yes, the the Eagle's are noisy. But in my case I purposely tried to engage and dis engage the clutch while cruising at 65-75 mph and whine goes away when I do that.(I think) Also I've noticed that my transmission is very notchy. And it takes some muscle to change gears. Especially the fifth. I test drove another ZX3 with 140 miles on it at the local dealership and the difference was very noticable. It was smoother and lighter in operation.
thanks for the reminder.last week my key cylinder jammed,then released.i hope its not made of the same metal as spring.also, in jan. very cold day, my instrumentation also went in reverse. no problem since
actually a very good idea.im not exaggerating about this part.it was cheaply made.garbage in- garbage out.one wouldnt find a part like that on a universal.i remember in 1980,only yesterday,right, that machine was considered state of the art.it was fast,use to bang out boards like crazy.back to the spring- it really irritates when a mfg. spends literally millions on r+d, then builds a first-class ride and doesnt beef-up such a simple part thats always put under stress.as you correctly pointed out in a previous post a small part can have a major impact on overall performance.what gives here?how was the tensile-strength test performed on this part? did one person hold one end and another person the other and pulled? its aggravating because cost wise it is a relatively inexpensive part to mfg. correctly.dealer list was 4 bucks + change.
I posted on hear about a month ago about about my clutch spring breaking. It only took overnight to fix and that was because they had to order the part.
It was drivable without the spring but the pedal had a lifeless feel to it.
In reply to carrying a spare spring: I don't think it will help you. I tried to find where the spring attaches and could only locate one end. Its a pretty sturdy spring and I imagine it's under quite a bit of tension and stretched further than I would be able to stretch it without some sort of special tool.
I don't remember who else's spring broke, but I was wondering if it broke in the same place as mine: All the way at one end.
If you are wondering what they will do to fix it, this is what was listed on the invoice I recieved:
In reply to carrying a spare spring: I don't think it will help you. --------------------------------------------- Nastyemu, I think he was saying it's nice to have one on hand if you are on the road or just do not want to wait overnight while they order a new one. -
this is only a clutch pedal return spring. the dealer advised against driving it in, they wanted it towed.they had feared clutch would eventually lock-up causing further damage.
popped my cherry. got my focus last february been looking at this thread on n off (mostly off) since january. my final decision to get it was influenced by you guys. and the dirt-cheap-for-what-you-get-price.
i peeled off the zx3 badge off the hatch before i took delivery - wanted to delineate her from the escort. got carried away and took the focus off too. looks better and cleaner that way, i think.
the car's great but just wish for some more top-end power and lower/ closer ratio gearing. the fun ends once you have to go into third gear.
she's got the friendliest(dummy-proof) clutch on this earth - easy to heel-toe without upsetting balance and other fun stuff. i've had people ride in my car for miles before ever realizing it was a manual. and the parking brake locks real easily for tossing around. (still have the post-gone-in-60sec-drive-fast-syndrome)
i've had some minor hesitation in first between 1600 and 1900 in first, but only when i've got the a/c on. she's pretty damn slow with it on to boot. the a/c button's right there when i push into in first so i just shut it off before i'm off and it's all ok. try accelerating in say 2nd of 3rd with ac on and steady throttle and then kill the ac. *feels* kinda like hitting the nitrous button. well, then again - she's powered only by a small four banger.
about a month ago i was browsing through and noticed a link to a page that links to a bunch of great focus sites - pics, parts, info, int'l, etc. didn't bookmark, though, at the time... can anybody who knows what i'm talking about please repost that link? i'd rather not search through the 5000 or so previous posts.
and if you armor-all the black trim while waiting for the wax to dry, you can prevent the dreaded wax slop and dogs drooling on your car. or just have the mouldings / mirrors / other trim sanded and painted.
and finally, does anybody have anything to say about aftermarket springs? i think eibach's got a set for the focus already. handling improvements justify ride deterioration and price?
On my way to work this morning, I hit the drawbridge near my house. It's ALWAYS up when I'm on my way to work, it seems. Stupid bridge...
I digress. I shut my engine off, 'cause this bridge always takes about 7-10 minutes, and I like to save my gas. So, the bridge goes down, I turn the car on, and start driving along. About 1/4 mile later I notice my fuel light is on. "That's odd," I think. I only had 190 mile on the trip computer and I KNOW I had over a 1/4 of a tank the night before. "So," I think, "Somebody stole my gas. Those bastards." At the next light, I think to just shut her off and turn her back on. Sure enough, the needle shoots right up to 1/4 tank, and the light goes off. Anybody have any idea what would cause this?
