2002 Ford Focus

MY FORD FOCUS 2002 IS STARTING TO STALL & HESITATE WHILE DRIVING. I ORIGINALLY HAD BELIEVED IT WAS BAD FUEL BUT IT IS RECURRING & ONCE IT STALLS IT IS DIFFICULT TO NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP RUNNING WHEN PUTTING IT INTO DRIVE. I HAVE HAD IT TOWED ONCE & LOOKED AT BY MY MECHANIC, WHO IS PUZZLED AT THIS POINT (FUEL ADDITIVE, OIL CHANGE, FILTERS CHANGED, SPARK PLUGS CLEANED). IT SEEMS TO BE WORSE WHEN THE GAS GAGE IS @ OR BELOW A 1/4 OF A TANK. I HAVE READ THAT THERE WAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THE 2000-2001 MODELS & AM INQUIRING IF ANYONE WITH A 2002 IS REPORTING SUCH INCIDENTS. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED (FROM A FORD DEALER) WITH 12,000 (I THINK) MILES ON THE SPEEDOMETER & HAVE BEEN FAIRLY HAPPY UNTIL JUST THE LAST 60 DAYS. I CAN TELL YOU THAT I HAD NO PROBLEMS UNTIL I RAN VERY LOW ON GAS ONE NIGHT & STOPPED & FILLED UP AT A STATION THAT I NORMALLY DO NOT USE, BUT IT IS A STATION THAT DOES A GREAT DEAL OF BUSINESS IN THE AREA WHERE I WORK. I THOUGHT THAT I MAY HAVE GOTTEN SOME BAD FUEL OR HAD RUN THE TANK SO LOW THAT "GUNK" FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK HAD GOTTEN INTO THE FUEL. I USED SOME "FUEL ADDITIVE" & I KNOW THAT MY MECHANIC (AFTER TOWING IT) ALSO USED A FUEL ADDITIVE...EVERYTHING WAS FINE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS BUT THEN IT WAS HESITATING/JERKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON A 1/4 OF A TANK OF PREMIUM FUEL (MY MECHANIC SUGGESTED I ONLY PUT IN $10.00 OF GAS IN CASE IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP). MY MECHANIC DOES NOT BELIEVE IT IS THE FUEL PUMP BECAUSE ONCE HE GOT IT TO RUN & HE HAD IT RUNNING HOT HE HAD NO PROBLEMS...HE FEELS I MAY NEED TO JUST WAIT IT OUT...STALLING WHILE IN TRAFFIC IS A BIT TOO ADVENTUROUS FOR ME!!! *NM

THE FRONT RIGHT BEARING AND SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. THE BEARING WAS FROZEN AND THE SPRING WAS POPPED OUT SO FAR IT ALMOST POPPED THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE. THE CAR IS A 2002 FORD FOCUS - NOT THAT OLD TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS CORRODE AND ALMOST CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I DIDN'T SEE A RECALL ON ANY OF THE PARTS FOR MY CAR OR ANYTHING SUGGESTING SHIELDS SHOULD BE INSTALLED SO THAT IF THE SPRINGS POP AT A HIGH SPEED AT LEAST IT WON'T PUNCTURE THE TIRE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RECALL ON THE PARTS OR HAVE THE NHTSA REQUIRE THAT SHIELDS BE INSTALLED. I SPENT $578 TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM - REPLACED FRONT RIGHT STRUT, MOUNT AND BEARING, SPRING, AND ALIGNMENT. *NM

A YEAR AGO, THE DRIVER'S SIDE TURN SIGNAL LIGHT ON MY 2002 FORD FOCUS WAGON BURNED OUT. IN TRYING TO REPLACE IT AT A LOCAL AUTO PARTS PLACE. THE SOCKET WAS SO TIGHT IN THE LENS/REFLECTOR ASSEMBLY THAT IT COULD NOT BE REMOVED. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER, KAIN FAMILY FORD IN LONDON. I LEARNED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE FITTING FOR THE SOCKET HAD WARPED FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT, APPARENTLY. THE DEALER SEARCHED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN AND FOUND ONE INSTANCE IN WHICH A PIZZA DRIVER IN A SIMILAR VEHICLE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM. THEY WERE ABLE TO PULL THE LIGHT OUT AND WITH A POCKET KNIFE MAKE THE NEW SOCKET FIT IN THE ASSEMBLY, AND CHARGED ME THE HOURLY RATE FOR THE WORK. I SUSPECT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD OF TWO OTHER INSTANCES IN THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE IN THIS AREA WITH THE SAME RESULTS. I RECENTLY REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLAMP AND FOUNT THE SAME WARPING. I HAVE YET TO TAKE IT TO MY DEALER, BUT WILL. IS THERE A WAY TO SEARCH REPAIR RECORDS FOR THIS VEHICLE TO DETERMINE IF THIS IS A DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED? I LEARNED OF THIS SITE FROM CLICK AND CLACK ON NPR'S CARTALK. *NM

I WAS LEAVING WORK LATE ONE NIGHT AND COULD NOT GET MY 2002 FORD FOCUS ZX3 TO START. THE IGNITION WAS LOCKED AND SO WAS THE STEERING WHEEL. NO AMOUNT OF TURNING THE WHEEL OR JINGLING THE KEY WORKED. THE CAR RECOGNIZED THAT THERE WAS A KEY IN THE IGNITION AS IT BEGAN TO 'DING' BUT NO MATTER WHAT I DID THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. LUCKILY THERE WAS A COMPANY CAR AVAILABLE THAT I COULD TAKE HOME. I COMMUTE OVER 50 MILES ONE WAY TO WORK. WALKING, BUS AND TAXI ARE NOT AVAILABLE OPTIONS FOR ME. I AM A YOUNG WOMAN WORKING IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX AND I NO LONGER FEEL SECURE IN MY VEHICLE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS EXTENSIVELY ON THE INTERNET. IT COULD BE A WORN KEY TIP, THE KEYS ARE MICROCHIPPED FOR ANTI-THEFT SECURITY SO A NEW ONE CAN ONLY BE MADE AT THE DEALERSHIP AND MUST BE THE SAME NUMBER AS YOUR KEY. IT COULD BE FAULTY TUMBLERS, FORD CREATED THEIR OWN IGNITION TO SAVE MONEY AND THE TUMBLERS MAY NOT FALL CORRECTLY, OR FALL TO FAR IN TO ALLOW THE KEY TO FIT! THERE IS NO CURRENT RECALL, A P05 IS IN PROGRESS, AND THERE ARE NO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS LISTED. IF MY CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, DESPITE MY PURCHASE OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY IT WILL COST ANYWHERE FROM $35.00 FOR A NEW MICROCHIPPED KEY, TO $500 FOR DRILLING A NEW IGNITION AND NEW KEYS, A TOW, AND LABOR. AUTOMOTIVETALK.NET HAS BEEN THE MOST HELPFUL WEBSITE SO FAR, BUT I WANTED TO ADD MY VOICE TO THE LIST IN ORDER TO GET A RECALL ROLLING AND HAVE FORD PAY FOR THIS CHEAP IGNITION THAT FAILS REPEATEDLY. I WILL REFUSE TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT COST ON THIS OBVIOUSLY POORLY ENGINEERED PART. *NM