Ford Focus Hatchback ZX3 - Part XIII

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Comments

  • vadpvadp Member Posts: 1,025
    thank you for keeping us posted.
    Did the mechanic tell you what is exactly the source (location) of the noise?
  • vadpvadp Member Posts: 1,025
    Thank you for your kindness. :)
  • njzx3njzx3 Member Posts: 170
    if ya ask me... for almost just over 13,000 or there abouts, you can order a brand new 2001 focus... may be worth looking into. Especially if you are planning on handing it down to your step daughter in a year... The used ZX3 on the lot might have been used as a demo for one of the dealers, and if the person driving it was anything like the salesmen I am friends with, they have probably been beating the hell outta that car for 1500 miles. I'd suggest you order a new 2001 for the same ballpark in price.

    just my opinion.

    P.S. im leaving for Tampa florida tomorrow around noon or so... keep your eyes peeled for a twilight blue Z w/ NJ plates cruisin' down 95 over the next couple days.


    NJ
  • drebe73drebe73 Member Posts: 243
    I pulled up all 3 kits in sperate windows to do a side by side comparison of the 3 kits. I would have to say that I ended up liking the wings west kit the best, a revision to my earlier post. The price is much better, and the fact that it doesnt take major modification to the car like th rs kit does. Though I like the lights on the rear of the rs kit alot. Now the spoilers are a dilema for me I like them both alot (WW and razzi) and can't decided for reasons that I had mentioned before. Another big question I have is how are the wings attached to the car? Will it remain secure for the life of the car? Will is fall off someday? If the drill into the car will the holes drilled cause rusting? If they use screws, will they hit something internal and cause damage? I.E. the hose for the window wash.

    Ok what is the deal with deer being attracted to the ZX3? This makes 3 or 4 deer incidents in this forum doesnt it?

    Way off topic here, but its been bugging me, but why do people use "gay" to mean something bad?
  • drebe73drebe73 Member Posts: 243
    I am excited to see what the seats look like when done. Please take photos and post for us to see.
    Thanks.
    Dre'
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I guess they use "gay" to define bad because it's supposedly bad to be gay. My guess anyway. Just what a bunch of narrow-minded people who belong back in the 50s and 60s think I guess.
  • vadpvadp Member Posts: 1,025
    Do you really need anybody's comments on that thing that is "bugging you"?
    (except vocuses)
  • njzx3njzx3 Member Posts: 170
    What is the deal w/ my car???!!! now the gas gage is completely screwed up... it started saturday... drivin along and the gas light pops on and the gage drops to E... restart it goes back up, a couple miles down the road it happens again.... then a third time... then it seemed fine all sunday and most of today until i went for another fill-up... well, I fill the tank today and the gage does not move... then i restart the car and it took about 5 mins to creep up to 1/4 tank (which i had more than that prior to the fill-up)... so I get home, restart the car and it's a little past 1/4... so i drive to the dealership... about 15 mins later the gage is reading just over 1/2 tank and stuck there... im taking it into the shop first thing in the morning... Are there any TSB's on this issue? or is it another one of ford's classic "it's not a problem until it happens to everyone" sorta thing?

    any input would be greatly appreciated since im supposed to be leaving for florida in the morning.... overnight service will kinda put a severe dent in my schedule.

    thanks
    NJ
  • njzx3njzx3 Member Posts: 170
    im not sure how exactly the kits are attatched... will definately be worth looking into... my guess would be that they remove the stock black mouldings from around the bottom of the car then attatch the kit into the existing moulding fixtures? not sure if thats how it's done, but it makes the most sense.

    NJ
  • vadpvadp Member Posts: 1,025
    njzx3,
    it's a very common problem.
    The dealer will replace your sending unit.
  • drebe73drebe73 Member Posts: 243
    I was just mentioning it so we can be more aware of the words we use in our posts as not to offend anyone.
  • miata23miata23 Member Posts: 26
    NJZX3,

    You are not alone - others have had a similar problem - there are two TSB's #13502 and #13503
    - apparently the culprit is a "fuel sending unit"

    you can read up on this thread at:
    http://www.discussion-board.com/clubfocus

    go to section entitled "Problems and Complaints"
    and then look for the topic entitled "Fuel Gage (sic) Anomaly" - last post was on 8/30.
  • vadpvadp Member Posts: 1,025
    "as not to offend anyone"
    Here we go again...
  • zgrrrlzgrrrl Member Posts: 147
    hey guys sorry - I never bookmarked it - what is the link to the service bulletins?

    thanks!
  • vadpvadp Member Posts: 1,025
    http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/
  • pcleveland2pcleveland2 Member Posts: 516
    Deer: If there are a lot of Deer where you live, I highly recommend "Deer Alerts" made by "Save a Life". They do work unless the deer is on a dead run at a right angle to your vehicle. If he can hear them he/she will STOP!

    Gay: I graduated from high school with a very beautiful young lady by the name of Gay! Nothing wrong with her at all. Need I say more!

