an electrical short. in addition, the license plate light bracket within the deck lid also shorted out, due to the wires being burned. there is an nhtsa recall, # 00v411000 regarding the electrical system/wiring. the vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however it is not included in the recall due to the vin.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 65mph uphill, the vehicle hesitated and operated at a reduced speed. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for inspection. the dealership determined the fuel delivery module was blocking the flow of fuel to the engine. there is a nhtsa recall, # 03v482000, regarding the fuel system. the vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however it is not included in the recall due to the vin.

2001 ford focus - 23,000 miles. engine stalls without warning. i have taken the vehicle to 4 different mechanics and the problem is not located. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving the vehicle a noise is heard coming from the passenger's rear wheel, the wheel also started wobbling. the vehicle has not been to a dealership to determine what the problem. the manufacturer has been alerted.

Dt*: the contact stated three of the doors on the vehicle will not open and the driver door will not stay closed. the dealership has been alerted.

When i tried to start my ford focus 2001 zx3 car after leaving the post office, the key would not turn in the ignition. i eventually found a locksmith who replaced the ignition lock key cylinder at a cost to me of $189.00. when i called ford motor co. they had no record of recalls for this problem but after searching online i found that many people have had the same problem with the same response from ford. i feel that an investigation should be opened into this with action along the lines of customer reimbursement for out of pocket expenses to us. this is and has been an ongoing problem with ford focus cars. even the locksmith was aware of this problem. ford's response is no response and not an acceptable one. thank you. *nm

2001 ford focus. insert key but ignition will not turn. apparently a very common problem and ford needs to do a recall!*jb

My mothers 2001 ford focus had a problem with the ignition switch with it locking up. after checking the web i found that this seems to be an ongoing problems with the ford focus but ford doesn't seem to think so. i now had to buy the part and find someone else to install because it would be 3 weeks before they could fit me in at a price tag i was told of $550.00 to have it fixed which is a rip off especially if this is happening to a number of other owners of ford focus'. it seems to me ford doesn't want to own up to the defect since it's not a safety concern to them. *jb

Front passenger seat belt failed to latch. brought to garage and had to get it replaced... at a cost of over $190.00. now, only about 2 months later, the rear passenger and middle seat belts are not latching at all. my children use these belts for their booster seats. it is extremely dangerous and a definite safety hazard. i am not wanting to have to pay another $400 or so to get these fixed as well. *jb

2001 ford focus. key has been hard to turn in the ignition since i bought it. now i can't turn it and the car has to be towed to the dealership. the wrecker driver and the service person at the ford dealership told me this is a common problem. the wrecker driver told me that they tow in approx. 10 focus' a week with the same problem. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the key would not turn in the ignition. the vehicle was taken to the dealership and the ignition lock cylinder was replaced. this occurred a second time 30,000 miles later and the same component was replaced.

2001 ford focus passenger air bag deployed although seat was unoccupied. *ts ***nar*** the consumer was involved in a minor accident. the consumer is petitioning that all vehicles should be equipped with an on-off switch to deactivate the airbags from deploying if the seat is unoccupied. updated 07/20/11

The passenger side rear door of the consumer 2001 focus opened while driving. *ts this is the third door the consumer has experienced problems with. the first door was replaced under recall. the second door (driver's door) had a similar problem with the latch and handle. the consumer paid for that repair. the consumer called the manufacturer to request that they pay for a new latch for the rear door but the refused. *nm

Ignition cylinder issue. 2nd occurrence key will not turn and wheel is locked. widespread problem on year 2000 and up ford focus. not cover by the b.s. extended warranty. still no recall. *jb

At first, key would go into ignition all the way, but would not turn at all. would have to take key out, put back in, etc until finally it would turn. today the same thing happened, except then it wouldn't go in at all. it took 10 minutes of jiggling it around for it to go in; now, to get the key in i have to be very careful and mess around with it until it goes in. talked to mechanic and ford dealership - must replace the ignition cylinder. i looked up on the internet that this is an overly common problem with the focus and that the part is defective. *jb

Ignition not turning on 2001 ford focus. i have read a message board that this has been happening a lot with this type of vehicle. also, brakes have been a constant problem. i have been a loyal ford buyer but am considering changing to a different make. *nm

While my son was driving our 2001 ford focus the battery caught on fire. luckily, he pulled over and someone stopped with a fire extinguisher. the car had already been recalled for faulty battery cables. these were already replaced by bell ford in phoenix. the car has been towed and is still waiting repairs. *jb

Took vehicle in for replacement of fuel pump that was on recall program number 03n01 due to having the vehicle stall on me twice in a single day. dealership did replace fuel pump but stated the stalling problem was due to the pvc valve was collapse and shutting off the air supply to the engine. that had to be replace at my expense at a cost of over $200. *nm

