Problems with 2000 Ford Focus SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph with the cruise control activated, a growling noise was heard coming from the rear end of the vehicle. the contact continued to drive and then began to hear a clunking sound as the vehicle began to shake. the contact was able to stop the vehicle on the shoulder of the road and noticed smoke coming from the rear driver's side brake drum. a few moments later, the drum caught on fire due to the grease igniting. the contact used water and was able to extinguish the flames. the vehicle was then towed to contact's home. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for a diagnostic test. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 142,000.

On an irregular basis, the car does not return to idle when braking. most of the time this occurs when exiting from a highway but lately has been occurring on side streets. abnormally hard brake pressure is required to stop the vehicle and once i had to shift to neutral and back to drive to return to slow idle. dealer claimed to be unable to find or repair this problem. *tr

2000 ford focus se, purchased new 04/2001 --- 06/02 - car died on fathers day, replaced battery with one from auto zone; ?/03 - at service call for recall of harness wiring, complained about led lights flickering, no problem found; 10/05 - car died, towed to ford, battery replaced; 12/06 - service at ford, complained about led lights flickering again, no remedy; 06/07 - car died, towed to chrysler dealer (my employer), could not locate prob, charged battery, 06/07 car died, replaced battery; 06/07 car died, towed to chrysler - replaced alternator; 09/08, ignition locked/replaced; 02/09 car died, towed to ford, replaced battery; 06/09, electrical system warning light illuminates at 35-40 mph. positive battery cable insulation melted. service at dodge (employer) - reroute positive cable directly to bolt on connector to battery, problem continues - carried to ford, they advise alternator is bad and must be replaced. ---- 9 years, 5 batteries, 3 alternators, problem not corrected. dealer continues to treat the symptoms, not cure the disease. something is causing this to happen continuously. numerous focus owners at least through 2003 experience same issues. service advisor admitted to me that they "replace a lot of batteries and alternators in focuses" and that "it seems to be inordinately high numbers". other problems with this car include 3 sets of inferior brake pads (finally had a good set installed by an independent mechanic) and cracked motor mounts causing intense vibration especially when engine is cold. seeking remedy for electrical issues - considering consulting attorney to start class action lawsuit. concerned about potential fire hazard. my daughter was driving this car for past 2 years, finally knuckled and bought her a great chrysler pt cruiser for her personal safety. i am not in a position to acquire another vehicle for myself and must continue to drive the focus until otherwise capable of another vehicle. will never buy ford again. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford focus. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic for an alignment. at that time, the contact was informed that the two front coil springs failed and needed to be replaced. the mechanic replaced the two front springs, the two rear wheel cylinders, and a brake line. the contact learned of nhtsa campaign id number 01i017000 (wheels:lugs/nuts and bolts), but it did not apply to her vin. she called the dealer and was informed that the recall had expired. the current and failure mileages were 136,000. updated 06/16/08 *bf

I was driving ny car about 25-30 mph when i heard a noise. low and behold my right wheel was wobbling back and forth. then it stopped for a moment so i decided to take car to shop. on my way to the shop my barring went completely out. my abs light came on the everything locked up,got to shop right rear wheel was smoking bad. shop told me everything burned up coast me 1,200.00 to get back on road. just one of the many things fixed. *tr

On 10/23/07 i inserted key into ignition of my ford focus and immediatley the lights and gauges went haywire-vehicle failed to start. to make a long story short ,after unpluging the battery cables and going back to the stranded car the next evening, it started . 2 days later my wipers came on by themselves and would not stop until i turned the car off and restarted. on 10/31/07 while driving my daughter home, the vehicle began accelerating and deccelertaing uncontrollably. i pulled of the highway and when i opened the drivers door, the seatbelt light began blinking and making a loud ticking noise. this had happened the night prior, but i thought maybe the button was depressed. my dome lights make a screeching noise and blink on and off. this is a serious problem that needs to be looked into. whenever something like this happens i am driving home late at night and of course the dealer is not open to help me . my car is almost paid off and i will not invest more than what it is worth, which is only about $2,500.too bad i have paid about $18,000 for it. i would also like to know why i have not received recalls for the following problems: 1. 1st month after purchase, electrical system running airbags, mirrors, doors etc. failed. 2. 37,000 miles- transmission failed 3. 42,000 miles- power door locks failed and soon after passenger doors stuck in the lock position. 4. all window tracks have failed. 5. wheel bearings replaced. 6. trunk latch failed 7. ignition failed and was replaced and is going again. 8. brought in for 1 recall (fuel filter) and still didn't correct problem with vibration and lurching. this is a vehicle that exceeds highway saftey ratings? something will be done about this if i must hire an attorney- i am out a lot of money and no vehicle. *tr