    Pat
  • pcleveland2pcleveland2 Member Posts: 516
    If I don't offend someone at least once a day, I have to pinch myself to see if I'm alive. Even driving a ZX3 can offend some people. Just don't hurt people on purpose just because it seems the thing to do!

    Pat
  • silyboysilyboy Member Posts: 90
    kostanojen- i see where you are coming from too on here. it is odd, especially for Saleen (Roush has had a cougar for a while now, and both have the Mustang and trucks), but it is nice too see they at least want to tackle a project like that. It seems Ford, the owners, and many other are having high hopes for the Focus to be a competator in the "Sport Compact Car" market.... that is why Ford gave a lot of the aftermarket venors cars early on to work on... we will all just have to sit tight and see what comes of everything.
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    what about gay deer?
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    as in happy!
  • pcleveland2pcleveland2 Member Posts: 516
    Did you ever see a buck (male deer)in a cow pasture? No bull intended. Poor focus maybe.
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    they do seem to prefer the hatchback.
  • njzx3njzx3 Member Posts: 170
    does anyone know exatly what this entails? how long will they have my car for? if it is more than a day im just going to wait until I am in florida to get it fixed... cant delay my trip anymore... gotta meet w/ my new boss friday morning.

    NJ
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    nj- this is a relatively easy job for the repair shop.unit is located in tank,theres a cap end with
    tubing,wires + unit.probably takes longer to dump the fuel than replace the unit.it wont be a long
    wait.its a straight forward job so to speak.good luck!
  • kostamojenkostamojen Member Posts: 55
    I cant believe people were offended by my slang usage of gay... Heck, my cousin is gay and i hang out with him a couple times a month.
    Its just a freakin slang word (ooh, i said freakin... like that nasty dance lol!) that actually worked very well in that situation (rice rocket mustang = a gay mustang RFLMAO!)
    I cant believe the sensitivity of some people some times, especially since this is the internet and all and people say some REALLY REALLY bad stuff sometimes, and mean it!
    Ill try not to use that word in the future on this board if that makes the few and the voistrous feel any more happy
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    just wanted to let you know i wasnt offened.in fact my z drives straight as an arrow.dont feel bad about your hidden response,i had one rejected
    as well.seems censorship is alive and well.that is
    truly something to fear and be offened about.this
    is what happens in society when one group or another or individuals determines what others can or cannot say.i find it quite scary.enjoy your z!
  • brettzx3brettzx3 Member Posts: 28
    NJZX3 - Sorry to hear about your sending unit. It has happened to a lot of us - including me. The dealer had my car for a day, no problems since. One piece of advice: drop your car off for this procedure with as little gas in it as possible, as they will drain your gas tank to get to the part. They will, of course, not fill it back up. Good luck. Have fun in Florida!
  • vadpvadp Member Posts: 1,025
    zx3beast,

    freedom is taken away piece by piece.
    Seems nobody really cares.
    Especially here in CA.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    If you drop off the car with a full tank, they will drain it and not replace it? Sounds like me when I first started driving. :) With the price of gas, they could at least give you a $5 certificate for it, because the dealers have them to fill up the new cars for customers. That's stingy.

    I saw a black Focus SE Sport sedan the other day and it looked really sleek. But does a black car get hotter inside than a lighter colored car? Just wondering, because I always heard that. Wanted to see if it's true.
  • njzx3njzx3 Member Posts: 170
    hey everyone... i went to the dealership service center this morning for a new sending unit, but they didnt have the part... well... anyways, ive been logging my gas mileage for the past few fill-ups, so im just gonna go and fill up every few hundred miles then have the sending unit fixed when i get to tampa.... Long drive ahead of me... maybe i'll see some of ya along 95s somewhere =)

    anyone know any reputable ford service centers in the Tampa area? gonna need to find a place to make my regular svc department. If you know of any, please send the Name, address or # to wardeciple@hotmail.com...

    thanks a lot everyone and i'll be posting again in a few days when i get to FL.

    NJ
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    "I cant believe the sensitivity of some people some times, especially since this is the internet and all and people say some REALLY REALLY bad stuff sometimes, and mean it!"

    And that's why this family website has a participant agreement. :-) Thanks for sticking with it!!

    carlady/host
  • drebe73drebe73 Member Posts: 243
    It slipped my mind how we tend to dwell on things endlessly in this forum. I should have never mentioned anything. Sorry I'll try to remember not to talk about anything other than the car.
  • dshearerwadshearerwa Member Posts: 5
    Has any one had problems with the brake son 2000 focus
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    A few posts back, someone said something about their brakes squeaking and pulsing I think. They reviewing the last 10-15 posts to see if you can find it. If I am not mistaken, I could have swore that someone also said there was a TSB for it. Is that correct???

