Problems with 2001 Ford Focus FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Car sputtered on a sunday morning (11/2004). on monday night the car died. could turn ignition, but no fuel got to engine. called ford serice center, they were closed. had problem fixed (new fuel pump) at another service station ($594). found letter dated 1/2004 stating ford was aware of faulty fuel pump, and was offering replacement coverage for 10 years. have tried to get ford to reimburse me, but they deny the claim, stating it was not an emergency. *ak

When exiting a corner or banked turn at any speed, the car will sputter and then shut off when gas levels approach 1/4 tank. the car will either coast and then regain power or completely die and come to a stop. at freeway speeds this is extremely dangerous to the occupants and passing traffic. the car will also sputter during bursts of quick acceleration. *tr

My 2001 ford focus has stalled again. this is about the 4th time. local mechanic found problem to be fuel injector pump. dealership claims that is only battery replacement. i have all old parts from recent service at dealership. i would like to see this vehicle recalled. found internet article that states that this is not an uncommon problem with this make/model. http://www.theautochannel.com/f/mania/repair/news.html?mania. *jb

2001 ford focus se: taken in for service to investigate engine light problem - joe meyers ford supposedly found pcv valve problem and attendant hose - removed and replaced - performed addtional maintenance associated with ford alert related to fuel pump failures - two weeks later, engine light reappears - vehicle returned to joe meyers ford and repairs affected to correct shoddy workmanship or other seal leak associated with previous fuel pump repair - less than two weeks later fuel system failed spraying entire fuel tank contents across underside of vehicle while driving.*ak

Vehicle hesitated upon starting. consumer replaced the battery. but, vehicle would not start. finally, dealer stated that fuel pump needed to be replaced. this vehicle was not included in the nhtsa recall 03v482000 due to vin. *ak *tt

I had received a notice that my car may need to have my fuel filter replaced due to possible hesitation; however, i was not to have this done unless the system failed. on my way home for thanksgiving, i was traveling on the interstate, and my car started to slow...i let off the gas, pressed on the gas, and frantically pumped the gas as cars passed me going 80 mph. when the system failed, i was out of state, 400 miles from home, sitting along side an interstate full of holiday traffic, but ford does not consider this a safety concern.*ak

After the fuel delivery module recall 03v482000 was performed the replacement part failed. this was verified by the dealership after inspection. *jb

Oct. 13-14, 2004: engine would crank and crank and not start after sitting overnight or for several hours. after much cranking, engine finally would start. oct. 14 - personal mechanic identified that fuel pressure was bleeding off - fuel was not remaining in fuel rail. directed me to take it to ford dealer for fuel pump recall 03v482000. oct. 18 - to solve the problem, related to ford's recall program #03n01, ford dealership replaced fuel pump. in conjunction with the fuel pump replacement, dealer recommended fuel filter also be replaced, at a cost to me of $62.95 plus tax. i approved this. dealer (suntrup ford) also recommended fuel cleaning induction service, done for $127.88. oct. 28 - returned to dealer for repair. car had sputtered at stop light twice, and idle when stopped had changed from what was normal. dealer could not duplicate concern, and reprogrammed the car's computer for $119.90. nov. 16 - on two occasions car sputtered after starting when engine was warm. on second occasion, car was extremely difficult to start. after it finally started, i drove about a block, and it stalled without warning and without sputtering. car was towed to private repair shop nearby, where on nov. 17 mechanic indicated he could not duplicate the condition. mechanic promised to look at car again on nov. 18. consequences of failure - inconvenience, potential dangerous condition, out several hundred dollars for recommended repairs (related to recall) and for towing. car still not diagnosed because condition has not been duplicated.*ak

Events leading up to the failure: check engine light came on has never gone off since, highly increased running noise, engine hesitation that at highway speed it causes the whole car to jerk failure: i took the car in and they told me i needed a new head that ford had redesigned a new one and it would cost $1000. the one i currently have deposits carbon and will keep doing so until it eventually gives out. the thing that irks me is ford obviously knew there was a design flaw if they designed a new one, therefore i feel they should be covering this. corrections: none, cannot afford. will have to drive it until the car gives out.