We bought our daughter a 2001 ford focus. all the reviews stated that the car was a good, economical, safe car. we purchased the car used in 2004. since the purchase her steering and ignition system has locked up on her twice. after reading many sites it sounds like this is a common problem with ford focus. this is an economical car that many parents are relying on to get their college aged children to and from school. ford needs to recall all ford focuses so they can all have new ignitions installed. the safety of our children is most important here. parents should not have to continually worry that their 22 year old daughter may be stranded somewhere without help due to fords lazy attitude. please recall these cars that so that parents can have peace of mind knowing their children are safe.*nm

Brake line failure, bracket fell off and wore brake line in two no warning. brakes failed on freeway at 70 mph. no previous indication of problem, total brake loss. 2001 ford focus 120000 miles. i could have been killed or killed someone else due to this failure.*ak

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

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle shuts off while driving. there are no warning lights and this occurs at various speeds. an independent repair shop determined the fuel pump needs to be replaced. the contact received a recall letter, #03v482000, for the filter in the fuel delivery module. the recall work has not been performed, because the dealership inspected the vehicle and determined this vehicle is not having the problem associated with the recall. *nm

Brakes had to be replaced at less than 24,000 miles; continues grinding and squeaking continue even following brake replacement and turning of rotors; at have replaced all four tires two times, with less than 20,000 miles on each set of tires; ignition switch malfunctioned - i could get the key into the ignition, but it would not rotate; now at only 41,000 miles, the engine attempts to stall in idle - the whole car shudders - and has stalled twice while i was stopped at traffic lights. this presents a dangerous situation, not only for myself, but for my two children and others on the roadway. in reviewing this site, i am obviously not the only one experiencing these same problems. why doesn't the nhtsa issue recalls on ford focus for these and other problems? ford should recall the whole line and issue refunds to customers or cancel their remaining loan payments. i am a single mother with two children, who cannot afford costly repairs. the attitude of the service personnel at the ford dealership here is awful, and they have treated me badly every time i have gone in there, so that i don't even want to take the car in with this latest problem.*ak

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

2001 ford focus z3 cooling low speed fan system resistor failure, hot lead wire in plastic shielding melted , insulation melted from socket to source socket. contacts overheated/melted, circuit's fuse did not blow. high speed fan continues to operate when air conditioner is turned on. car overheats in traffic because low fan motors do not come on, never noticed problem as air conditioner usually on all the time. has been ongoing for past 6 months. just now checked resistor and found burned wiring. no fire, no injuries but given different circumstances could be a fire problem. the fuse should have protected the circuit but hasn't. *ak

Ignition key has been locking the steering column and would not turn to unlock the steering column. *ak

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

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

Dt: contact complained about a fuel injection system problem. when the car came to a full stop the engine turned off. an independent mechanic advised the contact to take the car to the dealer, which she has not done. additionally, the turning lights were not returning to the original position when used. she purchased the car from a family member. therefore, she did not know the dealer's name.*ak

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

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

2001 ford focus wore through an air conditioning hose. *ts ***no answer required*** the consumer stated the air conditioning hose was designed poorly. it hangs down between the front tires and if the tires come up against a curb, it smashes the hose into the alternator pulley. not only that, if the hose breaks, it leaks oil and then a belt has to be replaced. *jb

Ford focus ignition won't turn. *nm

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

We have read several articles concerning the ford focus 2000 and an apparent defective ignition switch cylinder. the internet is full of disgruntled focus owners who have suffered the inconvenience associated with in some cases multiple failures of the ignition switch which often times left them stranded and facing large towing and repair charges. since a family member had recently experienced the same problem i researched the internet, spoke with several dealers and locksmiths which led me to conclude that the failed cylinders resulted from a substandard manufactured cylinder which rapidly deteriorates with use and eventually fractures and jams. ford is well aware that these fragile cylinders are made of substandard materials and are breaking and jamming at an alarming rate. *jb

The ignition switch failed which caused my daughter to abandon her car in an unauthorized parking lot at her university campus for which she was ticketed. we had to have the car, a 2001 ford focus, towed to the dealership. upon investigation, which was confirmed by the dealer, this issue is rampant with this car. the key will not turn and therefore the car is stuck in park and inoperable. the dealer suggested that ford motor company may be issuing a recall and that we should keep our original receipt. this alone tells me that a recall should be issued as this is obviously a failure in engineering design or manufacturing. *jb

Dt: the contact stated the ignition locked up while attempting to start the vehicle. the vehicle engine would not start and the steering wheel would not move. the vehicle had to be towed home. no repairs have been made due to the expense. *ak

