2001 Ford Focus Fuel System

FAILURE OF FUEL PUMP CAUSED VEHICLE TO STALL AND DIE IN THE MIDDLE OF A STREET WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HAVE TO BE TOWED IN FOR REPAIRS. FORD PAID TO REPLACE THE PUMP BUT REFUSED TO PAY TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FILTER OR REIMBURSE TOWING EXPENSES. FUEL FILTER PROBLEM IS DOCUMENTED ON A SO-CALLED RECALL NOTICE NO. 03N01, BUT FORD IS ADVISING DEALERS TO REPLACE PART ONLY IF IT FAILS AND WILL NOT STAND BY IT'S CONSUMERS FOR FULL REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH DEFECTIVE PART.

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER NHTSA: #03V482000 CONCERNING FUEL DELIVERY PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL INDICATING THERE WAS NOT RECALL AT THIS MOMENT. THE CONSUMER WAS ASKED TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH WOULD COST $90.00. *NM

VEHICLE SLUGGISH WHEN GAS PEDAL PUSHED, FINALLY STALLED OUT AND WOULDN'T START FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. WHEN STARTED ONLY RAN FOR A MOMENT THEN STALLED AGAIN. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER WHERE FUEL PUMP AND FILTER WERE REPLACED.

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE STALLED. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER. THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN. AT THIS TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FUEL PUMP. *AK *JB *NM

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED AND THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE VEHICLE IS NOW ON IT'S THIRD FUEL PUMP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

RECALL 03V482000 CONCERNING STALLING. DEALER INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER THAT RECALL REPAIRS WILL ONLY BE DONE WHEN THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE RECALLED PART.*AK

RECAL 03V482000 SUBJECT: CONCERNING STALLING. DEALER INDICATED TO CONSUMER THAT RECALL REPAIRS WILL ONLY BE DONE WHEN THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE RECALLED PART.*AK

WHEN AT A STOP THE FUEL TANK STARTED TO LEAK. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND HAD TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER AND HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP INFORM THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS PERTAINING TO THE FUEL LINE. THE DEALERSHIPS MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *NM

I HAVE HAD 3 FUEL PUMPS INSTALLED IN 5 WEEKS. THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A RECALL PROBLEM - THIS IS A DEFECTIVE COMPONENT. HOW DO I DOCUMENT THIS FOR THE LEMON LAW IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. *AK

UPON ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. FUEL HAD LEAKED OUT THE FUEL TANK. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A LEAK IN THE FUEL LINE, AND SERVICED THE VEHICLE. THE LEAK RECURRED WITHIN 3 WEEKS OF THE REPAIR.*AK

UPON ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. FUEL LEAKED OUT THE FUEL TANK. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A LEAK IN THE FUEL LINE, AND SERVICED THE VEHICLE. THE LEAK RECURRED WITHIN 3 WEEKS OF THE REPAIR.*AK

CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION ENGINE STALLED. TECHNICIAN SERVICE D VEHICLE, AND NOTICED THAT FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK WHILE STOPPED AT A GAS STATION CONSUMERS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND GAS LIGHT CAME ON CONSUMER TURNED CAR OFF AND BACK ON GAS NEEDLE FELL TO EMPTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS PART FAILED PREMATURELY. *TS *NLM

AT 75 MPH IN INTERSTATE TRAFFIC, VEHICLE ENGINE MISSED THEN LOST POWER. ENGINE WOULD NOT RISE ABOVE 1000 RPM. NARROWLY AVOIDED COLLISION IN MERGING OUT OF TRAFFIC. ENGINE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 1500 RPM, EVENTUALLY STALLED. AFTER 15 MINUTES, RESTARTED AND OPERATED NORMALLY FOR 5 MINUTES BEFORE STALLING AGAIN.*AK

