This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
I lost control of my car; the back tires were uncontrollable, I was unable to keep my vehicle under control because of this great shaking/swaying from the rear of the car. After the accident I noticed that the left rear wheel was loose and askew. Because I was unable to control my vehicle, my car rolled twice down an embankment. The airbag deployed, and I received a quite substantial burn on my left wrist.
I leased a 2000 Ford Focus February 16, 2002 thinking that this was a good investment. I was wrong. I have had 3 recalls on the vehicle and yes Ford fixed them for free. Now my key is stuck in my ignition and will not come out nor turn to start the car. I do not have $500 to fix the vehicle as I am a single parent barely making ends meet. I was told that my warranty expired, therefore I would have to pay the expense. I do not have a car and because of this, I was forced to leave my job. I also have to find a ride for my 4 year old son to get back and forth to school everyday. Bad investment, I think so.
The ignition switch broke. The key would only go in half way. This happened all of a sudden, no warning. We drove the car to my wifes apartment at school to change for our daughters pre-graduation dinner and when we went back out to leave the key would not go into the ignition. This was on a Friday night and graduation was the next day at 10:30. We contacted the local marquette, Ford dealer crown motors and they had to tow the car in. The car was locked in park and the steering wheel was locked. We were not there when they towed it away but my wife was stuck in marquette until the following Thursday waiting to get the ignition replaced. The dealer said they had to drill out the old switch to remove it. The new switch was coded to our old key so that was good and the crown Ford dealer was very nice and accomodating to my wife. We were told when we bought the car from bessemer auto that this was a "program car" but found out through the internet that it was a rental car. I don\\'t think a rental car is the same as a program car. I am 67 years old and have owned many cars over the years and I have never had an ignition switch break to the point the key would not go in. At 37000 miles not good dependability. My Jeep has 143,000 and the ignition works fine and I stop and start a lot. I am almost afraid to know any more about the Focus problems. My wife really loves this car but is now very unsure of its dependability. She drives home from school at night sometimes and stops at a very remote station for a break and tea. Had this happened there she would have been in a real fix since the closest dealer either way is 80 miles.
Current malfunction is hesitation and engine stall and brake failure. My car is almost 2 years old and within that time period I have experienced the following malfunctions: Windshield wiper, air condition, electric window, brakes, struts, rusted rotor, ignition switch, electrical shorts(flashing dash), engine hesitation/stall, blown fuses where car would not start.
Have had nothing but trouble with my Focus the brakes wore down while I was on vacation and I was stuck driving for a bit on metal to metal....which ruined my rotor.....then the battery after almost 3yrs. Has caused my car to not want to start twice......each time I have had to clean off the built up acid on the battery so that a clean connection can be made.....the paint keeps on chipping, my anteena has become frayed, just recently my car's steering wheel locked up on me and the key wouldn't turn in the ignition......it is in the shop as I write this.....and from what I have heard I am not the first person to have had a problem with the cylinder.......the car seems to be slugish when on the inerstate.......the Focus is a dangerous car and Ford co. Needs to do something about it..... jeremy
- Essex, VT, USA
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Car has had the brakes serviced a total of five times and the car is stalling during acceleration. This car has been in shops for several recalls as well as twice for ignition lock failure. One of our children was trapped in rear seat by defective seat belt & had to be cut out with a knife. Car stalls after it warms up. Dealer says it's fuel pump but if that were so, wouldn't it stall waarm or cold. I spoke to an employee at another dealer who said Ford was finding problems with sensor connected with cooling system. Who do I believe? they want to charge us $700 to replace fuel pump that probably works fine.
Takes off real hard like it wants to die but won't, then stops. When car is ran for a while it starts doing. We are not the only Focus with this problem. There are others along with their reverse going out or first gear. Every one who takes it in doesn't get it fixed
The ignition switch froze up. Mechanic could not remove the cylinder to replace. He had to replace the steering column. It was 17 degrees outside at the time and had to wait 2 hours for help. Luckily I had a cell phone. Knock on wood, I have been very satisfied the the vehicle other than this problem. Thank you.
