2002 Ford Focus Transmission Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPPED IT BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE STOPPED. APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH LATER A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN ILLUMINATING ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE WAS MISFIRING. THE CONTACT WAS LATER TOLD THAT THE FAILURE WAS WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10373448

Incident

Aug 15, 2010

Mileage

98,200 mi

2002 FORD FOCUS SE STATION WAGON. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. ENGINE HAS STRONG NOISE. THE CONSUMER STATED IT TOOK THREE TIMES TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION. THE WINDOW REGULATORS WERE REPLACED FOUR TIMES, THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING FAILED TWICE WHICH CAUSED COOLANT LEAK. ALSO, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG SYSTEM AND THE COVER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10327372

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

THE GEAR SHIFT SWITCH THAT LOCKS THE CAR INTO PARK AND ALLOWS THE DRIVER TO REMOVE THE KEY IS FAULTY. THE DRIVER CAN PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND THEN PULL THE GEARSHIFT BACK TO REVERSE WITHOUT HAVING TO ENGAGE THE BUTTON ON THE GEAR SHIFT. ALSO, THE DRIVER IS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY. THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A FIX OR RECALL ON THIS ISSUE AND THERE SHOULD BE, IT IS NOT SAFE AND THE CAR IS JUST NOT THAT OLD TO HAVE SUCH PROBLEMS. THE SAFETY FEATURE HAS FAILED AND MADE THE CAR UNSAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10293516

Incident

May 16, 2007

Mileage

38,000 mi

THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE TRANSMISSION MOUNT AT THE REAR OF THE CAR, FAILED AND DROPPED THE TRANSMISSION DOWN ON TO THE REAR-TRANSAXLE AND DAMAGED MOTOR MOUNTS. THE BRACKET APPEARS TO BE MADE OF VERY FLIMSY METAL AND IS NOT AN ADEQUATE PIECE OF MACHINING FOR THE TASK HOLDING THE TRANSMISSION MOUNT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10293513

Incident

Oct 30, 2009

Mileage

54,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION AND SMELL OF BURNING FLUID. CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT BEYOND 2ND GEAR. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE 3RD AND 4TH GEARS WERE BURNT UP. REQ'D REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION AT COST OF $4,000. VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS 78K AND WELL MAINTAINED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10257502

Incident

Feb 1, 2009

Mileage

78,450 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS ZX3. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN MOVING VERY SLOWLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE DIAGNOSTIC INDICATED FAILURE AT THE TRANSMISSION MAIN CONTROL BODY VALVE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE MAIN CONTROL VALVE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 53,000. UPDATED 09/25/08 *BF UPDATED 09/26/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10234778

Incident

Jun 30, 2008

Mileage

53,000 mi

CLUTCH LEAKS FLUID. FLUID RUNS DOWN STEM OF CLUTCH PEDAL, LOOSENING THE RUBBER PEDAL PAD, WHICH PROCEEDS TO FALL OFF IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. ALSO CLUTCH FLUID IS SUPPLIED BY BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR!!! THIS LEAK CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE BRAKE FAILURE AS FLUID LEAKS OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10221492

Incident

Mar 1, 2008

Mileage

41,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE IN THREE WEEKS. HE ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO RUN FOR OVER AN HOUR; HOWEVER, THE GEAR WOULD STILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE CAN ONLY BE DRIVEN IF AN EMERGENCY BUTTON IS ENGAGED, WHICH ALSO DOES NOT ALLOW THE GEAR TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS ELECTRICAL AND A WIRE THAT CONNECTS TO THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN MAY OF 2007 WITH A 1,000 MILE OR 30 DAY WARRANTY. THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS UNKNOWN AND THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,332 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,302.