2001 FORD FOCUS, HAD TO REPLACE FUEL PUMP (THE CAR JUST DIED) WITH A LITTLE OVER 40,000 MILES ON CAR; TOLD AT THE TIME THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED AND WAS NOT A RECALL ISSUE; WENT ON LINE AND DID A SEARCH FOR "PROBLEMS WITH FORD FOCUS"; FOUND SEVERAL SIMILAR COMPLAINTS; HAD FUEL PUMP REPLACED AT MY OWN EXPENSE AT PACIFIC COAST FORD IN FEDERAL WAY, WA; ALSO, BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS SQUEAKED. *LA

FUEL PUMP FAILURE AT 22,000 MILES. DEALER REFUSED REFUND DUE ON EXTENDED FUEL SYSTEM WARRANTY STATING THAT THE WARRANTY COVERED THE FUEL TANK ONLY. *LA

I HAVE A 2001 FORD FOCUS ZX3. AROUND APPROXIMATELY 36,000 MILES I STARTED NOTICING THE ENGINE MISSING. SHORTLY AFTER WHEN THE GAS TANK WOULD BE 1/4 FULL AND BELOW THE CAR WOULD EXPERIENCE WHAT FELT LIKE FUEL STARVATION, FREQUENTLY IN COORDINATION WITH A SHARP TURN. THE CAR WOULD SPIT AND SPUTTER FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN IT WOULD CLEAR UP AND BE FINE. THIS USUALLY OCCURRED WHEN ACCELERATING ON AN INTERSTATE ON RAMP AND WAS (AND STILL IS) POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. THE SEVERITY AND FREQUENCY OF THE CAR STALLING GRADUALLY BECAME WORSE OVER A FEW MONTHS TIME. NOW THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 46,000 MILES ON IT. ON NOVEMBER 9, 2003 WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH WITH 1/2 TANK OF GAS THE CAR STARTED GOING THROUGH FUEL STARVATION. IT LAST A FEW SECONDS AND THEN CLEARED UP. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. BEFORE THE LAST INCIDENT, I THOUGHT THAT IF I MADE SURE THE GAS TANK WAS NOT LOW THE CAR WOULD BE OKAY. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THIS INCIDENT AFTER THE LAST INCIDENT. I SEARCHED THE NHTSA SITE AND FOCALJET. I SAW THAT MANY PEOPLE WERE SUFFERING THIS PROBLEM AND LEARNED WHAT THE PROBABLE CAUSE WAS. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS THE LINING OF THE GAS TANK COMING LOOSE AND KEEPING THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE FROM TAKING UP AS MUCH GAS AS THE CAR NEEDS TO KEEP RUNNING. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP ON NOVEMBER 11, 2003. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME HE HAD HEARD OF THE PROBLEM, BUT HAD NEVER HAD A CUSTOMER THAT HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT. I AM TAKING THE CAR IN ON NOVEMBER 18, 2003 TO GET REPAIRED. TO BE CLEAR, THE CAR HAS NOT TOTALLY STALLED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. IT ACTS LIKE IT IS GOING TO DIE AND THE RPMS GO DOWN. PUSHING IN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DOES NOT MAKE THE RPMS GO UP. THE CAR RUNS VERY ROUGH FOR SEVERAL SECONDS (SPITTING AND SPUTTERING IS HOW I DESCRIBE IT) AND THEN CLEARS OUT. *LA