    I know the fronts produce a lot of dust. My secretary has a 2000 SE Sport sedan and her front wheels are always dirty. But she now has 6000 miles and no problems thus far with the car (other than keeping the interior of it clean, the sloppy girl). :)
  • dshearerwadshearerwa Member Posts: 5
    Has any one had problems with the brake son 2000 focus

    My Focus has worn through the pad a ruin the rotor on one side at 15000 miles the dealers says this is normal wear and tear and the caliper are not sticking??? Is there a brake warning light like most car to indicate when your pads ar low.. this happen within two days after i heard the first squeek.
  • dshearerwadshearerwa Member Posts: 5
    My Focus has worn through the pad a ruin the rotor on one side at 15000 miles the dealers says this is normal wear and tear and the caliper are not sticking??? Is there a brake warning light like most car to indicate when your pads ar low.. this happen within two days after i heard the first squeek.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Your dealer is dead wrong. If you are in fact driving the car normally, then the brakes should last until at least 25,000 or so miles. And the pads wouldn't wear all the way down that quickly. Have them check the quality of the pads they put on. Also, the brake warning light on the dash (every car has one and it's the same one that comes on when you apply your parking brake) would come on if there is a problem with the braking system. But I don't think that helps with pads. They have audible (able to hear) warning sensors.
  • dshearerwadshearerwa Member Posts: 5
    the dealer says that theres no warning light on the ford focus and as the first noticeable brake noise was on friday and by monday (about a 100 miles were driven and now the rotor is complete ruin and need replaced but the dealer insist that the brake wear is normal(sure) right side 2 mil and left side 0 but this is normal i have a hard time believing them. Also the car to new and the dealer the only one that has parts.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Possibly bad rotors when the car was new. Let them replace whatever they have to replace, and pay for it under warranty. Then see what happens. But, whatever you do, don't pay out of pocket for anything! And the dealer is an idiot, there is a light on the Focus's dash that tells when the brakes are going.
  • dshearerwadshearerwa Member Posts: 5
    Standard warrenty for brakes is 12000 or 12 months and 3 years if the caliper stuck but there saying no they are not and the problems is normal wear even if one side hasn't worn as mich as the other.
  • zgrrrlzgrrrl Member Posts: 147
    Sorry to everyone else who has heard my story over and over...

    dsh..I've had brake probs since day one. They've already replaced my pads and resurfaced the rotors and that was when I only had 4,000 miles on the car.

    I now have 8,100 the brakes are slipping again, and I know it's gonna be trouble when I take it in.

    Some say its normal ... but I don't think it is.
    Have it taken care of pronto...
  • zgrrrlzgrrrl Member Posts: 147
    Oh, and if you want to know my whole story, go back into the previous ZX3 forum - look for the colored text -and there they are

    Good luck!
  • kdominczakkdominczak Member Posts: 174
    ...and after a few days of absence I'm reading the posts again.
    Somehow every time I'm away for a few days you people get some strange subjects underway.
    "Femur" was a classic, then "zinc yellow" and now, "gay deer prefers zx3".The word "gay" can be as controversial as some cars to many of us.The "gay" and "pride" still does not sound too good at least for me.
    Subject went so far that carlady had to cool it off.
    Something more serious; Volvo is working on four new cars (out in 2002-2004).
    Two of those cars will be based on our Focus platform, CUV 2-door and SUV 4-door. Engines will be a direct-injection gasoline 4 and 5-cylinders.
    Picture of the CUV(Compact Utility Vehicle?) looks very impressive, price is the question.
    We can only hope that since Volvo is under Ford now maybe the prices of those safe and reliable vehicles can be a little more affordable...
    I hope that I did not offended anyone here, cars can be so cool.
  • vadpvadp Member Posts: 1,025
    In a first for the world’s auto industry, Honda will unveil its highest-volume car in the United
    States, Canada, Europe and Japan on Wednesday, Sept. 13

    http://www.autonews.com/html/main/stories/newcivic911.htm
  • fgaydosfgaydos Member Posts: 319
    http://web.philly.com/content/inquirer/2000/09/12/business/12FORD.htm
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    fgaydos- good info. i despise the air bag. you
    never know when it will deploy for no reason.just
    goes to the argument that big brother wants to
    dictate what is good for the masses.
  • silver_bulletsilver_bullet Member Posts: 1,339
    The Focus has no warning indicator lamp for brake pad wear. The "brake warning light" in the instrument cluster illuminates when the level of brake fluid in the reservoir drops below a minimum level, indicating a hydraulic problem with the brakes or clutch (both systems share the reservoir). When I replaced my front brake pads with aftermarket pads, I noticed no wear indicators on the factory pads; I doubt you'd get an audible warning before the metal backing plates touched the rotors.
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    one never realizes what is missing till its gone.
    you are right,freedom is taken away,piece by piece.thats why i am so adamant about speaking up
    when others put down our country in their post.im
    just being me,if im censored,that just gives weight to my point.its ones personal choice to surrender their freedom.i will never give in or
    agree to censorship,ever.by the way,any more news
    on strange trans/engine sounds?
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    those with brake issues,do you have auto or 5 spd.?
  • razor5razor5 Member Posts: 27
    Wonder if anyone knows a site where I can purchase Kona seat covers for my ZX3?
This discussion has been closed.

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