NHTSA ID

10219431

Incident

Jan 29, 2008

Mileage

86,302 mi

MY FOOT PAD ON MY CLUTCH PEDAL BECAME SLIPPERY DUE TO LEAKING HYDRAULIC FLUID OUT OF MY CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER ON MY 2002 FORD FOCUS ZX3. *TR

NHTSA ID

10205967

Incident

Sep 1, 2007

CLUTCH ASSEMBLY HAS A LEAK OF FLUID INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR (DOWN THE CLUTCH ARMATURE TO THE CLUTCH PAD AND TO FLOOR MAT, IF SIGNIFICANT LEAKAGE) WHICH HAS A) CAUSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL PAD TO BECOME SLIPPERY AND FALL OFF DUE TO THE FLUID SEEPING BEHIND THE PAD [AFTER MARKET REPLACEMENTS NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO RELATIVE YOUTH OF CAR, THEREFORE NECESSITATING SERVICE AT DEALER], B) CAUSES THE BRAKE LIGHT TO COME ON SPORADICALLY DUE TO A DROP IN BRAKE FLUID (CLUTCH HYDRAULICS SHARE A RESERVOIR WITH BRAKE SYSTEM), ALTHOUGH NO FINDING OF CORRESPONDING BRAKE TROUBLE CAN BE MADE [PROBLEM TEMPORARILY DISAPPEARS WHEN FLUID LEVEL TOPPED OFF] AND C) CAUSES SPORADIC CLUTCH "SOFTENING" AND DECREASED EFFECTIVENESS. ISSUE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF BOTH DEALER AND INDEPENDENT SERVICE PROVIDERS SEVERAL TIMES, BUT NONE CAN FIND A FAULT WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM AS INDICATED BY THE ERROR LIGHT AND THEREFORE NONE INDICATE THAT A TROUBLE EXISTS. THE LEAK IS NOT OBVIOUS UPON VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND THE PROBLEM DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON BRAKING POWER (UNLESS LEFT TOO LONG AND BRAKE FLUID LEVELS DROP SIGNIFICANTLY). UNABLE TO LOCATE PRECISE LOCATION OF LEAK (SUSPECT EITHER RESERVOIR OR SOME ASSOCIATED LINE TO CLUTCH HYDRAULICS) OR TO DETERMINE WHY ONLY CLUTCH SYSTEM APPEARS TO BE IMPACTED. 1) NO NOTICEABLE/KNOWN EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE; UNCERTAIN HOW LONG CONDITION EXISTED PRIOR TO INITIAL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM 2) SEE FAILURE AND CONSEQUENCES NOTED ABOVE 3) NO CORRECTION IN PLACE YET AS DEALER SERVICE DOES NOT YET ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM AND DID NOT "FIND" PROBLEM AT RECENT 60K SERVICE WORK-UP (INCLUDED TOTAL SYSTEMS CHECK AND FULL BRAKE INSPECTION WITH FLUID TOP OFFS) PROBLEM WITH BRAKE LIGHT FIRING MANIFEST APPROXIMATELY EVERY TWO WEEKS (SINCE FIRST NOTED IN NOVEMBER 2006) DUE TO FLUID LOSS, PARTICULARLY WHEN TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW 30 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. ISSUE IS "RESOLVED" BY ADDING BRAKE FLUID TO RESERVOIR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10181034

Incident

Nov 17, 2006

Mileage

62,000 mi

CLUTCH PEDAL DISINTEGRATED, INVESTIGATED IT AND FOUND OUT THAT HYDRAULIC FLUID IS LEAKING FROM CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER. DEALER SAID IT IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I THINK IT SHOULD NOT HAD WORN OUT PREMATURELY WHEN THE CAR HAVE ONLY 32500 MILES ON IT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10172756

Incident

Nov 6, 2006

Mileage

30,500 mi

THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND SHIFTS EXTREMELY ROUGH. OTHER TIMES WHEN THE TIMES COMES FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT, THERE IS GREAT HESITATION. AT TIMES IT DOESN'T CHANGE UNTIL THE VERY LAST HIGH RPM. THE SHIFTING PATTERNS HAVE BEEN OFF COMPLETELY. HORSE POWER AS WELL AS TORQUE ARE LOST DUE THE FAULTY SHIFTING. *JB