Check engine light appeared on the dashboard. vehicle stalled. consumer was unable to restart vehicle, and had it towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. *ak

I am exhibiting problems with my 2001 ford focus lx that matches the problems listed with the recalls for the car. i am having powers surges, vibration in the front end, noises in the front end, and loss of power. i have contacted the ford motor company about this and have brought the car in several times about it. they keep saying there are no recalls for my car. i know this to be false because a friend of mine got the same exact car as i did 2 weeks apart from me. he has recieved the recall letters and already had the problems fixed. i need help. *ak

The consumer stated the fuel pump hesitated. this problem occurred intermittently. the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer. the problem did not duplicate itself and they told the consumer that there was nothing else they could do. the consumer later contacted the manufacturer and they too told the consumer that there was nothing they would do. provide further details. *jb

Consumer noticed fuel rail system was leaking gasoline, resulting in stalling. independent shop cleaned the fuel injection an throttle cable. dealer was notified. *ak

Consumer had the fuel system serviced on a fuel rail recall. vehicle was shaking, and will not go over 20 mph. *ak

1. without crash or other damage, fuel began to leak out of the top of the gas tank and down the tank onto the undercarriage. occurs only when ignition is on and vehicle is driven. 2. failure appears to be a seal on siphon/fuel line going into top of tank. consequences are potential serious fire/explosion hazard, unpredictable loss of power when driving. awaiting service on the vehicle.*ak

The 2001 ford focus had five recall notices. *bf the vehicle would not start. the consumer needed a new fuel pump. the vehicle displayed a strong fuel smell. the fuel cap light had come on. the replacement fuel pump was defective. refer to recall campaign# 03v482000. *sc *jb

Started car and drove 1/4 mile, smelled gas, continued for another 1/4 mile and noted gas smell stronger. pulled over and noted wet trail behind vehicle and gasoline pouring out underneath vehicle. in less than 5 minutes, half a tank of gas (almost 10 gallons) was discharged from the vehicle. gas leaked only when ignition was on. had vehicle towed to dealership. tow truck driver commented this happens all the time with these vehicles and that it was a seal on top of the fuel tank that failed. dealer commented much the same. had fuel pump replaced by dealer after premature failure 8 months earlier.*ak

On 2 occasions my car has failed to start and cut off. leading up to this the car was working fine and just all of a sudden just stopped. the 1st time it started with the hesitation and stuttering of the engine. where there was a recall on the gas line which the dealer fixed. the 2nd time it just keep cutting off everytime i put the car in drive. i took it to the ford and they said they could find nothing wrong with the car but i have a feeling it is going to do it again and i will be stranded by the road again. everytime it happens ford can't find anything wrong or aren't looking well enough. *la

Recall 03v482000 concerning stalling. vehicle experienced a hesitation/stalling problem, and loss of power. dealer was notified, and informed the consumer that this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *ak

No crashes or injuries, however ther could have been since the car stalled several times while my wife was driving it. some months ago the "check fuel cap" light appeared. this had never been a problem, as i always turn the cap several times after fueling. i had a local auto parts store reset the light. this happened again so i switched gas caps with the other 2001 focus i own. the light came on again, followed by a "check engine" light. when i had the auto parst store check it before resetting the lights their readout stated "large vacuum leak". since the car ran ok and there was no noticeable drop in fuel economy, i felt there was no problem, until my wife drove it and came back very upset that it had stalled several times and she had to use the gas as well as the brake to get home. upon taking it to the dealership, i was advised that there was a leak in the fuel filler neck and that the part as well as the $30 fuel cap needed replaced at a cost of over $350. i explained the filler cap switch (the other focus has not had the problem since it was built in michigan and not mexice) and they only replaced the fuel filler neck to the tune of $324.65 while this vehicle has 60,000 miles on it i do not feel that this was a cost that i should have absorbed. *ak