I was driving my ford focus & the front coil spring broke while i was driving the front end of the car collapsed on the front tire. i was driving 65 miles and hour seconds before i fortunately slowed down to a stop...noticed a noise like a flat tire, something did not feel right just before it collapsed on the road, i again thank god, i decided to turn around to go back home & immediately upon that turn around the car collapsed. these recalls safety campaigns are risking my life, but terrifies me for my newly driving son behind the wheel. as if that is not bad enough, i now have to file this complaint also. electrical system ignition---unable to remove key....car was unable to be towed car locked up..steering everything. cost of repair was quoted from $382.00 from ford service dealer...meanwhile the huge inconvenience car parking fees..for being in a public parking lot.

I was going about 15 mph when i hit a small pot hole in the road. soon after i began to hear a clicking noise when i would take turns. after bringing the car to a mechanic i was told that both front coil springs had shattered. after having these fixed as they were under extended warranty by the manufacturer i am told that coincidently i have new front suspension and abs issues which though most likely were caused by the coil string malfunction will not be covered as subsequent damage and i am on my own. had the damage to the coil spring not occurred there would have been no issues with the abs or front suspension. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 65 mph the brakes locked up without warrant. the brake pedal was not depressed; smoke erupted from the passenger side rear wheel. the vehicle was pulled off the road without incident. upon inspection the rim was black and there were metal pieces on the inner side of the wheel. the vehicle was driven very slowly 25 miles to an independent repair shop for inspection. the mechanic was unable to remove the wheel hub due to the damage caused by the brakes locking up.

For almost one month, loud humming in front right and both rear wheels and loud rear squeaking on braking revealed, after 4/20/06 inspection, failed wheel bearings in our ford focus se 2000 in right front and both rear wheels. both rear cylinders were leaking fluid and right brake drum was failing. many of the ford focus vins issued during 2000-2001 manufacturing years had wheel-bearing failure issues and consequent recalls. we were informed by "maria" at ford motor company, today that our vin was not one that had a wheel bearing issue. how, then, could three of our four sets of wheel bearings fail? ultimately, failed wheel bearings can lead to wheel failure and detachment leading to injury or death. why isn't the nhtsa addressing this serious issue with ford, as the manufacturer appears to be sidestepping its ethical and legal responsibility in this matter. we spent over $1,000 on this repair. nine months ago, our front coil springs failed, which could also have led to a fatality. ford assisted us then, but is doing nothing to help us now. please note that because on ongoing teamsters strike, most ford dealer shops were unavailable to service customer service or supply needs at the time we sought service. we seek reimbursement for repair of wheel bearings, rear drums and cylinders/lining. wheel bearing service reimbursement is essential. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 40 mph, there was a loud popping noise and loss of brake power. the contact down shifted the transmission to stop the vehicle, and noticed brake fluid leaking from the rear driver side wheel. the vehicle was driven to an independent repair shop, where it was determined the rear brake shoe broke and severed the brake line. the rear wheel bearings, brake lines, shoes, and cylinders were replaced. the rear brake drums were resurfaced. the manufacturer was alerted.

