2003 Ford Focus

KEY CANNOT TURN - VEHICLE CANNOT BE STARTED. UNACCEPTABLE AND HAZARDOUS CONDITION WITH A POORLY DESIGNED AND/OR LOW QUALITY PART ON ALL FORD FOCUS AND LIKELY OTHER FORD PRODUCTS. I GOT AROUND THIS BY POUNDING ON THE KEY WITH A SMALL HAMMER I KEEP IN THE GLOVE BOX - I HAD LIVED WITH THIS FOR MORE THAN 3 YEARS. SAME THING HAPPENED TO MY BROTHER-IN-LAW'S CAR (HE REMOVED ALL THE TUMBLERS SO ANY KEY CAN START HIS CAR). IT IS OBVIOUS FROM READING THROUGH THE COMPLAINTS THAT THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE (>50%?) OF ALL OF THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AGAINST THIS VEHICLE. DEALERSHIPS WANT $400 TO FIX IT - THAT'S BS. ACTIONS BY NHTSA OR A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST FORD IS APPROPRIATE. IT APPEARS THAT FORD IS USING THIS DESIGN DEFECT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROFIT AFTER HAVING PUT 1000S OF CONSUMERS IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PISTON VALVES AND THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000. UPDATED 10/29/13*LJ

I PURCHASED A 2003 FORD FOCUS IN FEBRUARY OF 2012. IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING IT, I HAD TO SPEND $700.00 TO FIX THE MOTOR MOUNTS, BEARINGS IN THE FRONT WHEEL, SOMETHING REGARDING A COVER FOR THE TAIL PIPE/MUFFLER AREA, A/C, (TWICE REPAIRED, AND WENT OUT). FUEL PUMP, DOOR JAMS IN FRONT (2 DOOR), LOCKS ON THE DOORS WOULD AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WHETHER YOU WANTED THEM LOCKED OR NOT. DOOR ON PASSENGER SIDE REFUSES TO OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. SPENT OVER $4,000 IN FIXING, REPLACING, ENGINE & BODY PARTS.ETC. JUST WHEN I BOUGHT A SECOND SET OF NEW TIRES LAST WEEK AND DID THE 3 MONTH OIL CHANGE, IT KONKED OUT ON ME, AFTER A SHRILLING, HIGH-PITCHED NOISE. JUST GOT OFF THE EXPRESSWAY. FOUND OUT FROM A REPAIR SHOP THAT THIS MODEL, ESPECIALLY THE 2003 IS KNOWN FOR TRANSMISSION, SHODDY PARTS, AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD! THE PUMP INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION BROKE. THIS CAR CAME WITH 124,000 MILES AND OVER 2 YEARS, SPENT $4,000.00 ON TOP OF THE USED PRIVATE PURCHASE OF $2,400.00. CAR REPAIR SHOP WANTS $2,400 (WHAT I PAID FOR IT) TO PUT A NEW TRANSMISSION IN. ONE THING AFTER THE OTHER WENT WRONG. I PLAINT EXPERIENCED, AND IT HAS COST ME SO MUCH MONEY, I FEEL FORD NEEDS TO REPLACE EVERY PENNY US CONSUMERS PAID ON THIS MODEL. NEVER AGAIN NEED TO RECALL THE WHOLE CAR, IT IS A DEATH TRAP. *TR