This isn't even a complaint. I just found it curious.
Well friends, the saga continues. As advised by the friendly Ford staff, I continued to drive my car, although I was still experiencing problems here and there. Well, about 9 o'clock last time I lost engine power on a four lane road. Fun, let me tell you! Luckily I reacted quickly and was able to pull into an apartment complex. The tac just went dead. She would still continue to crank, but no power.
She's at the Ford dealer now, but may be next week before they look at her. I know someone else on here has had a terrible time with Ford customer service. 14 days in the shop in 6 months, I would raise cain. That's unacceptable!!! I would seriously check on the lemon laws in Tennessee. I'm going to rely on my dealer for the moment, and he relies on my dad's business for leasing cars (9 so far this year), so if he doesn't help me out he'll loose my dad's business. If that doesn't work a friend of mine's father is a Ford VP in North Carolina.
I guess I'm frustrated because I'm suppossed to go on a long trip up the East Coast in August. If she breaks down in the middle of nowhere and ruins my vacation, Ford will have he** to pay.
I wonder how many of us have ZX3's and how many of us have the 4 doors or wagons. Are the hatchback owners experiencing more problems? I see the 4 doors all over the place, and I haven't heard anyone complaining about problems with these vehicles. If us hatchback owners are experiencing the brunt of the problems, Ford needs to do something about the plant they're built at!
I've noticed a number of postings on this and other Focus groups on the topic of strange fuel gauge behavior. Me thinks there is somthing a bit odd about the design of the gauge on this car.
Would anyone with a service manual or other inside information care to discuss this?
My guess is it's computer driven, and the code is from Microsoft.
I think the hatchback owners, as a group, tend to be more interested in their cars and are more inclined to visit these sites and discuss issues. As a result, it may appear that there are more problems on the hatchback side.
Statistics are a funny thing. Ya gotta be real careful when looking at data to make sure you are seeing the real truth.
Yesterday I posted the following link: "www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/". Go to this web site and type in Ford/Focus/2000 and go thru the 92 TSB's and see if they relate to your problem.
Many of the problems discussed here are covered by Technical Service Bulletins which your dealers should have. You can access these TSB's which give a general description and TSB #. Then tell your dealer the TSB # so he can look it up and find out the right way to fix the problem. Sounds like dealers are not bothering to look them up.
The TSB's cover everything from Fuel Gauge to insturmintation to Brake Groan/Squeal to water leaking onto floorboards to engine vibration.
the way I see it. the hatchback is better. if you go to the sedans forum for the focus, you see alot more problems that are much more serios and widespread. I think the mexicans did a good job building ours and thats why we are having mostly good experiences, with the exception of a few. Mine has benn great except for the accident and some minor break sqeeking (3400 miles).
Your problem sounds a lot like something I had with my ol' Topaz. I was studying abroad for the summer and dropped my car off at my parents. I thought my mom would be driving it while I was away. I come back to see that she hadn't and the tank was still full from two months ago. So, I've got the car all packed up and ready to make the 4 hour trek back to school when the thing starts to lose power about 40 miles out of town. The more gas I give it the lower the rpm's go. What the?!?!? I pull over, and about 5-10 min. later it starts up again fine. I go for another 10-15 minutes before it dies again. I finally pull into a town with a ford dealer. (This is all happening in the middle of Kansas, ie. no where) I take the mechanic's advice and add a bottle of fuel system dryer and top off with new fuel. I keep topping off the gas every 20 miles or whenever it starts to die and eventually add another bottle of fuel dryer. After about 100 miles, it's smooth sailing. So my 4 hour trek turns into 8 hours of hell. Anyway thinking positively, maybe it's just a fuel problem that will go away.
Also, for focusgrrrl (sorry if I'm butchering the name) a dealer here in Phoenix replaced my brake pads under warranty. He said there was a technical service bulletin about replacing them with different ones that didn't create so much brake dust. Be glad yours are only squealing. Mine love to warp after long road trips. I'll probably have to get them resurfaced for the third time when I go back to KS this fall.
I have been told by 2 different dealers that the 2000 Focus ZX3 is going to be hard to get for what I want (A/C and Auto), considering the time of year. They said that it is "in between" manufacturing times, insinuating that I should buy something from the lot now, while it is still available. Comments, anyone?
Seems like they wanna sell what they've got...If you insist on a factory order, they'll take it. Remember, they pay no inventory on orders, so push the issue.