Dt: the contact stated while waiting at a stop light the vehicle in front of put on the brakes, this in turn caused the contact's vehicle to rear end the other vehicle. the seat belt did not restrain the contact. she hit her chest on the steering wheel. the vehicle was driven to the dealership to have this problem checked. no repairs were made.*ak updated 1/25/2006 - the dealer determined that the passenger side seat belt was also faulty. *nm

Brakes will not work when car first driven in morning. have to stand on the brakes to avoid hitting someone. ford will not fix this. this car is extremely dangerous along with the water leak, bad ignition key tumbler and poor gas mileage. it has been rotten from the get go. needs to be recalled! *nm

My car was kept up to date on maintenance and recalls. approximately 2 days before my accident, my husband experienced a slight delay in brake response on one occasion while driving. he checked all fluids and looked for leaks. everything seemed good. no indicator lights or warning lights indicated a problem. on the day of my accident, i drove to work and most of the way home. i was less than a mile from my destination when i applied my brakes to make a 90 degree turn. this is the first and only time that i had knowledge of a total loss of brakes, with no indicator or warning lights being activated to alert me of a brake problem. as a result, i crashed into a utility pole, injuring myself and my passenger. my 2000 ford focus se is totaled. *jb

Within two weeks of purchasing the 2000 ford focus the air bag sensor broke, the brakes began to squeal and less than a month later the ignition locked. the car cannot be started or moved due to the locked ignition. nothing was done about the brakes. the airbag light was replaced at a cost to me of $280.27. the ignition has not been repaired or addressed by the dealer. *nm

Dt: contact stated ignition locked and will not turn. this was the second time this happened. the first time it happened in 10-2000. vehicle was towed, and a new ignition was put in, and had to order another set of keys. contact continued to have the same trouble with it starting vehicle. ignition failed again. contact did not talk to a dealer, but planed to do so.. the dealer ,where contact bought the vehicle had it towed for her in 2000. she is going to have to have it towed. there were no lights that came on prior to the ignition locking. *ak a year after the vehicle was purchased the brakes and rotors had to be replaced. *nm

I purchased a ford focus 2000 from john thorton on thorton road in lithia springs on or about 7/2005. i also traded in my lexus 1991 vehicle which i had just fixed up for 2000.00 and plus the dealer asked for a down payment of 1200.00 which i gave, and i requested them to add a warranty which they did not in the contract. the vehicle was white and black inside. i drove smooth for about 4 months until one day as i was driving the vehicle cut off. i had the brakes redone, and some other work. i took the vehicle back to the dealer and they worked on it and charged me some more. until i realized the mechanic called me name for pick up and he stated to me thinking i was another person, my vehicle is ready and it had 3 recalls on it in the past. i assume he meant me, and come to realize it was my car he was speaking about. every since then, my car would cut off at stop lights and while i was driving. i was told by the dealer mechanic it has a short wire that can cause a fire and there is nothing they can do. i placed the car in ch 7 in bankruptcy in 10/05 and he no transportation except by bus and cab. ford dealer in lithia springs, ga 30122 sold me a car with 3 recalls as part of the car's history. i don't know what else it involved. *tr

My 2000 ford focus would not start on 6/29/05 so i had it towed to town & country ford on 6/30/05. prior to the tow truck leaving, i checked the lights, horn, etc to make sure all worked before ford worked on the car. they did. when they service man johnny gardner called me that afternoon to tell me what was wrong with the vehicle he stated " the ground scrap wire , and ignition switch need to be repaired" i told him that was impossible about the ignition switch when i had it repaired 1 month earlier. johnny then changed the story stating " just the ground scrap wire needs to be repaired". i had them fix that part and went to pick up the car. while driving down the street a car swerved into my lane and when i went to blow my horn it did not work. i slowed down and my brakes made a hard grinding noise. i immediately called town & country ford asking them why was my car horn not working, and the brakes were making a grinding noise. they replied " i could bring the car back and pay to have it fixed". i took the car to an independent auto repair shop who stated the horn could not be fixed because someone unhooked the componets under the hood, and to fix it ford can only get the parts. they also told me that the axle on my right brake wheel was split. prior to taking this car to town & country ford i had no brake problems. i was told by town & country ford to check my replace the relay switch to the horn. i did and the headlights, interior lights, and windshield wipers do not work. the car will not go in reverse. my car was fine prior to town & country ford's work. *jb

