2006 Ford Focus

HAVE HAD COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE 3 TIMES WITH MY CAR FIRST TIME WAS AT 12,500 MILES, 2ND. 61 MILES LATER AND LAST WEEK WITH 20,500 MILES. EACH TIME DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT MY ALTERNATOR HAD GONE BAD. WAYNE AKERS FORD, LAKE WORTH, FL PUT IN THE FIRST TWO REPLACEMENT ALTERNATORS AND CAR IS NOW AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A SECOND OPINION. *TR

REAR PASSENGER DOOR WON'T LOCK. MY WIFE "APPARENTLY" LOCKED THE CAR AT WORK IN AN OPEN PARKING LOT AND LATER WENT TO RETRIEVE SOMETHING FROM BACK SEAT TO FIND THAT THE DOOR WAS NOT LOCKED. NO INDICATION WAS GIVEN WHEN LOCKING THE CAR USING THE REMOTE LOCKING MECHANISM THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS FULLY LOCKED. IT ISN'T. I CHECKED THE ISSUE BY HAVING HER DRIVE UP AND DOWN THE ROAD MAKING SURE SHE THOUGHT ALL DOORS WERE LOCKED AND WHILE SHE HAD STOPPED, I OPENED THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR AND JUMPED IN THE BACK SEAT MUCH AS AN ATTACKER OR CARJACKER MIGHT DO. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE ANYONE CAN JUMP IN THE BACK OF THE CAR WHILE STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS EVEN THOUGH THE OWNER MAY THINK THAT THE CAR IS SECURELY LOCKED, IT JUST MIGHT NOT BE. BEWARE AND CHECK ALL YOUR DOOR LOCKS ON A REGULAR BASIS AS THIS SEEMS TO BE REPORTED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS ON FORD FOCUS INTERNET FORUMS. TO THIS DATE, WE HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THE ACTUAL LOCKING MECHANISM FAILED AS IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE, OR ANY OTHER DRIVER WOULD CHECK ON A REGULAR BASIS. *TR

VEHICLES SHIFTER BUTTON FAILED TO ENGAGE. INITIALLY DISCOVERED IT WAS DUE TO A BLOWN FUSE (#32.) AFTER REPLACING, VEHICLE OPERATED FINE FOR A FEW DAYS, BUT AGAIN SHIFTER BUTTON FAILED TO ENGAGE. INVESTIGATED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT THE BLOWN FUSE WAS DUE TO CRACKED WIRING INSULATION CAUSING EXPOSED WIRES IN THE REAR HATCH. ALSO LEARNED THIS ISSUE CAUSED THE REAR TAIL AND BRAKE LIGHTS NOT TO OPERATE. FOUND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET REGARDING THIS SAME ISSUE OF WHICH IT WAS ULTIMATELY DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW BECAUSE THE WIRES ON THE REAR WIRING HARNESS ARE TOO SHORT. *TR

THE FIRST INCIDENT OF KEYS GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION WAS ON NOVEMBER 27, 2009 IN IOWA. WE LIVE IN MINNESOTA AND HAD TO GO TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE IGNITION REPLACED FOR $485.91. LESS THAN FIVE YEARS LATER ON JUNE 4, 2013 THE KEYS GOT STUCK IN THE IGNITION AGAIN. THIS TIME LUCKILY WE WERE AT HOME. I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WELL KNOWN TO FORD SINCE 2000, YET THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE ISSUE. AFTER SOME MORE RESEARCH I FOUND A SOLUTION. THERE IS A THREE RING PIECE BETWEEN THE SHIFTER HANDLE AND THE SHAFT. SIMPLY PUSH IT BACK UP TOWARD THE HANDLE AND PRESTO THE KEYS COME OUT. THIS IS A FREE SOLUTION. I AM CURIOUS IF I CALLED FORD IF THEY WOULD TELL ME THIS SOLUTION OR FOR THAT MATTER EVEN FIX THE PART SINCE IT IS LESS THAN FIVE YEARS. IS IT UNDER WARRANTY? ANOTHER PROBLEM IS OUR CD PLAYER HAS A CD STUCK THAT WE CANNOT GET OUT. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO GO TO BEST BUY AND BUY AN UPGRADED ONE THAN TO HAVE A DEALERSHIP FIX IT. AT 85000 MILES ANOTHER PROBLEM IS WE HAD TO GET OUR HEAT SHIELD REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS RUSTING AND ABOUT TO FALL OFF. *TR

THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT LOCK ON OUR 2006 FORD FOCUS ZX4. IT OPENS AND CLOSES CORRECTLY. IT JUST WON'T LOCK, EVEN WITH CHILD LOCK ON. ALL OTHER DOORS OPERATE CORRECTLY. THIS DOOR OPERATED CORRECTLY BEFORE. WE HEARD FORD HAD A PROBLEM WITH THIS ON PREVIOUS FOCUS MODELS. CUT OFF WAS THE YEAR 2005 FOR THIS PROBLEM. WE FEEL UNSAFE FROM THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE WE TRANSPORT OUR SENIOR MOMS TO SHOPPING TRIPS. *TR