Not to imply the non-hatch owners don't love their cars as much as we hatch fans, only that more of them seem think of their cars as transportation while many of us hatch drivers seem to think of our cars as a hobby. While the 4 door owners are out driving the the grocery store or to work, we hatch folks are busy posting messages about different shades of yellow on the discussion groups.
kerlands - You can't order a 2000 anymore, so if you are in a hurry or really want a y2K model, you are going to be stuck with what's on the dealer's lot.
Just remember there are lots of dealers. My local tiny town dealer currently has two Konas on the lot for example.
So you can either broaden your search or wait till you can order a Y2.001k model.
Take a look at the august issue of turbo mag.,they have started their own project focus. More importantly they stumbled across a major problem.Our cars ecu is equipped with a traction control program.The program is a time-based control that takes the rate based on how fast engine speed builds versus the speed of the vehicle.If the rate is faster than the preprogrammed rate the ecu automatically cuts back on the power output of the engine.This is bad news for all us looking for better perf. from our foci.This might answer that engine hesitation problem.Turbo went on to add that the engine could generate 300hp and still limp off the line.All is not lost Esslinger perf. are currently designing a chip to solve th problem.
I'm not trying to scare anyone, but the NHTSA site has some great information on Focus problems. In particular, check out problems that Focus owners have reported. I didn't find any TSB's that I thought seemed like my problem, but a few of them could have been or close to it.
Scary stuff, let me tell you. I'm sure Ford has corrected much of this stuff, but it's still scary. Talk about getting your speed control stuck at 70 or higher.
My baby is at the dealer and they'll have an update for me tomorrow. Gave me a loaner without a problem (only until Monday though-and I do have the extended warrenty). Also, the guy who towed my car in last night left the lights on. Add a dead battery to the mix.
Well friends, off I go in my Taurus, yuck. I want my Focus back, sniff.
Btw, my father helped a guy on the interstate the other night. Brand new BMW 740, 300 miles on it, flooding out. Maybe I shouldn't feel so bad after all, I didn't spend 70K.
I went to that NHTSA site to read the buletins and came across this:
Service Bulletin Number: 7928 Bulletin Sequence Number: 124 Date of Bulletin: 0001 NHTSA Item Number: SB612421 Make: FORD Model: FOCUS Year: 2000 Component: STEERING:4 WHEEL STEERING:REAR ACTUATOR Summary: THE VEHICLE MAY EXHIBIT A MIL ON AND DTC P1518.
I must be really dumb or missing something, but it says the 4 wheel steering. I didnt know the Focus had 4 wheel steering. Rear actuator? Sounds funny to me.
Also anyone got a part # on the BMW exaust tip for the 150th time?
Stupid dealer told me they was no such thing as a Zinc Yellow Focus, wasnt he wrong! Well I do love my Malibu Blue though, but that Zinc is kool.
to all focus zx3 owners .ford will build the SVT model soon .will have a 2.0 turbo 170 + horses.the zetec engine will be used till 2003 and then droped for an all new 2.3 4 cylinder engine with more horsepower,and better fuel economy.i am considering buying a zx3 soon. should i or not.?what do u zx3 owners think?reliable?no problems?please let me know. thanks
Hello everyone, I just joined this after I found it in a search. I am getting a ZX3 in about 9 or 10 more days. I'm 19 and after 5 pieces of crap my 'rents are paying for my first brand new car(and it will be in my name..what a joy for a 19yo). Okay, I've decided on everything I am getting in my ZX3: Pitch Black ZX3, automatic( since I am too lazy to learn stick as my father says), air( a must have for the south), remote keyless, and possibly speed control( debating that one). After my parents refused to get me a Jetta, I decided to check out the Focus. Little did I know this car kicks the Jetta's buttocks for several reasons...the most obvious being its affordability. Oh..and btw. I have seen several of the new yellow ZX3s out and about around Nashville. Oh boi are they stylish...they are a cute yellow! Not and ugly yellow like I have seen in several other cars. I chose black(even though my fave color is green) because there is something so classy looking about black cars. My 89 Sentra is black and even it looks dolled up and more expensive when it is shined. Well I look forward to reading more comments. Thanx for all the great posts!
I don't see how the traction control program could be causing the hesitation, if it's at the low an rpm it's pretty much guaranteed you're not spinning the tires, so I don't see why it would kick in. I don't think the traction control is going to effect many people as far as mods go, considering with simple bolt on mods the most power you're going to get is maybe another 15 ponies. If you're going to be bolting on a turbo charger, sure, but otherwise it's not going to matter. You're 19 and your parents have bought you 6 cars? Hmmm, nevermind.