Vehicle experienced a catastrophic brake failure. while driving at approximately 45 mph driver applied the brakes and the pedal went to the floor and vehicle continued to move forward. driver tried to pump the brakes but it did not help. owner contacted the manufacturer, who told the owner that there was no known recall for this defect, and there was nothing else they could do. *ak

For the events of the final failure; i was attempting to stop at a red light that i did not see at first. though i had plenty of room to stop my vehicle before hitting someone i was not able to stop due to the brakes locking up. i had at least two and a half car lenghts between me and the intersection. i believe as a result in the brakes locking up i was unable to stop and t-boned another car. my car was totalled. i have had other problems with the brakes locking up and nothing was done to repair the problem because the service people could not duplicate the problem so they did not know what to fix. *ak

Wheel bearings in my 2000 ford focus have been replaced 8 times already. all parts have been ford factory parts. recall from 2000 on the wheel bearings had been performed in 2001 but problem has persisted. ford motor co. has been contacted repeatedly in regards to this but no action has been taken. dealership has also been contacted but the keep referring back to ford. copies of all repair bills is available. it appears that wheel bearing #9 is about to go also. breakdown as follows: right rear 3 times left rear 2 times right front 2 times left front 1 time in addition, rear drums have been replaced 3 times already (on the average of every 18-20 months). most recent replacement of wheel bearing on 3/4/05 can you please help! *jb

on 19 feb 2005 i went to have my rear brakes replaced on my 2000 ford focus. when they went to replace the rear brakes, they found that the rear wheel bearings were seized to the rear spindle. i had recall #01b85b done on 27 dec 2001 to prevent this. but it did not help. *jb

While going 65 mph, a vehicle pulled off the ramp in front of the consumer. the consumer applied the brakes and they failed to work. the consumer lost control of the vehicle. *sc all of the lights on the vehicles digital meters where blinking. the vehicle flipped three times and landed on the roof. prior to the accident the vehicle had electrical and brake problems. all the digital figures on the dash would blink on and off. *tc *jb

The vehicle's brakes had to be replaced about every three months. *nm the rear end was unable to be lined up, if so, the vehicle would fishtail back and forth and the consumer would unable to drive the vehicle. the tires were out of round and the vehicle would run rough, especially when going up hills. *sc *jb

1.) brake light flickered, but brakes worked, on 40 mile commute from work to home. 2.) brakes failed completely (pedal went to floor) as i stopped car in my garage. inspection revealed front driver brake line cut open by inner plastic wheel well cover-i have digital pictures. lost all fluid in upper resovoir. old parts are available. 3.)brake line was replaced, plastic wheel well cover was trimmed away from brake line.*ak

Fatality vehicle fire, dec. 8 2004. my husband is the original owner of a 2000 ford focus, subject to numerous service visits to bill brown ford, livonia mi for: ignition, steering column, wheel bearing, brake, rear window control, seat belt &trunk latches, overhead light and engine light. the vacuum line & fuel pump & valve assembly were replaced 2/03, followed by stalling. in 6/03, a/c compressor & manifold line replaced. fuel line & pump failure in 8/03, resulted in gasoline spill on residential street minutes after parking. bogging followed repairs, pcm reprogrammed & leaking pvc tube replaced 1/04. fuel pump again replaced. in 8/04, our 24 year old son took ownership of this problematic car. we are uncertain as to whether vehicle malfunction caused a 35 mph collision with a fire hydrant. an immediate engine explosion and fuel fed fire trapped my son and his passenger. described by police as a relatively minor crash which would not be expected to claim lives, the subsequent unexplained engine fire claimed two young lives. a malfunctioning driver's airbag was also detected. this incident was originally reported to nhtsa by my husband (#10104088). i am supplying these additional facts for your clarification. please correct your posting of "0" injuries as there were 2 fatalities. please take effective action to save lives, as these trouble plagued vehicles seem to become more lethal as they age. confirmation of receipt of this information is requested. *nm *sc *jb

While applying the brakes pedal went to the floor. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove it to the dealer for inspection. mechanic determined that the master cylinder needed to be replaced.*ak

