2001 Ford Focus Engine Problems

KEEPS SHUT OFF N OVER HEATING

NHTSA ID

11407527

Incident

Mar 29, 2021

KEEPS OVER HEATING. *TR

NHTSA ID

11328839

Incident

Jun 13, 2020

Mileage

91 mi

2001 FORD FOCUS ZX3 STALLS WHEN DRIVING AND ALMOST CAUSED SOMEONE TO REAR END MY CAR. NOW WONT STAY RUNNING WHEN IDLING. CAR CUTS OFF AT LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS OR WHEN BREAKING OR ENGAGING CLUTCH.

NHTSA ID

11281301

Incident

Nov 3, 2019

Mileage

136,000 mi

CAR WAS DRIVING FINE RUNNING A FEW ERRANDS. STOPPED AT A STORE FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES , WHEN I GOT BACK IN AND STARTED THE ENGINE ALL I HEARD WAS A LOUD CLANKING NOISE AND THE IDLE WAS ROUGH. DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ABOUT THE CAR AND DISCOVERED ALL THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT ENGINE FAILURE . SO THATS WHAT HAPPENED TO MINE . DROPPED VALVE SEAT.

NHTSA ID

11121189

Incident

Aug 20, 2018

Mileage

153,500 mi

WAS ON MY WAY TO THE VA HOSPITAL 04/04/2018 STARTED CAR, IT WOULD SHAKE VIGOROUSLY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND OIL FUEL LIGHT KEEP COMING ON AND OFF. HAD A COMPLETE TUNE UP. GOING TO THE VA HOSPITAL ON 4/16/2018 START CAR, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND FUEL LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. HAD INNER TIRE RODS REPLACED. GOING TO A VA APPT, ON 05/10/2018 START CAR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAM ON, CV VALVES REPLACED. 5/30/2018 ON MY WAY AGAIN TO THE VA HOSPITAL, START CAR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. PLEASE ADVISE, SINCE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MISS AND RESCHEDULE APPTS AT THE VA HOSPITAL. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

11098857

Incident

Apr 4, 2018

THIS CAR HAS ELECTRICAL ISSUES,THE DASH AND TAG LIGHTS FLICKER,THE CAR HAS BEEN TURNING OFF WHILE I'M DRIVING WITH MY SON IN THE CAR OVER 3 TIMES NOW,ON THE HIGHWAY AND ON MAIN STREET,ITS SO SCARY I'VE HAD PANIC ATTACKS AND GOT A STRESS RASH ON MY FACE. IM SO SCARED THAT I CAN'T DRIVE IT,I'VE HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED,SPARK PLUGS,MOTOR FILTER.I JUST TRY TO KEEP GETTING IT REPAIRED COSTING ME MY BILLS MONEY BEING A SINGLE PARENT. I'M OVERWHELMED AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

NHTSA ID

11064238

Incident

Dec 25, 2017

Mileage

147,725 mi

MY CAR IS 2001. I STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WHEN TURNING ON. I THIUGHT IT WAS STARTER. BUT MINES THATS STILL GOOD. I THOUGHT ALTERNATOR OR BTTERY BUT THEY ARE NEW. SO THEY CHECKED WITH CAMERA AND VALVE PISTNS NOT WORKING. I LOOKED UP REVIEWS ABOUT CAR MAKE AND YEAR. MANY COMMENTS READ VALVE BENT. PISTONS GONE BAD. NOW IM ANOTHER OWNER WITH SAME PROBLEM. THIS CAR IN REVIEWS IS CONSIDERED A LEMON. GOOD THING IT DIDNT WANT TO TURN ON WHEN IT WAS PARKED ALREADY AT HOME. I READ OTHERS OCCURRED IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

11021395

Incident

Jun 20, 2017

Mileage

139,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE RESTARTED NORMALLY AFTER SOME TIME. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL OTHER TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,333.

