2001 Ford Focus SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AT SPEEDS OF 5 MPH, THE PEDAL FELL TO THE FLOORBOARD AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS UTILIZED IN ORDER TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A HALT. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THE REAR-BRAKE KNUCKLE LINE HAD FAILED. THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000 AND THE CURRENT WAS 152,000.

I WAS DRIVING FROM HOME TO GO TO MY PARENT HOME. I HAD TO SLOW DOWN DUE TO TRAFFIC. MY BRAKES FAILED. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN BY DOWN SHIFTING AND HAND BRAKES AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE REPAIR GARAGE. THE REPAIR GARAGE FOUND THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR BRAKE CYLINDER HAD BLOWN OUT AND WAS SQUIRTING BRAKE FLUID ALL OVER. THIS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAD HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN JULY 2007 WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE REAR BRAKE CYLINDER HAD FAILED ON THE FREEWAY, CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE - ODI # 10304293. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND TAKE ACTION TO RECALL THIS SERIOUS LIFE DAMAGING COMPONENT ON A OTHERWISE GOOD VEHICLE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME SLOWED, THEREFORE, I USED BRAKES. THE BRAKES FAILED. I HAD BARELY ENOUGH TIME AND SPACE TO MOVE TO THE NEXT LANE AND THEREBY HITTING OTHER VEHICLE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR GARAGE AND BODY SHOP. THE REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR BRAKE CYLINDER BLEW OUT AND THEREFORE BRAKES FAILURE. THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID ON THE FREEWAY. I AVOIDED KILLING MYSELF AND OTHERS DUE TO MY SAFE DRIVING TRAINING AT THE BARBER SCHOOL, GIVEN TO ME BY MY PARENTS WHEN I TURNED 18. PLEASE DO SOMETHING TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES SO OTHER PEOPLE WILL NOT DIE OR GET SERIOUSLY INJURED. *TR

2001 FORD FOCUS HAS A DEFECTIVE BRAKE SYSTEM. THIS CAUSES THE BRAKES TO WEAR PREMATURELY. *KB

BRAKE LINE FAILURE, BRACKET FELL OFF AND WORE BRAKE LINE IN TWO NO WARNING. BRAKES FAILED ON FREEWAY AT 70 MPH. NO PREVIOUS INDICATION OF PROBLEM, TOTAL BRAKE LOSS. 2001 FORD FOCUS 120000 MILES. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR KILLED SOMEONE ELSE DUE TO THIS FAILURE.*AK

DT: THE CONTACT HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS, CALIPERS AND ROTORS AT 30,000 MILES IN OCTOBER 2003. THEN AT 47,000 MILES ON JULY 29. 2005. THE BRAKE PADS WORE OUT AND THE ROTORS RUSTED AND PITTED. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THIS WAS NORMAL. THE CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. *AK *JB

2001 FORD FOCUS REQUIRES COMPLETE BRAKE REPLACEMENT (INCLUDING ROTORS) EVERY 20,000 MILES. *AK

DT: 2001 FORD FOCUS THE ACTUAL BRAKE PEDAL BOLTS BROKE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO CRASH. SHE STATES THAT WHILE HER SON WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE BOLTS THAT HOLDS THE PEDAL ON BROKE OFF, CAUSING THE ACTUAL PEDAL TO SWING. THE CONSUMER SAYS THAT SHE STILL OWNS THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND THE CAR IS NOW TOTALED. HIS NECK IS FRACTURED DUE TO THE ACCIDENT. POLICE REPORT IS AVAILABLE AS WELL AS PHOTOGRAPHS.*AK

2001 FORD FOCUS ROTORS (FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE) WERE SHREDDED. THE BRAKE PADS WERE ONLY HALF WORN.*MR *JB *NM

MY WIFE CALLED ME AT WORK AND SAID SHE HAD NO BRAKES AND RAN THROUGH A STOP SIGN. SHE WAS ABLE TO GO TO MY JOB. AFTER LOOKING FOR THE PROBLEM, I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL WELL HAD BEEN RUBBING ON THE FRONT BRAKE LINE. IT HAD WORN ITSELF INTO THE WHEEL WELL ABOUT A 1/4 INCH. IT FINALLY CRACKED THE BRAKE LINE, CAUSING FLUID AND LOSS OF PRESSURE. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF ORDERING A NEW BRAKE LINE TO INSTALL, AND HAVE A VERY HARD TIME FINDING THIS PART.*AK