The brake system is horrible. They make noises all the time. I have replaced the cylinders and the shoes and it still does not sound right. The suspension is bad and needs replacing, but I can not afford it. I am a teacher. Cruise control has gone bad, because of a faulty wire.
I bought the car in June of 2000 since this time the car has had a number of recalls on the car. I feel that the people that bought the 2000 model of this car should not be liable to pay the amount the contact was signed. Due to the fact that at the time the car was bought, the people that bought the car didn't know that most of the car's life would be in the shop being fixed. Also Ford knew that the Focus was prone to this happening.
I tried to put the key in the ignition. It would not go in. I had to have the car towed to marshall Ford in mayfield heights, Ohio from cleveland heights at a cost of $60. Marshall Ford said the place the key should go in was cracked. They drilled out the ignition and installed a new cylinder. Cleaned up chips. At a cost of $267? I feel this was a definite defect in this car and am asking for your help in having Ford cover this cost.
Key cylinder failure. Tow truck driver says he tows one Focus a week with similiar problem. Problem may be caused by heavy keyring, which mine is. Did have major engine failure that Ford fixed under warranty. Radio/clock is burning out digital display.
Fuel system: Vehicle was filled with fuel at a gas station. Driver went to leave, car did not start. Attendant informed driver that fuel was leaking from vehicle. Almost a full tank of fuel dumped onto pavement. Fire department showed up and towed vehicle away. Apparent problem: Fuel hose linkage had come loose and had fallen off from inside the body of the vehicle. Other: Throttle cable breakage in heavy trafic at high rate of speed. Driver meanwhile merging with traffic. Breakage resulting in quick deceleration. Serious accident narrowly avoided. Car was unfortunately out of warranty period, but Ford paid for the repair. Towing charge was not reimbursed.
I started to replace tires as early as 5,000 miles just about 7 times by now. Replaced ignition 5/03 for $667 the key would go in and wouldn't turn. Spring coil driver's side broke while in traffic replaced 4/03 for $158.50. Now the transmission is completly gone the car would not back up. Please help me, I just don't know what else to do. The customer service at paul clark is so poor that I would not go there anymore.
Ignition - without any advance warning I tried to put key in ignition and it wouldn't go in. I after awhile I got key in, but ignition cylinder would not turn. Had to take to Ford for repair which cost $430.
These items have not been repaired. (body) the metal dressing at the base of the window on the driver side is warped. (paint) the roof has several 2 - 3 inch cracks and the hood has approx. 100 1/2 cracks all in various places.
The owner received a recall notice from Ford, however the vehicle was a salvaged vehicle and therefore, the dealership did not honor the recall. Provide further details.
I have a 2000 Focus. I experiance hesitation when the fuel tank is about 1/4th full, it died once while turning around an offramp cloverleaf. Also when coming to stops it idles rough. When starting and waiting while in or out of gear, idling is rough. Turning corners I occasionaly get creeks from the front and rear. Sometimes I hear thumps from the rear when riding over bumps on occasion. I hear and feel a growl while the engine is running regardless of being in or out of gear or in or out of motion. It feels more prominent when the temp. Is below 60 degrees. I can feel it vibrating in the steering wheel while turning and it seems to stop while turning left but continues when the steering reaches center. While going up or down inclines or small depressions in the road it becomes even more noticeable and you can feel it in the floor. The drivers side rear door lock sometimes clicks in and out of the lock postion erratically when the electronic door lock/unlock button is depressed. This handle is also extremely tough to open. Sometimes power is lost to the radio, I remove the detachable aniti-theft piece and replace it, sometimes it works, sometimes I need to do it numerous times before the radio will turn back on. I had experianced warped rotors on the front when I first bought the vehicle numerous times, but I switched them with slotted rotors so I no longer have this problem. My rear brake drums are stock (but the pasds are not) and they squeal quite frequently, possibly due to excessive dust. I had noticed that sometimes the power window control would not work for windows other than the drivers. This has not happened in about a year or 2. I have just recently experienced water in the passenger well. Last, occasionally the transmission will hesitate while driving. It almost feels like the transmission is shifting into neutral, but more like it was a human with a cluthc out a bit who cannot make up their mind about what gear to use.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Peell, WA, USA