Ford Focus Complaints (2002)

971 consumer complaints on file.

#10265012April 12, 2009
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
I OWN A 2002 FORD FOCUS AND I SIMPLY PARKED MY CAR AT THE GROCERY STORE, LOCKED MY CAR, AND WHEN I CAME BACK I COULD NOT TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TO START THE CAR. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ITS HAPPEN WHERE I COMPLETELY FAILED TO TURN THE KEY. NOW MY CAR IS SITTING AT THE GROCERY STORE AND NOW I'M READING THAT I'M GOING TO POTENTIALLY PAY 200 TO 400 BUCKS TO GET THIS FIXED. THIS IS VERY, VERY UPSETTING. THANKS FORD FOR YOUR LOUSY IGNITION DESIGN. I'LL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10264290April 6, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FAULTY IGNITION CYLINDER LOCK, FAILS WITHOUT WARNING. I HAD IT REPLACED 12/15/07 AND IT IS NOW DEFECTIVE AGAIN ON 4/6/09. I HAD IT FIXED LAST TIME FOR $200, BUT IT CAN COST UP TO $400. HOW THIS ISN'T A SAFETY ISSUE IS BEYOND ME. THEN AGAIN THE PINTO'S EXPLODING GAS TANK WASN'T DEEMED A "SAFETY ISSUE" BY FORD, EITHER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10263832April 1, 2009
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE STEERING WHEEL LOOSENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE STEERING BEGAN TO WANDER AND FAILED TO RESPOND NORMALLY. IMMEDIATELY, THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND INSPECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN CAUTIOUSLY TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY TIGHTENED THE ADJUSTMENT SCREW AND RE-TIGHTENED THE LOCK NUTS ON THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE MALFUNCTIONS. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10263602March 30, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2002 IGNITION LOCKS UP WITH KEY LEFT IN IT. THE FAILURE OCCURS EVERYTIME I DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I AM GOING TO HAVE TO HIRE A LOCKSMITH AND PAY OVER $400.00. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10262436March 19, 2009
SUSPENSION:FRONT
2002 FORD FOCUS ZX3 FRONT PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING FAILURE...TOP 7" OF SPRING SNAPPED OFF MAKING THE CAR DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. INCIDENT OCCURRED 1 BLOCK FROM HOUSE BUT NOT IMMEDIATELY INVESTIGATED UNTIL I FOUND BROKEN SPRING PIECE IN THE ROAD AFTER WORK. HIGHWAY TRAVEL TO AND FROM WORK COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A BAD CRASH DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. I PURCHASED REPLACEMENT PARTS (FORD SVT SUSPENSION KIT 397-M-3000-ZX3) AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE BECAUSE I DO NOT TRUST THE REMAINING UNBROKEN SUSPENSION PARTS. CAR HAS ONLY ABOUT 50000 MILES AND IS NOT ABUSED. FAILURE APPEARS TO BE DUE TO EXTENDED FATIGUE CRACK PROPAGATION INSTEAD OF AN ISOLATED CATASTROPHIC EVENT. THERE IS OLD RUST ON THE SPRING BREAK POINT SURFACE ALONG WITH FATIGUE CRACK STYRATIONS INDICATING A LONG FAILURE TIME. POSSIBLE CAUSE WOULD BE SUB-STANDARD MATERIAL OR HEAT TREATMENT. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE IN A VEHICLE OF THIS AGE AND MILEAGE. FORD WOULD HAVE HAD A HUGE LAWSUIT IF THIS FAILURE RESULTED IN MY INJURY OR DEATH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10262242March 18, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ON 3/12/09, WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 FORD FOCUS SE WAGON ON MAIN STREET (RI-3) IN ASHAWAY, RHODE ISLAND, AT ABOUT 35 MPH, HIT A SMALL BUMP WITH THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. A LOUD SCRAPING NOISE IMMEDIATELY ENSUED. WAS ABLE TO STOP WITHIN A FEW FEET. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT BOTH MOUNTING STUDS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE ENGINE MOUNT FOR THE TRANSVERSELY MOUNTED ENGINE HAD BROKEN OFF ALLOWING THE ENGINE TO DROP DOWN ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE DRIVE AXLE. THE CAR WAS FLATBED TOWED 5 MILES TO MY MECHANIC. HIS INSPECTION SHOWED THAT ONE OF THE STUDS HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR SOME TIME, WHILE THE SECOND SHOWED A FRESH BREAK. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF CORROSION, OR THAT THE STUDS HAD EVER BEEN REMOVED AND REPLACED. I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN THIS FAILURE OCCURS, BUT THE TOW OPERATOR AND BOTH MECHANICS AT THE SHOP HAD NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE THAT THE CAR BECOMES INOPERABLE WITHOUT CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE. THE RESULT AT HIGHWAY SPEED COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED BY REPLACING THE BROKEN STUDS WITH NEW FACTORY PARTS. I HAVE THE TWO BROKEN STUDS IN MY POSSESSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10261958March 16, 2009
