Thanks for the responses on gas mileage. I'm still a bit puzzled as to why others are getting significantly better mileage. For the record, in the long run the amount the tank holds or how much is in it shouldn't be and issue when I'm measuring mileage, as long as I fill it the same way every time (which I do). Please continue to relate any experience and I'll do likewise. I've also sent an inquiry to ownerconnection at Ford. I'll post again when I get a response. Thanks again and have a good 4th.
My brakes have been squeeking since day 1 as well. I think it's the rear brakes. Anyway, I made an appointment to get them checked out this Thursday and I'll let you know what they find. I've got 1000 mi. on it now along with some internal mods and FocusSport Intake.
PS: is anybody else in here using the latest MS Explorer and not able to view this board? I had to use Opera to sign on, every time I use MS 5.01 I get this message:
ERROR IN SCRIPT Sorry, we have had a problem. This error has been logged and will be fixed soon.
I've been meaning to tell everyone that I received my Focus, let's see, 7 days ago. Absolutely *loved* her. I liked her more than I expected, much more. So many glances, comments, "Did that car cost under 20k," "Who makes that car?". What a pleasure to drive...
She was a dream come true, until today when things turned ugly. 414 miles, something serious wrong with the engine. She will crank, but shakes badly, and when the gas pedal is pressed the tac actually goes down. Haven't had a chance to take her in for service, because it's the 4th.
I *loved* my Focus, and now that I'm stuck with her, I guess I'll have to put up with this mess. My jinx on mechanical equipment continues. Mark my words, I gave Ford one last chance and they let me down. Sorry, I'm getting a Honda next time. I kept saying, yeah I'll love this car as long as it stays reliable. Honeymoon's over. 414 miles, that's ridiculous.
Well friends, I hope you're having better luck than me. Great car, pitiful engineering.
I can take you up on your brake pad offer, but of course the dealer has to install them, and what if for whatever reason they continue to squeak even with your pads. Will they blame the pads and where I got them from. I say this because the service manager said new pads may not solve the problem, may make it worse....can that be right? Should I just use the pads the dealer puts on and that way if something is wrong they can't blame me?
zx3beast...I have a 5spd and I am being very very careful when braking. it's unfortunate there have been 1 or 2 occasions in traffic where somebody slid in front of me and made me brake harder than I wanted to...but I have been careful. The sound mainly comes not when I initially brake, but right when I am about to stop.
And to make matters worse, I do believe they put one of my front tires on wrong when they checked the brakes yesterday. The front tires are making a sort of thumping thud noise with the revolution of the tires. Happens when I am driving slower, no noise when I was going fast. I say this because I didn't even hear the noise until I was coming off the Kennedy Expressway in heavy traffic flipped out my tire was going to fly off. So, now, no driving until tomorrow when I can bring it back it to have them put the thing on right so I can be 1 1/2 late for work.
Btw, she only took 5 weeks to get here, when I thought it was going to be 10-12 weeks. I guess that's a light at the end of the tunnel...a long, dark, windy tunnel...
AM i suppose to get a mountain bike with the kona car??? Nothing of this was mentioned at the car dealer?? PLEASE IF YOU COULD RESPOND TO ME AT eee523@aol.com
jayinpa, A good wax or polish and the bugs wash right off with no problems. I always seem to get hood damage/pitting from sand/small stones. The x-terminator took care of that. I still would have preferred the "clear bra". But it was pricey. They even warranted your paint under the bra. I posted the info/link under townhall aftermarket/focus, if its still there. Pat
have you checked www.focus247.com? it has a link to the kona focus. the bike is where this focus gets the name from. it's not just a bike, it's $900 bike. I'd make sure to get the right size. enjoy the ride.
Sorry to hear your new z shakes when you crank, and tachometer reading drops when you gun it. Sounds wierd. Will you post here what it was, when you have it checked tomorrow? (A "fuel/air mixture" problem perhaps?) zx3
Sorry to hear your new z shakes when you crank, and tachometer reading drops when you gun it. Sounds wierd. Will you post here what it was, when you have it checked tomorrow? (A "fuel/air mixture" problem perhaps?) zx3
My z now has 1150 mi. Flawless all round. Still at 29mpg, @80% hi-way driving. Will that increase?
I don't know if it's imagination, but car seems to jump off the line faster when traffic lite turns green. I had thought it rather sluggish in that department, when I bot it last month. Has anyone else noticed an increase in engine power -- that early? Doesn't engine usually have to get a few K-miles on it first? zx3
I can understand your frustration, but if it really was "pitiful engineering" I think a lot of owners would have been having the same complaint, and the number of posts on this board would be a lot less.
I'm sure your problem will end up being a silly manufacturing error, hopefully somthing simple like a loose bolt, a hose fell off, or a poorly terminated wire.
I work as an industrial engineer in a manufacturing environment. We manufacture the complex assembly machines that build the PC boards in your car, computer, and VCR. See http://www.uic.com if you are interested.
