2004 Ford Focus

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle jerked abnormally. There were three clicks before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted after approximately 10 minutes. The contact stated that on one occasion while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled nearby train tracks. The contact waited for 10 minutes, restarted the vehicle, and drove the vehicle to safety. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic where a handheld diagnostic test indicated that the PCV valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that an ignition coil needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred approximately a month later. The vehicle was taken to the same independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the fuel relay fuse needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred approximately three weeks later. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,010.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30-40 MPH THE VEHICLE LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER AND STALLED. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE AND MOVING FORWARD. HE ENGAGED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED IN THE MEDIAN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH INDICATED AN IMPROPER KEY ISSUE. THE LOCAL MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE OR ANY OTHER COURSE OF ACTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

I HAVE A 2004 FORD FOCUS ZX3. I WAS AT A GAS STATION FILLING UP AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START UP MY CAR, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. THE IGNITION CYLINDER WAS COMPLETELY LOCKED UP. I WAS STRANDED AT THE GAS STATION FOR 2 HOURS BEFORE AAA CAME AND TOWED MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND FOUND OUT THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER LOCKING UP AND NOT ALLOWING YOU TO START YOUR CAR IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THE FORD FOCUS, MOST COMMONLY IN MODELS BETWEEN THE YEARS 2000 AND 2006. I WAS LUCKY TO BE ONLY 5 MILES AWAY FROM THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. IF I WAS FURTHER AWAY OR OUT OF TOWN, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A BIG SAFETY HAZARD, AS IT COULD HAVE LEFT ME STRANDED IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. PLEASE TAKE ACTION BY HELPING THE CONSUMERS OF THE FORD FOCUS RECEIVE A REFUND/RECALL FOR THEIR DEFECTED IGNITION CYLINDER. THANK YOU! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED TO REMEDY THE ISSUE, BUT THE FAILURE REMAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER HAD NO PRESSURE AND THE PISTON WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED AND THE CONTACT IS WAITING FOR AN ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR COST. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED AND NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE PROVIDED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 120,000.

PURCHASED CAR IN SEPTEMBER 2008 AND IT HAS SINCE DIED WHILE DRIVING THREE TIMES IN LESS THAN THREE MONTHS. LAST TIME CAR DIED, SO FAR, WAS ON A BUSY ROUTE AT A BUSY INTERSECTION WITH OUR TWO TODDLERS AND NEWBORN IN THE BACKSEAT. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE WITH SAME PROBLEM OF CAR JUST DYING WHILE BEING DRIVEN. WHEN WILL THIS GET THE PROPER ATTENTION IT NEEDS BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED OR EVEN KILLED BEFORE IT'S ACTUALLY DEALT WITH. NO DEALERSHIP OR MECHANIC CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE CAR. HAD WE KNOWN THIS, WE WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASED THIS CAR. WE PURCHASED IT SOLELY ON THE FACT IT WAS ABLE TO HAVE OUR THREE CHILDREN IN THE BACKSEAT AND IT HAD SO FEW MILES, 65K. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A VACUUM LEAK DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT FORD HAD TO UPGRADE THE COMPUTER IN HIS VEHICLE, WHICH MEANT THAT IT HAD TO BE REPROGRAMMED. ONCE THE CONTACT ENTERED THE VEHICLE, THE IDLER INCREASED TO 1,200 RPM'S AND THEN DROPPED TO 1,000 RPM'S. HE PLACED THE VEHICLE IN GEAR AND IT SPED OFF. HE COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS PUSHING AGAINST THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT DROVE 20 MPH AROUND THE PARKING LOT FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES WITH NO BRAKES. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY TO BE COMPLIANT WITH THE EPA REGARDING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE GEARS DO NOT CHANGE OR DECREASE TO A LOWER RPM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 55-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING WHEEL BOTH BEGAN TO SHAKE. WHEN THE SPEED IS BELOW 55 MPH, THE SHAKING WILL STOP OR DECREASE. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT HEARD METAL ON METAL FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE FINE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,019 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,759. UPDATED 01/02/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SQUEAKED AND VIBRATED AND WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE. THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS REPLACED, DUE TO IT BEING BROKEN. THE SHIFTER SQUEAKED. THE RIMS WERE BENT AND THE TIRES WERE OUT OF BALANCE. UPDATED*JB

CAR STALLS WITHOUT NOTICE. SENT DAUGHTER TO EMERGENCY ROOM ONE TIME. STALLS 2 DIFFERENT WAYS, WHILE DRIVING AND SOMETIMES WHEN COMING TO A STOP. TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL HAPPENS. HAS BEEN IN SHOP MANY, MANY TIMES AND THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT PROBLEM. STARTED WHEN CAR WAS 7 MONTHS OLD. ALSO, CLUTCH PREMATURELY WENT OUT. HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 OR 3 TIMES. (CAR HAS 26,000 MILES CURRENTLY). ALSO, THERMOSTAT HAS GONE OUT MANY, MANY TIMES- DAUGHTER HAS DRIVEN MOST OF WINTER WITH NO HEAT. *NM

2004 FOCUS BELT TENSIONER BROKE AND BATTERY FAILED. *TS THE FRONT DOOR HAD TO BE ALIGNED AND THE DOOR SEAL WAS REPLACED. THE THROTTLE CABLE HAD TO BE RE-ROUTED DUE TO THE CABLE BINDING. THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED. THE LEFT REAR MOTOR ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, THE 3RD BRAKE LIGHT LENS AND RIGHT SIDE CV AXLE WAS REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING ERRATICALLY. THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN, AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR UNTIL THE ENGINE REVVED UP PAST 6000 RPM. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SERVO PISTONS. THE TRANSMISSION WAS EVENTUALLY REPAIRED. THE BATTERY FAILED 5 TIMES. *JB