2002 Ford Focus Powertrain (other) Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SLIPPED OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT CALLED FAIRWAY FORD (2761 E STONE DR, KINGSPORT, TN 37660), AND INFORMED THE DEALER OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE HAD TO PAY A DIAGNOSTIC FEE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR COSTS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL WHILE STOPPED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT SUBJECTED TO A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 137,000.

NHTSA ID

11355633

Incident

Sep 4, 2020

Mileage

137,000 mi

FORD DEALERSHIP IN WOODRUFF, WI REPLACED FRONT RIGHT DRIVE AXLE AND SEAL 4 TIMES BEFORE THEY GOT IT RIGHT AND THE LEAK STOPPED. THIS INITIAL LEAK WAS FOUND BY THE OWNER AFTER THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR A FULL CHECK UPON PURCHASING INDICATING THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT INSPECT THE CAR AS THEY STATED AND WERE PAID TO DO. THE SAME DAY AFTER GETTING THE CAR BACK FOR THE LAST TIME SHIFTING PROBLEMS BEGAN TO OCCUR AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE OVERDRIVE SOLENOID BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE. THIS SOLVED THAT PROBLEM BUT NOW THE CAR SHUDDERS BETWEEN 40-50 MPH AS IF IT IS SHIFTING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN GEARS. NOTHING SHOWS UP ON A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK, MAY BE EXPENSIVE TORQUE CONVERTER PROBLEM. A LARGE NUMBER OF POSTS ON THE INERNET SHOW TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND SOLENOIDS ARE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD FOCUS CARS AND UNFORTUNATELY SOME PEOPLE ARE LED TO BELIEVE THEY NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION WHICH THEY HAVE REPLACED PROBABLY DUE TO MISDIAGNOSIS AND AT A HUGE UNNECESSARY EXPENSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10489557

Incident

Aug 27, 2012

Mileage

129,000 mi

THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW BY GRANDMA. SHE SOLD IT TO HER GRANDSON THIS YEAR. IT IS "LIKE NEW" AND WAS ALWAYS KEPT IN AN ENCLOSED GARAGE. IT HAS HAD DEALER SERVICING. THE LAST 10,000 MILES IT HAS INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO MAINTAIN AN IDLE. WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE CAR WILL OFTEN DIE. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TWICE AND AN INDEPENDENT SHOP ONCE - EVERYONE THOUGHT IT WAS THE FUELING/EMISSION SYSTEM BUT THERE WERE NO ERROR CODES AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE BUT BECAUSE IT ONLY HAPPENED ON OCCASION. THEN THE OVERDRIVE SOLENOID FAILED AND GAVE AN ERROR CODE. BY REPLACING THE SOLENOID THE IDLE PROBLEMS STOPPED. MY MECHANIC HAS A THEORY - THE OVERDRIVE SOLENOID WILL START TO FAIL WITHOUT GIVING AN ERROR CODE, DURING THIS PERIOD THE TORQUE CONVERTER WILL OCCASIONALLY STAY LOCKED-UP IN OVERDRIVE, THUS THE CAR WHEN JUST IDLING CAN'T OVERCOME THE TRANSMISSION RESISTANCE AND NOT IDLE PROPERLY OR STOP RUNNING, WHICH OURS DID. MANY DOLLARS WERE WASTED ON FUEL SYSTEM CHECKS AND CLEANINGS.BEFORE WE FOUND THE ANSWER - IT WAS ALSO VERY DANGEROUS. THIS PART IS VERY SMALL AND APPEARS TO BE POORLY MADE. FORD FORUMS SHOW IT WILL FAIL AGAIN AND AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10469728

Incident

Aug 2, 2012

Mileage

74,968 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS SUCCESSFULLY RESTARTED, BUT THE GEAR SELECTOR WOULD NOT SHIFT. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH DISCOVERED THAT THE TRANSMISSION GEAR PIN WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 98,750.