I can assure you it's not a trivial task to insure every single part in a complex product like a modern automobile or one of our assembly machines is actually built the way the designers intended. We do our best and hopefully more, but the problems customers sometimes find are embarassing, and sometimes nearly impossible to explain.
zx3- you will notice that engine will improve further after 3,000k - im at 4,200k . smooth sailing all the time.it is a noticeable difference. from the time you start the engine to you pull away. i had seen black magic has a new all-in-one product for 9.99.the claim is you can do the entire vehicle.no residue.too hot to wax here in philly, i wanted to give mequiars a shot rgarner-sorry to hear about your z.hope it is only minor. dont give up the ship! zgrrrl- i would use the 24hr. roadside,let them come to you,you are covered.
jw- correct me if im wrong,but if my memory serves me right,didnt universal mfg. an ic insertion machine 20 yrs.ago.? i had worked 10yrs. for rca camden n.j. 1980-1990.i did a set-up + operation of ic's into pcb's.the machine was programmed by a process engineer who ran a punch tape.the machine also cut + crimped ic's.had to work around resistors + capacitors sometimes during insertion. manually moved board around in a set pattern,ic's slid down self-contained sleeves. my apologies for going off topic,but your post does make sense,i can relate to the factory experience. as you said,there are many components of an assembly.it is fascinating to see an engineers ideas go from mind,to paper to final assembly. where we at for delivery of big yellow? or should i say the zzzzzzinc machine?
Rg: After I posted to you an hour or so ago (suggesting "air/fuel mixture" screwup might be the problem with your Z's engine) it occured to me a loose-hose connection would do that. Then JwKesslr suggested a possible hose problem also. Might be good idea to ask svce dept to check all fuel/air connections. Just a thought. zx3
The "extra punch" my engine now seems to have, seems a bit unusual for only 1150mi. Not that I'm complaining, mind you! Heh, heh -- glad to see it this early! Will it increase further?
That "Black Magic "3-in-one": Which one is it?.... *** An ordinary fine-quality car wax, like Blue Coral, etc.? *** Just a cleaner, for dissolving old wax streaks on black trim? *** Or a car wax that doesn't leave streaks if you accidently get some of it on black trim? (THAT, would be awesome).
You really got me interested. Thanks for any info. zx3
At 3600 miles my brakes just started making noise for the last week. Will have it checked when I take it in for my first oil change. Maybe too much zinc in the linings???:>)
fgaydos- high humidity this week in phily area. possible cause of brake noise.zinc is good. did you check-out the zinc link.? allthis talk of brake noise may just turn out to be a loose femur.
zx3- it may contain zinc, dont know for sure. i believe it to be an overall cleaner/polish/wax combo.all in one bottle with a round sponge app- licator.claims are safe to use on plastic trim as well as car surface.i will check it out again tomorrow. typo no.274 phily- should be philly. i should have remembered more details about the product.i think i need a zinc supplement.
Also, I'll check the Black Magic product tomorrow at Walmart. Mebbe they have it. That would save a lot of work if u don't have to worry about getting it on black trim. Thanks again zx3 PS: For your "zinc zupplement" .....take 13 zinc tablets in pint of Jack Daniels, slug it down, you'll feel like new.
jw- you really are the zinc man (zx3beast) - Yes I am the big Zinker.
< jw- correct me if im wrong,but if my memory < serves me right,didnt universal mfg. an ic < insertion machine 20 yrs.ago.?
Universal did indeed make DIP (Dual Inline Package) and SIP (Single Inline Package) inserters for many years. We stopped producing them when surface mount ICs took off and the market for DIPs began to die out. Our reconditioned machine division still gets orders for them though. The DIP isn't quite dead yet.
Today we still build a lot of machines that insert Radial and Axial components on the thru-hole side, but the surface mount side of the business has really taken off.
We just went through the QS-9000 certification process for the automotive industry, at the request of Ford I believe, so at least some of your Focus electronics are likely built on our machines.
rgarner..... might be a hose? (zx3) - My Escort GT began running really lousy last year, bucking and bouncing like a wild horse when I was driving it slowly. I expected a big expensive repair. It turned out to be a little crack in the air intake duct that messed up the air flow sensor. It was temporarily fixed with a bit of duct tape.
A tiny problem in the wrong area can have a huge impact on the operation of a modern engine.
If your dealer is offering to put a new set of pads on your car in an attempt to eliminate your brake squeal, take him up on the offer and see what happens. Regarding bedding in new pads, the correct approach usually involves going out on a quiet road (so you don't get rear ended!) and braking firmly, but not overly hard from about 45 MPH, getting back up to speed, waiting a minute or so (for some cooling action), then repeating the exercise 4 or 5 more times. What you want to avoid is panic braking, or lots of long, mild stops before you've bedded in the pads. Most often, when brakes squeal right as a car is coming to a stop, but not during the initial brake application, I've found the problem to be glazed pads. Replace the pads, or try roughening up the pad surface to break the glaze, and see if they shut up.
Well, if I haven't been excommunicated from this group due to my remark, "Great car, pitiful engineering," I would like to make a few more comments.