This is not a typical traction control it has nothing to do with spinning your tires the damn thing is based on eng. speed thats why I hate it so much.Take a look at the aug.issue of turbo their project car has the standard bolt on mods.The problem with our foci is in the 0-60ft times,turbo was able to extract an additional 19hp and not even dent this time. The supercharged focus featured on SCC was only able to manage 15.9 in the quater mile compare that to a stock 16.87 not to impressive!Why did ford do this I fail to see the usefullness behind it.
Hello friends...questions about traveling with my new Focus. As you may know I've experienced problems with my Focus at 420 miles, and I should find out today what the problem is. In August I plan on taking her on a trip that will probably be at least 2000 miles, and suffice to say I'm nervous as he** about driving my Focus. I'm sure that many of you are like me, working long hours at our jobs, and the last thing we want to happen is to have things go wrong on our vacations.
Say I'm in the middle of PA and my Focus breaks down, it's towed to a dealership, and they say it can't be fixed for a couple of days. Since I have the Premium extended warrenty I do get a loaner for up to 5 days, but do they expect me to stick around while she is being fixed? What if something major happens, and it's a week or two before it will get fixed. Am I expected to come back to wherever and pick her up? I'm wondering if Ford is going to leave me out to dry if something happens on my trip, or if the dealership will just let me go and worry about bringing back their loaner car and picking up my girl when I have time, not when they tell me to. Has anyone had an experiences similar to this?
Today's Z Day for me! This afternoon I'm going to get my Black ZX3 nearly loaded (skimped on ABS and side airbags). I just found this forum and have enjoyed reading it. Hopefully I won't run into these same problems (crosses fingers). I was originally considering a Toyota Echo but after all the good press the Focus has gotten I took a look at it instead, and for a tad more you get much more than the Echo. I could barely sleep last night I'm so excited. Strangely I have yet to see a ZX3 on the road. I've seen all manner of the sedans around but it seems the ZX3 isn't as popular here in Alabama.
This time with NHTSA over the broken clutch spring. For me, the clutch would return enough to only partially disengage without the spring, making it difficult to drive.
And they lied when they told me they had the parts. It's still in the shop (day 8 for this incident, day 21 cumulative--9 more to go for the lemon law to take effect).
Don't get me wrong--I love my ZX3 when it's not in the shop. It's a great car that is proving to be unreliable.
rgarner - Hopefully your dealer will find the root cause of your problem and fix it. That should go a long way towards reassuring you of your car's reliability.
Drive as much as you can before setting out on the 2000 mile trip. This will shake out any hidden bugs and help improve your confidence in the car.
Unfortunately, any machine is subject to unexpected failure. A new car should be less so though.
If you plot the reliability of a set of complex devices, like cars, you will get what is called a bath tub curve. Problems typically start out high at first as latent (hidden) manufacturing faults shake out. At some, hopefully rapid, point the curve hits a long flat bottom, which represents the portion of the items life with the least failures. The better the car is designed, and the better you maintain it, the longer this flat section will be. Finally, as the item reaches the end of it's reliable life, the curve begins to rise again. The trick is to get into that flat area before you go on the trip.
I've taken my car on two trips of over 600 miles without a concern or problem. Depending on what your problem is, I wouldn't be too concerned. If it's a hose issue or something, then I wouldn't worry one bit. Remember one breakdown due to a faulty part is not indicative of overall reliability. The majority of folks on this board have a few thousand miles and zero problems.
I'm leaving this afternoon for a 700 mile weekend trip. Not even a thought about reliability. I think you'll find the same.
Rgarner, if it's any consolation, I have taken my focus on two long trips.. one for 2000+ miles 2 days after buying the car, and another 600 mile trip last week. The car has 15,500 miles on it, and it runs like a top.. I went to the dealer 4 times so far.. 1) to pick up the car, 2) for an oil change/ alignment, 3) fuel pressure sensor recall and 4) replace windshield and key cylinder..
This has been one of the most reliable cars I have had. I sure hope yours holds up the same. Have a good trip.
If it's comparing the rate at which the engine speed is building to the rate the cars speed is building then that and it discovers that the engine speed is increasing proportionately faster than the cars speed is (They must measure at the rear wheel?) than that=wheelspin. There's no other way it could happen. Really, I wouldn't expect the 60 foot times to increase much from just 19 HP increase. Especially since we don't even know where that 19 HP is. It could just be at redline, in which case the 60 foot would definitely not increase. FWIW some Stang magazine I was reading at a friends said there was a ZX3 that was running mid 14's with simple bolt ons and N20. Probably was a pretty hefty shot though, but it didnt say.
