2001 Ford Focus Other Problems

While turning into your parking space, your car suddenly accelerated instead of braking and hit a rock wall barrier. Your mechanic found that the throttle cable was twisted or stuck, which they straightened out. The problem appears to be that the cable routing became misaligned, causing the gas pedal to stay engaged even when you applied the brakes. The fix involved re-routing the throttle cable to its proper position.

Your mechanic found severe corrosion on your engine cradle and warned that the engine could potentially fall out while you're driving. You contacted Ford about this safety concern, but they declined to inspect your vehicle despite you offering to donate it for investigation. This level of rust deterioration is unusual, especially since your car has been garaged with less than 83,000 miles. Addressing this issue would likely require inspection and replacement of the corroded engine cradle and related mounting hardware.

Your car's ignition key won't turn, preventing the engine from starting. The vehicle was parked and stationary when this occurred. The issue likely involves the ignition cylinder or steering wheel lock mechanism, which may need to be serviced or replaced.

I BOUGHT THE CAR DROVE IT OFF THE LOT ABOUT 3 HOURS I HAD TO GET IT TOWED. THE DEALER GOT IT BACK FOR 6 MONTHS AN FINALLY I GOT IT BACK. NOW IT IS DOING THE SAME THING. BATTERY CABLES HAVE DAMAGE. CRANKS BUT WON'T START.

MY CAR WILL LOSE SPEED GOING UP HILLS AND START TO ACT LIKE IT'S RUNNING OUT OF GAS. I HAVE HAD IT GO DEAD WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE STEERING BECOME HARD TO MOVE. IT SURGES GOING AT VERY LOW SPEEDS OF ABOUT 10-15 MPH AND JERKS. SOMETIMES THE EVEN GOING ON STRAIGHT ROADS WHERE THERE ARE NO HILLS THE CAR STARTS TO ACT LIKE IT'S RUNNING OUT OF GAS AND DIE. THE ONLY THING THAT SHOWED WHEN I HAD IT CHECKED WAS THE THROTTLE BODY POSITION SENSOR WHICH I REPLACED AND NOW SAYS OUT OF RANGE AND NO ONE KNOWS WHY.

FAILED IGNITION KEY LOCK CAUSED MY CAR TO STALL AND FREEZE IN PLACE. PREVENTING ME FROM RESTARTING MY CAR IN TRAFFIC. ADDITIONALLY, I WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL TO GUIDE THE CAR OFF THE ROAD TO A SAFE PLACE. THIS HAS HAPPENED ONCE DURING MY OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE, AND WAS REPAIRED USING FORD PARTS, AT A NON-FORD MECHANIC. COST APPROXIMATELY $350. *TR

2001 FORD FOCUS WITH VARIOUS DEFECTS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE HAS HAD WORK DONE NUMEROUS TIMES AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS LISTED IN THE RECALLS BUT HER VEHICLE IS NOT LISTED IN THE RECALL. SHE WOULD LIKE FORD TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE.*KB

I HAVE A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WATER STARTED LEAKING INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. THE LEAKING CONTINUED. AFTER IT RAINED AGAIN, THE WATER LEAKED INTO THE FLOOR ALL OVER MY NEW VIDEO CAMERA. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I LIVE AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM, YET THE CAR DID NOT LEAK AGAIN. RECENTLY MY HUSBAND WAS DOING MAINTENANCE ON THE CAR AND FOUND A "FOR SALE" SIGN SPRAY PAINTED BLACK LODGED OVER THE CABIN AIR FILTER. HE REMOVED THE SIGN AND NOW MY CAR IS POURING WATER AGAIN. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG FORD VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY '00 TO '04 FORD FOCUSES. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. *JB

FORD OF OCALA SOLD ME A BIO HAZARD CAR THAT HAS RUINED MY LIFE, MY HEALTH, MY FINANCES, AND POSSIBLY MY FUTURE. THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING, EVER, KNOWING I WAS BEATEN DOWN, SICK AND FORCED INTO DEBT FROM THE LOSSES THIS CAR CAUSED ME. THEY KNEW I COULD NOT AFFORD AN ATTORNEY, SO THEY, AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE FLORIDA GOVERNOR ALL JUST TREATED MY ISSUE AS UNIMPORTANT... BLEW ME OFF. THIS INCLUDES FORD CUSTOMER CARE AND FORD BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS WELL. WWW.DONOTTRUSTFORD.OCATCH.COM (0 BEFORE CATCH IZ A ZERO) TELLS THE STORY, CLEARLY. *JB