First off, I do love my car, but I've probably lost 5 years on my life due the stress I've had in the past due to car problems. I've been stuck 2000 miles from home in the middle of nowhere, 14 degrees outside, with no help in sight. Not a happy camper . Everything breaks down on me, lawn mowers, buses, etc., but hey, that's my problem.
In regards to my problem, I experienced the shaking the first time I cranked the car, and then the next few times is when I experienced the tac going down instead of up when I pressed the gas pedal. I have about 420+ miles on my car, it was the hottest day since I had my car when this happened yesterday, it was the middle of the day, and it was only the second tank of gas in the car. She did crank about 30 minutes later, and I drove her home and back to work this morning without any problems. My dealer recommended I go ahead and drive her if she seems okay, and his thoughts were that it was some type of fuel problem (bad gas, vapor something or another, etc.). So, I haven't taken it to be serviced, and I guess I won't unless it acts up again.
How much of the Focus is Escort engineering and how much is new? I was told the engine was not necessarily new technology, and that makes me feel a bit better since the Escort has been fairly reliable in years past.
Any thoughts would be excellent, beyond some of the great ideas that have already been posted. My thinking *now* is that it's probably not something seriously wrong, but I still hate the idea of having problems at 400 miles.
Your comments are understood. Hopefully this group of fans isn't so dazzled by the love of their cars that they would attack someone who had a real problem.
Not to be depressing, but the problem you describe doesn't sound to me like somthing that simply go away, never to rear it's ugly head again. This car should run just fine on any normal hot day. I find "bad gas" to be an easy and over used excuse. Unless that is you bought gas at a really disreputable place.
And with the luck you describe... I've known folks like you. They often become engineering managers. You try to demo the nifty new design that's been running flawlessly on the bench for a week, and "Blam!" it blows up on you.
I would have thought the dealer might at least have tried getting some error codes from the car's computer.
Sorry for the misunderstanding, in my post previous to your offer, I did mention the dealer said he'd put on new pads if they were still making noise my next oil change. I thought the pads you were offering was for this use. I will just have to sit tight the next 3000 miles I guess. I've varied my braking, in a careful sense staying away from the "panic braking" but it really seems as tho the noise is getting worse. We'll see, thanks for all your help. I wish I didn't have to take my problems to the dealer, but I don't have the means of fixing these things on my own. ie: sanding the glaze myself. But it's good to learn more and more about it...thanks.
Another thing, the tud/thumping seems to have gone away...even tho I didnt bring it to the dealer today...was on my way but the sound was gone. I KNOW it wasnt imagination, my passanger heard it too. Any ideas what it could have been?
rgarner: I am sorry to hear about your problems...I DO understand about car stress believe me. And I don't think banning would be necessary. After all this is for all opinions, good or bad of course. I was worried about people thinking I was raining on their parade with my "negative" comments, but everyone has been helpful.
*I* find it hard to read not so positive posts about the ZX3 because I love it and I would like to believe it's 100% perfect, but of course, it's not...but we are here to share.
You said pretty much what I was trying to...try to remember not to let the love of the car blind anyone from any real problems. And of course, not panic and blame it on being a new model etc etc when it's only something minor.
This is not directed towards anyone in particular...
read my posts after all....you have all been very patient
I think I remember it being 21 lbs. or thereabouts. And since ya brought it up, if anyone has info on some lightweight replacements, preferably under $200 each, let me know. The best I've found right now are Konig Reigns at about 17 lbs. for the 16 inchers. Coincidentaly, they're also the cheapest at $100 each from victoria tire & wheel.
Well, I have an appointment next Tuesday to have my girl looked at. I guess I'll try to drive her until then. I hope I'm not damaging anything by continuing to drive her. Anyway, I'll let everyone know how she checks out...
Did the same thing to me today at lunch. However, after hitting the gas pedal for awhile it eventually corrected itself and drove fine back to work. Something definitely isn't right though...
Light + strong = expensive. I'd be very careful with any lightweight replacement wheel. The SSR GT1 offered by the Tire Rack is a semi-solid forged wheel; very light and very strong. The 16x7 size weighs 15.5 lbs, but costs $299.00 per wheel. The ATP Spa wheel is cast, not forged, and weighs 20.5 lbs. in the same 16x7 size... lots cheaper though at $169.00.
OK boys and girls I want to know how much you're paying for your ZX3s.
I looked at Focus pricing at Ford's official site, buyerconnection.com. Specifically I chose the following options: -Automatic -Convenience Group -Power Group -Remote Entry -Floor Mats -AC The total MSRP came out to $15,120. The 36-month, 0 down, 15K miles/year lease rate was $341 according to their calculator. I realize this amount is off by a lot because I was quoted ~$260 at a dealership on a similarly priced Focus SE. Anyway, my question is: If your MSRP was around $15,000, how much are you paying on your three year lease, and where are you located?
