2000 Ford Focus Fuel System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT 99,000 MILES FOR NHTSA RECALL # 03V482000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO STALL AND SHUT OFF. THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED AT START UP AND LOW SPEEDS OF 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART AFTER APPROXIMATELY 2-3 ATTEMPTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 101,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.

I OWN A 2000 FORD FOCUS WHICH STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY (85) BETWEEN BURLINGTON AND DURHAM, NC ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2007. THE CAR FIRST BEGAN SURGING AND LOST POWER AND LATER CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE INTERSTATE. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY BEFORE THE CAR CAME TO A REST. THE CAR LATER STARTED AND I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT BACK HOME. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE FORD DEALER IN DURHAM AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A CLOGGED FUEL PUMP AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $750.00. I VISITED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON FOCUS ASSEMBLED AT THE WAYNE AND HERMOSILLO ASSEMBLY PLANTS. THE EXTENDED COVERAGE PROGRAM IS 03N01. THE DEALER CHECKED WITH WHAT THEY CALLED OASIS AND MY CAR IS NOT INDICATED AS COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED COVERAGE PROGRAM. WHILE THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT THAT RESULTED IN INJURY I FEEL THAT I WAS LUCKY AND COULD HAVE BEEN TOWARDS THE CENTER OF THE HIGHWAY AND WOULD HAVE STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE RESULT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. THIS EXTENDED WARRANTY SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE ALL 2000 FOCUS BECAUSE CLEARLY THE PROBLEM EXIST WITH OTHER MANUFACTURING LOCATIONS AND THE DEFECT IS WITH THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM AND NOT THE LOCATION OF ASSEMBLY OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE NO WAY OF CHECKING BEHIND THE DEALER BUT THE SERIAL NUMBER. *JB

CAR WOULD START STALLING AT LIGHTS OR STOP SIGN. THEN STARTED SHAKING AND JUMPING AT LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. WOULD HAVE TO PUT IN NEUTRAL WHICH DID NOT HELP MUCH. WHILE DRIVING WOULD RPM HIGH WOULD HAVE TO TAKE FOOT OF GAS SO IT WOULD CHANGE GEARS, AT THE SAME TIME NO POWER. AT 1/4 TANK WHILE DRIVING JUST STALLS/WAIT & START AGAIN. *JB

PERTAINING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V482000 AND FORD CAMPAIGN NUMBER 03N01. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT CALLED FORD MANUFACTURER ON 02/05/07, AND THEY TOLD HER THAT THE SAFETY RECALL 03V482000 APPLIED TO THE VEHICLE . THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE NOT DOING RECALL REPAIRS ANYMORE. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, CONTAMINATION OF THE FILTER IN THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE (FDM) CAN REDUCE, AND EVENTUALLY BLOCK THE FLOW OF FUEL TO THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL EVEN WHEN SHE GAVE THE DEALER THE RECALL NUMBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. ON 2/5/07 THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. WHEN MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY AT 25 MPH THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, SPUTTERED AND STALLED. SOMEONE ALMOST HIT THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE IT STALLED. SHE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2004 INTERMITTENTLY, AND USUALLY HAPPENED WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. ALSO, THE THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK, AND EACH TIME SHE HAS HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND RESTART THE ENGINE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. ON APRIL 21, 2007 THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED ALONG WITH AN OIL CHANGE. AFTER DRIVING 50 MILES AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 65-70 MPH THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE, STALL, SURGE, AND LOSE POWER BEFORE FAILING COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED, AND WAS TAKEN TO A FORD DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAD SAFETY RECALL # 06E056000 CONCERNING FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. THE VEHICLEWAS CURRENTLY AT THE FORD DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 154,000.*AK

