Problems · by component
2001 Ford Focus engine problems
32 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Ford Focus cite engine, 2% of all 1,790 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
32
2% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“2001 FORD FOCUS ZX3 STALLS WHEN DRIVING AND ALMOST CAUSED SOMEONE TO REAR END MY CAR. NOW WONT STAY RUNNING WHEN IDLING. CAR CUTS OFF AT LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS OR WHEN BREAKING OR ENGAGING CLUTCH.”
“CAR WAS DRIVING FINE RUNNING A FEW ERRANDS. STOPPED AT A STORE FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES , WHEN I GOT BACK IN AND STARTED THE ENGINE ALL I HEARD WAS A LOUD CLANKING NOISE AND THE IDLE WAS ROUGH. DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ABOUT THE CAR AND DISCOVERED ALL THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT ENGINE FAILURE . SO THATS WHAT HAPPENED TO MINE . DROPPED VALVE SEAT.”
“WAS ON MY WAY TO THE VA HOSPITAL 04/04/2018 STARTED CAR, IT WOULD SHAKE VIGOROUSLY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND OIL FUEL LIGHT KEEP COMING ON AND OFF. HAD A COMPLETE TUNE UP. GOING TO THE VA HOSPITAL ON 4/16/2018 START CAR, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND FUEL LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. HAD INNER TIRE RODS REPLACED. GOING TO A VA APPT, ON 05/10/2018 START CAR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAM ON, CV VALVES REPLACED. 5/30/2018 ON MY WAY AGAIN TO THE VA HOSPITAL, START CAR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. PLEASE ADVISE, SINCE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MISS AND RESCHEDULE APPTS AT THE VA HOSPITAL. THANK YOU.”
“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 PISTNS 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.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE RESTARTED NORMALLY AFTER SOME TIME. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL OTHER TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,333.”
Showing 6 of 32 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.