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ROTORS AND MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED THEM THREE TIMES DUE TO WORN OUT PARTS. *AK

BRAKES HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE IN THE PAST YEAR. DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO REPLACE THEM THE SECOND TIME. BRAKES ARE TOTALLY UNSAFE. *JB

I PURCHASED A 2001 FORD FOCUS IN JAN/2001. AFTER 16000 MILES MY ROTORS CRACKED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH OTHER BRAKE PARTS THIS REPAIR WAS DONE ON 10/15/02 AND WAS COVERED BY MY WARRANTY. AFTER 30000 MILES I BEGAN TO HEAR A SQUEAKING NOISE WHENEVER I APPLIED THE BRAKES. AT 30528 MILES, ON 03/05/04, I WAS INFORMED BY THE OASIS FORD DEALERSHIP (OLD BRIDGE, NJ) TECHNICIAN THAT MY ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH OTHER BRAKE PARTS AND BECAUSE THIS WAS A WEAR PROBLEM, IT WAS NOT COVERED BY MY VERY EXPENSIVE WARRANTY. I TOLD HIM THAT THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED ONLY 14000 MILES AGO. HE SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE ROTORS PROVIDED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY. HE SAID THEY WERE TOO THIN AND COULD NOT BE MACHINED BECAUSE THAT WOULD REDUCE THEM BELOW "SPECS". THIS REPAIR WOULD COST ME $360.00 NOW AND, PRESUMABLY, ANY FUTURE BRAKE REPAIR. THE ROTORS APPEAR TO BE OF INFERIOR QUALITY AND PERHAPS A SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. I AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. REGARDS, ED BARRY. *AK

FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS FOR MY 2001 FORD FOCUS WAGON NEED TO BE REPLACED AFTER JUST 37,700 MILES. THE BRAKES ON THE CAR HAVE SQUEALED ALMOST SINCE DAY ONE (WE PURCHASED IT NEW IN AUGUST 2001), HAVE HAD IT IN TO THE DEALER FOR CHECKING AND REPAIRS NUMEROUS TIMES (MCMAHON FORD, NORWALK, CT) AND THEY SAID IT'S NORMAL FOR BRAKES TO SQUEAL, OR THAT THEY CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, OR THAT IT'S DUE TO DUST, OR DENIED THAT THEY SQUEALED AT ALL. THE REPAIR PLACE SAYS THE ROTORS CANNOT BE TURNED AND THAT THE BRAKES WERE MADE TO BARELY MINIMUM STANDARDS. THEY ARE RETURNING THE WORN PARTS. THERE WAS NEVER ANY INDICATION THAT THE BRAKES WERE FAILING (FOR ONE THING, BECAUSE OF THE PERMANENT SQUEAL) AND THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT FIND THIS PROBLEM THE LAST TIME WE HAD IT IN FOR A CHECKUP BEFORE IT WENT OUT OF WARRANTY, WHICH IS OF THE MOST CONCERN TO ME. *JB

2001 FORD FOCUS REAR BRAKES SQUEALS LOUD NOISE. SOUND LIKES METAL TO METAL, I REPLACES BRAKES PAD HAD THE CREEP AND GROAN REMOVED, LUBE JOB AND ETC. FORD BRAKE SHOES COST OVER 130.00, NOT AFFORDABLE FOR CUSTOMERS. SQUEALING ABOUT TO DRIVE ME CRAZY. NEED A RECALL, MY FRIENDS OWN 2001 - 2003 FOCUS'S SAME PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEED TO BE DONE ABOUT THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE SQUEALING AND WEARINGR OF PADS AND ETC. FAST. *AK

BRAKE PAD AND ROTOR FAILURE. *NM

AT A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE/ALIGNMENT I WAS INFORMED THAT MY FRONT BRAKES WERE 95% WORN AND THAT THEY AND THE ROTORS NEEDED REPLACING. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I WAS BEING HAD -- I'VE ONLY PUT 24,000 MILES ON MY CAR, ALL VERY GENTLE DRIVING. THEN I DISCOVERED THAT I'M ONE OF THE MORE FORTUNATE -- MANY FORD FOCUS OWNERS ARE REPLACING BRAKES AND ROTORS AT 15,000 MILES! THERE WASN'T AN ACCIDENT, BUT THERE CERTAINLY COULD HAVE BEEN A BRAKE FAILURE IF MY MECHANICS HAD NOT ALERTED ME TO THE PROBLEM. *AK