To whom it may concern, own a 2000 ford focus zx3, i have had this car in for more repairs & recalls then i can count. the most recent visit to the dealer (colley ford, glendora, ca.) for a recall (program) and to have the brakes serviced was on 10/02/2004, i was told after 3 days that the clutch had a burnt smell, the battery had to be replaced, as well as the spark plug wires, some hose, and that the brake rotors would have to be turned (this is the second set of rotors on this car that has 37000 miles). please help me i am at the end of my rope with this car and don't know where to turn. i cant win with the dealer or ford motor company..... what should i do, what can i do? the fealer will not help & ford will not help. i still have not been able to have the car fit yet, im waiting to hear from the dealer. please help thank you for your time regards jeri williams 24/7 (626) 272-9518 . *ak

Rear brakes had an extreme noise coming from them. upon examination i found it to be a loosing of the rear wheel bearing nuts, causing the drum to rub the brake pads. *ak i tightened the nuts as until i replace the brakes.

Consumer is afraid to drive the 2000 ford focus due to all the problems that have developed with this vehicle.***no answer required***.*mr the rear brakes, drums and shocks were replaced. *jb

Front brakes are not compatible with the vehicle, once the vehicle hits 10, 000 miles the brakes become defective, the rotors and the pads wore out to the metal. *ak

This is a crap car, i can only hope for the best of the next few years as i have paid off the [xxx] thing. 2000 ford focus. fuel pump failed and replaced at dealership who in return refused to give back the full tank of gas i thought i had (i filled up that morning and brought it straight there) another malfunction??? they say i brought it in at 1/4 tank???? the car still sputters!!!! what the [xxx]. also>>>>>paint is horribly peeling off trunk. my car will be green in no time. again dealer wont even answer phone calls because i am off warranty (as if driving miles would actually have anything to do with the peeling of paint) moisture in the front headlight never goes away. and quite frankly i don't feel like replacing the rotors and pads every 15000 miles!!!! chevy here i come! *nm information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Consistent and costly brake problems on my 2000 ford focus - vin [xxx]. recently, on feb 26, 2004, bob baker ford, san diego serviced/replaced my front rotors & pads - costing $483. my rear brakes were previously serviced due to loud squeal (deglazed, dr sanded) on march 21, 2003; october 25, 2002; and august 23, 2002. are rotors normally replaced at 18625 miles? i emailed ford motor company [xxx] on 2/26/04, and they phoned me the next day. ford motor stated my problem was due to the previous owner's excessive use of the brakes, and they would forward my complaint to their engineer department.*ak updated 07/27/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Consumer complained about brake failure. while driving on the freeway consumer put foot on the brakes to slow down, but the vehicle did not stop. consumer lifted foot, then touched the brakes again, and vehicle did not stop. after being able to stop consumer got off the freeway and traveled on a main street, and vehicle was doing the same thing. while on the way to the dealer consumer attempted to stop at a traffic light, but could not stop, vehicle kept going and went through a red light, resulting in a broad side collision. there were no injuries. *ak consumer received information from insurance saying that there was recall in regards to the power failure of vehicle. consumer called ford motor company to check vehicle but they refused. *la

While braking the consumer heard a loud squeaking noise coming from the brakes. the dealerships mechanic repaired the problem, however the problem recurred. please provide any additional information. *nm

While driving the dash light began to flicker then the vehicle shut down suddenly while in gear. *nm campaign id number : 00v411000. the consumer was told that the power cable to the battery was the result of the problem. campaign id number : 02v288000. the consumer was told by the service department that this is a problem because the vehicle could explode. the warranty company turned the consumer down stating that the problem was not part of the warranty. the key gets stuck in the vehicles ignition and would not come out. the doors would not close properly and remained open while the vehicle was in gear. when the tire was removed the consumer noticed that the wheel was missing a lug nut. campaign id number : 00v303000 the air vent did not stay open when the a/c was on high. the brakes howled like a wounded dog from the time of purchase. pads and rotors needed to be replaced. *tc

