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Ford Focus Wagon

1568101113

Comments

  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    I thought they all telescoped. Maybe that was changed at some point though.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    At http://www.fordvehicles.com/cars/focus/features/ it says:

    Tilt/telescoping steering wheel (standard on SES and ST models only. Also available on SE with Convenience Group).

    I don't know if that has been the way it was always packaged, though.

    I am pretty sure the one I drove did not telescope, I tried to push and pull it several times with the tilt released.

    Edmunds overview for the 2001 model says: A tilt/telescopic steering wheel is optional.

    Hmm...the 2001 overview also says: SE Wagons also get the Zetec engine as standard...which I guess means the zetec was not standard in the 2000 model. That will be another thing for me to check out, I may not want one with the base engine.
  • davidh2837davidh2837 Member Posts: 4
    Jazvan,

    You are a wealth of information.

    Thank you,

    Dave
  • magneezomagneezo Member Posts: 15
    I've read 'rumor' that the whole thing is playing out w/ Ford's hand in the basket.
    KIA has its dividends and stockholders. A key player to their '99 bankruptcy bailout was Ford, who already had at least 15% invested.
    As with any other 'up and coming' company, blueprints can be bought and sold.
    In this case, the Mazda line-up takes on a change while KIA gets the ol' Protege
    look alikes......somehow. The whole Spectre line is shaping up to be what is hauntingly close to those old designs. That Oval around KIA's name may not be blue, but in a hollow sort of way it's on the same hand me down path, something leftover from the Festiva days that slowly grew bigger than Ford ever anticipated.
  • magneezomagneezo Member Posts: 15
    Truth:
    2003/2004 SE Wagons built for commercial sale in the USA did not offer a convenience group (comfort group on earlier models) so there was no tilt/cruise available. 2005 saw the return of the convenience options, and the ZXW SE can be outfitted with so many things now that the SES is not really 'in a league of its own', except for Leather seats I suppose. Choices Choices.
    Still Love my 2003 SE Wagon, and they're not hard to sport out.

    *Damn Those Brakes Though!!*
  • magneezomagneezo Member Posts: 15
    Jazvan,
    Please send this msg. along to those still looking for an '04 Focus ZTW, 5 Speed,2.3,Sport Group,etc.
    I located one in Charlotte, NC- Here's how the ad reads:
    2004 Ford Focus Wagon ZTW, blue, 5 Speed,ac,pw,pdl,CD,alloys,16k,
    Factory Warranty, $10,500 Tri-M Motorcars, Charlotte, N.C. "Your Wholesale Source" 704.451-5242 or 704.522-0004.
    The seller is currently driving the car and says it's great! Does not have Leather or Sunroof, but has Traction Control, the 2.3 ltr., and all the Goodies!
    See it Online:
    www.AutoTrader.com
    See the Ford Listings.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    Thanks, I have had a hard time finding even a 2000-2002 with telescoping wheel, so that I could see if that improves things enought for me to consider on of these. They all seem to just have tilt.
  • jazvanjazvan Member Posts: 106
    2.3 with 5 speed in a wagon is pretty rare and is a great combo. Notice however that you could not get traction control with the 2.3. Maybe they meant to say ABS? If you got the bucks and think it is worthwhile you can retro-install a Quaiffe or Torsen traction diiferential which is better in some ways then traction control at least at higher speeds but it is big $$$$.

    -Jaz
  • gibbergibber Member Posts: 41
    There's something odd about the Focus Wagon's cargo capacity. The Wagon lists 36 cu ft with seats up and 73.7 with seats down(by some listings). But the hatchback shows 18 cu ft and 40.2. How does the wagon get almost 38 cu ft by folding the rear seats, whereas the hatchback(which is probably full height by the time you get the rear seats) only gets 22. It seems to me the right answer is in the 60s. somewhere, as another poster calculated. Still pretty good.
  • harlequin1971harlequin1971 Member Posts: 278
    just traded my Elantra hatch in for the Focus Wagon (05 SES - sonic blue with auto) and while some things about my Elantra seemed more "luxurious" I think I may enjoy this wagon a bit more.