Possible defect with clip/clamp on fuel pump.*mr on jan 20, 2004 the fuel pump was replaced per recall, the mileage at the time was 18446. on june 7, 2004 the clamp or hose from the fuel pump detached which resulted in the vehicle not starting. the consumer also saw a sizeable amount of fuel under the vehicle after she attempted to start the vehicle, mileage at that time was 20640. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who explained that the clamp must have became loose after the vehicle hit a pothole. *nm

Similar description with nhtsa campaign id number 03v482000, but no match on vin [xxx]. *jb updated 07/19/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

While driving 35 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning in the middle of a busy intersection. the dealer stated the fuel pump malfunctioned and was not sending fuel to the engine. please provide additional information. *jb

My car stalled after coming around a sharp right hand turn. i restarted the engine and carried on a few more yards when the engine stalled again. i tried to start the car several more times because i was stuck at the entrance to the freeway on-ramp in very busy traffic. i could not get the car started and had to get it towed away. the mechanic at the repair outfit replaced the fuel filter and said that the old one was clogged up with dirt. this has never happened to me before. i did some research on the internet and found that i am not the only focus owner with this problem. i think this relates to recall #03v482000. *ak

While driving my 2001 ford focus over a 6 lane suspension bridge from pa to nj, my car started to act as if it was running out of gas. car slowed without warning then died,this happened as a 18 wheel truck was baring down on me at a high rate of speed. sitting as a dead duck the truck barely made it around me nearly causing a multi car accident. after restarting the car (barely keeping it running) i slowly made it to the top as it died again , i glided down the bridge in neutral, i pulled over at the end of the bridge and restarted the car again, this happened 3 times on the highway, each time having to pull over and restart the car.. i have had this problem about a year ago and had to fight ford to replace the fuel pump, which seemed to solve the problem until now.. this time i almost got killed.. there is no warning when this happens! please do something about this before someone dies. *jb

My 2001 ford focus zx3 has stalled around turns and when it gets below 1/3 tank consistently since i got it, and in mid march it completely stalled out as i was driving down the road and took nearly 20 minutes to restart. i just visited fords web site to find out any recall information and it came up with no recalls for this problem, or any other problem. *nm

Consumer received a recall on his daughter's vehicle for the fuel pump. consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, and left it there for 2 days. when consumer picked up the vehicle he found that dealer did not replace the parts that should have been replaced. also, consumer did not think that mechanic actually checked the vehicle after doing recall repairs. he stated that the recall called for the replacement of the fuel pump with fuller. vehicle was still doing the same thing, hesitating and stalling. *ak

History of fuel system problem: 11/25/03: engine hesitation, loss of power, engine stall (pd repair cost- diagnostic test; no problems found). 2/04: received recall letter from ford regarding fuel pump in my vehicle. 3/8/04: recall work performed(replaced fuel delivery module - n/c). 3/9/04: same problem re-occurred(replace dpfe sensor and clear dtcs - n/c). 6/04: same problem re-occurred (diff. dealer - replaced fuel filter- pd repair cost). 8/5/04: same problem re-occurred (broke down in ohio - replaced vacuum hose - pd repair cost). vehicle has stalled at least 20 times while operating. 2 close-calls: 8/5/04 in ohio- stalled in busy intersection while turning. 9/04: almost hit child on bike in neighborhood due to vehicle stall and loss of assisted steering. *nm

Consumer received nhtsa recall 03v482000 concerning fuel pump problem. vehicle was taken to the dealer, and dealer replaced fuel pump, charging $25.00 for parts and $40.00 do for labor. total charge was $75.00. consumer objected paying for labor because the recall letter indicated it was free of charge. *ak *sc

Nhtsa recal 03v482000 concerning stalling. recall remedy was performed on february 17,2004. since then, vehicle has stalled four times. while accelerating vehicle hesitated, and then stalled in the middle of an intersection. consumer contacted the dealer who charged the consumer to do a diagnostic test.*ak *mr