NHTSA ID

10969261

Incident

Feb 21, 2017

Mileage

107,333 mi

NO DASH LIGHT TAIL LIGHTS OR MARKRR LIGHTS

NHTSA ID

10966416

Incident

Mar 14, 2017

Mileage

25 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

NHTSA ID

10855126

Incident

Apr 12, 2016

Mileage

105,000 mi

DRIVING FORD FOCUS SLOWLY IN SNOW,A JEEP SPUN OUT OF CONTROL HIT THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT OF CAR SPUN AROUND AND HIT US AGAIN FROM THE REAR.AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND IT MY PASSENGER FULL IN FACE. DAMAGED HER FACE WITH CHEMICAL BURNS AND CREATED A COROIDITAL TEAR IN HER EYE THAT IS PERMANENT AND PERMANENT VISION LOSS IN ONE EYE. THE IMPACT OF THE AIRBAG JARRED HER BRAIN AND SHE NOW HAS A BRAIN INJURY CALLED CHIARI MALFORMATION,

NHTSA ID

10778907

Incident

Dec 31, 2001

Mileage

20,000 mi

AFTER A 2~ HOUR DRIVE, ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED 5MIN LATER. AN INTAKE VALVE SEAT DROPPED AND IT INSTANTLY SMACKED THE PISTON ON THE FIRST TURN OF THE ENGINE, IT HIT HARD ENUF TO BLOW THE PISTON APART AND THE CONNECTING ROD PUT A HOLE THRU THE PISTON LINER. PUTTING COOLANT IN TO THE CRANK CASE, AS IT WAS NO LONGER CONNECTED TO THE PISTON ANY MORE. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE. I REPAIRED THE AUTO WITH A AFTERMARKET HEAD FROM HTTP://CIFICINC.NET/ AND A SHORT BLOCK OUT OF A PARTS CAR. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH IM NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO HAVE THIS FAILURE, THERE ARE FOCUS ALL OVER THE NET THAT HAVE HAD THIS FAILURE. I SEEM TO BE LUCKY AS ITS MUCH MORE COMMON FOR IT TO HAPPEN AROUND 110/140K THEN 206K THE ESCORT ALSO HAS THE SAME ENGINE OR ONE OF THE SAME SPI SOHC 1.9/2.0 ENGINE FAMILY AND CAN ALSO HAVE THIS FAILURE. . . I REPAIRED THE AUTO ONLY BECAUSE OF ITS ABOVE AVERAGE MPG, HAD IT NOT GOTTEN HIGH 30S OR BETTER, I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN RID OF IT. AS THE VALUE OF THE AUTO IS AROUND 1,400~ AND THE REPAIR WAS ABOUT HALF THAT, DOING ALL THE WORK MY SELF...TAKING IT TO A SHOP WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION AS THE COST TO REPAIR WOULD HAVE BEEN 2X THE VALUE OF THE AUTO OR WORSE....

NHTSA ID

10764226

Incident

Feb 26, 2015

Mileage

206,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY STOP ACCELERATING AND RESPONDING WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT INCREASE PAST 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ID

10745194

Incident

Jul 1, 2015

Mileage

200,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO THE SALVAGE YARD. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.

NHTSA ID

10722287

Incident

May 29, 2015

Mileage

111,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK AND THE CONTACT SMELLED SMOKE. THE BATTERY WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION AS THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT OBSERVED FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED WITHOUT BEING PROMPTED AND STARTED ROLLING FORWARD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V288000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

