2001 Ford Focus Engine

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WHILE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS, WHICH HOLD THE ENGINE IN PLACE, NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SHE WAS INSTRUCTED TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY FOR REPAIR. WHEN SHE ARRIVED AT THE DEALER, SHE WAS INFORMED TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONTACT ARRIVED TO RETRIEVE THE VEHICLE TWO DAYS LATER, THE DEALER REFUSED TO PROVIDE PAPERWORK STATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. ONE WEEK LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND A LOUD RATTLING SOUND WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. SHE CALLED THE DEALER TO RETURN THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR, BUT THEY REFUSED TO TAKE HER CALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS WERE NEVER REPLACED AND WOULD COST $3,000. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,923 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

THERMOSTAT HOUSING HAS STARTED LEAKING COOLANT. THIS IS REPORTEDLY A COMMON FAILURE ON FOCUS WITH 2.0L DOHC ENGINE (ZETEC). THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING FAILURE MAY OR MAY NOT BE A CONNECTION TO THE VALVE COVER LEAKING OIL ONTO THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING AND HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH PRODUCES A FAINTLY NOTICEABLE BURNING SMELL WHEN DRIVING. *TR

NOTICED COOLANT LEAKING ONTO PAVEMENT FOR SEVERAL DAYS. FOR FEAR OF OVERHEATING TOOK IT INTO A PEP BOYS AS WAS CLOSEST REPAIR FACILITY. THEY FOUND THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING (PLASTIC I MIGHT ADD) WAS FAULTY AND WITH PARTS AND LABOR IT CAME TO $455 FOR THE JOB. THE NEAREST FORD DEALER SAID THEY WOULD NEED 2 DAYS TO EVEN LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. *TR

ON HOT DAYS AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP TO OPERATING TEMPERATURE AND IS RESTARTED IT GOES INTO A MODE WHERE IT CONSISTENTLY STALLS AT IDLE AND LOW RPM. IT HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND ONLY OCCURS SOME OF THE TIME. NETHER FORD OR INDEPENDENT MECHANICS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE AND FIX THE PROBLEM. INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED STALLING IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE MADE A STRANGE NOISE. THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 125,000.

THE VALVE COVER GASKET LEAKS PREMATURELY, WHICH CAUSES OIL TO DRIP ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE BURNING OIL CREATES FUMES. THE POORLY DESIGNED SEALS AROUND INTAKE AIR BOX ALLOW FUMES FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO ENTER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THESE TWO DESIGN FAILURES COMBINE WITH EACH OTHER TO EXPOSE PASSENGERS TO BURNING OIL FUMES. NOW, I HAVE TO REPLACE THE VALVE COVER GASKET TO AVOID EXPOSING MYSELF TO BURNING OIL FUMES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE HESITATES FOR SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE EVENTUALLY ACCELERATING. THE FAILURE OCCURS EVERYTIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY CRASHES DUE TO THE FAILURE AND HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD BEGIN TO STALL AND THEN SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STALL AND THEN REGAIN POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AROUND 30 TO 40 MPH AND WHEN SHE HIT OR TAP THE BRAKE THE CAR WOULD VIBRATE AND TRY TO CUT OFF. THE CAR DID CUT OFF AND WOULD NOT START . I TOWED THE CAR TO A SHOP AND FOUND THAT THE VALVE SEAT CAME LOOSE AND FELL ON THE PINIONS, THEREFORE, DESTROYING THE ENGINE. THE VALVE SEAT WAS TOTALLY GONE AND WENT THROUGH THE EXHAUST. FORD MECHANIC RECOMMENDED REPLACING WITH NEW MOTOR AND MANIFOLD PLENUM SINCE THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET ALL THE METAL FROM THE VALVE SEAT OUT OF THE PLENUM. I COULD GET A USED MOTOR BUT FOUND OTHER ON THE INTERNET THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, THEREFORE THE PROBLEM COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR

I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE THE DAY AFTER I PURCHASED THE 2001 FORD FOCUS THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD LOSS OF POWER. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED SOME PARTS AND ALSO HAD REPLACED A FEW RECALLED PARTS. THE ENGINE AT THAT TIME HAD 78,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR A YEAR AND A HALF IT CURRENTLY HAS 128,000 MILES ON IT NOW AND HAD TO REPLACE SERVERAL PARTS WHICH ARE OXYGEN SENSORS CATALYC CONVERTER, STRUTS, SHOCKS AND IDLE PULLEY. I GET MY OIL CHANGES AND TUNE UPS ON A REGULAR BASIS. ONE MORNING WENT TO START MY CAR TO GO TO WORK AND IT WOULD NOT START. IT WAS ACTING AS IF IT HAD RUN OUT OF GAS BUT I HAD OVER A HALF OF TANK OF GAS IN IT. AFTER TRYING TO START IT IT FINALLY STARTED AND WAS MAKING A HORRIBLE RATTLING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. IT RAN FOR ABOUT 15 SECONDS THEN DIED. I LEFT IT ALONE THEN CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE IT TO AN AUTOREPAIR SHOP AND HAD A DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE ON IT. I WAS TOLD THAT A BEARING HAD BROKE OFF AND HIT MY THIRD CYLINDER AND SMASHED MY SPARK PLUG. IT ALSO HIT THE PISTON AND THE PISTON WAS CRACKED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS AND I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD A CLUE THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. THE AUTO REPAIR PLACE SAID THE I WAS LUCKY THAT IT HAPPENED AT HOME AND NOT WHILE I WAS DRIVING BECAUSE IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS. I AM NOW HAVING TO GET A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE COSTING ME $3,300. WHICH I HAVE TO HAVE FINANCED. IS THERE ANY THING THAT I CAN DO?*CN

THERMOSTAT HOUSING IS LEAKING. FOUND INTERNAL SEAL WALL CRACKED/WASHED OUT ALLOWING LEAKAGE PAST SEAL RING. STEADY DRIP OF COOLANT FROM THERMOSTAT HOUSING EVEN AFTER REPLACING SEAL RING. FOUND MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF SAME PROBLEM IN DISCUSSION THREADS ON INTERNET. COOLANT PUDDLED UNDER CAR WHERE PETS CAN DRINK IT AND LOSS OF COOLANT CAUSING OVERHEATING. *TR

2001 FORD FOCUS. ORIGINAL OWNER. MAINTAINED. SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF CYLINDER. DEALER SUGGESTED MOST EXPENSIVE FIX - NEW CYLINDER HEAD AND SPARK PLUGS. NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. WILL INSTEAD JUST GET SPARK PLUGS RETHREADED AND TRADE IN CAR ASAP BEFORE ANY OTHER MAJOR ISSUES. CAR LOST POWER. WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND THEN MADE A RIGHT TURN. LOST POWER AND LOUD EXPLOSIVE NOISES RESULTED ON FREEWAY ACCESS ROAD. POLICE HAD TO COME OUT UNTIL TOW. DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

PUDDLE OF COOLANT ON DAILY BASIS. SLOW BUT CONTINUOUS LEAK. HAD TO HAVE THERMOSTAT HOUSING REPLACED. PART MADE OF PLASTIC RATHER THAN METAL. *JB

AT SEEMINGLY RANDOM TIME MY 2001 FORD FOCUS ZX3 STALLS. SO FAR THE STALL HAS ONLY HAPPENED WHEN AT A STOP, BUT SPUTTERING AND LOSS OF POWER RANDOMLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS HAS ME WORRIED ABOUT AN EMINENT STALL. I HAVE HAD THE FUEL FILTER CHANGED AS WELL AS THE EGR VALVE AND EGR PRESSURE FLOW SENSOR AND NOTHING HAS SOLVED THIS PROBLEM. *MN

I OWN A FORD FOCUS 2001,ZX3 FOR 59,000. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 6 TIMES NOW! 2 FOR A DPFE SENSOR OUT, 2 FOR EGR PRESSER VALVE. ALSO STARTED TO STALL,BUCK AND SURGE AT 35,000 MILES, AND FOUND OUT THE FDM HAD TO BE REPLACED. THAT LASTED FOR A SHORT TIME WHICH THE SYMPTOMS CAME BACK, AND THE FDM WAS REPLACED AGAIN. I HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH INCONVENIENCE AND THE LAST REPAIR WHICH WAS DPFE SENSOR WHICH FORD PICKED UP 50% OF COST BUT THIS CAR IS A LEMON! I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH WHEN THE KEY WOULD NO LONGER GO IN.NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON YET AGAIN AND I HAVE TO GO BACK TO BOB BAKER FORD. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SHE THEN NOTICED STEAM RISING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES LATER, SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE EGR VALVE CAUSED THE FAILURE AND THEY REPLACED THE VALVE AND THE HOSE ASSEMBLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DROVE ROUGHLY AFTER THE EGR REPLACEMENT. SHE RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ENGINE CAUSED THE FAILURE. AS OF SEPTEMBER 5, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPLACED THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 141,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD RATTLING NOISE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS OR PRIOR FAILURES. THE CONTACT DROVE APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE TO HER RESIDENCE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BOTTOM PISTON FAILED IN THE ENGINE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 93,000.

WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY THE CAR BEGAN TO SURGE AND LOOSE POWER. EVENTUALLY THE CAR STALLED COMPLETELY. THIS HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING IN NORMAL CONDITIONS AT ~65MPH. THE DATE GIVEN IS THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE. THIS SAME SITUATION OCCURRED ONCE BEFORE ~1 YEAR AGO UNDER THE EXACT SAME CONDITIONS. ENGINE SURGE HAS BEEN A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS NEW (~6 YEARS). *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 FORD FOCUS I JUST BOUGHT FROM AN INDEPENDENT DEALER AND 3 OR 4 DAYS LATER THE ENGINE STARTED STALLING OUT OF THE BLUE. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT UNTIL MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. I GOT IT TESTED AND IT SAID CYLINDER 2 MISFIRE. I GOT THE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES CHANGED AND IT DIDN'T DO IT ANYMORE. THEN A WEEK LATER IT STARTED DOING IT AGAIN. THIS TIME WITH MY WIFE DRIVING THE KIDS TO A DOCTOR APPT. EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE OK WITH THE CAR EXCEPT THE STALLING. WHEN I TURN THE AC ON THE STALLING SEEMS WORSE. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR 4 MONTHS AND HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING I CAN TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED. BUT, NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIGURE IT OUT. THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CLOSE CALLS WITH ACCIDENTS. *NM

CRACKED THERMOSTAT HOUSING. I RECENTLY NEEDED TO HAVE THE PLASTIC THERMOSTAT HOUSING REPLACED ON MY FOCUS, AS IT WAS CRACKED AND LEAKING. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING ON THE WEB AND FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER ENTRIES REGARDING THE PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT SEEN A RECALL OR ANY INFO REGARDING IF THERE IS A SYSTEMATIC FAILURE OF THE PART. I HAVE THE PART IF NEEDED FOR RESEARCH. *NM

2001 FORD FOCUS ENGINE STALLING. *JB

2001 FORD FOCUS - 23,000 MILES. ENGINE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO 4 DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND THE PROBLEM IS NOT LOCATED. *JB

JUST DRIVING TO THE BANK AND THE CAR STARTED TO SPUTTER AS IF IT WAS LOSING POWER WHEN I CAME TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT. I HAVE REPLACED THE AIR FILTER AND THE FUEL FILTER. I CHECKED ALL FUSES. WHEN BRAKING I HAVE TO HAVE ONE FOOT ON BRAKE AND OTHER ON GAS TO GIVE IT A LITTLE GAS SO IT DOESNT STALL. *NM

2001 FORD FOCUS Z3 COOLING LOW SPEED FAN SYSTEM RESISTOR FAILURE, HOT LEAD WIRE IN PLASTIC SHIELDING MELTED , INSULATION MELTED FROM SOCKET TO SOURCE SOCKET. CONTACTS OVERHEATED/MELTED, CIRCUIT'S FUSE DID NOT BLOW. HIGH SPEED FAN CONTINUES TO OPERATE WHEN AIR CONDITIONER IS TURNED ON. CAR OVERHEATS IN TRAFFIC BECAUSE LOW FAN MOTORS DO NOT COME ON, NEVER NOTICED PROBLEM AS AIR CONDITIONER USUALLY ON ALL THE TIME. HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR PAST 6 MONTHS. JUST NOW CHECKED RESISTOR AND FOUND BURNED WIRING. NO FIRE, NO INJURIES BUT GIVEN DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES COULD BE A FIRE PROBLEM. THE FUSE SHOULD HAVE PROTECTED THE CIRCUIT BUT HASN'T. *AK

CONSUMER STATES: STARTING TO HAVE ENGINE HESITATION,LOSS OF POWER, SOME SURGING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR A FEW DAYS. THE ENGINE SOUNDS ROUGHER BUT THERE IS NO KNOCKING. *NM