Thanks and Regards, kib
P.S. I realize this topic was probably covered earlier in this thread's many volumes but I don't wish to wade through thousands of posts.
with all the recent talk about z problems,i guess my z sensed it was time to join in. here we go, first day back to work,entering driveway to office. crack! hey,hey,whats that sound? yo,whats with the clutch pedal?whats that spring rolling around on the floor? ive been driving stick 30 yrs.i had never,ever experienced a clutch pedal return spring breaking.is it a poorly designed + engineered car? no it is not. is it a poorly assembled car? no it is not? was this a poorly sourced part? yes,yes,+ yes.ive posted this before and i will say it again outsourcing parts overseas may produce lower cost parts but i maintain the quality contol of those sourced parts is compromised.if it sounds pro-american,so be it.the middle of the round spun part appears to be substantial.the hook ends,look like total garbage. it looks like cheapo white pot metal.probably would have made out better with a fish hook.also, the hook ends were painted white, i suspect this was done to offer some sort of rust protection.(wheres the zinc when you need it?) that painted hook end also could have been hiding a flaw or stress fracture in the metal.i had roadside tow vehicle to a dealer who could have the part overnighted.note: not a regular stock item.i am not disappointed about the z at all because i am not surprised, knowing how a dumb but important part is sourced. since i have raved about the z on many post it is only fair to tell the bad also. current mileage is at 4500.this kind of junk has no excuse being installed in any vehicle at any price point.it may not be prevalent in other 5spd.z's. as with anything in life,only time will tell. to zgrrrl- if you are not comfortable with your brakes, given what i just experienced, i would not hesitate to go back to dealer sooner. jw- universal it is.i had inserted many an ic.an excellent performing,well-made piece of machinery.
Yep...my clutch spring broke last Thursday in rush hour traffic. I was sitting at a stop light and heard a pop and felt something hit me in the shin. Found spring rolling around in the floor board.
Drove the car to Homer Skelton Ford, Olive Branch Mississippi. They don't give loaner cars. I am without a car for a week. Supposed to be fixed tommorrow afternoon.
I'm not so bothered by the little things that are breaking on my car as much as the lack of customer service and the lack of parts. My ZX3 has spent a total of 14 days in the shop in the 6 months I've owned it, and not ONCE has a dealership made allowance for a loaner--even though the reason it takes so long is "parts on backorder".
I've complained to Customer Service so many times that I am on a first name basis with some of the operators.
I am also inquiring about the lemon laws for the state of Tennessee and considering taking my rental expenses before the arbitration board.
I love my ZX3, but I'm tired of being treated like crap by Ford dealerships and Ford Customer Service.
Recap of problems: (most due to poor service by dealerships)
--Burning oil due to overfill --Stalling due to incorrect air filter --Broken clutch spring --Ignition key cylinder jammed; unable to insert key --Low hydraulic fluid due to dealer leaving cap off container --Hole in air intake hose causing SES light, rough idle and stalling --Intermittent loss of instrumentation (unresolved)
And those are just the items that have kept the car overnight in the shop.
If I had more equity in the car I would sell it immediately. This is ridiculous for a car with 8000 miles and 6 months old.
Hi everybody. I wonder if anybody found a solution for an engine hesitation. The car just doesn't pull smoothly. It constantly varies amount of power delivered to wheels without the drivers participation. Mostly at light throttle. Is it a widespread problem?
Also in 4th and 5th gear there is that high pitched whine. Sounds like gear whine. (transmission/differential??) It is not that loud, but it gets very annoying each time I drive on freeways. Anybody with gear whine? Thanks.
It has been great reading all your posts!! I truly appreciate all the information being exchanged about all of our Z's.
Just to let you all know, my ZX3 has now 10,200 miles since March 25 (yeah, I have been really having fun driving =] ) Since then, I have gotten 2 speeding tickets on I-90.. One going at 83 mph and the other goin at 91 mph. I am now very pleased with my mileage. Last weekend, I went from NYC to Boston to Albany driving 75 mph (pulling 80 mph about 1/5 of the time) in one gas tank !! That was 414 miles on my odometer!! My refuel light came on at about 330 miles. I stretched my gas refuel light to about an extra 70+ miles (praying to not run out of gas). By the time I pulled up to a pump, I was shocked to only see 11.4 gallons pumped into the tank !!! That means I had almost 2 gallons left inside since the manual says the tank holds 13.2 gal.
To all of you worried about your mileage: Wait until after 6-7k!!! I was one of those ppl not satisfied at first.. I was getting about 23-26 mph for the first 5k... And now I got 36.4 mpg (of course it was pure highway driving though)
Other observations:
My plastic wheel caps (that go over the nuts on the wheel) on the rear wheels have started to peel off some paint =( ... Anyone with the same problem ?? The wheels themselves are fine.
Whenever I put my parking breaks, I feel the car lift its rear [non-permissible content removed] ONLY at the right side... Any thoughts?? Is it because of my weight on the right side? (Im only 155 lbs)
I sometimes feel like the rear end of my Z sways back and forth too much going over uneven bumbs on the road going at low speeds 20-35 mph.. I suspect the rear multilink suspension of the Z has something to do with it..