NHTSA ID

10716473

Incident

May 13, 2015

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ID

10703526

Incident

Mar 2, 2015

Mileage

50,000 mi

1.ENGINE FADES OR LOSES POWER RAPIDLY DURING EXECUTION OF FREEWAY- SPEED TURNS (OFF RAMPS FOR EXAMPLE) WITHOUT BRAKING; I HAVE GONE FROM 50 TO 20 MPH WITHIN 1-2 SECONDS WHILE IN FRONT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AND SEMI (VERY DANGEROUS). THE VEHICLE WAS TUNED AND TYPICAL PARTS REPLACED FOR SMOG CHECK A FEW MONTHS AGO AND PASSED SMOG CHECK WITHOUT COMMENTS. THIS PROBLEM STARTED AROUND 100K AND HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER DRIVERS WHO BORROW MY CAR. THE FORD DEALERSHIP (SERRAMONTE FORD) WAS UNABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM SO I PAID 150 DOLLARS FOR A CAN OF FUEL ADDITIVE AND LOST USE OF THE CAR FOR 8 HOUR EVEN THOUGH I WAS ASKED TO DROP IT OFF START OF MORNING. 2. NOW IT STUTTERS OR HESITATES DURING HIGH ACCELERATION (IE PASSING LANE OR GOING UPHILL) ON HIGHWAY; THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER RELIABLE ESP. IF YOU SHOULD NEED TO RAPIDLY INCREASE POWER. I HAVE READ OF POSSIBLE CONNECTION RELATED TO EITHER A FUEL PUMP OR DEBRIS FROM THE FUEL TANK INNER COATING/MATERIAL COMPOSITION DEGRADING OVER TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10648392

Incident

Oct 16, 2014

Mileage

127,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 5 IN PORTLAND OR. MY ENGINE JUST STOPPED!! RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF TRAFFIC. LUCKILY IT WAS EARLY RUSH HOUR SO IT WAS STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. BUT, WAS VERY SCARY AND DIFFICULT TO GET MY CAR OFF THE FREEWAY. I WAS TOLD THAT 2001 FORD FOCUS'S HAVE A FUEL LINE PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED. I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN 2008. THERE WAS ONLY 1 PREVIOUS OWNER. THIS RECALL WAS NOT REPAIRED ON THIS CAR. PLEASE HELP. THANKS *TR

NHTSA ID

10625750

Incident

Aug 14, 2014

Mileage

98,000 mi

AS I WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER DROPPING MY DAUGHTER OFF THE CAR JUST STOPPED. I LET IT ROLL TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THEN PUT IT IN PARK. I TRIED TO CRANK THE CAR AND I GOT NOTHING. ALL THE LIGHTS, HORN, AND ALL STILL WORKS BY THE ENGINE DOES NOTHING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10620927

Incident

Aug 8, 2014

Mileage

195,000 mi

WAS DRIVING MY CAR AT 55 MPH AT 11:20 PM ON WAY HOME FROM WORK CAR MADE JERK LOST ALL POWER NO BRAKES NO STEERING BLACK SMOKE COMING THROUGH VENTS TO INSIDE OF CAR AND FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER HOOD CAR FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES BLEW UP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10607140

Incident

Jun 28, 2014

Mileage

10,900 mi

SUNDAY 05 JAN 2014 I HAD RECENTLY PARKED MY CAR, TURNED IT OFF, AND WAS OUTSIDE OF MY VEHICLE (2001 FORD FOCUS) WHEN I BEGAN TO NOTICE SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS CONFUSED AT FIRST, AS THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE ANY PROBLEMS BEGAN. WITHIN A MATTER OF TWO MINUTES THE SMOKE HAD INCREASED, THICKENED, AND BEGAN TO SMELL. MY FRIEND WAS NEARBY AND HAD NOTICED THAT SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. HE CAME OVER AND WE BOTH TOOK A COUPLE STEPS TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE CAR TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. IMMEDIATELY FLAMES BURST UP FROM THE HOOD. AT THIS POINT WE INSTANTLY RAN FROM THE VEHICLE, DIALING 911. THE FLAMES GOT WORSE AS WE WAITED FROM A DISTANCE FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO ARRIVE. AT THIS POINT I WAS UNSURE AS TO WHETHER THE CAR WOULD COMPLETELY BLOW UP OR NOT, AS THE FLAMES BECAME WORSE WITH EVERY MINUTE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED WITHIN APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES. THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT IN A FEW MINUTES, BUT HAD TO BREAK THE WINDOW AND THEN PRY THE HOOD OPEN IN ORDER TO DO SO. AFTER THE FIRE WAS COMPLETELY OUT AND THE SCENE WAS SAFE I WAS ABLE TO TALK WITH THE FIREMEN. THEY SHOWED ME UNDER THE HOOD AND SAID THE FIRE SEEMED TO BE SOMETHING ELECTRICAL AND LOOKED AS IF IT HAD STARTED NEAR THE FRONT RIGHT OF THE VEHICLE UNDER THE HOOD (SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT). THEY ALSO EXPLAINED, AS I HAD ALREADY ASSUMED, THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSALVAGEABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10559724

