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The blower doesn't work on 1, 2 and 3 speeds...but the A/C compressor engages! On speed 4, the blower activates, but the A/C compressor disengages! What the ????
For a small car I appreciate the utility of its interior with the back seats down. Most SUV have little utility in this regard as witnessed in my son's SUV.
Friends of mine bought an 01 Focus, the first year they came out, I think, and had numerous problems with it and recalls. I have had the trans casing replaced when it was fairly new due to a hairline crack, at no cost. In my previous post I pointed out the two cooling system problems I had in June.
We paid 17K for the car. I got a $600. discount through a retired Ford worker buddy on the X Plan or whatever it's called. I'm a bit puzzled at the price of the car in 01 as the Focus seems to be selling at a lower price now.
I tend not to get very ego involved with my cars, so I believe I can give an honest appraisal of it, as I do with places I visit. I would probably give my Focus wagon a C plus. I give it a higher grade for its fuel milage; I got as high as 34 to several tanks driving through the SW. I clock most of the fill ups to have an idea if there is a problem by noting a drop in fuel milage. I give it a B plus on the highway and B minus in the city for fule milage. Actually, any vehicle that can get in the mid 30s on the highway probably should rate an A minus.
I doubt if I would buy another Focus, not so much that I am disappointed with the car but that I prefer something larger for highway driving, even a mini van. I had a 86 Honda Accord that I put 200K on with major repairs beginning at 90K (alternator, water pump, trans replacement) to 140K. The AC system on the Accord went out when it was five years old; too early in my book.
If I went with another new Ford I might pick a Fusion. Click and Clack on NPR say the Ford 500 is a solid car, but they really killed the styling from the original design I saw at the Detroit Auto Show around five years ago.
Grade C on the Focus, as I said.
Does the Focus have struts or shocks?
I also notice that it has a squeak in the suspension when I get in and out.
If I need struts/shocks should all four be replaced together. What am I looking at to replace two or all four?
Mark.
Mark.
Twice this month when I've started it, it kind of hesitated and wouldn't completely start. I had to turn off and turn the key again and then it was fine.
Both times were after it's been cold and it's been a few days since I started it. So I don't know if that's normal.
The other thing is my lights. I brought it to be fixed for something else and they said the lights were fine. For some reason the lights do not stay on. If I do get them to stay on and then use the directionals, they go off and not back on. To keep them on, I have to hold the stupid switch thing down which of course is really hard while driving. It doesnt click or stay in place for some reason.
Anyone ever have these problems?
i presume you mean the stalk mounted switch for the lights. sounds like it needs replacement. any chance the vehicle is still under warranty? explain very clearly what the problem is with the lights (you mean head lights right?). you move the switch to the on position and it doesn't stay? or they come on, but when you use your directionals, thy turn off?
not familiar with your car and how, where the switches for directional and lights are mounted, but it seems like you may have a mechanical and electrical issue in the steering column.
You could always consider investing in a trickle charger, they are very inexpensive.
With the Secur-loc anti theft device, you are always drawing a small amount of charge.
Mark.
* TSB #15343 -- CONCERNS WITH OIL SMELL IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *TT (NHTSA ID #630262, OCTOBER 01 2001)
* TSB #15163 -- SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN OIL SMELL IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *YH (NHTSA ID #624624, AUGUST 01 2001)
* TSB #14846 -- SOME VEHICLES WITH 2.0L SPI ENGINE ONLY, MAY EXHIBITA BURNING OIL SMELL NOTED FROM OUTSIDE OR FROM WITHIN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *TT (NHTSA ID #619329, APRIL 01 2001)
http://www.topgear.com/blogs/planettopgear/024-cant-get-no-satisfaction/
2/4/2003 47113 406.64 Four Tires
2/12/2003 51009 332.25 Brakes
5/24/2003 60293 431.44 Oil Change, Balance tires, Fuel Filter, Pollen Filter, Transmission Fluid Change, PCV Valve, Cooling System Flush
4/9/2004 87015 420.06 Oil Change, four tires
8/6/2004 95800 133.27 Warrant Fuel Pump, Fuel Filter, Cooling System Service (radiator), wheel bearing
10/21/2004 101695 627.48 Spark plugs, Trasmission fluid changed, Front and Rear brakes,
11/2/2004 102437 305.78 Thermostat Housing and Assembly
12/15/2004 105500 119.31 Battery
4/4/2005 113674 258.36 Replace Timing Belt
5/10/2005 116407 314.01 Two tires, Four wheel alignment
8/27/2005 125993 264.04 Two New tires
9/10/2005 126578 120.81 One Tire (hole in sidewall)
10/15/2005 128549 17.57 Cooling System Service (radiator), self
10/16/2006 137256 802.62 Throttle cable, right wheel bearing, fuel filter, pcv valve
1/13/2007 139795 35.04 Transmission fluid change,self $4.60/qt (< 3 qts)
I used to read these boards back in 2000 when I decided to buy my ZX3 - the advice was priceless.