MY KEY KEEPS GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION. MY HUSBAND GOT IT OUT THE FIRST TIME BUT THIS TIME EVEN OUR CAR SERVICE MAN COULD NOT GET IT OUR. WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT A LOCKSMITH, SO WE HAD ONE COME OUT, HE TOLD US BEFORE HE CAME IT IS A KNOW PROBLEM ON THE FOCUS FROM YEAR 2000 TILL CURRENT. IT COST ME $170.00 FOR HIM TO TAKE IT OUT. HE TOLD ME TO CALL AND SEE IF THEY EVER HAD A RECALL ON IT. WHEN I CALLED THE FORD DEALER, THE SERVICE TECH TOLD ME SHE NEVER HEARD OF ANY KEYS GETTING CAUGHT, SHE TOLD ME TO BRING IT IN. I REALLY THINK IF THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. I AM RETIRED AND CANT AFFORD TO TAKE IT IN EVERY TIME THE KEY IS STUCK. I AM SURE IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.I ASKED SOMEONE AT WORK WHO KNOWS A LOT ABOUT CARS IF THIS EVER HAPPENED TO HIM HE SAID NO BUT I HEAR FORD FOCUS IS A BAD ONE FOR THAT, HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW I DRIVE ONE. HE TOLD ME TO CONTACT YOU AND FILE A REPORT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RUN AS SMOOTH WHEN DRIVING AT 45 MPH AND THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO JERK ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC BUT WAS UNABLE TO GENERATE A FAILURE CODE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS ALSO INSPECTED AND THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID SPRINGS. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT BY THE MECHANIC AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS PERTAINING TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000 AND THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,000. UPDATED 05/08/13*LJ

MY 2006 FOCUS ZX5 STARTED INTERMITTANTLY UNLOCKING THE HATCHBACK WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN I PULLED OVER TO TAKE A PHONE CALL. I LEFT THE CAR IN DRIVE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES I COMPLETED MY CALL AND MERGED BACK INTO TRAFFIC. WHEN I REACHED MY DESTINATION I PARKED MY CAR AND GOT OUT. I RETURNED TO MY CAR, STARTED THE ENGINE AND COULD NOT GET THE GEAR SHIFT OUT OF PARK. I HAD SOMEONE WATCH MY BRAKE LIGHTS WHILE I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE LIGHTS DID NOT WORK AND I FOUND THE FUSE FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS WAS BAD. I TOOK A FUSE FROM ANOTHER CIRCUIT AND GOT HOME. I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR 20 MILES WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS. I TOOK THE CAR TO A FORD DEALER AND THEY FOUND A BROKEN WIRE AND 6 OTHER WIRES WITH CRACKING INSULATION. THEY SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM AND THE CAR WORKED OK. IN JANUARY OF 2013 I NOTICED AFTER CLOSING MY HATCHBACK AND GETTING IN THE CAR MY THE "DOOR OPEN" INDICATOR STAYED ON. I CHECKED ALL DOORS AND THE HATCHBACK AND ALL WERE CLOSED. AFTER FINDING OUT ON-LINE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE FOCUS WIRING SINCE THE 2000 MODELS, I TOOK OFF THE CARBODY END OF THE RUBBER CONDUIT TO THE HATCHBACK. I FOUND A BROKEN WIRE (FIXED MY DOOR OPEN INDICATOR PROBLEM WHEN I REPAIRED IT) AND 6 WIRES WITH BLACK ELECTICAL TAPE ON THEM. I FOUND THAT THE ELECTRICAL TAPE IS WEARING THROUGH JUST LIKE THE WIRE INSULATION DID. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND COMPLAINED ABOUT THE HALF ASS REPAIR THEY DID. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT WAS THE REPAIR AUTHORIZED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I ASKED WHAT REPAIR WAS AUTHORIZED BY THE ORIGINAL WARRENTY AND HE SAID THE SAME REPAIR. FORD HAS KNOWN THAT THIS HARNESS IS A PROBLEM SINCE 2000 AND I WAS TOLD THEY ARE STILL USING THE WIRING IN THEIR 2013'S. WHY HAVEN'T THESE CARS BEEN RECALLED! *TR

MY 2006 FORD FOCUS HAD A GAS PEDAL STICKING ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE DEALER EVENTUALLY FIGURED OUT THE THROTTLE CABLE FROM THE CRUISE CONTROL HAD KINKED. THE RESULT IS A PEDAL THAT COMPLETELY STOPS AND FREEZES. IT FEELS LIKE IT IS A LEAD WEIGHT. THE CAR TEMPORARILY HAS NO ACCELERATION. IN A CONGESTED TRAFFIC AREA THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. IT MOST LIKELY ONLY HAPPENS AT HIGH SPEEDS, BECAUSE OF WHERE THE KINK IS. THIS HAPPENED WITH NO WARNING. THERE APPEARS TO BE SIMILAR EVENTS HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS. THE DEALER DID NOT OFFER TO FIX THE CABLE (POST WARRANTEE), BUT DID DISCONNECT IT, AFTER I PAID $100 DIAGNOSES. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT RE-OCCURRED YET. *TR