    the things I am totally enjoying so far:
    ride height is high enough to improve my visibility on the highway
    seats are totally comfy so far for short drives (1 hour or so)
    the stereo is a major improvement over the Hyundai
    the auto drives as peppy as the 5-speed in the elantra, maybe even more peppy
    AC is more powerful
    I should get 4-5 mpg better in the Focus
    it looks good for a wagon

    gonna miss my Saab-copy Elantra hatch, but it was ready to move on.

    just hope my car holds up to the next couple of years and proves to be as enjoyable over the long haul. might be the first car i consider keeping beyond the loan.

    btw - NEVER want to do business with the dealership I bought this car at again! They are criminals in my opinion.
  • jazvanjazvan Member Posts: 106
    73.7 is the EPA number. Cargo space is about 36" tall, about 48" wide average, maybe a bit more and about 6 feet long to the back of the front seats, In feet that's 3 x 4 x 6 = 72. The EPA number appears correct to me. The reason it is so much bigger then the hatch is it's longer, higher and the wagon shocks are positioned under the floor freeing up cargo space. As for the apparent discrepancy I will take a guess that the Hatch rear seat does not fold the same way (tumble) meaning the seat does not fold as low and I believe the EPA measures to the end of a tumbled seat bottom but only to the end of the seat back on a non-tumbled seat. Someone correct me if I am wrong about the seat folding on the hatch.

    -Jaz
  • smfennellsmfennell Member Posts: 1
    I know that everyone is concerned these days with the mileage they are getting per tank. But my Focus doesn't get me 300km to the tank. Anyone else having the same issues? My dealer did a consumption report and told me that i must be mistaken that my car is getting excellent mileage. Suggested it might be a gage, but they would have to tear the car apart to confirm. IT ISN' T the gage. Help! I would love to hear your experiences.
  • thaicatthaicat Member Posts: 19
    My 05 Focus Wagon purchased July 28th will go just over 500 km on a tank.
    I didn't think that was too good til I heard your story!!!!
    My Corolla could get 600-625 km and with the price of gas..........well enough said!!

    Thai
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    If the problem is the gauge, you should be able to tell based on how much gas you add to fill it.

    You can measure the actual gas mileage by resetting the trip odometer to 0 when you fill it up. Then the next time you need gas fill it up again, take the miles (km) shown on the trip odometer and divide this by the gallons of gas you add to refill it at that time...this will tell you the mpg.
  • wagonmanwagonman Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2003 focus wagon with a 5 speed and base engine (single cam) with 26700 miles(43000km)
    there is a growling noise at slow speedwhich changes to a tapping speed at higher speed , noise seems to be on the right -dealer has replaced the right wheel bearing which got rid of some noise and vibration
    there is also a noise in my transmission in third gear only at low speed
    my clutch pedal also pulsates at low rpm

    anyone hear of right driveshaft or driveshaft bearing problems?
    what about transmission problems(this tranny has no lift mechanism on shifter for reverse)?
    any clutch solutions?
  • jazvanjazvan Member Posts: 106
    Of course, you already know that your 36/36 bumper to bumper warranty is still in effect so
    fortunately this shouldn't be costing you anything (assuming you are in the US). There is a TSB on some clutch noises, not sure if that is the problem but you can check back a few messages on how to do search for TSB's and search for tranny stuff while you are at it.

    -Jaz
  • jazvanjazvan Member Posts: 106
    Dave,

    I'm curious if you have figured out what the noise is. I should mention that I do have a slight resonance at highway speeds which I know is an intake resonance, it's pretty faint and maybe unique to the Duratec intake. It takes a sensitive ear to pick it up and is less pronounced then the intake resonance on the newer Voyager 3.8 for example. Also, there is no sound deadening material under the hood of the Focus unlike in many bigger cars. FWIW.