NHTSA ID

10169568

Incident

Jun 3, 2006

Mileage

58,000 mi

FAILING CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER. THIS IS NOT A PART THAT HAS A RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT TERM. THIS PART HAS FAILED PRIOR TO THE TUNE UP MILEAGE. IT FAILED LESS THAN 2K MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10152203

Incident

Sep 1, 2005

Mileage

62,000 mi

IGNITION WILL NOT TURN. CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER LEAKS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10147326

Incident

Jan 9, 2006

Mileage

90,000 mi

MY FOOT PAD ON MY CLUTCH PEDAL BECAME SLIPPERY DUE TO LEAKING HYDRAULIC FLUID OUT OF MY CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER ON MY 2002 FORD FOCUS ZX3. NOW I HAVE STAINS ALL OVER MY CARPETING AND SHOES. MY CLUTCH BEGAN NOT RELEASING DUE TO THIS AS WELL AND THE PLATE BURNED UP. *JB

NHTSA ID

10146733

Incident

Dec 14, 2005

Mileage

50,000 mi

45,000 MILE CAR HAS LEAKING CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER. CLUTCH PEDAL IS WET AND SLIPPERY WITH BRAKE FLUID. I'VE HAD TO ADD BRAKE DUE TO THE LEAK. I'M AFRAID THAT MY BRAKES WILL GO OUT OR THAT MY FOOT WILL SLIP OFF OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL. I STILL HAVN'T HAD IT FIXED YET BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT PART WILL LIKELY FAIL ALSO. IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM ACCORDING TO THE DEALER I TOOK IT TO FOR AN ESTIMATE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10146545

Incident

Aug 1, 2005

Mileage

45,000 mi

THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER LEAKS AT A PREMATURE MILEAGE. I ONLY NOTICED IT AT AROUND THE 42K MARK BUT IT HAS HAPPENED FOR AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT LONGER. THE LEAK GOES THROUGH THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE DRIVERS SIDE CABIN. IT GETS ALL OVER THE CARPET AND CAN CAUSE FUTURE DAMAGE TO MY CARPET AND POSSIBLY FLOOR. THE FLUID IS VERY CORROSIVE AND SINCE ITS ON THE SAME SYSTEM AS THE BRAKES IT ALSO AFFECTS MY BRAKES. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM AND I WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING TO A LOT OF FORD FOCUS OWNERS OUT THERE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10145758

Incident

Nov 16, 2005

Mileage

42,000 mi

THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE WERE DAILY USE. THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER IS LOCATED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT IS A VERY COMMON FAILURE FOR IT TO BEGIN LEAKING, DRIPPING ON THE CARPET AND EVENTUALLY CAUSING THE RUBBER PAD ON THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO FALL OFF. THIS IN ITSELF IS DANGEROUS, BUT THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH UTILIZES THE SAME FLUID RESERVOIR AS THE BRAKE SYSTEM, SO THE BRAKES COULD BE AFFECTED BY A LEAKING CLUTCH. ON MY VEHICLE, I REPLACED THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER MYSELF. WHEN I WAS UNDER THE CAR, I NOTICED A DRIP FROM THE DRAIN HOLE IN THE BELL HOUSING- THE SLAVE CYLINDER IS LEAKING, TOO. THESE ARE NOT "CONSUMABLE" PARTS OF A CAR. THE SIMULTANEOUS FAILURE OF BOTH INDICATES THAT EITHER THEY ARE WOEFULLY UNDER-ENGINEERED, OR THE SEALS THEY USED ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH BRAKE FLUID. BECAUSE OF THE CORROSIVE NATURE OF BRAKE FLUID, HAVING IT DRIP INTO THE CARPET AND PADDING OF THE INTERIOR OF MY CAR IS A BIT OF A CONCERN. ALL IN ALL, THIS IS A MAJOR SHORTCOMING THAT COMPROMISES THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10145612