Regaridng the issue of having your car break while on vacation...if you have the extended service plan I'm almost positive that if the car does in fact break down on vacation there is a clause that states that you will be reimbursed for part of the expenses. Check the booklet you should have received from Ford Extended Warranty or talk to the sales rep for the extended plan. My guy was pretty informed on the hidden issues.
I hope all goes well and that you won't even have to think about problems.
I've have my car since March, 2400 miles to date and only problem was annoying rattling in rear of cabin but seems to have vanished.
First, thanks guys for helping me feel more *comfortable* about my Focus. I really like her alot, and if I knew driving off the lot that she would be reliable for 150k or so with no major problems (as if anyone ever knew that), I would buy 10 of them. I love the feel of the car, the way the interior is layed out, how it drives, how spunky and funky it is, the stereo, etc. Heck, even my greyhound, a big/tall dog loves the hatch. What a great car, but I'm still upset about what's happening. I feel like Ford has done a great job here, a wonderful job I should say. This is the kind of car I would design for myself: sporty, functional, economical...
I found out today that my problem is the mass air flow sensor causing the engine to flood. The part may or may not be here Monday, or it may be backordered. So that's all it is, I hope. I plan on driving it everywhere when I get it back to feel more comfortable with her as you've said.
I feel like I'm getting a new car for the second time, but I am I guess .
Cahollan, in NC 20 days in a 12 month period is all it takes for our lemon law to take effect. Are you sure TN is 30? I used to live in Memphis and loved to drive out to Shelby Forest and ride around next to the mighty Miss.
Well, I'll fill you all in again next week. Until then, best of luck with your Foci...
oooooooofffff. Just got back from a long vacation trip (2 1/2 weeks away from ... my pc) You guys are really smoking , it took me almost 4 hours to go through all missed posts. I've thought that popularity of the "femur issue" will not be beaten, but it happened "yellow zinc" got so much attention in the past few weeks that I can't understand why carlady did not move you to yellow zinc topic? (if there is one). Safety rating for the rear passenger is a very sad news though. Why Ford decided to install those child safety seat anchors in such unsafe car(zx3). Why there is such a big difference in ratings? (five stars -front, one star -rear). What could cause such discrepancy in the zx3's ratings? I'm really concerned. Now, on more positive note- -it's a pleasure to be back on our great forum again!!!
Today I had a strange thing happen to me, and I am wondering if any of you had experienced this? Now my ZX3 is my first ever manual transmission car. I had spent the morning washing my car (then it rained) and later that day I had to run an errand. I started to reverse out of the parking spot when I heard this loud metal to metal scraping sound. I hit the break and clutch and shifted into netural and back into reverse. Worked fine after that. Then a few hours later I'm at the post office I reverse out of the parking spot, then when I try to shift into first the stick won't engage. I released the clutch and tried again and then the stick engaged. Then again the same thing happens at Boston Market, reversing out of the parking space is fine but once I try for first it doesn't want to engage. When I got to work I tried to see if it would happen again but that time it just work as usual. Is this something that I should take to the dealer or is it an occurance that sometimes happens with manual transmissions? Please Help.
sounds like a bad throw-out bearing ,noise could possibly be the clutch pressure plate. call dealer they may suggest it be towed in. i just had a clutch pedal return spring replaced.unrelated to the problem you describe. good luck!
I don't agree ZX3beast - IMO nothing untoward in drebe's car's behaviour...it's absolutely normal and it's nothing to do with the clutch. The gearbox changes ratios by sliding gears relative to a counter-rotating shaft. If the gears are aligned and especially if the oil is cold, they will not mesh. You need to get the counter-rotating shaft moving. This is easily done by switching back to neutral, and releasing the clutch. Disengage the clutch again and re-engage first gear. If you hear a grating noise when you try to engage the first gear then the shaft is turning too fast. As for the reverse gear, if you don't completely engage a gear before releasing the clutch the gear may pop out or you will hear a grating sound.
Comments
Think that was covered in the TSB"s if I remember right.
Oh, if your dealer doesn't give loaners, ask the salesperson who sold you for his demo. See what he says.
Pat
yes, the the Eagle's are noisy.
But in my case I purposely tried to engage and dis engage the clutch while cruising at 65-75 mph and whine goes away when I do that.(I think)
Also I've noticed that my transmission is very notchy. And it takes some muscle to change gears.