And yes, that ~2000 rpm zetec "bug" has been quite noticeable alot in city driving, especially in 2nd gear...
As to the resale value on my Z on Kelly blue book website.. im quite impressed !! It lists it above of what I paid for it!! It lists mine for $13,185 when I only paid 12,400 Of course its only an estimate though... Here's my ZX3 config:
a.k.a. coors light .... it wasn't too much zinc... it was too much 'spring water' so to speak. i was out of line and potentially flaming. rgarner et al i apologize. please keep us posted on your problem. sounds to be like it very much could be vapor lock and a cheap grade of fuel.... although i agree usually such is not the case. i agree with your service depts. assesment to run it and see how she does. they could; however, have run a diagnostic on the motor & electrical sys for you. those symptoms you described sound so much like a vapor lock problem but i wasn't aware that could happen to a fuel injected car. again, sorry i snapped
Your's is not the first mention I've read of this spring failing. Apparantly it is possible to drive (if careful) with the part missing.
Does it look like it would be easy to replace? I'm guessing it would be cheap. If so, until Ford comes up with a better part, it might not be a terribly silly idea to carry a spair. Alternately, perhaps the local hardware store might stock a better part.
This is quite unacceptible.
< jw- universal it is.i had inserted many an ic. < an excellent performing,well-made piece of < machinery.
You should see the latest IM stuff in operation. It's pretty impressive. Like a big Singer Sewing machine stuffing in parts.
The surface mount technology is another world indeed.
Lots of complaints about the engines behaviour at low revs and at 1800-2000 revs. Personally it is not a problem I have encountered but I found myself the other day wondering about it while I was in the car. I couldn't reproduce the problem or rather I couldn't bring myself to do it. The only gear my car sees 2000 revs in is basically 1st (and not for long), unless I am slowing down. I really don't like driving my car under such low throttle. If you think about it the torque band on the Zetec only really starts at 1800, loading the engine under this doesn't make any sense at all. As far as I know the EMC (Engine Management Control) on the Zetec is mapped to avoid shunting the transmission at low engine speeds which could explain the problems you are having vadp with the EMC constantly trying to keep the torque constant at low revs.
Rev the engine, after all it's a 16V 4-cylinder. The peak torque isn't achieved until about 4500. This is when the engine is at its most efficient in terms of bhp/gal. If you look at the torque curve for the engine, there are two torque peaks one at about 2500rpm and the main one at about 4500rpm. Keep the car in this range and it will be happy. You've got a gear stick and a tachometer. Use them. (the auto will look after itself)
Good post torinopaddy. My car also only sees 1800-2000rpm as I whiz through them in first. I also tried to reproduce the hesitation intentionally...to no avail. Any hesitation that I notice at 1800 rpm I attribute to the fact that I'm way low in the torque range, not to engine hesitation.
togneter, Really heavy talk on the other board about this hesitation and the built in bog at low rPM for "traction control". I notice the bog, but not the 1800-2100 hesitation (mine doesn't like to hold at 2000/2100 rpm). You only get that in first gear. Torinopaddy is right about the peak torque range. The foci really seems happy there. Now if we could get around the initial bog in the computer. Pat
vadp, Are you sure it's transmission/differential whining at highway speeds. I have the auto and don't get any transaxle whine. But do get lots of tire noise. Think the Eagle's are quite noisy. Pat
Comments
PS: is anybody else in here using the latest MS Explorer and not able to view this board? I had to use Opera to sign on, every time I use MS 5.01 I get this message:
ERROR IN SCRIPT
Sorry, we have had a problem. This error has been logged and will be fixed soon.
Edmunds' Home Page
She was a dream come true, until today when things turned ugly. 414 miles, something serious wrong with the engine. She will crank, but shakes badly, and when the gas pedal is pressed the tac actually goes down. Haven't had a chance to take her in for service, because it's the 4th.
I *loved* my Focus, and now that I'm stuck with her, I guess I'll have to put up with this mess. My jinx on mechanical equipment continues. Mark my words, I gave Ford one last chance and they let me down. Sorry, I'm getting a Honda next time. I kept saying, yeah I'll love this car as long as it stays reliable. Honeymoon's over. 414 miles, that's ridiculous.
Well friends, I hope you're having better luck than me. Great car, pitiful engineering.
zx3beast...I have a 5spd and I am being very very careful when braking. it's unfortunate there have been 1 or 2 occasions in traffic where somebody slid in front of me and made me brake harder than I wanted to...but I have been careful. The sound mainly comes not when I initially brake, but right when I am about to stop.
And to make matters worse, I do believe they put one of my front tires on wrong when they checked the brakes yesterday. The front tires are making a sort of thumping thud noise with the revolution of the tires. Happens when I am driving slower, no noise when I was going fast. I say this because I didn't even hear the noise until I was coming off the Kennedy Expressway in heavy traffic flipped out my tire was going to fly off.
