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Thanks in advance...
This reminds me of last summer, when I was driving on the highway. I saw a Corolla <i>pass me, pulling a ~20 ft boat. I couldn't believe it. I especially had a hard time believing the front tires had enough traction to pull the car along - it looked like the shocks were fully extended.
less than (since it says also 2002) 0.000012180 of Focus owners (7 people out of 574700 people!) reported a suspension problem.
I'm glad they're are looking into the problem, incase there is a real problem, but come on mdaff. Get tired of the retoric yet?
That being said, you know meade's post was not to be helpful, it was just to be inflammatory
The fix is a new clutch disc with softer springs to dampen the gear roll-over knocking....
"From what I had understood, the reason we have this problem is due to vibrations from our engine traveling down the input shaft at the transmission's natural frequency creates even larger vibrations inside the transmission, which in turn causes the synchro rings and set of idle gears to clatter.
So that should still work to dampen the torsional irregularities or vibrations (since this is neutral gear rollover noise). Even when locked, it should still act as a spring dampener. Hmmm..."
http://www.arizonarepublic.com/news/articles/0613Copkilled13.html
For a story of a cop in a burning Crown Victoria who perhaps was less lucky than the one who was killed, see:
http://www.azstarnet.com/star/mon/20610rFacelessManII2fmai2fms.html
When we recall that this is the same company that made the exploding Pinto in the last generation, it seems that Ford and its executives should be investigated, not only by safety authorities, but by criminal authorities.
And they don't start investigations unless the problem has been reported by several owners.
The officer was traveling in his CV cruiser on a local street in Chandler when a 72-year-old driver cut in front of him to make a left turn. The policeman tried to evade the car, which hit his cruiser on the side and spun it around until its rear collided with a lamppost and the cruiser exploded. No speed is mentioned, but how fast can a car making a left-hand turn be going? Moreover, the police cruiser was hit on the side, and probably was nearly stationary by then. In fact, it is precisely because the accident was so undramatic, and not involving high speed, that other police officers in Arizona are so upset and wondering how safe their CV cruisers are.
As I was considering buying a CV, I too am wondering. As for the Focus, which was also on my shopping list, it may well be that CVs are dangerous because of the placement of their gas tanks, and that Foci have their gas tanks in a safer place. That would be a relief, certainly to owners of Foci as well as to prospective owners, so that should be the focus (excuse the pun) of the inquiry, not misattribution of the fatal accident to speed. I think it is also legitimate to wonder whether Ford is sufficiently concerned with the safety of its vehicles when some turn over, and others explode, and still others must be recalled many times soon after they are introduced.
Anyway, as I have now decided not to purchase a Focus, or any other Ford product until the company gets its act together (I have owned a Ford Escort station wagon, a Ford convertible (late 1950s - I forget the model), and a Mercury Marquis), this will be my last posting here. I will, however, remain haunted by a photo of last year's CV victim who has no face at all - it was burned off, leaving him looking like a horror movie monster. He may well think that last week's victim was luckier in not surviving (he has expressed the opinion that that accident, in which the CV exploded at low speed, was simply "ridiculous").
The engineers, or bean counters, or whoever is responsible for reducing a great American company to what Ford has become should face criminal charges - though based on recent history, they're probably facing big bonuses instead.
As for the burned officer's opinion that the accident is "ridiculous" - it's just that, an opinion, and nothing more. Based on the article describing his recovery, I seriously doubt that he has the time and/or ability to make a serious inquiry into the facts of this accident.
And the actions of the Phoenix Police Department prove nothing except that the Phoenix Police Department has enough time and money to alter the design of the fuel tanks in its police cars. Saying that proves the Crown Victoria is unsafe is like saying that precautions many businesses took when opening mail in the wake of the 9/11 anthrax incidents proves that we had an anthrax epidemic.
The sad part of this is the dealer service rep said the brake replacement is chronic with Focus. The brake repair, coupled with the various TSR's that have come out since 2000, has convinced us to stay away from Ford products.
Thanks
al
And on the OTHER HAND, the U.S. Government is working on the most serious of SIX OPEN INVESTIGATIONS in to the Ford Focus, for engines that burst into flames (over 70 known occurrences) (Auto.com)
Is it like Keystone Cops over there or what?
www.fordfocusbrakeproblems.com
A class action lawsuit has also been filed
against ford regarding the brakes.
We have replaced ours once already (pads
and rotors), and the new ones are starting
to wshow signs of wear after just a few
thousand miles.
How and why Edmunds.com continues to recommend
the Ford Focus as a good choice is beyond my
understanding. . .
Bill Vojak
i had a 2000 and now a 2002 zx-5 and its the best
car i have
so people should stop complaining and drive the car and enjoy
look at the bmw ferrari and all the rest they have a lot of recalls so this is life
BTW, when I sold my Focus (which happened to be relatively trouble free - I have no complaints) it had about 25,000 miles on it and the brakes had lots of life left.
I just bought a 2002 ZX3. Love the car, no problems, when did people start experiencing the MPG that is close to being posted. I have tried to alter my driving by using cruise and not using AC, but when it has been in the 90s in Mid-Atlantic states it has been very difficult. I have 4000 miles, purchased it on July 4, 2002, I drive a lot on the weekends and mostly open roads to work.
From what I could gather in my time on focaljet.com, the engines in the Focus vary quite a bit. Some people get terrible gas mileage and low power, while others get very good gas mileage and have documented pulling a few more HP on the dyno.
I sold my Focus to a college kid up in Wisconsin, and he emails me regularly telling me how much he loves it and the way it drives. I'm glad it's still getting the amount of love I gave it.
Focus people: Sorry for intruding on your discussion. I apologize.