SIX MONTHS AGO I HAD MY 2001 FORD FOCUS IN THE SHOP. THE COMPLAINT WAS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND I WAS HAVING TROUBLE STARTING MY CAR. IT WAS LIKE THE CAR HAD RUN OUT OF GAS AND IT WOULDN'T START TILL YOU FILLED IT UP. I COULDN'T LET MY GAS GO BELOW 1/4 OF A TANK. THE CAR DEALERSHIP HADN'T FOUND ANY PROBLEMS AT THE TIME BUT OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS IT KEPT GETTING WORSE. EVENTUALLY YOU HAD TO HAVE AT LEAST 1/2 A TANK OF GAS IN ORDER TO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM STARTING IT AND IT BEGAN SPUTTERING AND BOGGING OUT. EVENTUALLY IT GOT TO THE POINT THAT EVEN WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS THE CAR WOULD NOT RUN RIGHT MEANING IT BOGGED OUT AND JERKED AND SPUTTER EVERYTIME YOU PUSHED THE GAS TO GO UP HILLS OR WHEN YOU FIRST PULLED OUT SOMEWHERE. IT FINALLY LET ME SITTING IN PITTSBURGH GOING THROUGH OAKLAND I STARTED TO PULL OUT FROM A STOP LIGHT AND WHEN YOU GAVE IT GAS IT JUST MADE ALL THESE FUNNY SOUNDS AND IT TRIED TO MOVE BUT WOULDN'T THEN SHUT OFF RIGHT THERE IN TRAFFIC. I HAD IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT THE FUEL PUMP WENT BAD AND IN MY HOME TOWN THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE THE PART IN STOCK ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY HAVE CHANGED SO MANY OF THEM IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH VEHICLE SPUTTERED AND STALLED. IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES TO START AGAIN. *AK

FUEL PUMP FAILED AGAIN AT 78,501. THIS TIME CAR QUIT AND WHILE I WAS TRYING TO RESTART IT FUEL STARTED POURING OUT OF THE REAR OF THE CAR. LUCKILY A NICE LADY RAN OVER TO MY CAR AND ALERTED ME. CAR WAS TOWED TO SAME FORD DEALER THAT HAD REPLACED THE PUMP 8 MONTHS PRIOR. FUEL PUMP FAILED AGAIN ACCORDING TO THE DEALER. THIS TIME FORD OFFERED 100% OF REPAIR COSTS (MINUS THE TOW, OF COURSE). I COULD HAVE DIED AND TAKEN MANY INNOCENT PEOPLE WITH ME IF THAT CAR HAD EXPLODED. MY 2 YEAR OLD SON RIDES IN THIS CAR WITH ME EVERY DAY...I'D LIKE TO SEE HIM GROW UP. LET'S MAKE FORD COME UP WITH A PERMANENT SOLUTION THAT WE ALL CAN "LIVE" WITH. *LA

I HAD JUST FINISHED FUELING UP THE CAR AND PULLED AWAY FROM THE PUMP WHEN THE CAR DIED IN THE GAS STATIONS ENTRANCE. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A FORD DEALER WHO STATED THE FUEL PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CAR HAD 53,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME AND FORD ONLY AGREED TO PAY FOR 1/2 THE COST OF THE REPAIR. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER COME CLOSE TO GETTING THE GAS MILEAGE THAT FORD SAYS IT SHOULD. MY V6 HONDA ACCORD GETS BETTER GAS MILEAGE THAN THIS 4 CYLINDER FOCUS? *LA

OUR CAR CURRENTLY HAS 40,000 AND THE FUEL PUMP HAS GONE OUT. THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR WAS THE FUEL GAUGE WAS NOT REPORTING THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL AND AT TIMES THE CAR WOULD NOT GO FORWARD WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PUSHED. MY WIFE ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE.*JB

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE STALLED.*AK THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO EVALUATE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE VEHICLE STARTED AFTER BEING TOWED. ALL THREE INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHEN THE GAS TANK WAS 1/4 FULL OR LESS. ALL THREE INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE SAT OVERNIGHT AND WAS STARTED IN THE MORNING. *PH *JB

FUEL PUMP FAILED ON 2001 FORD FOCUS Z AFTER ONLY 48000 MILES. STRANDED IN DESERT NEAR BARSTOW CALIFORNIA. THIS IS A KNOIWN AND COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FOCUS.*AK

GAS TANK LEAKS WHILE DRIVING. *AK

FUEL SYSTEM,GASOLINE: DELIVERY PROBLEM. *AK