Especially the fifth.
I test drove another ZX3 with 140 miles on it at the local dealership and the difference was very noticable. It was smoother and lighter in operation.
Mine has over 1000 miles
jammed,then released.i hope its not made of the
same metal as spring.also, in jan. very cold day,
my instrumentation also went in reverse. no problem since
this part.it was cheaply made.garbage in- garbage
out.one wouldnt find a part like that on a universal.i remember in 1980,only yesterday,right,
that machine was considered state of the art.it
was fast,use to bang out boards like crazy.back to
the spring- it
really irritates when a mfg. spends
literally millions on r+d, then builds a first-class ride and doesnt beef-up such a simple part
thats always put under stress.as you correctly
pointed out in a previous post a small part can have a major impact on overall performance.what gives here?how was the tensile-strength test performed on this part? did one person hold one end
and another person the other and pulled? its aggravating because cost wise it is a relatively
inexpensive part to mfg. correctly.dealer list was
4 bucks + change.
It was drivable without the spring but the pedal had a lifeless feel to it.
In reply to carrying a spare spring: I don't think it will help you. I tried to find where the spring attaches and could only locate one end. Its a pretty sturdy spring and I imagine it's under quite a bit of tension and stretched further than I would be able to stretch it without some sort of special tool.
I don't remember who else's spring broke, but I was wondering if it broke in the same place as mine: All the way at one end.
If you are wondering what they will do to fix it, this is what was listed on the invoice I recieved:
remove master cylinder, clutch slave cylinder, replace clutch fork spring.
Hope you get your car back soon.
think it will help you.
---------------------------------------------
Nastyemu,
I think he was saying it's nice to have one on hand if you are on the road or just do not want to wait overnight while they order a new one.
-
dealer advised against driving it in, they wanted it towed.they had feared clutch would eventually
lock-up causing further damage.
got my focus last february
been looking at this thread on n off (mostly off) since january. my final decision to get it was influenced by you guys. and the dirt-cheap-for-what-you-get-price.
i peeled off the zx3 badge off the hatch before i took delivery - wanted to delineate her from the escort. got carried away and took the focus off too. looks better and cleaner that way, i think.
the car's great but just wish for some more top-end power and lower/ closer ratio gearing. the fun ends once you have to go into third gear.
she's got the friendliest(dummy-proof) clutch on this earth - easy to heel-toe without upsetting balance and other fun stuff. i've had people ride in my car for miles before ever realizing it was a manual. and the parking brake locks real easily for tossing around. (still have the post-gone-in-60sec-drive-fast-syndrome)
i've had some minor hesitation in first between 1600 and 1900 in first, but only when i've got the a/c on. she's pretty damn slow with it on to boot. the a/c button's right there when i push into in first so i just shut it off before i'm off and it's all ok.
try accelerating in say 2nd of 3rd with ac on and steady throttle and then kill the ac. *feels* kinda like hitting the nitrous button.
well, then again - she's powered only by a small four banger.
about a month ago i was browsing through and noticed a link to a page that links to a bunch of great focus sites - pics, parts, info, int'l, etc.
didn't bookmark, though, at the time...
can anybody who knows what i'm talking about please repost that link? i'd rather not search through the 5000 or so previous posts.
and if you armor-all the black trim while waiting for the wax to dry, you can prevent the dreaded wax slop and dogs drooling on your car. or just have the mouldings / mirrors / other trim sanded and painted.
and finally, does anybody have anything to say about aftermarket springs? i think eibach's got a set for the focus already. handling improvements justify ride deterioration and price?
well, that's it...
for now...
I digress. I shut my engine off, 'cause this bridge always takes about 7-10 minutes, and I like to save my gas. So, the bridge goes down, I turn the car on, and start driving along. About 1/4 mile later I notice my fuel light is on. "That's odd," I think. I only had 190 mile on the trip computer and I KNOW I had over a 1/4 of a tank the night before. "So," I think, "Somebody stole my gas. Those bastards." At the next light, I think to just shut her off and turn her back on. Sure enough, the needle shoots right up to 1/4 tank, and the light goes off. Anybody have any idea what would cause this?
This isn't even a complaint. I just found it curious.
She's at the Ford dealer now, but may be next week before they look at her. I know someone else on here has had a terrible time with Ford customer service. 14 days in the shop in 6 months, I would raise cain. That's unacceptable!!! I would seriously check on the lemon laws in Tennessee. I'm going to rely on my dealer for the moment, and he relies on my dad's business for leasing cars (9 so far this year), so if he doesn't help me out he'll loose my dad's business. If that doesn't work a friend of mine's father is a Ford VP in North Carolina.