BOUGHT USED 2000 FORD FOCUS FOR DAUGHTER ON 6/19/07. WORKED FINE UNTIL ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER (~7/6) WHEN CAR WOULD STALL OUT ON HER FOR NO REASON WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING IT. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP WE BOUGHT FROM WHO TOOK IT TO LOCAL FORD STORE SO THEY COULD LOOK AT IT. THEY CLAIM PROBLEM HAS NOT OCCURRED WITH THEM. TALKED TO 800# FOR FORD AND LADY TELLS ME THAT SERVICE DEPT HAS TO "REPLICATE" THE PROBLEM BEFORE THEY WILL FIX THE KNOWN PROBLEM (FUEL DELIVERY MODULE). NOTIFICATION WAS SUPPOSE TO BE SENT TO OWNER. WHEN I TALKED TO PREVIOUS OWNERS, THEY SAID THEY NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATIONS OF RECALLS, ETC FROM FORD. WHEN I SPOKE TO FORD, SHE SAID OWNER INFORMATION IS NOT AUTOMATICALLY UPDATED WITH THEM...I HAD HER UPDATE WITH MY DAUGHTER'S INFORMATION. TO DATE, 8/2/07, FORD REFUSES TO FIX A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM WITH EARLY FORD FOCUS. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE GAS TANK FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. THE GAS TANK WAS DAMAGED IN THE FALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THE GAS TANK WAS HELD UP BY ONE STRAP HELD WHICH WAS SECURED BY A SINGLE BOLT; NOT PROVIDING ENOUGH SUPPORT FOR THE GAS TANK. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THERE WAS SUPPOSE TO BE TWO STRAPS HOLDING THE TANK.

WENT TO VETS, WHEN LEAVING MY FORD FOCUS STARTED ACTING UP. SEEMED LIKE GAS WAS NOT GETTING TO ENGINE, THEN IT QUIT. LEFT VETS TO COME HOME, DROVE ABOUT 5 BLOCKS AND CAR DID THE SAME THING. A HONDA DEALER WAS CLOSE BY SO WE LEFT CAR THERE AND RENTED A CAR TO GET HOME. PHONED FORD AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO NOTHING FOR ME. HUSBAND WENT BACK TO PENTICTON TO GET MY CAR AND IT DID THE SAME THING ON THE WAY HOME, QUIT COMING HOME 3 TIMES. THE HONDA DEALER SAID IF IT DID IT AGAIN IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM PUMP, AND WE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE IT. WHEN I TALKED TO FORD THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPLACEMENT. *JB

I PURCHASED MY 2000 FORD FOCUS IN 2001 AND FEEL AS IF I HAVE SPENT MORE TIME IN THE SHOP FOR RECALLS AND REPAIRS THAN I HAVE DRIVING IT. IN MARCH 2003, I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR DIED WITHOUT WARNING. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO MAKE IT SAFELY TO THE SHOULDER AND REQUIRED A TOW TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM WHICH WAS APPARENTLY RELATED TO THE RECALL FOR THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE. THE CAR RAN FINE UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN IT AGAIN BEGAN TO HESITATE, SURGE, AND STALL (ESPECIALLY IF THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON, WHICH I NOW CANNOT RUN AND I LIVE IN TENNESSEE WHERE THE TEMPERATURES ARE REGULARLY IN THE 80'S AND 90'S). I TOOK THE CAR TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP YESTERDAY AND TOLD THEM I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD BEFORE WHEN THE RECALL WAS APPARENTLY FIXED. THEY SAID TO COME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT BUT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL OR WARRANTY BECAUSE IT WAS ALREADY FIXED ONCE AND IT'S ONLY GUARANTEED FOR 12 MONTHS. THIS CAR IS A LEMON IF THERE EVER WAS ONE. I WILL NEVER AGAIN PURCHASE AN AMERICAN-MADE CAR IF THEY ARE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH RIPPING OFF CONSUMERS THE WAY THEY DO. *JB

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE CAR STARTS TO SLOW DOWN, EVEN WITH ME PUSHING THE GAS. I PULLED OVER SAFELY AND THE CAR STALLED. I TURNED THE KEY OFF THINKING IT WAS GOING TO BE LIKE LAST TIME AND I WOULD JUST HAVE TO START IT UP AGAIN. NOT THIS TIME, IT ACTED LIKE IT WAS OUT OF GAS BUT WITH A HALF A TANK THAT COULD NOT BE IT. I LATER GOT THE CAR BACK TO MY HOUSE AND STARTED LOOKING AROUND. I FOUND A RUBBER HOSE THAT WAS BEING COMPRESSED IN WHEN EVER I TRIED STARTING THE CAR. LATER I FOUND THAT THE HOSE LEAD BACK TO THE GAS LINE. I THEN OVER TIME STARTED LOOKING THIS UP ON THE NET AND FOUND OUT THAT IT COULD BE A RECALL AND I AM WRITING TO LET YOU KNOW MY STORY. *JB