When depressing the brake pedal consumer heard a grinding noise, causing the vehicle to have extended stopping distance. consumer took vehicle to the dealer to be inspected, and mechanic determined that front rotors were wearing out. *ak

It was hard to turn the key in the ignition switch, and the consumer was unable to start the vehicle. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak the vehicle also had brake problems. *nm

After getting the state inspection on the car done, the service technician told us that the car had failed due to the rotors and pads needing replaced. upon contacting the dealership, the service manager told us that this was normal wear and would cost us 695 to replace. the vehicle has less than 36000 miles, this should not be normal. *la

Ford focus 2000. squeaky brakes, ignition problems - locked up -? can't turn key. *la

Hi, i own a 2000 ford focus and it has been nothing but trouble. i purchased the car brand new in 2000 and have had it in the shop so many times. i have had my rear passenger side window mechanism replaced by ford, then personally replaced the driver front window mechanism and the driver back mechanism due to cable breaks. i have had it in with the radio 3 times and it still does not work correctly. i have had to have the brakes replaced, the ignition block replaced, the struts and shocks. the trunk release has never worked. now it keeps breaking down on me if i drive for more than 1 hour non stop. this weekend i went to san antonio from corpus, it died on the highway 3 times going to sa and coming home 4 times & how safe is that! ford said they cannot do anything for me unless it is messing up when i bring it in while it is acting up, however it always happens when i am away from town. they told me that if they hook it up to the machine it will not tell them anything. also, on several occasions my accelerator has stuck and i cannot brake, i have to put the car in neutral and press on the brake hard while the rpm's are still revving and pull the emergency brake, the first time this happened i was pulling into a parking spot and went over the yellow divider. is there anything i can do? *la

Brakes/rotors/pad have worn and/or malfunctioned more than three times in the two years i have had this car. the first time was within two months of ownership, dealer repaired, but only after pressing the point. had to replace the above twice already. one time brakes failed as my wife drove my children and nearly resulted in a serious accident. brake problems happening yet again. why is this not a recalled issue? i am out hundreds of dollars for this. *la

I have replaced the ignition switch 3 times in least that 2 years and twice in three months. the dealership tells me to call ford and ford tells me it a dealership's problem call them the old run around. i also have replace all four brakes and tires with only 25000 miles on the car and they still squeeze and grind when applying the brake. i brought the car used so i do not know if anything was replace before i purchased it lovely vehicle. *la

Front brake and rotor replacement at 25,000 mile service, no warranty coverage. *jb

Have had my front brakes replaced three times. first time at 11,000 miles, second time (rotors replaced) at 24,000 miles and third time at 36,000 miles. brakes consistently squeal, so loudly that i can hear them over my radio! i've been told by the dealership that focus brakes tend to be loud, but it doesn't mean they don't work. dealer also said they received notice from ford that focus brakes just "squeal". i don't believe this is true and that this should not be considered "normal wear and tear".*ak

We had to place the 6th set of tires on our car. we haven't had a single set of tires last longer than 20,000 miles. we have our tires rotated and balanced and front-end aligned regularly. we have replaced the front brake pads 5 times. we have had all 5 recalls repaired on the car. when i had the rear bearing replaced under warranty the technician told me that they had to order emergency bearings overnight because it was not safe to drive. when i inquired about a rental car, he offered to reassemble my car and let me drive it home (even though it was unsafe)! this has always been a loud car, but a week ago there was a loud roaring, grinding noise up front that gets especially loud when i turn to the right. after having a technician look at it, he says the front bearings are gone and the front rotors and brake pads also need to be replaced again. i am in the same situation as everyone else: because this car has had so many problems and complaints it is only valuing at $3000 after 3 years. ford should be forced to do something to satisfy all of these dissatisfied customers. *la

Had i known about the excessive brake dust that coats on the wheels,especially the front wheels,i never would have bought this car.in order for this car to look decent i have to get on the ground on my hands and knees using a solvent and water along with a lot of elbow grease and a brush and sponge and literally clean these wheels at least once a week.a simple drive through a car wash will not clean this brake dust adequately.i have called ford three times in the last few years complaining that this is a manufacturing defect and of course they deny it!the last call i made a consumer rep from ford read from a bulletin that they put out instructing owners as to how to clean off the brake dust.if there was not a defect why are they putting it in black and white to be read? i am disgusted with their attitude and would like to return the car to the dealership but feel frustrated that they will only "laugh"at me.any advice?i will gladly take part in any class action that you might have knowledge of???