POWER TRAIN
I OWN A 2002 FORD FOCUS WITH 54000 MILES ON IT AND JUST LAST WEEK HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN THE CAR ACELERATED TO 30 MPH IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO 3RD GEAR UNTIL YOU OUT MORE PRESSURE ON THE GAS. I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER AND THEY HAD IT FOR 1 1/2 DAYS AND CAME BACK WITH AN " I THINK IT'S A RING IN THE TRANSMISSION, BUT NOT FOR SURE" THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME OVER $400 TO TAKE THE TRANSMISSION OUT TO SEE IF IT'S THIS RING!! AND IF IT'S NOT THIS RING THEY THINK IT IS THEN I'M OUT $400+. I ALSO FOUND A WEBSITE ( CAR COMPLAINTS.COM) AND NOTICED THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY FOCUS OWNER WITH THIS PROBLEM. OTHER FOCUS OWNERS ON THIS WEBSITE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THEIR TRANSMISSION 2-3 TIMES BETWEEN 60,000-100,000 MILES BECAUSE FORD CONTINUES TO PUT THE SAME TRANSMISSION IN ALL THEIR FOCUS'. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY A RECALL HASN'T BEEN CALL OUT ON THIS CAR WITH SO MANY COMPLAINTS. THIS IS A VERY BIG ISSUE AND I THINK IT NEEDS ATTENTION BEING THAT SO MANY FOCUS OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10261592March 11, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE KEY DOES NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION SO THE CAR WON'T START. MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER DRIVES THIS VEHICLE WHICH CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF IT OCCURS IN AN REMOTE AREA ESPECIALLY ON A COLD DAY/NIGHT SUCH AS TONIGHT. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR IS IN OUR DRIVEWAY BUT IT WAS PURE LUCK THAT IT HAPPENED THERE INSTEAD OF SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT COULD HAVE LEFT HER STRANDED INDEFINITELY IN SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES OR IN A SECLUDED AREA. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10261330March 9, 2009
SUSPENSION:FRONT
LOUD SNAP FROM UNDER HOOD , FOLLOWED BY RUMBLING SOUND WHEN TURNED RIGHT OR LEFT. CAR WILL PULL IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS , RELATING TO THE LAST DIRECTION STEERED. THE CAR DOES SET LOWER NOW BUT IS NOT RUBBING . THE CAUSE IS A BROKEN RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING , AND POSSIBLY OTHER DAMAGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10261069March 8, 2009
SEAT BELTS
MY DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT SHREDDED. I HAD TO REPLACE IT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AND PURCHASE A NEW ONE FROM FORD. MY AUTO MECHANIC INSTALLED THE NEW SEAT BELT FOR ME. THE BELT NEEDED REPLACING, AS IT WAS CONTINUING TO SHRED (IN STRANDS) AND ONLY HAD ABOUT ONE-THIRD TO HALF OF ITS WIDTH REMAINING. THE LENGTH OF THE SHREDDING WAS APPROXIMATELY 12 TO 14 INCHES LONG. IT DEFINITELY POSED A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM LIKE THIS BEFORE, EVEN IN VERY OLD AUTOMOBILES THAT I OWNED. SEAT BELT MATERIAL FADING FROM SUNLIGHT, YES, SHREDDING, NEVER. MY AUTO MECHANIC AT MY REPAIR SHOP HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE EITHER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10261070March 8, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR MOUNTS TWICE IN APPROXIMATELY A 4 MONTH PERIOD DUE TO CRACKING AND COMPLETE BREAKING, A PARTIAL BREAK IN ONE AND GENERAL OVERALL WEAKENING. MY MECHANIC ONLY CHARGED ME THE FIRST TIME FOR THE MOUNTS AND INSTALLATION (THE SECOND TIME WAS A FREE REPLACEMENT--AS THE MOUNTS FAILED, AND AS IT CAME ONLY A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST REPLACEMENT). MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE FORD FOCUS VEHICLES DUE TO THE LACK OF STABILITY IN THE MOTOR MOUNT AREA. BASICALLY, HE SAID THAT THERE ISN'T MUCH STRUCTURAL SUPPORT FOR THE ENGINE AND THE MOTOR MOUNTS GET STRESSED AS A RESULT OF THE VIBRATIONS AND CONSTANT TENSION ON THEM. HE TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AT SOME POINT. I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT SOME TYPE OF JURY RIG DEVICE TO REINFORCE THE STABILITY OF THE AREA. DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259490February 20, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I OWN A 2002 FORD FOCUS AND MY IGNITION HAS LOCKED UP AND I HAVE TO LEAVE MY KEY IN THE IGNITION OR IT WILL LOCK UP. I AM PRESENTLY SEARCHING FOR A MECHANIC OR LOCKSMITH WHO CAN HELP IN FIXING THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257806February 7, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