MY FORD VIN [XXX] IS HAVING THE SYMPTOMS AS PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V482000 AND MEETS THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THIS RECALL, BUT FORD SAYS THAT MY CAR DOESN'T QUALIFY FOR RECALL 03N01 BECAUSE THEY SAY THE RECALL IS NOT MANDATORY AND IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL. I'M DRIVING A 2000 FORD FOCUS ZTS AND AFTER RUNNING THE TANK LOW ON FUEL, THE ENGINE IS NOW HESITATING AND HAS A LOSS OF POWER. I REPORTED TO THE SERVICE TECH THAT MY CAR WAS HAVING THESE PROBLEMS AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT PRECEDED THE CHANGE IN THE CAR'S PERFORMANCE. THEY SAID THEIR COMPUTER'S DIAGNOSTIC OF THE SITUATION DIDN'T INDICATE A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE. *JB UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH, WHILE THE ENGINE OF MY CAR STARTED LOOSING POWER AND RPMS. I IMMEDIATELY SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR, BUT IT WAS RUNNING PRETTY BAD, ALMOST AS IF NOT ENOUGH FUEL WAS GOING TO THE ENGINE. I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF FOR 5 MINUTES. I RESTARTED AGAIN AND IT WORKED OK FOR ANOTHER 10 MINUTES, WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS IS HAPPENING, USUALLY IT HAPPENS WHEN IT'S A WARM (NOT HOT) DAY, AND WITH HALF TANK OR LESS. HOWEVER THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE, SO IT HAPPENS REGARDLESS OF THE FUEL LEVEL. THE FUEL PUMP SEEMS TO OVERHEAT. *NM

I BOUGHT A USED 2000 FORD FOCUS AND I WILL BE DRIVING ABOUT 50-55 MPH AND GO TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP AND WHEN I GO TO GIVE IT GAS AND IT HESITATES AND JERKS AND MY MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS A CONCERN WITH THIS VEHICLE ABOUT THE FUEL PUMP AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THE DEALER IS DOING ANYTHING TO PREVENT THIS. I STILL HAVE ABOUT 4000 TILL MY INITIAL WARRANTY RUNS OUT AND PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE VEHICLE PLEASE HELP ME OUT ERIC PETERS. *JB

I RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM FORD IN 2005 STATING THAT THE FUEL PUMP ON MY 2000 FORD FOCUS HAD SOME DESIGN ISSUES. IT ALSO STATED THAT NOT ALL VEHICLES HAD BEEN AFFECTED BUT SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM TO BRING IT TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR AT NO CHARGE. LAST MONTH MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEPT TURNING ON AND I TOOK THE CAR IN TO HAVE IT INSPECTED AND MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL PUMP AND IT WAS SPEWING RAW FUEL INTO THE WHEEL WELL. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THIS PART WAS UNDER RECALL FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND REFERRED ME TO A DEALER NEAR BY. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY DISPUTED THE RECALL NOTICE THAT I HAD AND DENIED ME SERVICE. I WAS FORCED TO PAY OUT OF MY OWN POCKET TO REPAIR THE RECALLED ITEM. *NM

THE DAY THE PROBLEM BEGAN MY CAR WAS IDLING VERY ODDLY. THE RPM'S WOULD RACE UP, LIKE I WAS ACCELERATING THEN THE NEXT SECOND IT SEEMED LIKE THE CAR WAS GOING TO DIE. THE CAR HAD OVER A 1/4 OF A TANK OF GAS IN IT. THEN THE CAR JUST QUIT WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. TO FIND OUT IT WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF GAS EVEN THOUGH THE GAS GAGE READ 1/4. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS AN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 03V482000 CONCERNING THE FILTER IN THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE (FDM). THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED.*AK