    -Jaz
  • antique1948antique1948 Member Posts: 1
    I have a ford focus wagon 2002
    The AC suddely stopped
    My mechanic tested the relays & fuses and they are fine
    It blows just doesn't cool
    He cannot find the "low pressure service board" to test for leak
    Does anyone know where that is on the 2002 wagon?
  • kzackzac Member Posts: 1
    I purchased a used 2001 Focus Wagon and My fuel Mileage is up and down. I am now getting about 19 - 20 MPG, however I have gotten as much as 30 MPG in while living in the same area.
    I have changed the plugs and filters but it has not had an effect on the fuel mileage.
  • brandonkbrandonk Member Posts: 1
    I'm having a similar issue. I just purchased a 2002 wagon se. My prior fill up I got about 350 miles to the tank, this time I'm looking at getting around 250. Any ideas? I'm doing the exact same driving that I did on my previous tank. A lot of freeway driving. Has anyone given you any advice?

    Thanks
  • wagonmanwagonman Member Posts: 2
    I am not struggling with my gas mileage. i have a 03 focus wagon with spi engine and a 5 speed i do mixed city highway driving . my average mileage for the last three tanks of gas was 31.8 mpg based on an american gallon. i am usually very careful about my driving habits -no warm up time- easy acceleration at lower rpm-
    before e you buy any vehicle look up the fuel specs for each engine and tranny available and you shouldn't be in for any surprises
  • jazvanjazvan Member Posts: 106
    I have the official Ford Focus pdf file for troubleshooting air conditioning. It's too big to post here, let me know if there is some way I can EMAIL it or post it some how. There are a number of electrical possibilities that can be troubleshooted (troubleshot?). I don't know what the low pressure service board is.

    You can also buy the applicable Ford Service DVD on Ebay for about $50.00. My source for the pdf file is from the DVD.

    -Jaz.
  • orbothorboth Member Posts: 1
    Where can I find some cross bars for my 2005 focus wagon?
  • phineganphinegan Member Posts: 2
    Dealer item only, as far as my research shows.
    Best price I found was on cheapfordparts.com
  • kl_smithkl_smith Member Posts: 8
    I just purchased a new 2005 Focus Wagon SES. Now that winter is coming, I'd like to put snow tires on the car, but never having had a FWD car before, I'm not sure if I need them just on the front, or all around. Comments?

    Also, what brand of snow tires do you suggest?

    TIA

    Ken
  • nortsr1nortsr1 Member Posts: 1,060
    A good place to post this question woulsd be ovewr at the Tires forum and ask Connor at Tire rack.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Yep... here's a link to the Tires, tires, tires discussion.
  • kl_smithkl_smith Member Posts: 8
    Thanks very much!
  • willcut52willcut52 Member Posts: 3
    I bought a used wagon last April. Great car. Great mileage. Mileage began to drop to 25 mpg, then had problems where engine was dying out. Took the car to dealer and found recall on FDM (fuel destribution module). Recall required replacement and now I am back to the original 32 mpg I was getting. You may also want to have the computor check out.
  • willcut52willcut52 Member Posts: 3
    low pressure service board? or low pressure service port where you hook up to add refrigerant. the port valve is much like a inner tube air valve and may develop leaks over time. I think it is called a "schroeder valve". anyway compressor should shut down on low pressure if the refrigerant has leaked out and it will not work or cool at all.
  • willcut52willcut52 Member Posts: 3
    As you look at the firewall at the passenger corner there is a 2.5"diameter black cannister with a stem coming off of it that has a green screw on cap. This is the evaporator service port you are looking for.
  • jazvanjazvan Member Posts: 106
    Wilcut52. Thanks for the positive contributions. This is what we need and what I think this forum should be all about - issues and answers. Every car has issues and the more popular it is the more problems crop up. I think it's a great car and the wagon is an exceptional design. As a reminder that no car is perfect I may note that I rented an 05 Toyota Corolla for a week recently and really thought it was subpar in many ways - for example the steering wheel was crooked! - not quite perpendicular to the driver and the crusie control layout is not as logical as the Ford unit. Careful, put your wipers on and you may be accidentally hitting the wrong stalk and increasing your speed! :confuse: Steering feel was not nearly as tight as the Focus. BTW they used the same Focus rack and pinion steering unit in the FordGT ($200K). What I'm saying is I like the german Ford design details. It was afterall the most popular car in the world for many years.

