Ford Focus: Problems & Solutions

tww7364 · June 2005

Just yesterday the passenger side window stopped working. Since this is the second experience - driver side last fall - thought I'd check to see if others have had similar experience and do not find a lot of postings. Other responses?

dupes01 · June 2005

i had the ignition tumbler problem too at 50000 miles. If I took the key out and punched the steering column (real hard) in the ignition area, i could turn the key afterwards. I did this for about a week and then punching the steering column didn't help anymore.

The fix cost me $300 canadian. Was thrilled to say the least.

dupes01 · June 2005

Has anybody had problems with their door handles? Mine require a swift tug on the handle to open. I always have to open the door from the inside for my friends. I have had this problem since the 2003 was new and it is getting worse now. Dealer says this is normal.

My buddy has a 2001 wagon and said he just recieved a recall notice for this. Is this true. I have not received anything yet in the mail...

lost2 · July 2005

I have a 2001 and it does that i have no idea what is wrong with it, if you know please tell me, not even the dealership can figure it out, i am so confused, they have taken apart my whole fuel system and replaced every sensor and still nothing......please help

christian4 · July 2005

Does the yellow charge light come on before your car stalls? If it does, either the battery is bad. (Most car part stores will check that for free) or the alternator could not be charging properly because of a bad alternator or a broken belt tensioner. I would check the latter first. (It is simple to replace and costs about $60.) If the belt tensioner is not keeping the belt tight, the belt will slip and not turn the alternator properly. You can tell that is happening when you have to rev the engine fairly high before the yellow charging light goes off. A rebuilt alternator cost about $160.( plus $35 core charge). Replacing either battery, alternator, belt or belt tensioner is not that difficult.(especially if you buy a Hayes repair manual) I needed a new alternator and the Ford dealer wanted $700 for the job. Needles to say I did it myself. Good luck.

slarkin · July 2005

I had this exact problem on my 03' ZX3 approx. 3-5 months ago, had it fixed and now, just today it's doing it again! VERY FRUSTRATING! Like you, last time I was able to hammer the ignition column and it would work. Now the darn thing won't even budge this time! However, last time they did replace it under warranty, It should still be covered. I guess I'll find out tomorrow. I plan to do a little more research to present to good old Ford Motor Company to get this problem resolved once and for all!

rafal2 · July 2005

I recently got a Ford Focus ZX3, 2002. Something must be wrong with the driver seat. I am getting back pain (in the upper part) after just a few miles of driving. The seat in general feels really uncomfortable. Ive tried all the adjustments and it seems to me that the whole seat is positioned too high vis-à-vis the floor. Lowering it does not help. I did not have that issue in any car that I previously owned. Does anybody have a similar experience?

micweb · July 2005

Scroll back in this message thread a bit. Someone posted how to put extra padding in the seat. It is simple.

gnbubba12 · July 2005

My 2005 Focus ZX-3 was towed to the shop because the clutch pedal would not go all the way to the floor. I talked to a friend that works in a service department at a ford dealership while another dealership was looking at it, and he said it was probably the slave cylinder. When they called about my car, they said the clutch had "disintegrated and was destroyed" and that i waould need a new flywheel, pressure plate and clutch. These of course are not covered under warranty, plus they say that i "abused" the car. I never noticed any loss of clutch grip or gear grindings from loss of grip untill the moment it happened. Please help, anyone. I am getting it towed to a different dealership tommorrow. :mad:

vwayne40 · July 2005

First question is what were you doing when the clutch went?
I find it hard to believe anyone could destroy the clutch in 1100 miles unless it was defective to start with.
Contact Ford customer relations and talk with them. It is up to Ford to prove that the clutch is not defective.

randomvictim · July 2005

My 2001 ZX3 (Zetec) (manual) does that also. I noticed that if my fuel is low, and I take a corner too sharp, the remaining fuel sloshes to the side of the fuel tank, an leaves no fuel for the fuel pump to suck up. When it does this, the car hesitates, or even stalls out and dies. I must wait a few moments, then restart the car. This happened to me on an on-ramp in Atlanta, as well as off-ramps, and sharp curves. Try adding fuel to at least a 1/4 tank, and see if the problem persists. Hope I could help!

