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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
1,155 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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.

2000 Ford Focus brakes problems

brakes problem

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2000 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 2 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #64

Dec 022000

Focus

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Brakes don't hold when applied, almost causing an accident. Unable to stop vehicle. Had part replaced several time. Also, front end shakes and there is a knocking noise under gas pedal.

- Oceanside, CA, USA

problem #63

Mar 152002

Focus

  • miles
Vehicle has been brought to Ford dealer 4 times for brake problems. The fist one at 6,000 miles and about every 6,500 miles thereafter. I am so tired of having to have these fixed.

- Sachse, TX, USA

problem #62

Jul 012002

Focus

  • miles
This is the second time the dealer is charging me for the exact same problem. I almost killed myself and my girlfriend on the freeway. The brakes starting making this sudden grinding noise and were no longer effective, I had to use the hand brake and engine brake to get out of it without hitting anybody.

- Mountain View, CA, USA

problem #61

Jan 212001

Focus

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Brake pads and rotors had to be replaced two time already. I am very concerned with engine stalling and other troubling reports.

- Cherry Hill, NJ, USA

problem #60

Dec 032001

Focus

  • miles
No summary listed for above vehicle.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #59

Jun 202002

(reported on)

Focus

  • miles
My car is 2 years old and I have had to replace the brake pads 3 times, and the rotors replaced once. I am also having problems with a constant sqeaking when I use my brakes. Ford needs to fix my car and the brakes at no charge because it is an ongoing problem.

- Spring Valley, CA, USA

problem #58

Jun 042001

Focus

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Front brakes have been squealing since the car has had a brake job under one year out of the showroom. The first brake job done by team Ford was necessary at under 20,000 miles indicating premature wear and possibly defective from factory disc brakes. Many other Focus owners are having this same problem. The brakes still squealed after the brake job and now in less then 2 years of ownership the brakes again needed new pads installed and also the rotors needed replacemant. This costs over $350. All this in under two years and below 30,000 miles on a new car. Now my ase certified mechanic states that all the wheel bearings need to be replaced still the car had at that point less than 30,000 miles on it. When I presented the car to friendly Ford of las vegas Nevada, for bearing inspection under warranty, they declined to inspect the bearings and told me to bring my business elsewhere. This is non performance of warranty which covers (supposedly) defects for 3 years or 36000 miles. Friendly Ford and their service manager rob refuses to give under warranty service for the defective bearings and the cost of two brake jobs done by certified mechanics at premature wear levels was borne by us the owners. Ford offers poor customer service and refuses to honor a valid warranty.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #57

Jun 172002

(reported on)

Focus

  • miles
When ever there is moisture in the air (rain, snow, etc) the rear wheels (brakes) seize up on the vehicle. Both sides are affected. The wheels "drag" until the "seal is broken" and the wheels can spin freely again. This has happened numerous times. Any slight bit of moisture and the vehicle to stay parked for at least one day causes the seizure of the wheels. Once the wheels are freed, there does not seem to be any other noticeable effect in driving. Wheels have sometimes dragged up to 20 feet before freeing, other times they "break free" in a couple of feet.

- Colebrook, NH, USA

problem #56

Sep 152001

Focus

  • miles
I work for a Goodyear co. And everytime there is a problem I have one of our techs. Check it out for me. First it was the brakes I was taking my children to the movies, as I was turning into the parking space I heard a grinding noise.the next day at work I have auto tech. Inspect my brakes I had less than 10% left all around and the front rotors were cracked! my children and I could have died! I took the car to the dealer to marina Ford they replaced front rotors, pads and rear shoes. Three weeks later pads were down to 10% I did not bother going back to the dealer. Our tech. At my place of employment replaced my brakes with good quality pads and shoes. I had th iside panel replaced, the windshield wiper motor replaced and the right front wheel bearing replaced! now my left front tie-rod is bent, my car shuts off when the gas is at the 3/4 mark and when making right turns, the emission lights up and the car stops! this is a problem car the Ford Focus. I found a web site and ther is over a thousand consumers who are not pleased with their Focus too!

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #55

May 272002

Focus

  • miles
Front brake rotors and pads had to be replaced within 22,000 miles of wear. Dealer notified. Feel free to provide any further information.

- Renton, WA, USA

problem #54

Jan 012002

Focus

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Front brake rotors and pads had to be replaced twice within 26,000 miles of wear. Problem would causes vehicle to vibrate severely when applying brakes. Dealer notified. Feel free to provide any further information.