Dealership refused to perform the stalling recall 03v482000 repairs unless the consumer paid $165.00 for a diagnostic. *ak the vehicle was repaired at another dealership at no charge. *jb

While driving consumer's wife made a left turn and front wheels locked. then, vehicle drifted and hit the curb and a pole. both, consumer and wife had their seat belts on, but sustained back and leg injuries. also, a recall was issued on the fuel lines. insurance company had the vehicle towed, and was told by the insurance company that vehicle was totaled.*ak *tr

Consumer received a recall notice but due to the vehicle having a "branded title", the consumer had to pay $430.48 for the fuel pump replacement. (nar) *ph *cb

Failure of fuel pump caused vehicle to stall and die in the middle of a street without warning, causing vehicle to have to be towed in for repairs. ford paid to replace the pump but refused to pay to replace the defective filter or reimburse towing expenses. fuel filter problem is documented on a so-called recall notice no. 03n01, but ford is advising dealers to replace part only if it fails and will not stand by it's consumers for full reimbursement of expenses associated with defective part.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. she had her vehicle repaired according to recall# 03v482000 ( fuel system, gasoline). after the repair while at a local gas station she saw a puddle of gasoline from under the fuel tank. the vehicle was towed back to the dealer and an updated version of the component was installed. years later, while driving the driver-side head light failed. she pulled over to a local store and turned the vehicle off. minutes later smoke engulfed the front-end of the vehicle, and then flames erupted. the fire department extinguished the flames and cut the battery cables. a fire fighter speculated that the battery caused the fire. the manufacturer was contacted in reference to recall #: 02v288000 (electrical system:battery:cables). upon contact she was advised that her vehicle identification number was excluded from the vin range. she was in the process of sending correspondence to the manufacturer that exemplifies the failure. the failure mileage was . the current and failure mileages were 115,000.

The consumer received a recall letter nhtsa: #03v482000 concerning fuel delivery problem. the vehicle was taken tot he dealer but the dealer refused to honor the recall indicating there was not recall at this moment. the consumer was asked to bring the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnostic test which would cost $90.00. *nm

Recal 03v482000 subject: concerning stalling. dealer indicated to consumer that recall repairs will only be done when the vehicle experienced problems with the recalled part.*ak

Recall 03v482000 concerning stalling. dealer indicated to the consumer that recall repairs will only be done when the vehicle experiencing problems with the recalled part.*ak

The vehicle was taken for repairs after the consumer received a notice of possible problems from the manufacturer. vehicle started to have symptoms with the engine light coming on, power lost and stalling. *la the consumer had an accident as a result. the consumer also requested reimbursed. recall#03v482000 *sc *jb

My2001 ford focus zx3( manual transmission )with over 105,000 miles on it has had a electronic throttle problem since it had 30,000 miles on it. intermittently the engine speed would not decrease when your foot is taken off the accelerator pedal. the car would act like the cruise control was engaged. the car could be controlled by heavy braking or depressing the clutch. it was taken into three different ford dealer at least seven different times only once did they claim to see the problem. that time the mechanic show me disconnecting a electrical plug under the hood caused the throttle controls to go to a fail safe mode making the problem disappear for period of time(days).i was told to bring it back in when it happened again. i did that, mechanic was know longer with the dealership. several parts were changed several different times but did nothing to correct the problem. when the problem is present the engine speed will decrease to a fast idle once the car comes to a complete stop. the problem will go away sometimes after shutting off the engine and restarting but not always. *tr

While driving at any speed, the vehicle intermittently stalled. the dealer informed the consumer that the fuel pump module was defective. also the brake rotors pads, and calipers needed to be replaced. *ak the engine light had come on due to the fuel pump being inoperative. ford made the repairs but failed to replace the o rings which caused the pump to fail again. ford had fuel pump recall #03no1 but the same exact part went bad. the rotors were warped due to the calipers seeping fluid, binding the pistons. *sc *jb