gnbubba12 · July 2005

I was in the process of downshifting, and when i tried to shift into 3rd, i got grinding, and then realized that the clutch pedal was not going all the way to the floor. i had no problems when i shifted into 4th just 10 seconds earlier. i coasted to a stop and turned off the car. I then tried to start it, but the clutch would not even go far enough to hit the sensor to allow the engine to start. could a faulty slave cylinder on my clutch pedal cause this? the worst part is that i never noticed any loss of clutch or any thing that goes along with a burning clutch (grinding into gears, etc.). in retrospect, i did smell odd smells from under the hood after driving sometimes. i just wrote it off as "burning off the newness" (cursed optimism).

aengland · July 2005

Holy Cow!!! The same thing just happened to my 02 ford focus zx3. First it kinda started loosing power when I used the AC, then the windows started going up slower..like it was loosing power. So my husband and father in law checked the battery and said that its real low on power. We replaced it, ran fine for a day...then driving the next day all the gages went to 0, I pulled over and it died. Tried to turn it over and heard...click..click...click...nothing. So once again they checked it...thought it was the alternator, then as they were removing it, saw that the cables..some sort of wires were broke. We thought that was the problem, so my husband put new ones on..then it died once again. So hes convinced its the alternator..I just bought it 3 months ago, with 50,000 miles...hes putting the alternator on tomorrow..but is this really the problem????

vwayne40 · July 2005

I have purchased a 2005 Zx3 Focus and after 4000 miles have a question on the fuel tank and gauge that is not being answered by the dealer or Ford.
This years tank is supposed to be 14 gallons.
One would expect fuel warning setting to be approx. 2 gallons remaining and gauge empty reading at approx. 1 gallon remaining.
When my Zx3 warning light comes on, 10.1-10.3 gallons fill tank completely.
When the gauge reads empty, 11.1-11.3 gallons fill tank completely.
Has anyone else noticed this with their focus?
Ford and the dealership both want to dodge any question about this.
There seems to be approx. 19% of the tank volume as unused reserve.
This may be the solution for past stalling in curves of on ramps and on rough surface roads due to fuel slosh in previous models.

themus · July 2005

I've been to Ford dealership twice for this problem. When my 2003 Focus is about a half of tank of gasoline, the check engine light will come on. Almost like clock work. It stayed on twice until I'd been to the dealer to reset it. Since the dealer is 10 miles away, one way, making for two cars, 40 miles, I don't long to go there often.

Both times the dealer says there is nothing wrong. The computer just reports it as an error. :confuse: Of course, like the boy crying wolf, if I were to ignore the light and something were to be really wrong, than whose problem is it?

This last time, the 3rd time thus far, the light came on when the tank was half empty. However, when I filled the tank up full later that week, the light went out on its own.

Has anyone seen this happen before and is there a fix?

spectraman · July 2005

For comparisions purposes, my redesigned 2004.5 KIA Spectra's A/C cools the interior of my car down to nearly meatlocker levels. (exaggerating only slightly) :-)

And as far as build quality goes, my car's only experienced one minor flaw in its first year, and 12,000 miles. The 3rd brake light had 2 of the LEDs stop lighting in the array. The dealer replaced it, hassle free.

So to answer your original question, small economy cars with 4 cylinders CAN have a kick a-- A/C.

-SM

fixit8040 · July 2005

The pin on the clutch master cylinder that is attached to the pedal may have broken off. You may need to replace your clutch pedal.

wind3x · July 2005

i heard by one of my client "he works at sears mechanic" that he allready saw front shocks loose's "not tight enought" and this is causing vibration or noise!

FORD everytime i go and they dont find after 2 or 3 repair of anykind for same problem, will say ABUSE, or NORMAL characteristic.

Good luck

Wind3x

wind3x · July 2005

my 2004 zx5 wont open if i dont pull like a horse on handle`s
i think there is a call back, but they wont do it if you didn`t went to services

its not NORMAL but its on allmost every focus car. so they say its normal.. but you should be able to open the door normally.

to get it fix "i have same prob" i will say to dealer what i do in case of emergency. we will die becose no one can open the door ?. hehe its the only thing i found to make them repair.. LEAK OF SECURITY!

fillossofer · July 2005

I have the EXACT same problem on my 2002 Focus ZX3 with only 43000 miles! I've had a repair shop baffled by the sound, but today I talked to someone wh said it is the hub bearings. I'm going to have to replace them so I can sell this car beore something else goes wrong with it. I knew I sould have stuck with Honda.