9/8/05 MY HUSBAND CALLED VARSITY FORD ABOUT RECALL OF RE: CRUISE ON EXPEDITION 9/9/05 AS INSTRUCTED, I TOOK EXPEDITION TO VARSITY FOR REPAIR. ON WAY HOME NOTICED CRUISE DOES NOT WORK. MY HUSBAND HAD BEEN TOLD THIS WOULD BE A REPAIR NOT A DISCONNECT SO HE CALLED VARSITY. HE WAS TOLD I WOULD NEED AN APPT. TO CHECK THE CRUISE. I CALLED TO MAKE THE APPT. AND STATED SINCE THE CRUISE WORKED FINE BEFORE THE RECALL WORK, VARSITY WOULD NOT CHARGE ME TO GET IT WORKING AGAIN. I WAS TOLD,"NO. PROBABLY THE CRUISE MODULE HAS BLOWN." VARSITY REP, MONTY GUY STATED WOULD DO THE CHECK FOR FREE BUT TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIRS. I STATED THE CRUISE WORKED FINE BEFORE THE RECALL WORK. I WAS AGAIN TOLD VARSITY WILL TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY PARTS GOING OUT FROM RECALL WORK. I CALLED FORD MOTOR. I WAS TOLD TO HAVE THE CHECK FOR FREE AND IF THE HARNESS IS LOOSE THERE WILL BE NO CHARGE, BUT FORD TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE DONE TO THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALER. THIS IS A SCAM. PEOPLE, SUCH AS MYSELF, ARE TAKING THEIR VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERS IN GOOD FAITH FOR YOUR RECALL ONLY TO GET A DAMAGED VEHICLE BACK. THEN THE DEALER REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY SO HE CAN GET THE VEHICLE BACK IN AND HAVE CHARGES AGAINST THE CUSTOMER. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF INFORMING ALL I KNOW WITH A FORD AND THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. SHAME ON YOU. THE PUBLIC LOOKS TO YOU FOR HELP. ALL YOUR RECALL HAS DONE IS SET GOOD PEOPLE UP FOR WHAT IS TO ME A BLATANT SCAM BY FORD. *NM

DT: CONSUMER IN MAY RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. THE LETTER WAS FOR THREE OR FOUR PARTS. WHEN SHE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PARTS AND THEY HAD TO BE ORDERED. THEY WERE NOT YET IN. CONSUMER DID NOT CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE INFORMATION ON THE RECALL, THE PARTS OR NUMBER WERE NOT AVAILABLE.*AK

WATER LEAKS FROM SOMEWHERE INSIDE THE CAR ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN 2002. IT WAS "CORRECTED" BY A FORD AUTHORIZED DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND STILL LEAKS. WHEN EVER IT RAINS THE FLOOR BOARD FILLS WITH WATER AND WHEN THE WATER DRIES IT SMELLS OF MILDEW. LOSS OF HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO REMOVE SMELL. I'M NOT SURE IF I SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER ABOUT THE LEMON LAW.

HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET. THE IGNITION LOCKED UP AND THE KEY WAS UNABLE TO BE PLACED INTO THE IGNITION FULLY, NOTHING MOVED, NOTHING WORKED. UPON REPEATED ATTEMPTS THE CAR WAS FINALLY TOWED AND NOTHING HAS COME OUT OF IT. I HAVE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER 2001 FOCUS', BUT STILL I HEAR NOTHING OF THIS FROM FORD DEALERSHIPS. I ALSO HAVE HEARD RUMORS OF NUMEROUS RECALLS FOR THE 2001 FOCUS', BUT STILL I ONLY FIND 2 RELEASED. I'M JUST FEELING LIKE A USED CONSUMER THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.

CONSUMER STRUCK GUARDRAIL WHEN SHE TRIED TO AVOID ANOTHER COLLISION. (NAR) *PH

FAILURE OF MANUFACTURER TO REPAIR CAR UNDER WARRANTY TO MY SATISFACTION. *LA

AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT I MUST HAVE BOTH HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLIES AND THE FRONT BUMPER REPLACED ON MY 2001 FOCUS. MY INSURANCE COMPANY INSISTS THAT IT WILL ONLY PAY FOR AFTER MARKET PARTS, NOT OEM PARTS. FURTHER, THEY TELL ME THE AFTER MARKET PARTS CARRY NO CERTIFICATION THAT THEY ARE EQUAL TO THE OEM PARTS. I WOULD NOT FEEL SAFE USING PARTS THAT ARE SAFETY RELATED THAT CANNOT BE CERTIFIED TO BE OF THE SAME KIND AND TYPE AS ORIGINALLY INSTALLED. DOES NHTSA HAVE A POSITION OF THE USE OF NON-OEM SAFETY PARTS IN THE REPAIR OF AN AUTOMOBILE? *JB

NAR 03/05/2003 ENCLOSED IS A COPY OF A INVOICE BILLED TO THE CONSUMER FOR PARTS THAT WERE NOT INSTALLED BY SERVICE DEALER. *CB

ON MY WAY TO SCHOOL THIS EVENING ALL MY ELECTRICAL THINGS IN THE CAR STARTED FLICKERING AND THEN SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT OF MY VENTS. I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATLY, WHILE SOMEONE WAS YELLING AT ME GET OUT OF YOUR CAR. I GOT OUT AND SAW THAT SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF MY WHOLE ENTIRE HOOD AREA. THEN IT WENT UP IN FLAMES, MELTING THROUGH THE HOOD, SCATTERING MY WINDSHIELD.

LETTER TO FOLLOW CONTAINING COMPLETE COMPLAINT. *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*****769748

ELECTRICAL DOOR OPENER WILL NOT OPERATE WHILE VEHICLE IS STILL RUNNING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

DASH LIGHTS FLASHED ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES THEN QUIT

The owner wanted to add pictures to a previous complaint (11338120) but was unable to do so through the system.