So, now, no driving until tomorrow when I can bring it back it to have them put the thing on right so I can be 1 1/2 late for work.
happy 4th everyone
thanks so much
A good wax or polish and the bugs wash right off with no problems. I always seem to get hood damage/pitting from sand/small stones. The x-terminator took care of that. I still would have preferred the "clear bra". But it was pricey. They even warranted your paint under the bra. I posted the info/link under townhall aftermarket/focus, if its still there.
Pat
gotta go drive...
Sounds wierd.
Will you post here what it was, when you have it checked tomorrow?
(A "fuel/air mixture" problem perhaps?)
zx3
Sounds wierd.
Will you post here what it was, when you have it checked tomorrow?
(A "fuel/air mixture" problem perhaps?)
zx3
I don't know if it's imagination, but car seems to jump off the line faster when traffic lite turns green. I had thought it rather sluggish in that department, when I bot it last month.
Has anyone else noticed an increase in engine power -- that early?
Doesn't engine usually have to get a few K-miles on it first?
zx3
I can understand your frustration, but if it really was "pitiful engineering" I think a lot of owners would have been having the same complaint, and the number of posts on this board would be a lot less.
I'm sure your problem will end up being a silly manufacturing error, hopefully somthing simple like a loose bolt, a hose fell off, or a poorly terminated wire.
I work as an industrial engineer in a manufacturing environment. We manufacture the complex assembly machines that build the PC boards in your car, computer, and VCR. See http://www.uic.com if you are interested.
I can assure you it's not a trivial task to insure every single part in a complex product like a modern automobile or one of our assembly machines is actually built the way the designers intended. We do our best and hopefully more, but the problems customers sometimes find are embarassing, and sometimes nearly impossible to explain.
further after 3,000k - im at 4,200k . smooth
sailing all the time.it is a noticeable difference.
from the time you start the engine to you pull
away. i had seen black magic has a new all-in-one
product for 9.99.the claim is you can do the entire vehicle.no residue.too hot to wax here in philly,
i wanted to give mequiars a shot
rgarner-sorry
to hear about your z.hope it is only minor. dont give up the ship!
zgrrrl- i would use the 24hr. roadside,let them come to you,you are covered.
machine 20 yrs.ago.? i had worked 10yrs. for rca
camden n.j. 1980-1990.i did a set-up + operation
of ic's into pcb's.the machine was programmed by
a process engineer who ran a punch tape.the
machine also cut + crimped ic's.had to work around
resistors + capacitors sometimes during insertion.
manually moved board around in a set pattern,ic's
slid down self-contained sleeves.
my apologies for going off topic,but your post does make sense,i can relate to the factory experience.
as you said,there are many components of an assembly.it is fascinating to see an engineers
ideas go from mind,to paper to final assembly.
where we at for delivery of big yellow? or should
i say the zzzzzzinc machine?
Then JwKesslr suggested a possible hose problem also. Might be good idea to ask svce dept to check all fuel/air connections. Just a thought.
zx3
Not that I'm complaining, mind you! Heh, heh -- glad to see it this early!
Will it increase further?
That "Black Magic "3-in-one": Which one is it?....
*** An ordinary fine-quality car wax, like Blue Coral, etc.?
*** Just a cleaner, for dissolving old wax streaks on black trim?
*** Or a car wax that doesn't leave streaks if you accidently get some of it on black trim? (THAT, would be awesome).
You really got me interested. Thanks for any info.
zx3
Maybe too much zinc in the linings???:>)
possible cause of brake noise.zinc is good.
did you check-out the zinc link.? allthis talk of
brake noise may just turn out to be a loose femur.
i believe it to be an overall cleaner/polish/wax
combo.all in one bottle with a round sponge app-
licator.claims are safe to use on plastic trim as
well as car surface.i will check it out again tomorrow.
typo no.274 phily- should be philly.
i should have remembered more details about the product.i think i need a zinc supplement.
Thanks again
zx3
PS: For your "zinc zupplement" .....take 13 zinc tablets in pint of Jack Daniels, slug it down, you'll feel like new.
now available from the makers of jack daniels in
zinc tablet form.
< jw- correct me if im wrong,but if my memory
< serves me right,didnt universal mfg. an ic
< insertion machine 20 yrs.ago.?
Universal did indeed make DIP (Dual Inline Package) and SIP (Single Inline Package) inserters for many years. We stopped producing them when surface mount ICs took off and the market for DIPs began to die out. Our reconditioned machine division still gets orders for them though. The DIP isn't quite dead yet.
Today we still build a lot of machines that insert Radial and Axial components on the thru-hole side, but the surface mount side of the business has really taken off.
We just went through the QS-9000 certification process for the automotive industry, at the request of Ford I believe, so at least some of your Focus electronics are likely built on our machines.
rgarner..... might be a hose? (zx3) - My Escort GT began running really lousy last year, bucking and bouncing like a wild horse when I was driving it slowly. I expected a big expensive repair. It turned out to be a little crack in the air intake duct that messed up the air flow sensor. It was temporarily fixed with a bit of duct tape.
A tiny problem in the wrong area can have a huge impact on the operation of a modern engine.