Before I spend the money though I am going to raise some hell with Ford. There is no reason bearings should need replacement after only 43K miles. I mean what are they using in there, gumballs?

abraxas1 · July 2005

My 2005 ZX4 SE Focus gets just under what Ford has listed. The problem with what Ford and all other car manufacturers post is that is only at 55 MPH. I know of no one on a regular commute that stays 55 and under. So it only makes sense that it would be less than what Ford says because we drive 65, 70 + MPH.

bdeemer · July 2005

Hey check the spark plug gap my father in law was having this problem and found that the local ford dealer gapped the plugs wrong

cplacek · August 2005

I have a focus with low millage. They tell me I need whole new system. Wondering if others having same trouble. So far heard of 1.

aleksandr · August 2005

What have you been able to find out regarding this problem? This same "stagger" problem started in my '01 ZX3 a couple days ago. I thought it was either the transmission, or fuel injection. I checked the transmission fluid, and, like you, also tried the fuel system cleaner. This morning, the 'check engine' light finally came on.

dalbedyll · August 2005

I have a 2001 Ford Focus ZX3. I wanted my son to change the fuel injectors as I am trying for more HP and better fuel mileage. The car ran fine before any maintenance. Anyway, he put on the new injectors - which all total should have taken only about an hour - which it did. When he tried to start the car - it started, blew black smoke and fouled a plug. Wouldn't stay started. So, I told him to put the original injectors back on. He did. Now the car won't turn over. We checked for any loose hoses for the pressure regulator etc. But, none loose. We know it is getting too much fuel with the new injectors on, don't know why it won't even turn over now with the old injectors on - any ideas. He has done repairs for over 5 years - but, this is totally stumping us.

igor2 · August 2005

yeah I have to admint.. the one time I got the warning (right as I was pulling into the gass tation) I filled up with 1075 gallons.

I only put 3 tanks in: 7.85, 10.75 and 8.17 gallons.

Yeah I always did expect to put more in, but it just doesn't fit...

The specs do say 14 galons however.. maybe they have the warning set high, so you don't get stranded.

BTw what kind of milleage do you average to? On the three tanks (one of them spents in heavy commuting) I average 22.1 with best milleage at 26mpg.

Igor

igor2 · August 2005

ok now you guys got mer worried while my first tank was 26 mpg, my second tanks was only 18.6 mpg - I assumed it was because spent all of it on a daily commute (I usually take public trans, but that week I had to go to a place with no trans).
Last tank with "city driving" but no jams and traffic, got 21.43. I thought I was OK.. but now I fee l I should be getting better...

BTW I have a zx3 with just 700 miles on it.. .I will chech the liquids to make sure it's all OK...

(Btw my overall mileage after 3 tanks is 22.1mpg. just forthe record :-)

Igor

frizzlefry · August 2005

Hey all,

I have an issue with my 2005 ZX5 brakes. If the car is parked outside on a hot day for a couple of hours, an excessive amount of force is required to get the car to stop for the first couple of stops after I start driving. After a couple of stops, the brakes seem to work fine. I had it into the dealer's shop and they replaced the master cylinder and the brake booster but the problem has returned. I don't feel confident that I could stop the car in an emergency brake situation if I had to brake suddenly soon after starting to drive. Any ideas? This problem does not occur if it is cool out. Only when hot...