The ignition on the ford focus 2001 lx keeps "sticking". this incident has happened twice within less than two years. the ignition will not move giving the appearance of the steering wheel being locked but the steering wheel still moves, its the ignition that won't eliminate it being locking problems. i have had the ignition replaced twice in a short period of time due to this problem.*jb

Key would not turn in ignition switch; dealer had to replace ignition switch because the tumblers were worn out; the car is only 4 yrs old and has 39k miles! dealer refused to cover charges. *jb

This complaint is being written to inform nhtsa about a potential failure i believe that my 2001 ford focus 4 door has lingering about in it. the potential failure is the back seat bottom (the part your rear end sits on) does not catch on the three lip edges attached to the car body. the metal base of the back seat bottom has three holes, one on each side and one in the middle. they correspond to the lip edges for which they do not catch on. i spoke with the general manager at the dealership regarding the issue after several attempts to get it fixed through the dealership service department. the service department told me that nothing was wrong with the back seat on several different occasions. the car was purchased containing all the child safety features available. window locks, door locks, interior trunk release and the safety seat latch system. the service department told me that the back seat does not catch on the lip edges unless in an accident, then they should slide forward and catch, and that is only if someone is buckled down to the seat. well, now i have an infant daughter to travel around with in my back seat. the general manager got the same answer from a ford contact as i did from the service department. however, should my car be hit from behind and the back seat is empty and the question is does it catch on the lip edges or not. i fear that it will fly forward slamming the back of the driver and passenger seats and crush or push me into the steering wheel or through the windshield. the main concern i have is for the safety of my child. i believe that the seat should catch on the lip edges at all times and not just in an accident. ford told the gm that they have never had a report of it being a problem nor did it ever occur in a crash test. i told the gm to give it to me in writing should an accident ever happen. i don't know what to do from this point. please advise if necessary. *nm

The ignition on my 2001 ford focus broke. i'm still waiting for the dealership to pick it up. upon researching this further, it seems as though this is a common problem. what's the deal?!? *nm

Dt: the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. there is nhtsa recall 03v482000 regarding the fuel system for this year, make, and model vehicle, but this vehicle is not included in the recall. . he experienced loss of power while driving. the vehicle stalled four times. there was hesitation and a vibration with before it lost power. the vehicle stalled approximately 50 times before the contact could actually drive the vehicle after it was parked. this usually happened after the vehicle has been parked overnight. but it does happen sometimes at random. no warning lights illuminated, indicating that there is a problem with the vehicle. . the service dealer states that there is nothing wrong with the vehicle and can not offer any assistance. the manufacturer said that this vehicle was not included in the recall because it had a different fuel delivery system. they referred him to the dealership to have the vehicle repaired at his own cost. *ak

Ignition switch cylinder in 2001 ford focus is completely frozen. the car is unable to be started with any keys. this has left me stranded. i have noted many instances, via research, of this happening with focus', and am deeply disturbed that ford has not done anything to rectify the situation. *nm

Dt consumer states there is a recall for the battery cables and the recall repairs was done on may 21, 2003, the vehicle completely stalled and it caused another vehicle to rear end consumer's vehicle on october 12, 2005. consumer stated that her husband checked the vehicle and the battery cables burned out and melted again, and that is the same thing happened as stated in the recall. contacted ford, they said to bring vehicle in for inspection, but than likely it was something else. *ak

My 2001 ford focus' ignition cylinder stripped and broke. the key will not turn in the ignition. i have done some research and have found that this is a very common problem with focus'. i feel that there should be a recall on these parts and reimbursements be made. *nm

I own a 2001 ford focus. on october 31, 2005, i noticed that my car key would not fit into my ignition all the way and my key would not turn. my steering wheel is also locked in place. there were no preceding symptoms to warn me of this failure. i have contacted my local ford company, which expects me to pay for the repair and towing. however, it seems that there are several complaints with focus owners about this same problem. please, issue a recall on this, if you can. it is a serious inconvenience, time wise and financially. *jb

Dt: 2001 ford focus - the consumer received manufacturer's recall 05s27 concerning corrosion of the rear doors in march 2005. called the dealership, and they said that this recall did not affect this vehicle because it was not a hatch back car. contacted the manufacturer, and they said the same thing; this would not effect this vehicle. the rear driver's door will not close due to the corrosion. *ak

My son was driving our 2001 ford focus wagon on 10/14/05 when he was involved in a frontal collision in which both airbags deployed. he sustained 2nd degree burns on his left arm, from wrist to elbow, due to the airbag chemicals venting in an improper way. he is being treated by a physician for his injuries. the vehicle is not being driven at present. *nm