I guess I'm frustrated because I'm suppossed to go on a long trip up the East Coast in August. If she breaks down in the middle of nowhere and ruins my vacation, Ford will have he** to pay.
I wonder how many of us have ZX3's and how many of us have the 4 doors or wagons. Are the hatchback owners experiencing more problems? I see the 4 doors all over the place, and I haven't heard anyone complaining about problems with these vehicles. If us hatchback owners are experiencing the brunt of the problems, Ford needs to do something about the plant they're built at!
As things change I'll fill you in...
Would anyone with a service manual or other inside information care to discuss this?
My guess is it's computer driven, and the code is from Microsoft.
Statistics are a funny thing. Ya gotta be real careful when looking at data to make sure you are seeing the real truth.
http://autopedia.com/html/HotLinks_Lemon.html
Happy trails...
Many of the problems discussed here are covered by Technical Service Bulletins which your dealers should have. You can access these TSB's which give a general description and TSB #. Then tell your dealer the TSB # so he can look it up and find out the right way to fix the problem. Sounds like dealers are not bothering to look them up.
The TSB's cover everything from Fuel Gauge to insturmintation to Brake Groan/Squeal to water leaking onto floorboards to engine vibration.
Also, for focusgrrrl (sorry if I'm butchering the name) a dealer here in Phoenix replaced my brake pads under warranty. He said there was a technical service bulletin about replacing them with different ones that didn't create so much brake dust. Be glad yours are only squealing. Mine love to warp after long road trips. I'll probably have to get them resurfaced for the third time when I go back to KS this fall.
Just remember there are lots of dealers. My local tiny town dealer currently has two Konas on the lot for example.
So you can either broaden your search or wait till you can order a Y2.001k model.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/complain/compmmy.cfm
Scary stuff, let me tell you. I'm sure Ford has corrected much of this stuff, but it's still scary. Talk about getting your speed control stuck at 70 or higher.
My baby is at the dealer and they'll have an update for me tomorrow. Gave me a loaner without a problem (only until Monday though-and I do have the extended warrenty). Also, the guy who towed my car in last night left the lights on. Add a dead battery to the mix.
Well friends, off I go in my Taurus, yuck. I want my Focus back, sniff.
Btw, my father helped a guy on the interstate the other night. Brand new BMW 740, 300 miles on it, flooding out. Maybe I shouldn't feel so bad after all, I didn't spend 70K.
Service Bulletin Number: 7928
Bulletin Sequence Number: 124
Date of Bulletin: 0001
NHTSA Item Number: SB612421
Make: FORD
Model: FOCUS
Year: 2000
Component: STEERING:4 WHEEL STEERING:REAR ACTUATOR
Summary: THE VEHICLE MAY EXHIBIT A MIL ON AND DTC P1518.
I must be really dumb or missing something, but it says the 4 wheel steering. I didnt know the Focus had 4 wheel steering. Rear actuator? Sounds funny to me.
Also anyone got a part # on the BMW exaust tip for the 150th time?
Stupid dealer told me they was no such thing as a Zinc Yellow Focus, wasnt he wrong! Well I do love my Malibu Blue though, but that Zinc is kool.
thanks
I zinc you haf hit zee nail on zee head!
I just joined this after I found it in a search. I am getting a ZX3 in about 9 or 10 more days. I'm 19 and after 5 pieces of crap my 'rents are paying for my first brand new car(and it will be in my name..what a joy for a 19yo). Okay, I've decided on everything I am getting in my ZX3: Pitch Black ZX3, automatic( since I am too lazy to learn stick as my father says), air( a must have for the south), remote keyless, and possibly speed control( debating that one). After my parents refused to get me a Jetta, I decided to check out the Focus. Little did I know this car kicks the Jetta's buttocks for several reasons...the most obvious being its affordability. Oh..and btw. I have seen several of the new yellow ZX3s out and about around Nashville. Oh boi are they stylish...they are a cute yellow! Not and ugly yellow like I have seen in several other cars. I chose black(even though my fave color is green) because there is something so classy looking about black cars. My 89 Sentra is black and even it looks dolled up and more expensive when it is shined. Well I look forward to reading more comments. Thanx for all the great posts!
You're 19 and your parents have bought you 6 cars? Hmmm, nevermind.
