2004 Ford Focus SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE BRAKE SHOE MATERIAL SEPARATING FROM THE SHOE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE WHEEL LOCKING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. UPDATED 1/26/09 *CN UPDATED 01/26/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE TIRES WOBBLED AND FLAMES ERUPTED FROM THE REAR TIRES. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE TIRE BEARING. THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. RECENTLY, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED AN IDENTICAL FAILURE. THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND SMOKE ERUPTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.

ONE MONTH AGO I NEEDED TO HAVE BRAKES REPLACED, AND ASSUMED THAT BECAUSE THE LIGHT CAME ON THIS WAS AN INDICATOR. AFTER BRAKES WERE REPLACED, BRAKE FLUID WAS STILL DISAPPEARING. I ALSO FOUND A DRIP ON MY PEDAL FROM SOMEWHERE UNDER THE DASH, AFTER MY FOOT SLIPPED ON THE CLUTCH FROM SLICK BRAKE FLUID, AND NEARLY WRECKED MY CAR ON I-70 WHEN I NEEDED TO SHIFT INTO A LOWER GEAR AFTER MY FOOT SLID RIGHT OFF THE PEDAL. TURNS OUT THE MASTER CYLINDER IS LEAKING. MY CAR IS ONLY 3.5 YEARS OLD, AND ONLY HAS 41,000 MILES ON IT TOTAL. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO MECHANIC, IT IS A FORD MANUFACTURED ONLY PART, AND WITH PARTS AND LABOR IS COSTING ME $450+ TO REPAIR THIS ON A RELATIVELY NEW CAR NOT EVEN PAID FOR YET. STILL NOT A SAFE SITUATION WHEN YOU CAN'T KEEP YOUR FOOT ON THE PEDAL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES BEGAN TO SQUEAK. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS NEEDING NEW FRONT ROTORS AND MADE THE REPAIR. ONE MONTH LATER, THE BRAKES BEGAN SQUEAKING AGAIN. A PIECE OF THE FRONT ROTOR FELL OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS AGAIN. THE POWERTRAIN, PURCHASE DATE, AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 23,400 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT FULLY STOP. MY CAR ENTERED INTERSECTION AND WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MY CAR. *NM

I HAD MY CAR IN THE GARAGE FOR A FUEL PROBLEM WHICH WAS SOLVED BY A COMPUTER UPDATE AND WHILE IT WAS THERE, I HAD THE DEALER DO AN OIL CHANGE. FOR SOME REASON THEY CHECKED THE BRAKES AND FOUND THAT MY LEFT FRONT BRAKES WHERE GONE. THEY REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS AND PADS AND I TOLD THEM TO PUT THE OLD PARTS IN MY CAR. UPON MY OWN INSPECTION OF THE OLD PARTS, 3 OF THE PADS STILL HAD ABOUT 1/4 INCH OF PAD LEFT WHILE THE INNER DRIVER SIDE PAD HAD NOTHING LEFT TO IT. THE DRIVER SIDE ROTOR ALSO HAD SIGNIFICANT WEAR TO IT WHILE THE PASSENGER SIDE STILL LOOKED AND FELT FINE. *NM

AT 15,000 MILE I REPLACED MY REAR BRAKE SHOES AND THEN TWO DAYS AFTER THAT THEY STARTED TO SQUEAL VERY BADLY LIKE THEY WHERE WORN OUT AGAIN. I RETURNED TO THE FORD DEALER IN WHICH I PURCHASED THE CAR AND WHO HAD REPLACED THE BRAKES THEY REAPPLIED LUBE TO THE SHOES AND DRUM. THAT WORKED FOR THREE DAYS AND NOW ONCE AGAIN THEY SQUEAL AGAIN. I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKES AGAIN AT 25,000 MILES AND THEY STILL SQUEAL AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT TO DO. BOTH TIMES THE BRAKES WHERE REPLACED THEY WERE DONE AT A FORD DEALERSHIP. I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO MAYBE PURCHASED NEW DRUMS EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CURRENT ONES BUT I DON'T SEE THE NEED TO DO SUCH A THING ON A CAR THAT IS BARELY 2 YEARS OLD. PLEASE HELP. *NM

DT: CONSUMER EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE WITH HIS 2004 FORD FOCUS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE LOCALLY, BUT THEY WERE TRYING TO LOCATE IT NATIONALLY. THE BRAKES MADE A RACKET, THERE WAS A WEIGHT THAT ADJUSTED THE COUNTERWEIGHT, AND NEEDED OTHER PARTS REPLACED AS WELL, BUT THEY HAVE TO WAIT ON THE WEIGHT TO COME IN BEFORE THE WORK COULD BE DONE. THEY STATED THAT THERE WERE SIX OTHER DEALERS THAT HAVE ORDERED THE PART, AND IT WAS SENT OUT IN THE ORDER THAT IT WAS REQUESTED. CONSUMER STATED THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR APPROXIMATELY A MONTH AND A HALF TO TWO MONTHS. WHEN ON VACATION HE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR A SQUEAKING NOISE, AND THEY RESURFACED THE BRAKES, WHICH ELIMINATED THE SQUEAKING NOISE. BY THE TIME THEY RETURNED FROM THE TRIP, APPROXIMATELY 1100 MILES, THE SQUEAKING NOISE CAME BACK, AND THE RACKET STARTED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED BEFORE GOING ON THE TRIP, AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS OKAY TO DRIVE.*AK