I am now at 128K miles, and still going strong. Ive had a few repairs along the way, but nothing that convinced me to look elsewhere. Knock-on-wood a lot of the non-recall issues affecting this first MY have not affected me.
I am having two weird things going on which may or may not be related:
1 - In higher gears I have to depress the gas more than usual in order for anything to happen (higher RMPs, more power). It makes it hard to maintain a regular speed. There is a slight jump when the gas kicks in.
2 - Sometimes when sitting at a stop sign or red light after downshifting to neutral the engine races up to 3K before settling down to a normal idle.
Any ideas? Any questions?
Thanks in advance
- E
John
I have a 2003 ZX3 with 100K miles. Thought I'd ask since most problems I had so far have been experienced by many owners.
It's time to trade my big SUV for a more fuel-efficient vechicle. I like the Focus for its price and efficency, and am strongly considering a 2007 ZX4 S, then probably trading it after a year or so if I don't like it. After reading this board, I see a lot of problems with the 2000 model year, but is there anthing I should be concerned about with the new ones?
The strong points of the Focus are vehicle dynamics, and fun to drive type factors. If you are a person who has a "feel for the road", you will get this in the Focus and appreciate that there are very few cars in any price range that are its equal in this "Driver Oriented" factor. These factors, btw, make for a safer car as you may stay alert enough to avoid an accident.
If you have an environmental consideration,(perhaps that is why you are switching from the SUV), then Focus' PZEV rating is about as clean as you get without going to the Hybrid.
you can look at them and see if they are bad.
also, i had a creaking noise from the back of the car when i would get in or out. the sway bars links were replaced and that noise is gone, also.
Mark.
Here is the wikipedia link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_CVH_engine
According to www.fleet.ford.com. Timing belt should be changed every 120k miles.
Now I notice the red light door ajar signal is on when I am driving; and I found out why. When I press on the brake pedal the trunk unlocks and the indicator light goes on. This is weird. Fortunately, the lid doesn't pop open. Any ideas? Is there a short. How can the locking mechanism be related to the brake light?
Up until now I had nothing but praise for the Ford Focus. But to place fuse 63 behind the fuse panel under some wires is plain dumb.
Louie
Piglover
I called the Ford Service place where I got it to get their opinion and they said it should be looked at. They said it should only come out on "Impact" and I asked if running over a curb was considered an "impact" and the guy was like.."uhhh guess not but still should be looked at". The "uhhh" makes me wonder if he just wanted money or he was serious. lol
What's the real deal with the airbag light? Is the only concern that if I get in an accident it won't come out? Or will it randomally pop out as I'm driving?
Airbag issues common with fords or something? My mother smashed into a small car with her Explorer and her airbag didn't even come out. We got the cars from different places too. :confuse:
The tech you spoke to was technically incorrect, it is not impact that sets off the air bags, its rate of deceleration.
Your mom may have hit something, but the rate of deceleration was not enough to trip the air bag. This makes sense if you are correct that your mom hit a smaller car and you remember from high school physics that the vehicle with lower mass absorbs more of the energy of the crash.
since i was going into a smaller more inexpensive to drive car i opted for a loaded ses version minus the leather and yes its true 30mpg!!!
I bought my adorable 2005 Ford Focus SES brand new. It now has about 45,000 miles on it. It is a super fun car to drive and gets great gas mileage!
However, it is eating tires very quickly. I replaced the first set of tires at 22k and now I need new tires again. The problem is that the car will NOT stay aligned. I have had it 4-wheel aligned 3 times in the past two years (each time all four tires were out of alignment, ESPECIALLY the back tires). I take it to the dealership for all work. They only suggested that I get it realligned every 6 months. GAAAD!! They must be joking!
Is there a recall or a replacement kit I can get to fix this problem? I can not continue to buy a set of tires every year.