Incident

Jan 5, 2014

Mileage

135,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, SHE HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AS OIL AND RADIATOR FLUID LEAKED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE VALVE STEM HAD FRACTURED, CAUSING THE PISTON TO DETACH FROM THE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10536032

Incident

Aug 18, 2013

Mileage

90,000 mi

I WAS AT THE GAS STATION FILLING UP THE CAR WHEN I WAS FINISHED I WENT TO START THE CAR ONLY TO HEAR A SOUND THAT REMINDED ME OF RUNNING OVER COINS WITH A VACUUM AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF AND WOULD NOT RESTART. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY PLACE OF RESIDENCE AND MY FATHER-IN-LAW LATER ON HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC SHOP. THE MECHANIC THERE SAID THAT THE VALVE SEAT BROKE OFF AND MESSED UP THE HEAD AND CANNOT BE REPAIRED IT HAS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE SINCE BEEN WITHOUT A VEHICLE. I ALSO HAVE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THIS MATTER AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH OTHERS AND THEIR FORD FOCUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10523709

Incident

May 23, 2013

Mileage

111,343 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE EXPLODED WHILE SITTING IDLE AT A TRAFFIC STOP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 197,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10520669

Incident

Jun 16, 2013

Mileage

197,000 mi

FORD MOTOR COMPANY KNEW AND HAS KNOW FOR YEARS ABOUT BAD VALVE SEATS IN THEIR 2000-2004 FOCUS'S WITH 2.0L SPLIT PORT INJECTION ENGINE. WHERE EVER THESE HEADS WERE MADE , THE QUALITY CONTROL FOR THIS PART WAS NOT EVALUATED PROPERLY. THE ENGINE DROPS A 'PRESSED IN' STEEL VALVE SEAT THAT FALLS INTO THE CYLINDER AND PUTS TOO MUCH STRESS ON THE PISTON, BORE, AND CONNECTING RODS OF THE ENGINE. UNDER THIS STRESS IT GENERALLY WILL CAUSE RODS TO BREAK, WARP OR COME THROUGH THE BLOCK WALL. (WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENED TO MY ENGINE). IT MAY BE A COOLING PROBLEM, IT MAY BE FAULTY DESIGN OR POOR CRAFTSMANSHIP. REGARDLESS, IF THIS CAR WON SO MANY AWARDS OVER IT'S LIFETIME FROM MOTOR TREND OR OTHER INSTITUTIONS....THEN THEY SHOULD BE BACKING THE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD TO FORK OUT THOUSANDS IN ENGINE REPAIRS AND PARTS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO SHOW UP AT VARIABLE MILEAGE...WHICH I'M SURE IS DUE TO EACH INDIVIDUALS DRIVING HABITS. AND IT'S OBVIOUS IT'S A DEFECT --DUE TO THE SIMILARITY EACH PERSON HAS EXPERIENCED. IT ALMOST ALWAYS HAPPENS TO THE SAME CYLINDER (NUMBER 4) AND IT'S ALWAYS JUST THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE...THIS IS NOT COINCIDENCE...THIS IS POOR QUALITY CONTROL...AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS SUCH. I BELIEVE A RECALL BY FORD IS IN ORDER....WITHOUT QUESTION BY FORD MOTOR....THEY'RE CEO MAKES MILLIONS...HOW ABOUT FIXING THESE CARS....IT MIGHT EXPLAIN WHY SO MANY PEOPLE STOP BUYING FORDS AND GO FOREIGN....AND I CAN HARDLY BLAME THEM WHEN THEY DO! YOU NEED TO COME HALF WAY WITH THE PEOPLE ON THIS MATTER FORD MOTOR---IT'S HURTING YOUR RELIABILITY AND DEPENDABILITY ISSUES. I REPLACED THE ENGINE FOR A WHOPPING $2896.00 AND WILL NEVER BUY A FORD ANYTHING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10520557

Incident

Apr 9, 2013

Mileage

122,125 mi