First one: ignition locked. one night after classes, i went to start my car and the key would not go into or turn the ignition lock. i called my ford warranty and they sent a tow truck. the tow truck driver informed me that he is familiar with the problem on the ford focus, as he had had many calls to pick up cars with the same problem. second one: after returning home from driving to the store one saturday, i parked as usual and tried to pull up my hand brake which would not go up or lock into place. i then noticed that the little button you push in the release the handbrake was located all the way into the assembly not allow it to lock. i plan on taking my car in november to be repaired. my ford warranty will cover it since its a few thousand miles under warranty.

Let's see, where shall i begin. within month or two of purchase of 2000 focus sedan it was back in the shop for the front a panel trim. it took 3 times to finally get that right. also less than 5 months after purchase, windshield had to be replaced due to a stress fracture (was a 1-1.5 hairline crack which appeared in windshield). the windshield has since been replaced again. while adjusting the rear-view mirror the windshield cracked around the base, apparently from slight pressure of mirror. and just recently, august 2003, i've noticed water drops flying up from above the dashboard. not sure if windshield is leaking around the bottom base or maybe a.c. haven't had it checked yet, but it will be in the shop this week for other problems i haven't mentioned yet. it was in shop in late 2001 or early 2002 for throttle problems. while the car was sitting still the engine would race between 2.5 and 3000 rpms. fortunately i never used the cruise control during that time. late 2002 the trunk lock mechanism apparently broke preventing the trunk from shutting properly. it wouldn't latch at all. i have yet to have the wiper motor cover recall fixed. and on different occasions the fuel gauge has read empty, no matter how much fuel you have in the tank. and just when you think nothing else can go wrong, it happens. me and my wife were shopping this morning on labor day saturday. we got in the car and i went to start it. my key somehow would not go into the ignition completely, no matter how hard i tried. we eventually call our triple aaa insurance and arrange for a locksmith to come and take a look. he looks at it a second and declares what we fear the worst. our focus is the 7th focus this month he has seen with the same problem. he said that the ignition would have to be replaced by ford. i believe that this should be a recall. i will never buy another ford.

I purchased my 2000 ford focus se from merlin motors in saskatoon. production date - may 2/2000, stock no. pp24941, r.o. no. 155631. i believe this car was previously owned by someone in british columbia. here is a chronological breakdown of repairs. april 17/01 - took car in because driver mirror vibrated badly when driving - so badly that i could not look into it, it was shaking that much. also, the trunk would not open from the release inside the car. parts were ordered at this time. vehicle kilometers- 32854. june 19/01 - they checked for driver mirror vibrating when driving and replaced driver side exterior mirror. the also checked for trunk not opening from the release inside the car, they replaced the trunk stop and adjusted. vehicle kilometers- 35222 june 20/01 - they checked for power steering leak and replaced steering rack and set toe. vehicle kilometers- 37782?? (this is obviously an error - i know i did not drive 2, 560 km in one day!) i also did not complain about the power steering and don't recall why my car was in there at the time. sept 21/01 - they repaired rattle in right front going over bumps, tightened all assemble bolts in front end, removed right caliper and rotor, lubed all bushing, adjusted front splash shields, found tie rod bolt loose and tightened. they also fixed molding on window belt, which was loose and checked inside rear view mirror and found it flawed - part on order. vehicle kilometers- 43170. nov 3/01 - we were driving in saskatoon when engine started to boil. we knew this because of steam coming from the hood, all gauges in the car read normal! we took car to merlin - they could find nothing wrong with the car after their checks, and told us to bring it back if it happened again! work order for this date states: customer saw steam coming from under hood, antifreeze pooled on engine, gauge read normal, steam coming from overflow tank - fill with a/freeze, pressure test for leaks, no leaks found.