ABOUT 1 MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT MY CAR THE BRAKES STARTED TO SQUEAK EVERY TIME I WOULD APPLY THEY BRAKES. IT HAS CONTINUTED TO DO SO UP UNTIL EVEN THIS MORNING. THE ROTORS NOW HAVE GROOVES IN THEM ,AND THE BRAKE PADS STILL HAVE WELL OVER 50% OF THE PAD REMAINING. SO FAR NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE OTHER THAN TO SAY "IT MUST BE MOISTURE."*AK

WHEN BRAKING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM BRAKE ROTORS/PADS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. WHEN TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR SERVICE THE FRONT LEFT BRAKE PAD WORE OUT FASTER THAN ALL OTHER THREE. THE CAUSE OF WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK

BRAKES FAILED ON OUR 2004 FORD FOCUS ZX5 4 DOOR HATCHBACK AS MY WIFE WENT TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN LEAVING OUR DEVELOPMENT AND WAS BROADSIDED BY A TRUCK. THIS RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE AND INJURIES SUSTAINED TO MY WIFE. POLICE AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL WERE ON THE SCENE. SHE WAS TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL.

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY WITH OUT WARNING. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE DRIVER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE AND HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL CONSUMER HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR AND THE VEHICLE JERKED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AN D MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON OCTOBER 7, 2004 TO HAVE THE REAR BRAKES REPLACED. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE REPLACEMENT OF THE REAR BRAKES WOULD MAKE THE NOISE SUBSIDE. AS OF NOVEMBER 5, 2004 THE VEHICLE STILL MAKES NOISE. *NM

THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 6 TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR. THEY GO OUT EVERY 3 TO 4,000 MILES. I HIT A TREE WITH THE SIDE OF MY CAR BECAUSE I HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL AT ON POINT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE CAR GIVES NO WARNING WITH THE BRAKES. I TALKED TO FORD ABOUT WHO WAS GOING TO BE LIABLE IF I WRECKED AND SOMEBODY GOT HURT. THEY SAY IT MY PROBLEM. I'M NOT GETTING ANYWHERE WITH THE DEALERSHIP. THEY JUST TELL ME I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE. I FEEL MY CAR IS VERY UNSAFE ON THE ROAD. I ALSO HAVE A 4YEAR OLD THAT I WON'T DARE PUT IN THE CAR. JUST FOR THE FACT THAT THERE MAY NO BRAKES WHEN I STOP. O DO ADMIT IN THE FIRST 6,000 MILES I USED IT FOR BUSINESS. THEY STATED MY JOB WAS THE CAUSE OF IT. BUT I NO LONGER USE THIS CAR FOR MY BUSINESS. AND EVERYTIME I CALL THE FORD HOTLINE ABOUT MY CAR'S BRAKE PROBLEM. THEY JUST ALSO BLAME IT ON MY JOB. I TOLD THEM I NO LONGER DO THE JOB IN THIS CAR. THEY JUST ASSUME I DO. I DO USE MY CAR FOR ERRANDS AND JUST DRIVING AROUND. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKES FAILED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

VEHICLE IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. DRIVER HAS TO PUMP THE BRAKES AND JAM THE BRAKES TO THE FLOOR THEN THE VEHICLE WILL STOP. THE BRAKE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTANT. OWNER SAYS THAT AN ENGINEER FROM THE MANUFACTURER CAME TO TEST THE VEHICLE AND THE PROBLEM DID NOT DUPLICATE ITSELF. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.

I RENTED A FORD FOCUS 2004 WITH JUST UNDER 12,000 MILES IN SAN FRANCISCO FROM FOX RENT A CAR. THE BRAKES WERE MAKING NOISES WHEN I WOULD COME TO A STOP. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR DOWN LOMBARD STREET THE CAR SMELLED LIKE BURNING WIRES BUT AT THAT TIME I WAS NOT SURE IF THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM OUR CAR OR ANOTHER ACR. TWO DAYS LATER I DROVE ON THE HIGHWAY AND EXITED, DROVE ON THE SERVICE RAOD GOING NOW ABOUT 25MILES/ HOUR THEN AS I CAME TO THE OTHER CARS I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN TO A STOP TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN. I WAS PRESSING ON THE BRAKE BUT NOTHING WAS HAPPENING. I LOOKED DOWN TO SEE IF MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND IT WAS AND STILL THE CAR WAS NOT STOPPING. I THEN PUT MY FOOT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR ON THE BRAKE AND STILL NOTHING HAPPENED. I THEN GENTLY ROLLED INTO THE CAR INFRONT OF ME. FOX RENT A CAR STADED IT WAS MY FAULT BECAUSE IT IS IMPOSSABLE FOR A NEWER CAR TO HAVE BRAKE PROBLEMS. I THEN CONTACTED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO STATED "FORD HAS NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES." LATER I SEARCHED ON GOOGLE AND FOUND I WAS NOT ALONE. *JB

I BROUGHT CAR BRAND NEW FROM FORD IN MARCH 2004. SINCE THEN THE BRAKES, AND CALIPERS, ROTORS HAVE SQUEALED HORRIBLY. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE SHOP THREE TIMES HAD NUMEROUS PHONE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AND THE PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED. I FINALLY TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC OUTSIDE FORD WHO TOLD ME THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND GLAZED. THIS CAR IS ONLY3 MONTHS OLD. THEY ARE AT A .8 AND SHOULD BE 1 INCH. THE FRONT BRAKES HAVE NVER BEEN REPLACED. I HAVE CHILDREN THAT RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE WITH ME.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEED, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHEN BRAKES ARE BEING DEPRESS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SWAY TO THE LEFT FLOWING A LOUD NOISE. DEALERSHIP SERVICE VEHICLE AND REPLACE BRAKES PADS AND ROTORS. *LA

CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE AIR BAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD. CONSUMER HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE PRESSURE IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP.*AK