2000 Ford Focus problems

“THE KEY WOULD NO LONGER TURN IN THE IGNITION, LEAVING ME AND MY BABY NIECE STRANDED FAR AWAY FROM HOME. WE PARKED THE VEHICLE AND WHEN WE RETURNED, WE FOUND OURSELVES STRANDED, BECAUSE THE IGNITION LOCK COULD NO LONGER BE OPERATED. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH FORD FOCUS LOCKS! *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG ODOR WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND AFTER DRIVING TWO BLOCKS, SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD AND FOUND THAT A FIRE HAD STARTED NEAR THE ENGINE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 130,000. A REPORT WAS TAKEN BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, A GROWLING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE AND THEN BEGAN TO HEAR A CLUNKING SOUND AS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE BRAKE DRUM. A FEW MOMENTS LATER, THE DRUM CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO THE GREASE IGNITING. THE CONTACT USED WATER AND WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO CONTACT'S HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,000.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR CONTROL ARMS AND CRADLES WERE SEVERELY RUSTED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V482000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE), THE FAILURE INDICATED IN THE RECALL NOTICE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER TWICE FOR REPAIRS, BUT THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE TO HONOR THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,444.”

“WHILE IN MOTION ON A BUSY HIGHWAY, DRIVING 70 MPH, MY 2000 FORD FOCUS (62,000 ORIG MILES) BEGAN DOWNSHIFTING; THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. REPLACEMENT OF THE NEUTRAL DRIVE SENSOR WAS COMPLETED. NOW, SIX MONTHS LATER SAME THING HAPPENING. DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH THE '00 FORD FOCUS BEGINS DOWNSHIFTING CAUSING A DECREASE IN SPEED AT AN ALARMING RATE, RPMS INCREASE, ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE.”