2000 Ford Focus Engine Problems

MY CAR IS STALLING ITS JUMPING WHEN I TAKE OFF. I GET STRANDED AT CONVIENT STORES, DOCTORS APPOINTMENTS. AFTER I GET IT UP TO 60 MPH ITS OK

NHTSA ID

11349061

Incident

Apr 12, 2015

Mileage

45 mi

2000 FORD FOCUS SE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *LD *JS *BF

NHTSA ID

11302010

Incident

Jan 27, 2020

WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES THE WHOLE CAR JOLTS WHEN YOU GO OVER 40 MILES PER HOUR OF THE STEERING SHAKES I'VE ALREADY REPLACED THE SAFETY NEUTRAL SWITCH ON A TRANSMISSION NOW MY CAR WILL NOT START IT JUST MAKES A CLICKING NOISE AND WHEN IT DOES TURN OVER IT IMMEDIATELY STALLS OUT MY CIGARETTE LIGHTER ALSO LIT A SPARK IN THE BACK OF IT GO OFF AND THE BRAKES SOMETIMES HAVE GRATE BRAKES OTHER TINES I HAVE TO SLAM THE BRAKES DOWN TO GET ANY BRAKES.

NHTSA ID

11300181

Incident

Sep 26, 2019

Mileage

135,962 mi

2000 FORD FOCUS LX SEDAN - WELL MAINTAINED AND CARED FOR. AT APPROXIMATELY 58,000 MILES AND WITHOUT WARNING WENT TO START UP AND HEARD A LOUD BANG UNDER THE HOOD FOLLOWED BY A LOT OF METALLIC SOUND AND THEN STALLED. ATTEMPTED TO RESTART AND HEARD MORE METALLIC SOUND. TURNED OFF ENGINE HAD TOWED TO MECHANIC. MECHANIC DIAGNOSIS IS #4 VALVE SEAT DROP FAILURE CAUSING EXTENSIVE SHRAPNEL DAMAGE. ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER INTERNET RESEARCH SEE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE FOCUS SOHC 2L ENGINE VALVE SEAT DEFECT AND THEY WONT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

NHTSA ID

10970846

Incident

Apr 4, 2017

Mileage

58,000 mi

WE PURCHASED A VEHICLE ON 09/03/2016 FROM GRASS VALLEY AUTO WHOLESALE BROKERS, GRASS VALLEY, CA. THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A TICKING NOISE AND SEEMED TO HAVE A POWER ISSUE, IT KEPT LOSING IT. THE NEXT DAY I CALLED THE LOT AND TOLD THEM. THEY SAID THEY HAD IT CHECKED OUT AND NOT TO WORRY. I DID. IT KEPT HAPPENING SPORADICALLY. I HAD A 3 MONTH/3K MILES WARRANTY. AFTER CALLING THE LOT AGAIN, I RELAYED THE SAME SYMPTOMS THE CAR WAS HAVING. I WANTED TO KNOW DID THEY THINK IF IT COULD BE A TRANSMISSION ISSUE, COULD BE, WAS THE ANSWER I GOT.. IN NOVEMBER I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO JR'S TRANSMISSION, CAME RECOMMENDED. THEY SERVICED THE TRANSMISSION, IT WAS GOOD. IT WAS STILL HAPPENING. TWO DAYS AGO, COMING OFF A STOPLIGHT, I PUT THE GAS DOWN AND IT MADE A LOUD KNOCK . I HOBBLED TO THE CORNER, APPROX 100 YARDS. IT WAS TOWED TO THE AUTO LOT SUGGESTED MECHANIC, WHO PROBABLY WORKED ON THE VEHICLE IN THE BEGINNING. HE TOLD ME IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. WHEN I CALLED GRASS VALLEY WHOLESALE AUTO BROKERS, THE OWNERS SON, WHO IS ALSO A SALESMAN THERE, TOLD ME WE WILL WORK SOMETHING OUT. MAYBE MY DAD COULD TAKE CARE OF HALF OF (REFERRING TO THE ANTICIPATED COST OF REPAIRS). TODAY, THE OWNER WOULD NOT TALK TO ME, NOR ANSWER THE PHONE. I LEFT A MESSAGE WITH THE OWNERS SON. I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK. I SOUGHT OUT HELP TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE STRAIGHT AWAY FROM THE DEALER AND REPAIR BUT THE DEALER BRUSHED ME OFF. THAT WAS WHEN MY WARRANTY WAS IN EFFECT. NOW IM TWO WEEKS OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY SHOULD HAD CHECKED THE VEHICLE WHEN I HAD ORIGINALLY WANTED ANSWERS ABOUT WHAT WAS CAUSING IT. AS ACCORDING TO THE OWNER, HIS MECHANIC KNOWS HIS CARS INSIDE AND OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10935931

Incident

Dec 13, 2016

Mileage

146,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. AFTER RESTARTING, THE CONTACT NOTICED THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR AND SMOKE CAME FROM THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE WHERE THE BATTERY WAS CONNECTED. AFTERWARDS THE VEHICLE IGNITED INTO FLAMES. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE HAD ITS BATTERY REPLACED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD WHERE IT WAS DEEMED TOTALED. THE FIRE INVESTIGATOR INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FIRE STARTED FROM THE BATTERY CABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10864169

Incident

May 8, 2016

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND HEAVY SMOKE APPEARED. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND JUMPED OUT. THERE WERE FLAMES UNDER THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE NEAR THE ENGINE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.