Poorly designed ignition cylinders. this causes the tumblers to fail resulting in a lock-up of the ignition. the owner cannot turn the key to start the car and as a result, has to be towed. i was told that the ignition cylinders in the 2000 and 2001 focus were the european design. i have had to replace my cylinder twice. once it was covered under warranty, the second time it was not and i had to pay $200. there are other focus owners who have this problem. see the websites below. http://www.autowhiz.com/messageboards/message.php?id=1784 http://consumeraffairs.com/automotive/ford_focus_ignition.html http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.eea6dd2/286 among many others i was told that they put an engineer in the position to specifically re-design the ignition cylinder. so while ford continually claims to not know about the problem, it is apparent that they did. while there were no deaths nor injuries, it is not up to the people to pay for ford's poor quality. *nm

Dt: the contact experienced a noise from the rear end. the noise became louder over the past week. the contact took the vehicle to a ford dealer, who noted this was an issue with the wheel bearings. the wheel bearings were replaced under a special service campaign in 2003 on a customer satisfaction program. the nets, 01i017. this was not covered because it was not under recall or any type of warranty the second time around. the wheel bearings were cracked and the bearings will not be covered by this again. the contact called the ford dealer manager, and ford manufacturer who offered no assistance. the contact planned to have this replaced. *ak

Was driving vehicle home early in the morning of the 12th when i heard a loud clunk, and then the sound of something dragging under my car. i pulled over to see my gas tank had fallen out and was being dragged under the car. another car pulled up behind me because he had seen sparks coming from the mounting bracket as it was being dragged along with the tank. a policeman also pulled up behind me and looked at the car, then helped me move it out of the street. later that morning my father temporarily wired the gas tank to the frame so we could bring the car home. he put it up on ramps and looked underneath to see that the bolt which held the gas tank in place had stripped completely out. he spent the next 3 hours remounting the tank. it was a blessing that the sparks from the broken frame did not ignite the gas tank. if it had, my car could have either caught on fire or blown up and i could have been seriously injured or killed. *nm

The ignition is locked up in my 2001 ford focus. after searching online for possible remedies, i have found thousands of complaints regarding the ignition switches on my model car dating back for the last five years. the standard rate for these repairs seems to be in the neighborhood of $350 which to someone driving a low cost vehicle like the focus is a lot of money. i would like to know why this admitted problem has not been the subject of a recall and instead is creating a boon industry for the dealers having to replace these parts? how many complaints does it take to get something done about this? i have owned ford cars my entire life and i cannot see a reason to continue to buy them if this is the type of product and support they are going to start to produce. *nm

Events leading up to the failure: check engine light came on has never gone off since, highly increased running noise, engine hesitation that at highway speed it causes the whole car to jerk failure: i took the car in and they told me i needed a new head that ford had redesigned a new one and it would cost $1000. the one i currently have deposits carbon and will keep doing so until it eventually gives out. the thing that irks me is ford obviously knew there was a design flaw if they designed a new one, therefore i feel they should be covering this. corrections: none, cannot afford. will have to drive it until the car gives out.

2001 ford focus stuck ignition. upon researching this on the internet i find thousands of complaints and some people it happeded to several times. my complaint - why hasn't ford been forced to recal and fix the ignition switch on the 2000-2001 focus ( they fixed problem for later years).

2001 ford focus problems problem 1 - in the past, whenever i would transition between freeways, my car would begin to stall. i push the gas pedal, and nothing would happen for at least 10 - 15 seconds. it happened mostly on a circular on ramp. and i think this problem lead to the next issue. problem 2 - i had to replace the fuel pump (which was expensive). i think this issue happened due to this statement i read "nhtsa investigators said the alleged engine stall problem may be caused by debris accumulating in the gas tank, blocking fuel from being delivered to the engine." eventually, this "debris" problem causes strain on the fuel pump. and now, my check engine light came on. i checked the issue, and they said it's a gas vapor leak or something to that affect. they told me to keep an eye out for a gas leak. that issue maybe from the mechanic who fixed it, but if ford would have put a recall for that issue, i wouldn't be having this problem. problem 3 - i took my focus into ford to get a "buzzing" sound checked out. they fixed the bearing problem because my car was under warranty. now, 2 years later, the sound is back. i read a statement "...a rear-wheel bearing failure that could lead to a wheel falling off..." i am afraid that this noise i hear today is due to that same problem 2 years ago. i called ford and they told me it was going to cost me close to $400 to repair it. first of all, that's a lot of money to me. secondly, i'm very afraid for the safety of my wife. i'm afraid something might happen when she drives the car. third, i don't think it's fair for me to have to repair something that is "faulty" due to the manufacturer. *nm