NHTSA ID

10455907

Incident

Apr 1, 2012

Mileage

98,750 mi

MY 2002 FORD FOCUS WAGON NEEDED BRAKES BECAUSE THE FRONT END WOULD SHAKE WHEN I APPLIED BRAKES. ALSO NOTICED A WHIRLING NOISE FROM THE BACK OFF CAR BUT DID NOT MENTION THAT TO MY MECHANIC. HE TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE AND ASKED IF I NOTICED THE WHIRLING NOISE TOO. HE SAID HE WAS CONCERNED AND CHECKED THAT 1ST. MY RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS FROZEN AND NOT TURNING, THAT'S WHERE THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM. IT HAD TO BE CUT OFF IN ORDER TO BE REPLACED. HE TOLD ME THAT THE WHEEL COULD HAVE BROKE OFF WHILE DRIVING AND COULD HAVE KILLED ME, I HAD THAT REPAIRED, ALONG WITH FRONT END BRAKES AND REPLACED WARPED ROTORS. THEN JUST 2 DAYS LATER BACKED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND BROKE A FRONT RIGHT COIL SPRING. A YEAR LATER REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. AND LAST WEEK JUST HAD TO PAY FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION, BECAUSE WOULD NOT SHIFT PROPERLY, UPON OBSERVATION THE TRANSMISSION HAD METAL CHIPS IN TRANSMISSION FLUID AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I CANT BELIEVE NO RECALL ON THIS CAR!

NHTSA ID

10423611

Incident

Apr 29, 2007

Mileage

38,200 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 5 TO 10 MPH, SHE HEARD A LOUD BANGING NOISE. SHE DROVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT AXLE LOOKED AS IF IT WAS GOING TO BREAK. SHE SAFELY DROVE THE VEHICLE TO HER RESIDENCE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR AND IT WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER AGAIN. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT BOTH FRONT AXLES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE DEALER ADVISED HER ON THE THIRD VISIT THAT THE FRONT AXLES THAT WERE REPLACED WERE DEFECTIVE AND THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD AN EXHAUST LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,000.

NHTSA ID

10341849

Incident

Jan 20, 2010

Mileage

113,000 mi

I OWN A 2002 FORD FOCUS WITH 54000 MILES ON IT AND JUST LAST WEEK HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN THE CAR ACELERATED TO 30 MPH IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO 3RD GEAR UNTIL YOU OUT MORE PRESSURE ON THE GAS. I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER AND THEY HAD IT FOR 1 1/2 DAYS AND CAME BACK WITH AN " I THINK IT'S A RING IN THE TRANSMISSION, BUT NOT FOR SURE" THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME OVER $400 TO TAKE THE TRANSMISSION OUT TO SEE IF IT'S THIS RING!! AND IF IT'S NOT THIS RING THEY THINK IT IS THEN I'M OUT $400+. I ALSO FOUND A WEBSITE ( CAR COMPLAINTS.COM) AND NOTICED THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY FOCUS OWNER WITH THIS PROBLEM. OTHER FOCUS OWNERS ON THIS WEBSITE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THEIR TRANSMISSION 2-3 TIMES BETWEEN 60,000-100,000 MILES BECAUSE FORD CONTINUES TO PUT THE SAME TRANSMISSION IN ALL THEIR FOCUS'. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY A RECALL HASN'T BEEN CALL OUT ON THIS CAR WITH SO MANY COMPLAINTS. THIS IS A VERY BIG ISSUE AND I THINK IT NEEDS ATTENTION BEING THAT SO MANY FOCUS OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10261958

Incident

Mar 12, 2009

Mileage

55,000 mi

'02 FORD FOCUS ZX5 HAS SHOWN CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH IGNITION. FIRST, THE KEY WOULD GET STUCK AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 'P'. THEN, THE KEY WOULD INTERMITTENTLY GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THIS OCCURRED WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY, AND IT IS NOW STUCK PERMANENTLY. I HAVE NOT YET TAKEN IT TO GET FIXED, BUT BASED ON PHONE INQUIRIES TO REPAIR SHOPS IT WILL COST ME ANYWHERE FROM $200-500 TO GET IT FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10213080