- Wichita, KS, USA

problem #53

Jun 052001

Focus

  • miles
While vehicle is being driven an unusual noise occurred in the engine compartment. After inspection by dealer problem was diagnosed as premature brake wear.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

problem #52

Jan 282002

Focus

  • miles
As a final gesture of goodwill, our local dealership's customer service representative offered us a 24 hour period to consider a $2,000 trade-in credit toward the purchase of a new Ford vehicle at 0% financing. This would have more than doubled my daughter's monthly car and insurance payments. Because her job was not yet a permanent position, she was not in a position to take a $4,000 loss and double her monthly payments. Once that offer had expired we were met with stony indifference by our local dealership's customer service representative. After several conversations with him we came away convinced that Ford customer service policies are intentionally designed with several goals in mind: 1) to offer one's local dealership as the only path of recourse other than a nation-wide 1 (800) customer service line; 2) to staunchly refuse to provide the names and mailing addresses of Ford customer service representatives at the local level and/or regional level; and 3) to discourage mailings to the national customer service representative (michael jordan) or CEO (william clay Ford) with comments such as "don't waste your time, they don't even open their mail." The end result is that the car owner feels totally powerless once the goodwill of their dealership's in-house customer service representative has run out. When combined with holding open a 24-hour trade-in offer toward a more expensive Ford vehicle, the end result was a psychologically oppressive hard-sell tactic.no safety defect listed.

- West Chester, PA, USA

problem #51

Jun 012002

Focus

  • miles
No summary listed for above vehicle.

- Los Banos, CA, USA

problem #50

Nov 012000

Focus

  • miles
The brakes on this vehical have been replaced several time since my purchase. Rotors, calipers pads and shoes once at 12,000 miles, pads and shoes again at 23,000. Calipers rotors and shoes and drums at 48,000. Something is wrong.

- Winter Haven, FL, USA

problem #49

May 152002

Focus

  • miles
Brakes were checked at 13, ooo miles. Mechanic said they were ok. Always black grit on rims on front tires. Have gone into many lemon sites and neumerous owners say they have had pads and rotors replaced at various low mileage's. Ford customer relations center tells me they have had no complaints. Bull. Feel this is a design problem, Ford must own up to. Please advise. Thank you brakes constantly screech when braking, owners manual says this is normal!

- Reno, NV, USA

problem #48

Dec 212001

Focus

  • miles
Brake calipers on all Focus cars are defective which causes premature wear of front disk pads and rotors calipers are sticking.

- Bronxn.Y., NY, USA

problem #47

May 052002

Focus

  • miles
To whom it may concern: I am writing in regards to the faulty brake system on my 2000 Ford Focus. When I first purchased the car, I noticed that the brakes made a squeaking sound. I was told that Ford factory brakes always squeak and so I thought that this was a normal thing for this model car. It wasn't until the brakes stopped squeaking and began to squeal and grate that I began to be concerned. It is for this reason that I am contacting you. I think it is outrageous that a car with just over 31,000 miles should have needed new brake pads and rotors! what a disappointment! I have become very disillusioned about the quality of the craftsmanship of Ford vehicles. In my research about the problem I was experiencing, I discovered that I am far from the only person with this difficulty. In fact, I came across a website devoted to Ford Focus brake problems. I would request that you take this complaint very seriously and research this issue yourselves. It cost me $248 to deal with this today, and I understand from others' experiences that it is likely that these new brakes will do the same as the old. I am frustrated and nervous. I have a very small child whom I Transport in this vehicle and would be devastated if these faulty brakes and rotors contributed to an accident or worse.

- Gulfport, MS, USA

problem #46

Apr 272002

(reported on)

Focus

  • miles
Molding on right rear passenger door coming off; do not feel safe in vehicle B/C of all the recalls and can't take off work for all of these recalls; thumping coming from under steering column, told that it is a characteristic of the car, but sounds like same problem that was recalled in rear wheel bearings; overdrive off button doesn't work; brakes squeak and wear down too easily and I had to pay to get them replaced;this car is a piece of junk. I bought a new car B/C I did not have time to get my old car fixed all of the time. I thought buying a new car would eliminate this, but I take this to the shop all the time for recalls and problems. This is insane! something has to be done!

- Johnstown, PA, USA

problem #45

Apr 262002

(reported on)

Focus

  • miles
I have taken the car back several times when I first purchased it to fix the brakes and hemborg Ford told me, "that's just the way Ford brakes are, metal on metal".. I've had so many problems with this car it's unbelievable.. I feel unsafe driving this car.. as it has locked me in many times..the windows will not roll down half the time.. the gas gauge only works half the time.. I wish I had never purchased this horrible product.. I will never purchase another Ford vehicle again and I encourage friends and family not to buy their product either!

- Newbury Park, CA, USA

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