When at a stop the fuel tank started to leak. the consumer was unable to accelerate and had to pull to the shoulder and have the vehicle towed. the dealership inform the consumer that the problem was pertaining to the fuel line. the dealerships mechanic was unable to resolve the problem. *nm

At 75 mph in interstate traffic, vehicle engine missed then lost power. engine would not rise above 1000 rpm. narrowly avoided collision in merging out of traffic. engine would not accelerate above 1500 rpm, eventually stalled. after 15 minutes, restarted and operated normally for 5 minutes before stalling again.*ak

I have had 3 fuel pumps installed in 5 weeks. this is more than just a recall problem - this is a defective component. how do i document this for the lemon law in the state of michigan. *ak

On several occasions the engine my 2001 ford focus stopped while i was driving down the road. i was able to restart the car but it got to where i could only go a mile or two and then the engine would die again. the ford dealership replaced the fuel pump to the tune of $450 but i have seen numerous references on the web to other focus owners having this same problem and i think ford should have recalled the car and taken care of this problem. i have a long commute in heavy traffic and i definitely think that getting run over by some other vehicle because my car stalled out in front of them is a "safety" issue.*ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. approximately two years ago, the contact noticed that her gas mileage was significantly lower than other 2001 vehicles of the same model. the dealer stated that recalls were issued for the ford focus, however, the manufacturer stated that there were no recalls regarding gas mileage. the speed was unknown. the current mileage was 98,000 and failure mileage was 30,000. *updated 12/27/07 *lj updated 12/12/07 *tr

Fuel pump failure at 22,000 miles. dealer refused refund due on extended fuel system warranty stating that the warranty covered the fuel tank only. *la

I have a 2001 ford focus zx3. around approximately 36,000 miles i started noticing the engine missing. shortly after when the gas tank would be 1/4 full and below the car would experience what felt like fuel starvation, frequently in coordination with a sharp turn. the car would spit and sputter for a few seconds and then it would clear up and be fine. this usually occurred when accelerating on an interstate on ramp and was (and still is) potentially dangerous. the severity and frequency of the car stalling gradually became worse over a few months time. now the car has approximately 46,000 miles on it. on november 9, 2003 while on the interstate traveling at 65 mph with 1/2 tank of gas the car started going through fuel starvation. it last a few seconds and then cleared up. this is a major safety hazard. before the last incident, i thought that if i made sure the gas tank was not low the car would be okay. i did some research on this incident after the last incident. i searched the nhtsa site and focaljet. i saw that many people were suffering this problem and learned what the probable cause was. i believe the problem is the lining of the gas tank coming loose and keeping the fuel delivery module from taking up as much gas as the car needs to keep running. i contacted the local ford dealership on november 11, 2003. the service manager told me he had heard of the problem, but had never had a customer that had a problem with it. i am taking the car in on november 18, 2003 to get repaired. to be clear, the car has not totally stalled due to this problem. it acts like it is going to die and the rpms go down. pushing in the accelerator pedal does not make the rpms go up. the car runs very rough for several seconds (spitting and sputtering is how i describe it) and then clears out. *la

Intermittently vehicle stalled. the first time the vehicle stalled in the middle of an intersection. the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer for service and the dealer replaced the fuel filter. the vehicle stalled again. at this time the dealer replaced the fuel pump at the consumer's expense. the manufacturer denied there was a recall on the fuel pump. *ak *jb *nm

After three unseccessful attempts to have my ford focus repaired for engine stalls(while on the highway with the kids in the back seat,with 18-wheeler behind me).iionce again took my car to ford for warranty work.they found that the fuel pump was not suppling enough pressure and fixed it i thought,when at work with the car running and the exhaust at running temperature,all the fuel leaked out and could of very easily caused a fire which could of caused a great lose of life not only for myself but also for my wife and kids who always drive the car