general problems of the 2001 Ford Focus

Keeps shut off n over heating.

Keeps over heating.

This car has electrical issues,the dash and tag lights flicker,the car has been turning off while I'm driving with my son in the car over 3 times now,on the highway and on main street,its so scary I've had panic attacks and got a stress rash on my face. Im so scared that I can't drive it,I've had the fuel pump replaced,spark plugs,motor filter. I just try to keep getting it repaired costing me my bills money being a single parent. I'm overwhelmed and don't know what to do.

My car is 2001. I started to have problems when turning on. I thiught it was starter. But mines thats still good. I thought alternator or bttery but they are new. So they checked with camera and valve pist�ns not working. I looked up reviews about car make and year. Many comments read valve bent. Pistons gone bad. Now im another owner with same problem. This car in reviews is considered a lemon. Good thing it didnt want to turn on when it was parked already at home. I read others occurred in motion.

No dash light tail lights or markrr lights.

The contact owns a 2001 Ford Focus. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle would suddenly stop accelerating and responding when depressing the accelerator pedal. The speed of the vehicle would not increase past 30 mph. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the spark plugs, but the failure continued to occur. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.

Tl-the contact owns a 2001 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at approximately 60mph, the contact experience the vehicle catching on fire. The contact stated that the vehicle destroyed. The vehicle was towed to the savage yard. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 11100. Kc.

Tl-the contact owns a 2001 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 65 mph, the vehicle started to jerk and there was a smell of smoke as the battery warning indicator illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was stopped on the side of the road and the ignition was turned to the off position as the contact exited the vehicle. The contact observed flames coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The vehicle restarted without being prompted and started rolling forward. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was filed and there were not injuries reported. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 02v288000 (electrical system). The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. Sg.

Tl- the contact owns a 2001 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle failed without warning and no lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and when the vehicle was diagnosed there were no codes indicating a failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The current mileage was 50000. Rl.

After a 2~ hour drive, engine was turned off and restarted 5min later. An intake valve seat dropped and it instantly smacked the piston on the first turn of the engine, it hit hard enuf to blow the piston apart and the connecting rod put a hole thru the piston liner. Putting coolant in to the crank case, as it was no longer connected to the piston any more. Needless to say it was not able to drive. . Read more...

I was driving on interstate 5 in portland or. My engine just stopped!! right in the middle lane of traffic. Luckily it was early rush hour so it was stop and go traffic. But, was very scary and difficult to get my car off the freeway. I was told that 2001 Ford Focus's have a fuel line problem that has been recalled. I purchased this car in 2008. There was only 1 previous owner. This recall was not repaired on this car. Please help. Thanks.

As I was driving home after dropping my daughter off the car just stopped. I let it roll to a complete stop and then put it in park. I tryed to crank the car and I got nothing. All the lights, horn, and all still works by the engine does nothing.

Was driving my car at 55 mph at 11:20 pm on way home from work car made jerk lost all power no breakes no steering black smoke coming through vents to inside of car and flames coiming from under hood car fully ingulfed in flames blew up.

Sunday 05 Jan 2014 I had recently parked my car, turned it off, and was outside of my vehicle (2001 Ford Focus) when I began to notice smoke coming from the hood of the vehicle. I was confused at first, as the car was completely off for a few minutes before any problems began. Within a matter of two minutes the smoke had increased, thickened, and began to smell. My friend was nearby and had noticed that something was not right. He came over and we both took a couple steps toward the front of the car to figure out what was going on. Immediately flames burst up from the hood. At this point we instantly ran from the vehicle, dialing 911. The flames got worse as we waited from a distance for the fire department to arrive. At this point I was unsure as to whether the car would completely blow up or not, as the flames became worse with every minute. The fire department arrived within approximately five minutes. They were able to put the fire out in a few minutes, but had to break the window and then pry the hood open in order to do so. After the fire was completely out and the scene was safe I was able to talk with the firemen. They showed me under the hood and said the fire seemed to be something electrical and looked as if it had started near the front right of the vehicle under the hood (somewhere close to the passenger headlight). They also explained, as I had already assumed, that the vehicle was unsalvageable.

Tl- the contact owns a 2001 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the engine exploded while sitting idle at a traffic stop. There were no injuries. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to determine the cause of the failure. The failure and the current mileages were 197,000. Kmj.

I was at the gas station filling up the car when I was finished I went to start the car only to hear a sound that reminded me of running over coins with a vacuum and then all of a sudden the vehicle turned off and would not restart. I had the car towed to my place of residence and my father-in-law later on had it towed to a mechanic shop. The mechanic there said that the valve seat broke off and messed up the head and cannot be repaired it has to be replaced. I have since been without a vehicle. I also have been doing some research on this matter and have found that this has been an ongoing problem with others and their Ford Focus.

