2000 Ford Focus engine and engine cooling problems

“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.”

“DAUGHTER BOUGHT THE 2000 FORD FOCUS ON 03/01/2011 FROM A DEALERSHIP IN WICHITA, KANSAS. IN APRIL 2011 THE ROD WENT THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WITH 3 OTHER CARS ON THE HIGHWAY BETWEEN WICHITA AND TOWANDA, KANSAS. TOW TRUCK TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR 1/2 THE COST OF ANOTHER ENGINE AND LABOR, WHICH WAS OVER $4,000.00 (OUR SHARE WOULD BE OVER $2,000.00). STILL HAVING TO PAY THE LOAN ON A CAR THAT IS NOT RUNNING AND FULL COVERAGE INSURANCE, CAUSE THE CAR IS ON A LOAN THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP. I'VE CALLED A NUMBER OF TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH NO HELP. I'VE TRIED TO FIND OUT IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS ON THE RODS GOING THOUGH THE ENGINES ON THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF THIS CAR. NO LUCK. I LOOKED UP THE KELLY BLUE BOOK VALUE OF THIS CAR, IN FAIR CONDITION IS ONLY: $1,375.00 FOR TRADE-IN-VALUE. PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN!!!!! *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THERE WERE FRACTURES IN THE HEAD GASKET AND THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,327.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHERE THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE BACK OF THE ENGINE BLOCK. THIS CAUSES THE ENGINE TO LOCK -UP. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO STATED THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTY ON THIS FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTY FOR THIS FAILURE. THEY OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,530 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000. FORM RETURNED NO CHANGE”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE BEGAN TO RISE THROUGH THE VENTS WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP. THE CONTACT LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT APPEARED ON THE SCENE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED THE CONTACT'S HOME WHERE IT WAS CLASIFIED AS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 120,000.”

“TOTAL LOSS OF FORD FOCUS 2000 DUE TO THE CAR FIRE. NO SIGNALS OF OVERHEAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, ALL FLUID LEVELS FINE. I WAS DRIVING FOR 30 MIN; WHEN RETURNED HOME AND STOPPED THE CAR, NOTICED A WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. I DECIDED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENS BUT DID NOT HAVE TIME TO DO THAT - AFTER I LEFT THE CAR, IT WAS ALREADY ON FIRE. USED 1 FIRE DISPENSER ON IT, IT DID NOT HELP; CALLED 911, BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME (IN ABOUT 10 MIN), THE CAR WAS BURNED TO THE GROUND. *TR”