BOUGHT THE 2003 FORD FOCUS NEW FROM MALLON FORD (CURRENTLY LAKEWOOD FORD), IN TACOMA, WA. CAR ADVERTISED AT 27 TO 36 MPG. ACTUAL MILEAGE ON HWY WAS 42 MPG. YESTERDAY (MARCH 14, 2013) CAR OWNER, [XXX], SAID CAR HAD STOPPED AND WAS MAKING LOT OF NOISE. I TOLD HER NOT TO TRY AND START IT ANYMORE BUT THAT I WOULD BE THERE IN 30 MINUTES. SO I ARRIVED AND RESTARTED THE CAR. I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND RAISED THE HOOD. I FOUND A CONNECTION TO THE AIR FLOW SENSOR DISCONNECTED. RE-CONNECTED IT AND THE ENGINE RAN BUT LOTS OF NOISE IN VALVE TRAIN. LIKE SPARK KNOCK ON STEROIDS. CHECKED WITH STETHOSCOPE WHERE THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM. IT WAS EMANATING FROM THE TOP OF #1 AND 2 CYLINDERS. ENGINE OIL IS CLEAN AND FULL. SO, AS A LONG TIME MECHANIC, I AM REASONABLY CERTAIN THAT THE VALVE SEATS DROPPED AND WHERE BROKEN BY THE VALVES IN EITHER NUMBER ONE OR NUMBER TWO CYLINDER. THAT MEANS THE ENGINE MIGHT BE TOAST OR IT COULD BE THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD IS TOAST- - ENGINE HAS NOT BEEN DISMANTLED BUT I AM ALMOST CERTAIN THAT THE VALVE SEATS HAVE DROPPED ON ONE OR MORE CYLINDERS ON THE 2003 FORD FOCUS SOHC 2.0 LITER ENGINE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD MAN OR WOMAN UP AND FIX THESE FACTORY DEFECTS.LOCAL FORD SERVICE MANAGERS TOLD ME IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THAT ENGINE. IN MY OPINION, THAT IS A DANGEROUS FACTORY DEFECT DESIGNED TO CAUSE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SIMPLE TO EITHER PIN THE VALVE SEATS OR USE ANOTHER RMETHOD (SUCH AS SCREW IN AND PINNED) TO MAKE SURE THE SEATS STAY IN PLACE. THIS CAR USED NO OIL, GOT GREAT MILEAGE AND WAS OTHERWISE DEFECT FREE. IT IS ABOUT TIME THAT FORD DOES SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE FILES A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THIS VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LEMON.AT 4,900 MILES 5 DISC CD PLAYER HAD TO BE REPLACED. AT 15,000 MILES THE VEHICLE BEGAN LEAKING COOLANT AND HAD TO HAVE THE RADIATOR REPLACED, LUCKILY IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. AT 22,000 THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ALTERNATOR BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT CRANK. AT 24,000 MILES THE KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WOULD NOT EVEN TURN OVER SO THE IGNITION WAS REPLACED. 26,000 THE CENTER CONSOLE BROKE OF HINGES. 27,356 MILES THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER THE STARTER HAD TO BE REPLACED.32,000 MILES THE AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT. 36,000 MILES ALTERNATOR WENT OUT AGAIN AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.38,000 MILES COMPLICATIONS WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER AGAIN. HAD NO PROBLEMS UNTIL 54,000 THEN EVERYTHING SPIRALED OUT OF CONTROL. THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT, THE PUMP HOUSING WAS LEAKING. THE STARTER COIL WAS BAD A FEW FUSES HAD BLOWN THAT I HADN'T KNOW ABOUT. I HAD A FULL TUNE UP, SPARKPLUGS AND NEW WIRES AND ALSO PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY. 61,000 THE WINDOW LEVER TO ROLL WINDOWS UP ON PASSENGER SIDE COMPLETELY BROKE OFF, THE DOOR HANDLE ON PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE BECAME VERY STIFF AND HAD TO BE AGGRESSIVELY OPENED UNTIL THE PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE BROKE AND DOES NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUT. 68,000 MILES WATERPUMP ADAPTER CRACKED AND SPRAYED ANTIFREEZE EVERYWHERE. 72,000 LIGHT OIL LEAK FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE, COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE SPARK PLUG COMPARTMENT AND ONLY DAYS LATER THE ALTERNATOR WENT OUT. SO THIS LITTLE PROBLEMATIC BABY IS PARKED IN MY GARAGE WITH ONLY 73,263 MILES ON IT BECAUSE I CUT HER OFF AT NEARLY $4K IN REPAIRS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT BESIDES SEND IT TO THE JUNK YARD BECAUSE I WOULD HATE TO SALE IT AND PAWN THIS MONEY CONSUMING VEHICLE OFF ON SOMEONE ELSE. FORD SHOULD JUST BUY IT BACK FROM ME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TRUNK LATCH FAILED TO FUNCTION CORRECTLY AND THE IGNITION FAILED; HOWEVER THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 07/25/12 *BF A LOCK SMITH DETERMINED THE LOCK WAFERS WERE BENT, DUE TO IT BEING MADE OF CHEAP METAL. UPDATED 07/30/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL EMITTED A LOUD WHINING NOISE, OVERHEATED, AND CAUSED THE ENGINE RPMS TO INCREASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL DRUM ASSEMBLY SEVERAL TIMES. THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL CONTINUED TO EMIT A LOUD WHINING NOISE, OVERHEAT AND CAUSE THE RPMS TO INCREASE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 121,000.