NHTSA ID

10783298

Incident

Oct 18, 2015

Mileage

160,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2000 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE CONTACT STEPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE AS IT FILLED WITH SMOKE AND THEN CAUGHT FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,450.

NHTSA ID

10689638

Incident

Feb 15, 2015

Mileage

81,450 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, SMOKE EMITTED THROUGH THE VENTS AND THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND STATED THAT THE FIRE INITIATED AT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A POLICE AND A FIRE REPORT WERE NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000. UPDATED 2/24/15*CN UPDATED 9/11/2017*CN

NHTSA ID

10668652

Incident

Dec 22, 2014

Mileage

139,000 mi

KEY WONT GO INTO IGNITION, WHEEL LOCKED UP, HAVE TO GET LOCKSMITH TO FIX...BARELY AFFORDABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10638840

Incident

Sep 12, 2014

Mileage

160,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ELECTRIC DASH CLUSTER QUIT WORKING AND THE VEHICLE CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED THEN THE VEHICLE DID THE SAME THING A FEW MONTHS LATER. THE BATTERY CABLES WERE REPLACED AND THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATOR WERE REPLACED AS A PRECAUTION. THE VEHICLE AFTER 4 DAYS AND NO DRIVING LONGER THAT 35 MILES A DAY THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10621334

Incident

Mar 24, 2014

Mileage

180,000 mi

ENGINE STALLS WHILE MOVING AT SPEEDS UP TO 20MPH. DIFFICULT TO RESTART. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10574036

Incident

Mar 14, 2014

CAR WAS DRIVING NORMALLY, PARKED MY CAR, TRIED TO RESTART IT AND KEY WOULD NOT TURN. POSSIBLY A BROKEN IGNITION SWITCH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10574031

Incident

Mar 21, 2014

Mileage

84,000 mi

UPON STARTING MOTOR, NOISE AS ROCKS IN A BLENDER AND ENGINE WOULD NOT RUN. I HAVE LEARNED THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTOR. VALVE SEAT IS DEFECTIVE AND VALVE FALLS INTO PISTON, RUINING ENGINE. FORD KNOWS OF THIS DEFECT, BUT IGNORES IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10484540

Incident

Apr 1, 2012

Mileage

160,000 mi

GOT MY DAUGHTER HER FIRST USED CAR FROM A DEALER, WHICH I SHOULD HAD GONE WITH HER TO CHECK IT OUT FIRST SINCE AN 18 YEAR OLD WOULD MOST LIKELY NOT KNOW ANYTHING MUCH OF A CAR BESIDES DRIVING IT. YOU WOULD THINK BUYING FROM A USED DEALER IS SAFER THAN BUYING OUT IN THE STREET. SO WHEN WE TOOK IT OUT OF THE LOT NOTICED ENGINE TREMBLE AND SUSPENSION NOISE, (TOO BAD NO LEMON LAW ON USED DEALER SELLING THIS TYPE OF CARS). AFTER DIAGNOSE THE ENGINE PRODUCED A CATALYTIC CONVERT MALFUNCTION CODE. ALSO AFTER INSPECTION THE FOCUS NEEDS ALL FOUR SUSPENSION STRUTS. A MONTH LATER THAT OTHER SUSPENSION NOISE RESULTING ALMOST IN A ACCIDENT FROM A BACK WHEEL SHAKING WHICH CAME FROM A BACK WHEEL BEARING WHICH HUB NUT WAS JUST ABOUT OFF, WHICH WOULD HAD CAUSED THE WHEEL TO COME OFF. I DID A SEARCH AND THIS ARE ALL COMMON PROBLEMS WITH THE FOCUS AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS A RECALL FOR A BACK WHEEL ISSUE. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT AFTER A WHILE OF THE RECALL BEING ISSUED IT IS VOIDED OR ONLY SPECIFIC VIN NUMBERS ARE CONSIDERED EFFECTED ????. THE LATEST ENCOUNTER IS THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKING AND THE KEY NOT BEING ABLE TO UNLOCK IT. THE WORST PART IS THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER WOULD HAVE TO BE DRILLED OUT TO BE REPLACED (VERY INTERESTING SINCE IS THE FIRST TIME I SEEN THAT). I'M NOTICING FROM MY EXPERIENCE WITH FORD VEHICLES THAT ALTHOUGH IN MY OPINION THERE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ARE A BIT BETTER THAN MOST VEHICLE, IS THE LITTLE PARTS THAT ONE HAVE ISSUES WITH THAT ENDS UP COSTING THE MOST, JUST SAYING. SO WHY IS IT THAT WITH MANY COMPLAINTS AND KNOWN ISSUES FROM PREVIEWS MODEL YEARS FORD HAS NOT ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES. I BET THERE WOULD BE MANY OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE COMPLAINING IF ONLY THEY NEW THEY CAN COMPLAINT, THE QUESTION IS, IS ANYONE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10483195