Say I'm in the middle of PA and my Focus breaks down, it's towed to a dealership, and they say it can't be fixed for a couple of days. Since I have the Premium extended warrenty I do get a loaner for up to 5 days, but do they expect me to stick around while she is being fixed? What if something major happens, and it's a week or two before it will get fixed. Am I expected to come back to wherever and pick her up? I'm wondering if Ford is going to leave me out to dry if something happens on my trip, or if the dealership will just let me go and worry about bringing back their loaner car and picking up my girl when I have time, not when they tell me to. Has anyone had an experiences similar to this?
I've seen lots and lots of sedans here, even fewer wagons than hatchbacks.
And they lied when they told me they had the parts. It's still in the shop (day 8 for this incident, day 21 cumulative--9 more to go for the lemon law to take effect).
Don't get me wrong--I love my ZX3 when it's not in the shop. It's a great car that is proving to be unreliable.
Drive as much as you can before setting out on the 2000 mile trip. This will shake out any hidden bugs and help improve your confidence in the car.
Unfortunately, any machine is subject to unexpected failure. A new car should be less so though.
If you plot the reliability of a set of complex devices, like cars, you will get what is called a bath tub curve. Problems typically start out high at first as latent (hidden) manufacturing faults shake out. At some, hopefully rapid, point the curve hits a long flat bottom, which represents the portion of the items life with the least failures. The better the car is designed, and the better you maintain it, the longer this flat section will be. Finally, as the item reaches the end of it's reliable life, the curve begins to rise again. The trick is to get into that flat area before you go on the trip.
I've taken my car on two trips of over 600 miles without a concern or problem. Depending on what your problem is, I wouldn't be too concerned. If it's a hose issue or something, then I wouldn't worry one bit. Remember one breakdown due to a faulty part is not indicative of overall reliability. The majority of folks on this board have a few thousand miles and zero problems.
I'm leaving this afternoon for a 700 mile weekend trip. Not even a thought about reliability. I think you'll find the same.
Good luck. Let us know what the problem is.
This has been one of the most reliable cars I have had. I sure hope yours holds up the same. Have a good trip.
Really, I wouldn't expect the 60 foot times to increase much from just 19 HP increase. Especially since we don't even know where that 19 HP is. It could just be at redline, in which case the 60 foot would definitely not increase.
FWIW some Stang magazine I was reading at a friends said there was a ZX3 that was running mid 14's with simple bolt ons and N20. Probably was a pretty hefty shot though, but it didnt say.
on vacation...if you have the extended service plan I'm almost positive that if the car does in fact break down on vacation there is a clause that states that you will be reimbursed for part of the expenses. Check the booklet you should have received from Ford Extended Warranty or talk to the sales rep for the extended plan. My guy was pretty informed on the hidden issues.
I hope all goes well and that you won't even have to think about problems.
I've have my car since March, 2400 miles to date and only problem was annoying rattling in rear of cabin but seems to have vanished.
HAPPY DRIVING TO ALL...!
I found out today that my problem is the mass air flow sensor causing the engine to flood. The part may or may not be here Monday, or it may be backordered. So that's all it is, I hope. I plan on driving it everywhere when I get it back to feel more comfortable with her as you've said.
I feel like I'm getting a new car for the second time, but I am I guess
Cahollan, in NC 20 days in a 12 month period is all it takes for our lemon law to take effect. Are you sure TN is 30? I used to live in Memphis and loved to drive out to Shelby Forest and ride around next to the mighty Miss.
Well, I'll fill you all in again next week. Until then, best of luck with your Foci...
Just got back from a long vacation trip (2 1/2 weeks away from ... my pc)
You guys are really smoking , it took me almost 4 hours to go through all missed posts.
I've thought that popularity of the "femur issue"
will not be beaten, but it happened "yellow zinc"
got so much attention in the past few weeks that I can't understand why carlady did not move you to yellow zinc topic? (if there is one).
Safety rating for the rear passenger is a very sad news though. Why Ford decided to install those child safety seat anchors in such unsafe car(zx3).
Why there is such a big difference in ratings? (five stars -front, one star -rear).
What could cause such discrepancy in the zx3's ratings?
I'm really concerned.
Now, on more positive note-
-it's a pleasure to be back on our great forum again!!!
possibly be the clutch pressure plate. call dealer
they may suggest it be towed in. i just had a clutch pedal return spring replaced.unrelated to the problem you describe. good luck!
As for the reverse gear, if you don't completely engage a gear before releasing the clutch the gear may pop out or you will hear a grating sound.