    Jaz
  • noradionoradio Member Posts: 2
    I have had my 2005 Wagon since May. The radio in the car killed my battery. It was a faulty radio. That was 6 weeks ago and i still do not have a radio in the car. Also my Wagon came with out a dip stick. Is this standard practice for Ford now..... had to pay $45 to get a new one. I enjoy the car but would enjoy it more with a radio. It will be replaced by warranty but 6 weeks and still waiting. :sick: Hope the issues i have had are only with this car and not standard for Focus Wagons.
  • rdyrdy Member Posts: 36
    Looking for a stick shift - Ford tells me there are no SES sticks in Oregon and WA - period.
    Seems curious...as stick is standard on both trim levels.
    What will I be giving up going with SE over SES ? Doesn't seems like much.
    Thanks
    rdy
  • jazvanjazvan Member Posts: 106
    You can actually check inventory yourself if you have a good internet connection and a little time. THere is a Ford Direct site, you plug in 2005 or 2006 Focus and then a zip code and it shows all inventory within a certain radius. I found the Seatlle and Portland areas had 5-speed wagon inventory when I was checking earlier this year, but it is always changing.
    Let me know if you need the site address and I'll get it. IMO the stick is worth looking for.
    It gets better MPG in the real world and it accelerates better.

    Jaz
  • jazvanjazvan Member Posts: 106
    That site is forddirect.com. I took a quick look and saw (5) 5-speed SE's at 2 dealers in the Seatle area. Typically 5-speeds will be SE. SES will be rare as you are finding. . The dealer of course can do a search much quicker then we can so they are probably correct that there are no SES in OR or WA. Anyway, looks like the difference between SE and SES is not that much. I might sugest take a look and see if upholstery level is different.

    -Jaz
  • rdyrdy Member Posts: 36
    Thanks for replies.
    I did check FordDirect.com. There are several local SES AT's available.
    The SE has no cruise control, tachometer, fog lamps, on -steering wheel controls, tilt steering etc - So its quite a difference. A local dealer told me there was 1 stick SES in CA.
    So I think I'll pass.

    rdy
  • pinehollowgalpinehollowgal Member Posts: 1
    We have a 2005 Focus wagon. Installed an after market locking gas cap. After about 100 miles the Check Fuel Cap light went on. We've tighten, loosened, and light won't go out. Put old cap back on and Light still comes on. Owners manual says if you drive with light on too long the Check Engine light will come on. If it does can we drive with that on forever or do we need to get something changed? If so, what? Thanks for any help.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,256
    by installing an aftermarket gas cap, you probably cheesed off the obdII. since you reinstalled the original gas cap, wait a couple of days. the light may go out. after that you migh try disconnecting the battery for a while.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • vera5vera5 Member Posts: 3
    I havea 2003 wagon and about a month ago idling seemed out of wack.I went away for 10 days and on return my aircon is not working at all. Did you have similar idling difficulties?
  • rapidrickrapidrick Member Posts: 70
    Sorry about posting without having to b***h about something (like no dipstick on a new car and then paying for one--spare us, plz...) so here goes. My wagon gets ~ 22 mpg putting around and ~30 on the highway. Beats 12 mpg. It has the fat tires, which were great on the snow/ice up in North Dakota (Pirellis). They wore out before 20K and I got a great deal on some Falkens. Pirelli: great handling tire, but you won't get 20k out of them (unless you don't mind driving around with cupped tires or the wear bars showing). And I drive mellow. Seats are great for long drives, and I've done several--got about 22k on it now. AC works like a champ, as does the heat. Yes, the leather and heated seats were great up in NoDak. I got it fully loaded (less sunroof) for $16k back in '03. Nice looking wagon, cool wheels, handles like my old GTI and is zero maintenance. Sorry about you folks who have bad cars--I've never owned a bad car, even when I owned a POS Vauxhall in England. Luck? I think not. Karma. Feel the love. Enjoy your Focus and quitchabichin--just drive, baby. :shades:
  • esattesatt Member Posts: 1
    Hi

