Problems · by component

2001 Ford Focus engine and engine cooling problems

247 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Ford Focus cite engine and engine cooling, 14% of all 1,790 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
247
14% of all complaints
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR MAT BECAME WET. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CONDENSER BOX TO THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT WAS CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 20, 2013Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemODI 10512897
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 30 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN FAILED TO QUALIFY UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:03V482000 ( FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 157,000...UPDATED 01/30/13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALERSHIP FOUND PCV HOSE AT THE BACK OF THE ENGINE COLLAPSED (REPAIRED), PERFORMED FUEL INDUCTION SYTEM FLUSH, AAA REPLACED ENTIRE COOLING SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED AS A WHOLE. UPDATED 2/5/2013 *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 23, 2012Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasolineODI 10471993
“ON 7/27/2012, THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE BEING DRIVEN. THE SMOKE STARTED COMING INTO THE INTERIOR THROUGH THE VENTS. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PULL OVER,THERE WAS NO BRAKE (MY GUESS IS THAT THE BRAKE LINE HAD MELTED.). MY HUSBAND USED THE E BRAKE AND PARK TO STOP AND SOMEONE YELLED...GET OUT OF THE CAR.MY HUSBAND AND SON JUMPED OUT AND THE CAR BECAME ENGULFED. THERE IS NOTHING LEFT. HE TOLD ME THAT JUST BEFORE THAT IT STARTED HESITATING SOME,LIKE IT WAS GOING TO CUT OFF, BUT DIDN'T. FOR A MORE DETAILED STATEMENT PLEASE CONTACT HIM. I AM SO THANKFUL THAT THEY GOT OUT... THANK YOU, *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 28, 2012Engine and engine cooling, Fuel/propulsion systemFire reportedODI 10468063
“MY MAIN COMPLAINTS ARE THE POWER WINDOWS, AIR CONDITIONING, FUEL SYSTEM ISSUE 3 OF THE 4 POWER WINDOW MECHANISM IN MY CAR HAVE BROKEN AND TWO ARE WEDGED UP, WHICH WASN'T A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN TO ME BECAUSE I RARELY HAVE PEOPLE IN THE REAR SEATS. NOW, I HAVE TO DECIDE IF I SHOULD FIX MY DRIVER WINDOW OR WEDGE IT. IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME BECAUSE IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT AND CANNOT OPEN MY WINDOW THEN I MIGHT MAKE IT OUT ALIVE. MY A/C IS BROKEN AS WELL SO IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, I NEED TO CHOOSE TO EITHER FIX MY A/C OR FIX MY POWER WINDOW SO THAT I CAN HAVE VENTILATION. ALSO, I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET AN ISSUE FIXED WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM AS IT SOMETIMES LURCHES IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. IT HASN'T STALLED ON ME YET IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION LIKE IT HAS FOR SOME PEOPLE, BUT I AM WORRIED IT WILL HAPPEN SOON. I AM HOPEFUL FORD WILL FIX MY WINDOW ISSUES AS THIS IS A DIRECT CAUSE OF CHEAP PARTS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 30, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline, VisibilityODI 10433585
“I'VE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY FORD FOCUS AND DESPITE REGULAR MAINTENANCE I'VE BEEN STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A HIGHWAY COUNTLESS TIMES.THUS FAR I'VE REPLACED THE ENGINE TWICE. TWICE I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR. MY THROTTLE DOES NOT RETURN TO IDLE AND HAS UNEXPECTED MOMENTS OF ACCELERATION AND I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE THROTTLE SENSOR. BOTH OF MY FRONT COIL SPRINGS HAVE BROKEN AND WERE VERY CLOSE TO PUNCTURING MY TIRES. AFTER TAKING MY VEHICLE TO NUMEROUS MECHANICS NONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE WHY MY CAR SHAKES SO BADLY. I HAVE VERY POOR VISIBILITY AT NIGHT WITH THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING WHICH IS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS COMPARED TO OTHER VEHICLES. MY FAN HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED SINCE IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND MY CAR WAS HAVING PROBLEMS OVERHEATING AS WELL. DURING THE COURSE OF ALL OF THESE CAR MALFUNCTIONS, I'VE BEEN IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND IN RISKY NEIGHBORHOODS AT NIGHT. THIS CAR HAS PROVEN TO BE VERY UNRELIABLE AND UNSAFE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 29, 2011Steering, Suspension, Engine and engine coolingODI 10433536
“THIS VEHICLE HAS SUDDENLY DIED DOZENS OF TIMES SINCE APRIL OF 2011. IT DIES WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES ON THE INTERSTATE, IT DIES WHEN BRAKING IN A PARKING AREA. THERE IS NO SPECIFIC SPEED WHEN THIS OCCURS. THE VEHICLE STARTS BACK UP AFTER TWO OR THREE TIMES WHILE GIVING IT GAS. IT HAPPENS WHEN THE GAS TANK IS FULL OR LOW AND OUR VERY REPUTABLE MECHANIC CAN FIND NO CAUSE. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS AND I HAVE SEEN WHERE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED ONLINE AND I HOPE REPORTING THIS WILL SHOW A PATTERN WITH THESE VEHICLES. *KB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 15, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemODI 10425648

Showing 6 of 247 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.