First off, I do love my car, but I've probably lost 5 years on my life due the stress I've had in the past due to car problems. I've been stuck 2000 miles from home in the middle of nowhere, 14 degrees outside, with no help in sight. Not a happy camper
In regards to my problem, I experienced the shaking the first time I cranked the car, and then the next few times is when I experienced the tac going down instead of up when I pressed the gas pedal. I have about 420+ miles on my car, it was the hottest day since I had my car when this happened yesterday, it was the middle of the day, and it was only the second tank of gas in the car. She did crank about 30 minutes later, and I drove her home and back to work this morning without any problems. My dealer recommended I go ahead and drive her if she seems okay, and his thoughts were that it was some type of fuel problem (bad gas, vapor something or another, etc.). So, I haven't taken it to be serviced, and I guess I won't unless it acts up again.
How much of the Focus is Escort engineering and how much is new? I was told the engine was not necessarily new technology, and that makes me feel a bit better since the Escort has been fairly reliable in years past.
Any thoughts would be excellent, beyond some of the great ideas that have already been posted. My thinking *now* is that it's probably not something seriously wrong, but I still hate the idea of having problems at 400 miles.
Not to be depressing, but the problem you describe doesn't sound to me like somthing that simply go away, never to rear it's ugly head again. This car should run just fine on any normal hot day. I find "bad gas" to be an easy and over used excuse. Unless that is you bought gas at a really disreputable place.
And with the luck you describe... I've known folks like you. They often become engineering managers. You try to demo the nifty new design that's been running flawlessly on the bench for a week, and "Blam!" it blows up on you.
I would have thought the dealer might at least have tried getting some error codes from the car's computer.
Another thing, the tud/thumping seems to have gone away...even tho I didnt bring it to the dealer today...was on my way but the sound was gone. I KNOW it wasnt imagination, my passanger heard it too. Any ideas what it could have been?
rgarner: I am sorry to hear about your problems...I DO understand about car stress believe me. And I don't think banning would be necessary. After all this is for all opinions, good or bad of course. I was worried about people thinking I was raining on their parade with my "negative" comments, but everyone has been helpful.
*I* find it hard to read not so positive posts about the ZX3 because I love it and I would like to believe it's 100% perfect, but of course, it's not...but we are here to share.
This is not directed towards anyone in particular...
read my posts after all....you have all been very patient
Did the same thing to me today at lunch. However, after hitting the gas pedal for awhile it eventually corrected itself and drove fine back to work. Something definitely isn't right though...
Love that place.
OK boys and girls I want to know how much you're paying for your ZX3s.
I looked at Focus pricing at Ford's official site, buyerconnection.com. Specifically I chose the
following options:
-Automatic
-Convenience Group
-Power Group
-Remote Entry
-Floor Mats
-AC
The total MSRP came out to $15,120.
The 36-month, 0 down, 15K miles/year lease rate
was $341 according to their calculator. I realize
this amount is off by a lot because I was quoted
~$260 at a dealership on a similarly priced Focus
SE. Anyway, my question is: If your MSRP was
around $15,000, how much are you paying on your
three year lease, and where are you located?
Thanks and Regards,
kib
P.S. I realize this topic was probably covered
earlier in this thread's many volumes but I don't
wish to wade through thousands of posts.
my z sensed it was time to join in. here we go,
first day back to work,entering driveway to office.
crack! hey,hey,whats that sound? yo,whats with the
clutch pedal?whats that spring rolling around on
the floor? ive been driving stick 30 yrs.i had
never,ever experienced a clutch pedal return spring
breaking.is it a poorly designed + engineered car?
no it is not. is it a poorly assembled car? no it
is not? was this a poorly sourced part? yes,yes,+
yes.ive posted this before and i will say it again
outsourcing parts overseas may produce lower cost
parts but i maintain the quality contol of those
sourced parts is compromised.if it sounds pro-american,so be it.the middle of the round spun part
appears to be substantial.the hook ends,look like
total garbage. it looks like cheapo white pot metal.probably would have made out better with a
fish hook.also, the hook ends were painted white,
i suspect this was done to offer some sort of rust protection.(wheres the zinc when you need it?) that
painted hook end also could have been hiding a flaw
or stress fracture in the metal.i had roadside
tow vehicle to a dealer who could have the part
overnighted.note: not a regular stock item.i am
not disappointed about the z at all because i am
not surprised, knowing how a dumb but important
part is sourced. since i have raved about the z
on many post it is only fair to tell the bad also.
current mileage is at 4500.this kind of junk has no
excuse being installed in any vehicle at any price point.it may not be prevalent in other 5spd.z's.
as with anything in life,only time will tell.
to zgrrrl- if you are not comfortable with your brakes, given what i just experienced, i would not
hesitate to go back to dealer sooner.
jw- universal it is.i had inserted many an ic.an
excellent performing,well-made piece of machinery.
Drove the car to Homer Skelton Ford, Olive Branch Mississippi. They don't give loaner cars. I am without a car for a week. Supposed to be fixed tommorrow afternoon.