    Read this;
    http://www.adac.de/Auto_Motorrad/pannen_und_maengel/pannenstatistik_2004/untere_Mittelklas- se/default.asp?ComponentID=113326&SourcePageID=113507%230

    Ford Focus second after one Mercedes type!! Even Toyota is behind. Toyota has been years at the 1. place.
    Read also how the statistics are collected (german). As far as I know only those faults that leave your car on road are calculated.

    ADAC = private German Road Service

    Esa
  • noradionoradio Member Posts: 2
    This is a site to list issues. I don't consider mine B****In as you put it. If you are accustomed to purchasing new vehicles with missing parts good for you. I am not. And to buy a new car and have no radio in it for going on two months is not my idea of service either. You are lucky you have no issues.... and have never had issues. If we were all so lucky we wouldn't need web sites like this one to discuss them.
  • jazvanjazvan Member Posts: 106
    Rapidrick: Agreed 100%. Nothing compares for utility in a small package. Steering is the most precise of anything I have ever driven and handling and ride quality are excellent. Also max 36mpg. The Toyota Corolla I recently drove was relatively junky IMO and that was not a wagon.

    Esatt: I am not too surprised. Focus won about every award possible in Europe and is very highly regarded there.
    I have heard said it is considered above VW and below BMW.

    Noradio: Sorry for the bad luck and the absent quality control, but at least they are easy fixes. This is a warranty/dealer issue and there are some bad dealers. I would suggest dealing with regional Ford rep if the dealer is dragging. If there is still a problem, fill out a small claims form and take it in to the delaer, 99% of the time they will get serious when they see you are ready for action. Sorry you have to go through this hassle for such obvious omissions.

    -Jaz
  • darling1darling1 Member Posts: 1
    Hello, need some help, looked through the manual and on the net and apparently there is supposed to be a plastic thumbscrew to release the casing for the rear tail lights....I cannot find it in my vehicle. When I open the hatch I have 2 screws holding the casing. I took the screws out but the casing is still held by something..HELP Please. Thanks D
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    Focus won about every award possible in Europe...

    Okay, but isn't the european Focus different from the US version?
  • jazvanjazvan Member Posts: 106
    They are very close. Having seem both they are visually almost indistinguishable to a layman. Emblems and turn signal details are different. Euro models have availability of sub 2.0 liter engines and diesels and the springs and shocks are a little higher rate. INteriors and option packages are somewhat different. But Euro never had the 2.3. IN the current year model though the Euro Focus is totally redone and only the US hangs on to the old design. TTBOMK

    -Jaz
  • bent1bent1 Member Posts: 1
    Gotta agree with you about the value of the Focus Wagon, bought a 04 with all the bells and whistles for a work vehicle to replace a Astrovan that was stolen.

    First thing I did was replace the springs with shorter and stiffer ones from H&R which made the "Souris Gris" (grey mouse) handle like they do in Europe.

    Then I replaced the speakers with Boston Pros including the separate tweeters. replaced the airfilter with a K&N free flo one and reducted the cool air intake, synthetic oil, jumpered the lights so I can use the foglights on hi beam.

    Now I got tunes and handling.

    Not a problem that was not handled under warranty, seat heater drivers side and an O2 sensor R/R last week.

    Thats it, get in and go.

    Better than my Mini Cooper S and not as quiet as my BMW 7 series :)
  • hokusfocushokusfocus Member Posts: 6
    I replaced my rear brake light a few months ago. After taking out the 2 screws that hold the casing, it was just a matter of using gentle force to remove it. There is some kind of a small latch somewhere on it, but it came right off.
  • hokusfocushokusfocus Member Posts: 6
    Anyone know at what mileage Ford recommends timing belt replacement for the z-tek?
    Thanks
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