Incident

Dec 28, 2007

1. I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 FORD FOCUS WAGON BACK FROM A CAMPING TRIP AND I WAS GOING ABOUT 60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY 2. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A "CRACK"/"BANG" FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR, DRIVERS SIDE, THE CAR CONTINUED WITHOUT JOLTING/SWERVING (I.E. NO AFFECT TO THE DRIVING OF THE VEHICLE), HOWEVER, AFTER ANOTHER FEW MILES THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL WAS MAKING A HIGH PITCHED SOUND, PLUS CRACKING, PLUS SOME JOLTING AS THE BEARING REALIGNED ITSELF AT TIMES. I STOPPED THE CAR AND THE HEAT FROM THE WHEEL WAS INCREDIBLE, ONE COULD HAVE FRIED AN EGG ON IT (THIS WHEEL WAS MUCH HOTTER THAN THE OTHERS). UNFORTUNATELY THIS HAPPENED ON A STRETCH OF ROAD WHERE THERE ARE NO TOWNS, NO CELL PHONE SIGNAL, ETC, I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE THE CAR TO A TOWN, MAX OF 40 MPH ON A 60 MPH STRETCH OF ROAD, I HAD A BABY IN THE CAR AND WAS SCARRED THAT SOMETHING WOULD HAPPEN TO HER. IN THE TOWN, I LEFT THE CAR, HAD TO CALL A FRIEND TO DRIVE ME HOME. I MUST SAY IT WAS THE MOST UNPLEASANT FEELING IN THE WORLD. IN ADDITION, THIS HAPPENED ON A SATURDAY NIGHT, WHERE ALL CAR SHOPS ARE CLOSED! 3. REPAIR SHOPS OPEN TOMORROW, THE REPAIR IS YET TO TAKE PLACE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10163220

Incident

Jul 22, 2006

THERE IS A LINE THAT WENT STRAIGHT INTO THE ENGINE'S INTAKE THAT HAS BEEN LEAKING FLUID SINCE 2,000 MILES AND WAS INSPECTED BY DELER WHO TOLD TO ME THAT IT WAS NOTHING. BUT THE ENGINE CASE SHOULD NOT HAVE A LARGE LEAK OF FLUID THAT SOON. FINALLY NOW, THEY HAVE DONE SOMETHING ON THIS AND REPLACED THE HOSE, AS IT WAS SEEN ONCE MORE AND KNOWS OF ALL THE TIMES REPORTED. I HOPE THIS IS JUST NOT A EASY FIX OR THIS NOW HASN'T CAUSED ANY DAMANGE TO THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE ITSELF, AS THE ENGINE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR RIDING ROUGH. THEY TOLD ME LAST TIME THAT THE PART OF THE TRANSMISSION THAT WAS FIXED WOULD FIX THIS. I THINK IT IS DUE TO THE OIL LEAK ON THE TOP OF THE ENGINE CASE SINCE IT WAS NEW. A NEW CAR SHOULD NEVER HAVE A OIL LEAK ON A ENGINE CASE.

NHTSA ID

10071080

Incident

Oct 15, 2003

Mileage

2,000 mi

I HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASING MY 2002 SVT FOCUS. RANDOM STALLS, LEAKS, AND NOISES. SHIFT LINKAGE FAILURE, WHEEL BEARING FAILURE, POWER WINDOW PROBLEMS. INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE, WRONG IDLE SPEED, LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER. 35 DAYS IN THE SHOP SO FAR AND COUNTING, ALL WITHIN 11MO OF PURCHASE. DON'T BUY A FORD CAR, YOU'LL REGRET IT.

NHTSA ID

10070695

Incident

Jul 15, 2003

EXCESSIVE GEAR CHATTERING HAS NECESSITATED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE FINAL DRIVE GEAR. WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT FINAL DRIVE GEAR WAS DEFECTIVE AND A REDESIGN WAS PLACED IN VEHICLE. BECAUSE OF REDESIGN I NEEDED NEW DRIVE AXLES. TORQUE CONVERTER WAS ALSO SHOT AND A NEW DIFFERENTIAL WAS PUT INTO VEHICLE. NEW BEARINGS HAD TO BE ORDERED BUT WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THEY ARE ON NATIONAL BACKORDER UNTILL DECEMBER OF 2004. YES IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT, 20 MONTHS FROM NOW. DEALERSHIP IS ORDERING BEARINGS THAT ARE CLOSE TO THE BACKORDERED PARTS, AND MEASURING FOR FIT. TOTAL TIME IN SHOP: 32 DAYS AND COUNTING. COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH CAR BEING ON LIFT FOR 21 DAYS IS $13,860 EXCLUDING PARTS AND LABOR OF THE MASTER MECHANIC.

NHTSA ID

10070256

Incident

May 15, 2003

Mileage

11,870 mi

WHEN ACCELERATING VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE AND BE VERY NOISY. DEALER DETERMINED THAT FRONT AXLE WAS BROKEN.*AK

NHTSA ID

8014126

Incident

Jun 29, 2002