DID A RIGHT TURN TO GET ON THE FREEWAY AND LOST MOST POWER. HOBBLED ALONG THE SHOULDER AT 20 MPH FOR 1/2 A MILE, THEN IT STALLED. WAITED 1 MINUTE, RESTARTED AND THEN IT RAN FINE. NO CHECK-ENGINE NOR OTHER LIGHTS CAME ON UNTIL IT STALLED. OCCURED AFTER DRIVING 3 MILES IN JULY (PARITALLY WARM) WITH ABOUT 2 GALLONS OF GAS. DROVE TO KEMP FORD AND ASKED SERVICE DEPT ABOUT ANY RECALLS. SEEMED TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS. SUGGESTED POSSBLE FUEL PUMP PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS LOST POWER THREE TIMES PREVIOUSLY AT THE SAME LOCATION FOR ABOUT 3-5 SECONDS, AND THEN RECOVERED.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST POWER, STALLED. AND SOMETIMES CUT COMPLETELY OFF. CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM SINCE AUGUST 2004. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO CHANGED THE FUEL PUMP. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR WAS THE PROBLEM. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED IN SEPTEMBER 2004, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER, ESPECIALLY WHEN GOING UP A HILL. *SC

(1) MY CAR BEGAN SURGING, HESITATING, AND LOSING POWER. (2) MY CAR WILL SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING AT ANY TIME AND COULD CAUSE A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. (3) THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED AS PER RECALL AND NOW 16 MONTHS LATER MY CAR IS EXIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AGAIN.

CONTINUOUS STALLING OF VEHICLE ESPECIALLY ENTERING A FREEWAY ONRAMP THAT HAS A CURVE. IT HAS ALSO STALLED JUST SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH AT LEAST A QUARTER TANK OF GAS. IT WILL START IF I ADD A COUPLE OF GALLONS OF GASOLINE TO THE TANK. I AM ALSO STARTING TO SMELL FUEL AS I DRIVE ON OCCASION. *AK

FAILING FUEL PUMP FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TRAFFIC ONLY ONE YEAR AND FOUR MONTHS AFTER ORIGINAL REPLACEMENT. *JB

'RECALL CAMPAIGN; ISSUED FOR POSSIBLE ENGINE STALLING IN FORD FOCUS. *BF *SC THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. RECALL #03V482000. *SC

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ENGINE STALLS. DEALER STATES THE FUEL PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

PLEASE LOOK INTO THE FUEL SYSTEMS OF THE 2000 FORD FOCUS. MY SON AND HIS FRIEND WERE KILLED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT ON 12/8 IN DETROIT, MI. EARLY THAT MORNING, THEY STRUCK A FIRE HYDRANT AND THE CAR EXPLODED (BACK OF THE ENGINE FIRE). EARLIER, IN THE SUMMER OF 2004, I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR HOME, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, AND GONE IN THE HOUSE. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER. I CAME OUT TO GO TO DINNER WITH MY WIFE...THE CAR WOULDN'T TURN OVER. WHEN I GOT OUT, I FOUND GAS SPEWED ALL OVER THE STREET. I HOSED DOWN THE AREA, AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO BILL BROWN FORD-LIVONIA, MI. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED, AND I WAS ASSURED THAT ALL WAS WELL. NOW, 5-6 MONTHS LATER, THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED. I AM NOT SUGGESTING THAT THE ACCIDENT (HITTING THE HYDRANT) WASN'T MY SON'S DOING. HOWEVER, THE SPEED AT WHICH THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED (EST. AT 35 MPH) SHOULDN'T HAVE RESULTED IN A FUEL LINE BREAK AND FIRE. PLEASE CHECK INTO THE INCIDENT. THE INCIDENT REPORT NUMBER (DETROIT POLICE DEPARTMENT) IS [XXX]. THE VIN NUMBER OF THE CAR IS [XXX]. THE SERVICE RECORD AT BILL BROWN FORD WILL NOTE A LONG HISTORY OF FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEMS, INCLUDING THE ISSUE NOTED ABOVE (GAS ON THE STREET). MORE THAN ANYTHING I WANT TO PREVENT ANOTHER TRAGEDY. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. *JB UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)