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Thank-you
Becky
plug unless your engine is out the car. Just drain it from radiator and refill into
overflow tank.
I have a 2003 Focus sedan with 100,003 and little work done on it. I drive 40 miles a day mostly highway between 60 and 65 mph and get aprox. 34 MPG.
The AC no longer works but it's no big deal.
I have experienced loss of the display panel - speed, fuel gauge, engine block heat, radio,etc... when in summer it gets really hot and humid, and I left the window opened and it rained. The car works well but I have no idea at what speed I am driving.
Once the car gets dry, everything is back to normal.
It would seem to be a bad connection when it's humid?
I just passed 100,000 miles and wonder if a timing belt (or chain?) should be replaced. The car runs really well and little maintenance has been done beside oil change and tires.
Is the camshaft belt scheduled to be replaced at 120,000 the equivalent??
I know, maybe a dumb question?
Over the last 6 years I have been through too many Max Performance summer tires which are only used for 7-8 months of the year. They were amazing in grip but have no guarantees for treadware and as they are typically directional they can not be rotated except front-back. It is obviously a trade-off. In this particular ( Focus) type of suspension & alignment set-up, It seems that tires with softer compounds are stressed especially in the 205-50 16 inch size. The smaller winter tire which I use does not seem to have these problems.
When it comes my tire costs over these 61/2 years, this has not been an economy car
But the Driving dynamics of these cars are tops, I will definitly be looking at the new model in 12 months or so !
Also what is the plastic gizmo on the side of the filter that sticks up like a handle?
Thanx
wfgreen
Here’s what has been replaced in the car so far: alternator, fuel relay and fuse for the fuel pump, the gas cap, and the battery.
My car broke down the other day when I was at Sonic with my boyfriend. We tried to start it like 6 times and it just wouldn't go. We called a tow truck; he came by and went to go put the car in neutral. He starts the car, the first time and it starts right up. We get in the car amazed and drive it home.
The vehicle now will not start, sometimes if I let it sit awhile it will attempt to start (since all the lights come on and such) but it just refuses to roll over all the way.
Very shortly before all this I would have to disconnect the connector on the battery for about a minute or two, then reconnect it and start it. Giving it some gas right after I started the car was vital since it would putter out, as if it's getting no fuel.
Also the Fuel Cut Off Switch was poking up (meaning it was engaged) so we pushed it back down. Don't know if that helps at all.
To continue...after reading up on many of the forums and talking with people from auto marts, I’ve come up with a list of the possible problems.
(I don't know anything about cars, but I'm trying to learn so I can fix my car)
Possible Problems that may need to be replaced:
1) Green #30 fuse for the Ignition in slot 8
2) Cam Sensor
3) Ignition Coil (which I just bought a replacement for, but have not installed it yet.)
4) Fuel Relay (I have already replaced this, so it should be crossed off the list)
5) Fuel Cut off Switch
Please if anyone can help me I swear I'll get rid of this nightmare of a car and get a foreign car!
:sick: :sick: :sick: :sick: :sick:
I can't afford to keep replacing the tires. Someone told me it was my suspension that needed to be replaced ($2K), another told me it was my shocks in the back that needed to be replaced every 30Kmiles (twice as often as you normally should). Others told me I didn't rotate or align enough, but that's ridiculous. I do it more than I should have to.
Dealership won't help, they wouldn't help me the first time around. They told me they didn't cover tires and that was normal wear and tear. So I was stuck with the bill. Even though my car was still under warranty and the tires should have lasted longer.
No I don't know what to do, I have been reading all of these other forums and people are all having the same problems. I don't want to be stuck with this for the life of the car. Debating just to sell it and move on from Ford... since they are willing to put a car out that has a problem like this.
Ford just spins you in circles, tells you to call someone else until you break down and stop.
Someone help? Or have answers?
I have a 2009 Ford Focus and I had to replace all the tires at 20,000 miles and I am on my third set at 60,000 miles. It is a known problem by the Ford dealerships and major tire stores and also known by Ford. The problem is in the rear alignment that is a defect that can be corrected by having ford install some kit that runs about $400. I haven't done it just on the principal that I shouldn't have to on a new car and awaiting somebody with time to file a class action lawsuit against Ford to submit all my tire receipts to. You could try suing Ford in small claims court as a way of getting their attention. There was some lawyer who took on a car company that way and she won even though the car manufacture sent how the big gun lawyers to fight her small claims action. They do that as it is cheaper to pay big lawyers to squash the little guy so they don't have to pay big expensive recalls for defects. I am sure Ford monitors boards like this to monitor customer complaints to see if it is getting to the point they need to do some positive PR but losing a few customers is cheaper to them then millions of dollars in recall. It a simple business decsion and customer service/satisfaction isn't a part of that. Its the bottom line that they care about not you and me and others who bought a car from them. I have two ford focuses in my small business and after I use these up I am going back to Hyundai cars that I had no issues with before.
Here is the deal. Ford manufactors the Focus with a 2 degree negative camber. This makes your rear tires go defective as fast as 10,000 miles especially if you don't rotate your tires very often. You can get an alignment every month and it will not fix the defect. I have 24,000 miles on my focus and I have my third set of tires on it. I've did the research. An alignment shop here in Warrensburg MO found the problem and fixes around 4-5 Ford Focus a month. They put in a kit that brings the camber within a fraction of a inch which will give you about 3 times the life span of the tires. The don't have the ability to zero the camber. If you don't get this done, you will be buying tires like I did every year. I did make a complaint to my dealer and the Ford Company itself with no help so I sent my complaint to the National Highway Safety department which investigates safety issues and forces auto companies to fix defects with a recall. Need folks like you to do the same. The last set of rear tires I took off scared me. It was so close of coming apart. Call 1-888-327-4236 and make you complaint today.
So i go to my buddys shop. Grab the air chisel and drill. Take off heads (7 hours to do this whole job btw), drill at them dead center, air chisel. Worked for the front two. After 4 hours. Last one does not want to come out.
Mind you, i am working with 1- and 2- ton jacks, stands, and a friends power tools. I cant get a straight hit at this thing for the life of me. Most will say " remove the control arm". To which i say "no!". Been there done that on reverse side for free ( borrowed same car, girlfriend hit curb in snow, i replaced the broken control arm).
Anywho, cant get this last one out, and whilst in the middle of this job, i tore the cv boot. I've read around and got mixed reactions. My plans, 1.fill with grease and duct tape or two, ask said person for money for a "split boot".
Im looking for ideals, tips, helpful knowledge, do's and dont's, etc.
Not looking to be called an idiot. I've been under cars for 11 years. Just never saw these rivets. Down to one...well 2/5 of one. Maybe 3/5. The point is it wont come out. Thanks for reading all this and have a great day. Hope someone can help.
The last time I bought tires the guy at NTB said the rear tire wear was caused by bad shocks. What do I know? I went ahead and had him replace the shocks, and here I am again. I wish I had read this thread before I did that.
Guy at Tires Plus today told me that the problem is that the Focus is so light in back that the tires "bounce" and "squirm around" causing the weird tire wear. When I get the new tires tomorrow I will ask him whether it would help to put some weight in the trunk. I can't afford to buy a new car, but I can't really afford to out new tires on every year, either.