Incident

Aug 1, 2012

Mileage

176,300 mi

WE WERE DRIVING THE CAR AND IT STARTED STALLING/SPUTTERING. WE JUST PURCHASED THE CAR FROM A DEALER AND LESS THEN ONE MONTH PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT WE PASSED WITH EXCELLENT EMISSIONS. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT THE CYLINDERS WEREN'T WORKING PROPERLY AND CAUSED ONE OF THEM TO CRACK. 2 OF THE PARK PLUGS WEREN'T PROPERLY WORKING. IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY AND WE ONLY DROVE THE CAR TO AND FROM WORK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10471411

Incident

Aug 16, 2012

Mileage

103,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG ODOR WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND AFTER DRIVING TWO BLOCKS, SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD AND FOUND THAT A FIRE HAD STARTED NEAR THE ENGINE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 130,000. A REPORT WAS TAKEN BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

NHTSA ID

10440058

Incident

Dec 7, 2011

Mileage

130,000 mi

DAUGHTER BOUGHT THE 2000 FORD FOCUS ON 03/01/2011 FROM A DEALERSHIP IN WICHITA, KANSAS. IN APRIL 2011 THE ROD WENT THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WITH 3 OTHER CARS ON THE HIGHWAY BETWEEN WICHITA AND TOWANDA, KANSAS. TOW TRUCK TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR 1/2 THE COST OF ANOTHER ENGINE AND LABOR, WHICH WAS OVER $4,000.00 (OUR SHARE WOULD BE OVER $2,000.00). STILL HAVING TO PAY THE LOAN ON A CAR THAT IS NOT RUNNING AND FULL COVERAGE INSURANCE, CAUSE THE CAR IS ON A LOAN THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP. I'VE CALLED A NUMBER OF TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH NO HELP. I'VE TRIED TO FIND OUT IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS ON THE RODS GOING THOUGH THE ENGINES ON THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF THIS CAR. NO LUCK. I LOOKED UP THE KELLY BLUE BOOK VALUE OF THIS CAR, IN FAIR CONDITION IS ONLY: $1,375.00 FOR TRADE-IN-VALUE. PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10428720

Incident

Apr 27, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THERE WERE FRACTURES IN THE HEAD GASKET AND THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,327.

NHTSA ID

10428016

Incident

Sep 23, 2011

Mileage

130,327 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHERE THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE BACK OF THE ENGINE BLOCK. THIS CAUSES THE ENGINE TO LOCK -UP. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO STATED THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTY ON THIS FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTY FOR THIS FAILURE. THEY OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,530 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000. FORM RETURNED NO CHANGE

NHTSA ID

10415366

Incident

Jul 28, 2010

Mileage

94,530 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE BEGAN TO RISE THROUGH THE VENTS WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP. THE CONTACT LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT APPEARED ON THE SCENE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED THE CONTACT'S HOME WHERE IT WAS CLASIFIED AS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 120,000.

NHTSA ID

10405840

Incident

Jun 9, 2011

Mileage

120,000 mi

TOTAL LOSS OF FORD FOCUS 2000 DUE TO THE CAR FIRE. NO SIGNALS OF OVERHEAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, ALL FLUID LEVELS FINE. I WAS DRIVING FOR 30 MIN; WHEN RETURNED HOME AND STOPPED THE CAR, NOTICED A WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. I DECIDED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENS BUT DID NOT HAVE TIME TO DO THAT - AFTER I LEFT THE CAR, IT WAS ALREADY ON FIRE. USED 1 FIRE DISPENSER ON IT, IT DID NOT HELP; CALLED 911, BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME (IN ABOUT 10 MIN), THE CAR WAS BURNED TO THE GROUND. *TR

NHTSA ID

10401006

Incident

May 14, 2011

Mileage

133,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THERE WAS KNOCKING SOUND COMING IN THE ENGINE. THERE WAS ALSO HESITATION WHILE ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TWICE AND THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 130,000.

NHTSA ID

10389848

Incident

Mar 11, 2005

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH; YET, THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 69,000.

NHTSA ID

10354889

Incident

Aug 15, 2010

Mileage

69,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STALL WHEN ATTEMPTING A TURN AT ANY SPEED, IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR MOST OFTEN WHEN ATTEMPTING LEFT TURNS. ONCE THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE IT WOULD OPERATE AS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT WAS SHIFTING BACK AND FORTH, CAUSING THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE POWER WINDOWS WERE INOPERABLE EXCEPT FOR THE FRONT DRIVER WINDOW. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

NHTSA ID

10350600

Incident

Aug 19, 2008

Mileage

93,000 mi