Incident

Sep 1, 2005

Mileage

36,000 mi

AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT I WAS SHIFTING THROUGH THE GEARS ON MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND WHEN I WENT TO SHIFT IN TO 2ND GEAR, I MISSED 2ND AND ACCIDENTALLY WENT INTO 4TH BUT REALIZED IT BEFORE LETTING OFF THE CLUTCH, IT THEN GOT STUCK AND WOULD NOT MOVE FROM THAT GEAR. I COULD NOT GET ANYWHERE TO GET IT FIXED SO I WAS FORCED TO SIT ON THE SIDE OF A MAJOR ROAD IN 20 DEGREE WEATHER FOR MORE THAN 45 MINUTES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10144174

Incident

Nov 29, 2005

Mileage

50,900 mi

DT: THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN CRUISE CONTROL, THE CONSUMER MANUALLY PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP INTO NEUTRAL. AFTER 10 TO 20 SECONDS IT WOULD GO BACK INTO DRIVE. AT TIMES WHEN STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE VEHICLE WOULD ATTEMPT TO SURGE FORWARD. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM, THEREFORE THIS COULD NOT BE FIXED. *AK (11/23/05) RECALL CAMPAIGN#03V482000. *SC

NHTSA ID

10140278

Incident

Oct 15, 2005

Mileage

29,300 mi

DRIVERS SIDE LACH BREAKS SO THE DOOR DOESN'T OPEN FROM THE OUT SIDE. SO YOU HAVE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE THE PROBLEM IS THERE IS ONLY TWO LOCKS ON THIS CAR.

NHTSA ID

10124541

Incident

Jun 10, 2004

RUNAWAY AUTO THROTTLE BODY STICKING CAUSED CAR TO BECOME A RUNAWAY AUTO WITH NO CONTROL TO STOP. EXITING HIGHWAY 80 AT PRNRYN RD. EXT. CRUISE CONTROL SHUT OFF AUTO SPEEDED UP ENJINE ROARED APPLIING BRAKES DIDN'T STOP AUTO. WENT OFF ROAD AND STRUCK A LARGE OAK TREE. VEHICLE OVERTURNED DOWN AN EMBANKMEND. LANDED ON ROOF OF AUTO. AUTO HAD 450 MILES ON IT AND WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED.

NHTSA ID

10122407

Incident

Sep 12, 2002

Mileage

451 mi

(1) I FIRST NOTICED UNUSUAL STAINS ON THE CARPET UNDERNEATH THE CLUTCH PEDAL DURING DECEMBER, 2004, BUT ASSUMED INITIALLY THAT IT WAS FROM SOMETHING ON MY SHOES. (2) ON 03/21/05, THE CLUTCH PEDAL PAD FELL OFF WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION, DISTRACTING ME, BUT FORTUNATELY DID NOT RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. (3) ON 03/28/05 I SEARCHED THE NHTS ODI COMPLAINT DATA BASE AND FOUND AN IDENTICAL COMPLAINT, ODI ID NUMBER:10107639, DATE OF FAILURE: 01/20/05. I WILL BE TAKING THE VEHICLE THIS WEEK AND THIS INFORMATION TO THE AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER FOR WARRANTY REPAIR ALTHOUGH THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE WAS ON 01/31/02, BUT I WILL CLAIM THE PROBLEM STARTED IN DECEMBER 2004 WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN WARRANTY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10114853

Incident

Mar 21, 2005

Mileage

16,200 mi

CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER LEAKS CLUTCH FLUID. FLUID RUNS DOWN STEM OF CLUTCH PEDAL, LOOSENING THE RUBBER PEDAL PAD, WHICH PROCEEDS TO FALL OFF IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. ALSO CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER FLUID IS SUPPLIED BY BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR!!! THIS LEAK CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE BRAKE FAILURE AS FLUID LEAKS OUT OF BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10107639

Incident

Jan 20, 2005

Mileage

39,700 mi

TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND KICKED BACK INTO DRIVE WHILE DRIVING. *PH THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE CONSUMER'S CONCERN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. *JB *SC

NHTSA ID

10061305

Incident

Jun 1, 2004

Mileage

34,000 mi