UPON INSERTION OF THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILS TO ALLOW THE KEY TO TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT UNLOCK, IF IT IS LOCKED. "TAPPING" THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION WILL ALLOW THE CAR TO START AND THE STEERING WHEEL TO UNLOCK. CURSORY INTERNET SEARCHES REVEAL THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR OWNERS OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL. SOME OWNERS REPORT HAVING HAD THE SWITCH REPLACED 4 TO 5 TIMES AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE SAME RESULTS. THIS INDICATES THAT FORD HAS MADE NO EFFORT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, EVEN AT THE COST OF THE OWNER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257502February 4, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION AND SMELL OF BURNING FLUID. CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT BEYOND 2ND GEAR. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE 3RD AND 4TH GEARS WERE BURNT UP. REQ'D REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION AT COST OF $4,000. VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS 78K AND WELL MAINTAINED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256995January 30, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
FORD FOCUS 2002 WOULD NOT START THE IGNITION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256624January 28, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I PURCHASED A USED 2002 FORD FOCUS IN FL. WHILE DRIVING IT TO MY HOME IN TN, I EXPERIENCED STALLING AT HWY SPEEDS. I CHANGED THE FUEL FILTER AND CONTINUED ON MY TRIP. IT STALLED AGAIN AND WOULDN'T RESTART. I HAD IT TOWED TO A FORD DEALER THAT DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY. I REPLACED THEM BOTH. THE CAR STARTED AND I BEGAN MY TRAVEL BACK HOME. UPON MY RETURN HOME, WHEN I WOULD UTILIZE THE CAR, I WOULD EXPERIENCE STALLING UNDER VARYING CONDITIONS. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO COULD NOT FIND THAT PROBLEM, BUT DID REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT. TYPICALLY THE CAR WOULD RUN FOR SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE THE STALLING WOULD BEGIN. I COULD USUALLY ALLOW THE ENGINE TO COOL FOR APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MINUTES AND THE CAR WOULD START. I COULD DRIVE FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES BEFORE IT WOULD STALL AGAIN. MY LATEST EXPERIENCE HAPPENED AT HWY SPEEDS. AFTER 30 MINUTES OF TRAVEL THE CAR STALLED AND HAS NOT RESTARTED SINCE. I CONTACTED FORD WHO INFORMED ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THEIR "RECALL (S)" DUE TO WHERE IT WAS ASSEMBLED. I FIND IT VERY "COINCIDENTAL" THAT MY CAR IS EXPERIENCING THE EXACT PROBLEMS THAT THE "RECALLED" CARS EXPERIENCED. IS THERE A COURSE ON ACTION THAT I SHOULD TAKE? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256303January 25, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
REAR DOOR WONT LATCH RIGHT AND DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT WONT WORK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256075January 23, 2009
TIRES, TIRES:TREAD/BELT
COOPER COBRA RADIAL G/T - TREAD SEPARATION - ON ALL 4 TIRES. HAPPENED OVER A PERIOD OF 3 YEARS. ONE INCIDENT LEFT US STRANDED FOR 5 HOURS ON A BUSY HIGHWAY IN MARYLAND. DOT # U9V9 C28 0605 SIZE P195/60R15. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10254747January 12, 2009
WHEELS
SINCE 2003 I'VE HAD TO REPLACE NUMEROUS TIRES (5) AND ONE WHEEL HUB DUE TO GOING OVER ROUGH, BUT NOT USUALLY HAZARDOUS ROAD PROBLEMS, SUCH AS A SMALL/MEDIUM POTHOLE. MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP, YET AGAIN, HAVING A TIRE FIXED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10254019January 6, 2009
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
I HAVE A 2002 FOR FOCUS. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH A TOTAL OF 6 WINDOW REGULATORS. I KNOW THAT THIS IS PROBABLY NOT THE BIGGEST ITEM TO BE REPAIRED ON THE CAR I JUST WANT SOMETHING DONE ABOUT IT. THIS COULD REALLY BE A SAFETY HAZARD FOR SOME PEOPLE. SAY YOU WERE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND BECAUSE FORD MOTOR COMPANY USES PLASTIC REGULATORS YOU WINDOW FALLS.......AND SHATTERS!!!! THAT WOULD BE REALLY BAD YOU COULD GET GLASS IN YOUR EYES AND ALL OVER THE PLACE WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I WOULD JUST LIKE SOME WAY TO GET FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO PUT A RECALL ON ALL WINDOW REGULATORS ON MODELS OF THE FORD FOCUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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