On 7/27/2012, the car caught on fire while being driven. The smoke started coming into the interior through the vents. When attempting to pull over,there was no brake (my guess is that the brake line had melted. ). My husband used the e brake and park to stop and someone yelled. . . Get out of the car. My husband and son jumped out and the car became engulfed. There is nothing left. He told me that just before that it started hesitating some,like it was going to cut off, but didn't. For a more detailed statement please contact him. I am so thankful that they got out. . . Thank you,.

My last oil change I was inform the front subframe is badly rusted, to the point the mechanic could push a screw driver through it in spots. He informed me that driving it was a major safety risk, as the frame could fail, causing an accident. He said Ford has not issued a recall. They must be waiting for a higher body count when the front end of the car fails while going down the interstate.

Engine suddenly had no oil in it. In turn, the engine is now blown.

I've had numerous problems with my Ford Focus and despite regular maintenance I've been stranded on the side of a highway countless times. Thus far I've replaced the engine twice. Twice I've had to replace the alternator. My throttle does not return to idle and has unexpected moments of acceleration and I've had to replace the engine throttle sensor. Both of my front coil springs have broken and were very close to puncturing my tires. After taking my vehicle to numerous mechanics none of them have been able to diagnose why my car shakes so badly. I have very poor visibility at night with the exterior lighting which is significantly less compared to other vehicles. My fan has had to be replaced since it was malfunctioning and my car was having problems overheating as well. During the course of all of these car malfunctions, I've been in dangerous situations on the side of the highway and in risky neighborhoods at night. This car has proven to be very unreliable and unsafe.

I have had a Ford Focus 2001 for two years and in those years I have had to replace the engine and engine mounts. I have found out that this I common place in almost all Ford Focus's. I fear that this car might leave me anywhere, now one week ago the ignition cylinder has broken. This is not wear and tear. I demand that these cars of 1998 threw 2003 be labeled as lemons and have Ford issue a recall or reimbursements on them.

The connecting rod broke in the engine. Our mechanic said that almost all 2001 Ford Focus has this problem. I know I have 130,000 miles on the vehicle but I kept up with all recalls and maintenance. Just lucky we made it home safe. If there is such a problem with most Focus why wasn't it fixed by Ford before a break down and lost of my vehicle.

Our daughters 2001 Ford Focus caught on fire from the engine, burned into the cabin. The car was off and parked in a lot. We purchased the car from a Ford dealership when it was 3 years old, and have never been told of this problem. The car has been totaled. We are so fortunate that our daughter was not injured, nor that anyone else or property was damaged. She had only been out of the car for about 4-6 minutes before it erupted in flames. Prior to that the car appeared to drive fine. No smells, no warning lights. Very scary. I felt that I need to tell someone, as the insurance company, appears to want to just settle the claim, with no investigation. How are we to make cars safer, if the insurance companies, the last line of defense, don't notify anyone?.

Was driving home and engine began knocking and got louder and when I returned home had my husband look at it and found 3 motor mounts were rusted off. Dealership replaced motor mounts a week later at my cost and didn't give me a rental car.

Consumer complained about an ongoing hesitation problem. Vehicle had been to dealer on several occasions, but problem recurred.

Was driving the turner turnpike back from funeral, cruise control on at 76 mph. Boom from under the car, oil light comes on, smoke billowing out from underneath. I pulled over, turn the engine off. The whole engine covered in oil. Behind is a trail of oil from over the hill to where I had stopped. I'm pretty sure the engine is gone. No knocking, temp was right, no warning light, just boom! didn't even get to 50,000 miles. What a crock!.

The reason some of these are not dated is because the problems keep on persisting they say they can not find out what the problem is. My car dies on me and the can not find the cause. It makes a winding sound when I take off and still they can not find the cause. My gears always wind and as soon as I get it out of the shop about one to two weeks later it is doing it again, when I am driving it jerks like it wants to die or go out of gear(keep in mind I have had these problems a couple of months after I bought it). I have had to replace the tires two times I am on my third set of tires and they are messed up now. I am not a bad driver I know it is not me I have a child that is constantly with me I do not drive crazy to make all of these problems happen. I have had the brake replaced once already and now they are sqeeking again. My car cigarette lighter keeps on burning out. I just get so frustrated that I am spending all of this money for them to work on my car with the warranty and then tell me they don't know what the problem is and now the warranty is out I have to pay for this peice of junk. I have had 2 other cars and they never gave me any problems and know I am stuck unhappy everyday with this car I can not stand to drive, I feel unsafe in it everyday.

Driving Ford Focus slowly in snow,a Jeep spun out of control hit the drivers side front of car spun around and hit us again from the rear. Airbag deployed and it my passenger full in face. Damaged her face with chemical burns and created a coroidital tear in her eye that is permanent and permanent vision loss in one eye. The impact of the airbag jarred her brain and she now has a brain injury called chiari malformation,.

While driving the vehicle it gears down very hard and jerks. The power shuts down and the illumination of the dash board gets very dim. Took to dealer, problem still exist. Please provide any further information. Ph.