I HAVE A FORD FOCUS SE 2001 AND THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE FRONT BRAKE PADS. THE PADS ARE NOT SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THIS VEHICLE, THEREFORE THE BRAKES ARE WEARING AT A RAPID RATE IN 8 TO 10,000 MILES. I HAD AN ACCIDENT IN JULY OF 2003 BECAUSE THE BRAKES WORE ALMOST GONE AND I COULD NOT STOP IN TIME AND HIT A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THE BRAKES ON THE FOCUS NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED AND I AM SURE I AM NOT THE ONLY OWNER WHO IS HAVING PROBLEMS. SO FAR FORD HAS REPLACED MY BRAKES TWICE AND MY CAR HAS 33,000 MILES. NOW THEY ARE LYING TO ME AND TELLING ME MY BRAKES ARE FINE AND I KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THEY WON'T DO IT AGAIN UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE SERVICE RECORDS TO PROVE THAT THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM THESE SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FORD NEEDS TO DESIGN A BRAKE PAD TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND I COULD NOT PROVE MY ACCIDENT WAS A RESULT OF THESE FAULTY BRAKES.*AK

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE FRONT BRAKE PADS ON THE VEHICLE WERE WEARING OUT PREMATURELY. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE PADS WERE WEARING DOWN AT LESS THAN 8000 MILES. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS NORMAL WEAR FOR THIS TYPE OF BRAKE PAD. *JB

VEHICLE WAS MAKING LOUD GRINDING SOUNDS WHEN BRAKE WAS ENGAGED, SO I TOOK IT TO DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED AND WAS TOLD THAT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE WORN AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. PARTS WERE NOT REPLACED BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO FORD, THIS IS NORMAL WEAR. AT 32,500 MILES, ROTOR DAMAGE IS NOT NORMAL WEAR, ESPECIALLY WHEN GRINDING SOUND BEGINS ONCE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED. *LA

2001 FORD FOCUS FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS SEVERELY WORN AFTER 25,000 MILES. ROTOR AND BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED ON BOTH FRONT TIRES BY FORD DEALER. *JB

REAR BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE CONSUMER WOULD HEAR A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN BRAKING. *AK

LEFT BRAKE PAD AND ROTOR COMPLETELY WORN AFTER 24000 MILES OF GENTLE DRIVING. FORD REFUSED TO COVER THE PADS AND ROTOR UNDER THE WARRANTY. CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS NOT HELPFUL OR FLEXIBLE. *AK

MY WIFE OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS ZX3 WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. IT NOW HAS ALMOST 29,000 MILES AND THE FRONT BRAKES ARE STILL SQUEAKING AND GRINDING ALMOST WITH EVERY USE. IT HAS BEEN TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED IN JULY 2001. THEY HAVE MADE 4 REPAIR ATTEMPTS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE BRAKES STILL MAKE A LOT OF NOISE AND BRAKE DUST. THE PADS AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND VARIOUS OTHER BRAKE PARTS ALSO. THE SERVICE MANAGER (RICHARD) AT ADAMS FORD IN BELTON, MO INFORMED ME TODAY THEY WOULD DO NO MORE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. HE LAUGHED AND SAID FEEL LUCKY YOU DON'T OWN A MERCEDES BECAUSE THEIR BRAKES SOUNDED LIKE A DUMP TRUCK STOPPING. *JB

FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS; I HAD 21K+ MILES ON MY 2001 FORD FOCUS, THE CAR WOULD VIBRATE WHEN BRAKING, AND SPECIALLY DOWNHILL. I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT I NEEDED NEW BRAKE PADS, AND "MOST LIKELY ROTORS". THAT'S RIDICULOUS FOR SUCH LOW MILES. FEARING FOR MY FAMILY SAFETY I DID REPLACE THE PADS AND ROTORS, BUT NOT WITH THE DEALER.*AK