Thanks for any advice you can give.

ukbb · August 2005

The front rims on my '03 ZX3 are getting dingy from brake dust. What is good for cleaning the rims that won't damage them?

ingenue332 · September 2005

ZX3 Hatchback - owners manuel says: open hatch; unscrew trimmings and fittings. There is only one screw - the trimmings and fittings aren't coming off - do I have to force them, pop them, or what? I just want to change a light!?! (especially so I can stop the annoying, now double time, light indicator on my dash board)

Can someone direct me to what I'm suppose to do or to a site that might tell me?

stonegapper · September 2005

You can add me to that list. My gas mileage runs about 23.5 MPG.
Even with this I still like the little car. :shades:

akangl · September 2005

I'll chime in with GOOD gas mileage. I drive my little Zippy (04 ZX3) 165 miles/day at an average speed of 75 mph, she runs between 30-31 mpg consistantly in the summer. She's a little worse in the winter with snow tires on and idling, usually averaging 28 mpg, but she has been as bad as 22 mpg.

damia131 · September 2005

Hi -- new to this board but could really use some help with my 2000 ZTS. My back lights will not come on when I turn on the lights. In the ZTS there are three bulbs, one for the backup (works fine), one for the turn signal (works fine) and one for the break and I am assuming the general tail light as well. If I push on the break the light comes on, however when I just have the lights on, the tail light is not on.

Does anyone know if the bulb can operate for one and not the other such that if I replace the bulb both the regular tail light and the break light will both work? Or is it necessary to take it in to have the wiring looked at?

Thanks so much for the help

igor2 · September 2005

yeah on update.... I drove Philly to Baltimore... finally took the my baby on an open road.. cruising and some traffic.. I got about 30mpg.. so it seems the city driving, regardless of the effort I put into being smooth will not let me go above about 22mpg.... my current average s 24mpg.. but that's becauseI spent MOST of time in the city... I plan a 1k mile round trip to Ohio for October.. that will make things better:-)...

BTW ifyou talk about winter tires... what do you use... size and type? I have been eyeing Blizzaks SW50... in the 15" 195 width.. any other recommendations?

Igor

akangl · September 2005

BTW ifyou talk about winter tires... what do you use... size and type? I have been eyeing Blizzaks SW50... in the 15" 195 width.. any other recommendations?

Blizzaks are ALL I use, I tried studded snow tires on Zippy, that lasted about a month and I switched to Blizzaks. Driving 164 miles/day I need to be safe, Blizzaks are the ONLY winter tires I've found that give me that peace of mind.

Zippy wears 195/60R15 Blizzak WS-50 tires in the winter and next summer she will wear Goodyear Assurance tires.

tdi guy · September 2005

Hello"

Have been following this discussion since buying my Focus 6 weeks ago. Have been surprised by claims of poor mileage. My son bought a new 2003 ZX3. With less than 700 miles on it, I helped him drive it from Green Bay, WI to Seattle. We had several tanks in the low 30's during the trip

I'm driving a 2005 ZX4 ST and had tanks with low to mid-20's at first. Just hit 1,100 miles and filled up today, getting 28.5 mpg with mixed highway and city driving. By the way, the ST is a load of fun.

explorerx4 · September 2005

my '04 zts has about 15k miles on it, and i'm getting close to the epa highway mileage.

mdaffron · September 2005

Does anyone know if the bulb can operate for one and not the other such that if I replace the bulb both the regular tail light and the break light will both work?

Absolutely. Many cars use dual-filament bulbs for things like brake lights that double as turn-signal lights. I'd invest in a couple of inexpensive bulbs and give that a try before taking the car to a shop and paying big bucks for what's probably a blown bulb filament.

Meade

bluetiki · September 2005

I'm experiencing the same problem w/my 2003 ZX3. I've taken it to the dealership twice for the same problem..and both times, the car would turn over and idle. So they tell me that they're unable to find anything wrong w/it and that if it happens again, to bring it in. What a pain the @#%! But as far as I'm concerned, something IS wrong w/the car, they just aren't looking good enough. A car won't just start and then promptly die if there wasn't anything wrong with it. I'm curious if you've experienced the problem since your posting and what if anything you've managed to figure out...

lizbeth374 · September 2005

I am now having this same problem. My a/c is very cold coming out of the passenger vents and lukewarm on the driver's side. I have a 2000 Focus ZX3. I am past my warranty so I am having my mechanic look at it. I see some codes were listed but I have no clue what they mean. Can someone tell me specifically what was done to fix this problem? Thanks!

bubbatis · September 2005

I have a 2001 Focus and have had the ignition freeze up on me four times. Is there a way to keepthis fromhappening again? I'm sure it will happen again.

cindery · September 2005

Does anyone have a complete list of TSB's for the Focus?