I'm not so bothered by the little things that are breaking on my car as much as the lack of customer service and the lack of parts. My ZX3 has spent a total of 14 days in the shop in the 6 months I've owned it, and not ONCE has a dealership made allowance for a loaner--even though the reason it takes so long is "parts on backorder".
I've complained to Customer Service so many times that I am on a first name basis with some of the operators.
I am also inquiring about the lemon laws for the state of Tennessee and considering taking my rental expenses before the arbitration board.
I love my ZX3, but I'm tired of being treated like crap by Ford dealerships and Ford Customer Service.
Recap of problems: (most due to poor service by dealerships)
--Burning oil due to overfill
--Stalling due to incorrect air filter
--Broken clutch spring
--Ignition key cylinder jammed; unable to insert key
--Low hydraulic fluid due to dealer leaving cap off container
--Hole in air intake hose causing SES light, rough idle and stalling
--Intermittent loss of instrumentation (unresolved)
And those are just the items that have kept the car overnight in the shop.
If I had more equity in the car I would sell it immediately. This is ridiculous for a car with 8000 miles and 6 months old.
I wonder if anybody found a solution for an engine hesitation. The car just doesn't pull smoothly. It constantly varies amount of power delivered to wheels without the drivers participation. Mostly
at light throttle.
Is it a widespread problem?
Also in 4th and 5th gear there is that high pitched whine. Sounds like gear whine.
(transmission/differential??)
It is not that loud, but it gets very annoying each time I drive on freeways. Anybody with gear whine?
Thanks.
It has been great reading all your posts!! I truly appreciate all the information being exchanged about all of our Z's.
Just to let you all know, my ZX3 has now 10,200 miles since March 25 (yeah, I have been really having fun driving =] ) Since then, I have gotten 2 speeding tickets on I-90.. One going at 83 mph and the other goin at 91 mph. I am now very pleased with my mileage. Last weekend, I went from NYC to Boston to Albany driving 75 mph (pulling 80 mph about 1/5 of the time) in one gas tank !!
That was 414 miles on my odometer!! My refuel light came on at about 330 miles. I stretched my gas refuel light to about an extra 70+ miles (praying to not run out of gas). By the time I pulled up to a pump, I was shocked to only see 11.4 gallons pumped into the tank !!! That means I had almost 2 gallons left inside since the manual says the tank holds 13.2 gal.
To all of you worried about your mileage:
Wait until after 6-7k!!! I was one of those ppl not satisfied at first.. I was getting about 23-26 mph for the first 5k...
And now I got 36.4 mpg (of course it was pure highway driving though)
Other observations:
My plastic wheel caps (that go over the nuts on the wheel) on the rear wheels have started to peel off some paint =( ... Anyone with the same problem ?? The wheels themselves are fine.
Whenever I put my parking breaks, I feel the car lift its rear [non-permissible content removed] ONLY at the right side...
Any thoughts?? Is it because of my weight on the right side? (Im only 155 lbs)
I sometimes feel like the rear end of my Z sways back and forth too much going over uneven bumbs on the road going at low speeds 20-35 mph..
I suspect the rear multilink suspension of the Z has something to do with it..
And yes, that ~2000 rpm zetec "bug" has been quite noticeable alot in city driving, especially in 2nd gear...
As to the resale value on my Z on Kelly blue book website.. im quite impressed !! It lists it above of what I paid for it!!
It lists mine for $13,185 when I only paid 12,400
Of course its only an estimate though...
Here's my ZX3 config:
Infra-red
5-spd
ABS
regards,
NiLo
use: "www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb". then type in ford/focus/2000 in appropiate box.
Does it look like it would be easy to replace? I'm guessing it would be cheap. If so, until Ford comes up with a better part, it might not be a terribly silly idea to carry a spair. Alternately, perhaps the local hardware store might stock a better part.
This is quite unacceptible.
< jw- universal it is.i had inserted many an ic.
< an excellent performing,well-made piece of
< machinery.
You should see the latest IM stuff in operation. It's pretty impressive. Like a big Singer Sewing machine stuffing in parts.
The surface mount technology is another world indeed.
Rev the engine, after all it's a 16V 4-cylinder. The peak torque isn't achieved until about 4500. This is when the engine is at its most efficient in terms of bhp/gal. If you look at the torque curve for the engine, there are two torque peaks one at about 2500rpm and the main one at about 4500rpm. Keep the car in this range and it will be happy. You've got a gear stick and a tachometer. Use them. (the auto will look after itself)
Any thoughts about transmission/differential whining at highway speeds?
Really heavy talk on the other board about this hesitation and the built in bog at low rPM for "traction control". I notice the bog, but not the 1800-2100 hesitation (mine doesn't like to hold at 2000/2100 rpm). You only get that in first gear. Torinopaddy is right about the peak torque range. The foci really seems happy there. Now if we could get around the initial bog in the computer.
Pat
Are you sure it's transmission/differential whining at highway speeds. I have the auto and don't get any transaxle whine. But do get lots of tire noise. Think the Eagle's are quite noisy.
Pat