Alldata has the TSB titles only, but the details are only for paying customers - anyone know of another source?

Much appreciated.

dupes01 · September 2005

I own a 03 zx3 and have no center armrest. On long drives I really wish I had one. Has anybody out there heard of people installing center armrests on cars that do not have them?

I am wondering if I need to buy the whole console assembly or can I just install the separate armrest? I really want one.

blackspaceegg · October 2005

My 2001 ZX3 hatchback has had a problem for almost two years now that I can't pinpoint. I will drive to the store, and when I come back to start up my car, it doesn't start. This has happened intermittently about 15 times so far, and when I bring it in to the shop to have it checked, they can't find any problem with it. What the heck is causing this??
I have replaced the fuel filter, had the fuel injectors cleaned, and I've always used Chevron with techron. None of these have solved the problem. Could it be the fuel pump?
Sometimes, if I'm lucky, I can get it to start, but I have to keep my foot on the gas. The moment I take my foot off of the gas, my car stalls. I have found the best solution to this problem of not starting is to wait it out. If my car doesn't want to start right away, I'll wait about 20 minutes and try it again. This usually works.
I would appreciate any input from anyone experiencing this problem. Thanks.

akangl · October 2005

My 04 ZX3 does the same thing, always has, since day one. If Zippy is being a brat and won't start I just cycle the key 3 times on and off, then she will usually start. Dealer has never found the problem, I just chalk it up to a quirk, kinda like her occational dimming headlights.

rwgreenberg · October 2005

Hi. Have had this problem once and had the car towed to Ford (the car was only a few months old). Get this...they charged me $40.00 to look at it, said that they could not reproduce the problem, and hence the $40.00 charge. Last Ford I'll buy. I love the car, but can't get over the poor dealership service departments. I brought the car to a different dealership for an early service and they told me I needed new brakes! Brought the car to a local mechanic and he said the brakes were fine (new brakes at this stage would have been unbelievable!). How do these people stay in business is beyond me.

quakersquares · October 2005

So my father was driving down the highway and all the sudden he heard a loud click or bang inside the engine, the car then proceeded to die as he pulled over to the side of the road. Since then we have not been able to start the car. We checked the timing belt to see if that was the problem and it wasnt. We then proceeded to check the fuel lines to see if it was getting fuel, and it was. The engine will turn over, it just wont pick up. I have tried starting it with the gas pushed in and that has done nothing, any clue as to the problem and how to fix it?

logicalpixie · October 2005

About a month ago my 2000 Ford Focus started making this funny sound every time I hit the gas. As soon as I release the gas the sound stops. It makes a splattering sound like a lawn mower or go-cart. What do you think is wrong with it?:confuse:

mungmare · October 2005

I JUST BOUGHT A 2006 FORD FOCUS AND SUPPOSE TO PICK IT UP THIS WEEK BUT IN READING THIS FORUM, I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD BACK OUT - IT SEEMS TO HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS. I TRAVEL THE HIGHWAY 45 MIN A DAY, TWICE A DAY BACK AND FORTH TO WORK -

THE FORD FOCUS SEEMS TO HAVE ALOT OF RECALLS ALSO
YOUR RESPONSE - WOULD YOU BUY ANOTHER FORD FOCUS AND DO YOU HONESTLY THINK THEY ARE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION FOR THIS TYPE OF TRAVEL???

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR POST

dupes01 · October 2005

I have a 2003 ZX3 and have had a couple issues:

1) Ignition tumblers locked up at 40000 miles and could not start car. Ignition tumbler was replaced with 2005 part and it works great. 2006 would be fine also.

2) Misfiring under load at 35000 miles. Problem traced to broken down spark plug. Replaced wires and plugs, car runs perfect ever since.

I think the car is fine. Sure there were some problems and recalls with early models, but these have since been sorted out. I have had no recalls on my 2003. The car is good all around. Loads of cargo space with the hatch models when rear seats are folded flat, I can fit a mountain bike inside without having to disassemble the front wheel (you have to take wheel off in Jeep Liberty to make one fit). And no matter how hard I drive it I always get at least 28 mpg.

Ford Focus: Problems & Solutions

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Ford Focus: Problems &amp; Solutions

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Ford Focus: Problems & Solutions