2002 Ford Focus power train problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SLIPPED OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT CALLED FAIRWAY FORD (2761 E STONE DR, KINGSPORT, TN 37660), AND INFORMED THE DEALER OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE HAD TO PAY A DIAGNOSTIC FEE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR COSTS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL WHILE STOPPED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT SUBJECTED TO A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 137,000.”

“CAR PERIODICUALY LOOSES ALL POWER TO DASH BATERRY EVERYTHING COMPLETLY I'VE REPLACE BATTERY ALTINATOR CLUSTER LIGHT IT SEEMS IF I USE MY LIGHT IT HAPPENS MORE OR ANYTIME I STOP OR SLOW DOW IT STALLS AND WILL NOT START WITHOUT A JUMP THEN IT WILL BE GREAT AGAIN SOMETIMES FOR A DAY SOMETES A WEEK IT S VERY IRRADICUL AND THROTLE GETS STUCK REVING UP HIGH THEN OTHER TESTS IDLES WAY TOO LOW AND DOES”

“FORD DEALERSHIP IN WOODRUFF, WI REPLACED FRONT RIGHT DRIVE AXLE AND SEAL 4 TIMES BEFORE THEY GOT IT RIGHT AND THE LEAK STOPPED. THIS INITIAL LEAK WAS FOUND BY THE OWNER AFTER THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR A FULL CHECK UPON PURCHASING INDICATING THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT INSPECT THE CAR AS THEY STATED AND WERE PAID TO DO. THE SAME DAY AFTER GETTING THE CAR BACK FOR THE LAST TIME SHIFTING PROBLEMS BEGAN TO OCCUR AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE OVERDRIVE SOLENOID BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE. THIS SOLVED THAT PROBLEM BUT NOW THE CAR SHUDDERS BETWEEN 40-50 MPH AS IF IT IS SHIFTING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN GEARS. NOTHING SHOWS UP ON A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK, MAY BE EXPENSIVE TORQUE CONVERTER PROBLEM. A LARGE NUMBER OF POSTS ON THE INERNET SHOW TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND SOLENOIDS ARE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD FOCUS CARS AND UNFORTUNATELY SOME PEOPLE ARE LED TO BELIEVE THEY NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION WHICH THEY HAVE REPLACED PROBABLY DUE TO MISDIAGNOSIS AND AT A HUGE UNNECESSARY EXPENSE. *TR”

“THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW BY GRANDMA. SHE SOLD IT TO HER GRANDSON THIS YEAR. IT IS "LIKE NEW" AND WAS ALWAYS KEPT IN AN ENCLOSED GARAGE. IT HAS HAD DEALER SERVICING. THE LAST 10,000 MILES IT HAS INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO MAINTAIN AN IDLE. WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE CAR WILL OFTEN DIE. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TWICE AND AN INDEPENDENT SHOP ONCE - EVERYONE THOUGHT IT WAS THE FUELING/EMISSION SYSTEM BUT THERE WERE NO ERROR CODES AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE BUT BECAUSE IT ONLY HAPPENED ON OCCASION. THEN THE OVERDRIVE SOLENOID FAILED AND GAVE AN ERROR CODE. BY REPLACING THE SOLENOID THE IDLE PROBLEMS STOPPED. MY MECHANIC HAS A THEORY - THE OVERDRIVE SOLENOID WILL START TO FAIL WITHOUT GIVING AN ERROR CODE, DURING THIS PERIOD THE TORQUE CONVERTER WILL OCCASIONALLY STAY LOCKED-UP IN OVERDRIVE, THUS THE CAR WHEN JUST IDLING CAN'T OVERCOME THE TRANSMISSION RESISTANCE AND NOT IDLE PROPERLY OR STOP RUNNING, WHICH OURS DID. MANY DOLLARS WERE WASTED ON FUEL SYSTEM CHECKS AND CLEANINGS.BEFORE WE FOUND THE ANSWER - IT WAS ALSO VERY DANGEROUS. THIS PART IS VERY SMALL AND APPEARS TO BE POORLY MADE. FORD FORUMS SHOW IT WILL FAIL AGAIN AND AGAIN. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS SUCCESSFULLY RESTARTED, BUT THE GEAR SELECTOR WOULD NOT SHIFT. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH DISCOVERED THAT THE TRANSMISSION GEAR PIN WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 98,750.”

“MY 2002 FORD FOCUS WAGON NEEDED BRAKES BECAUSE THE FRONT END WOULD SHAKE WHEN I APPLIED BRAKES. ALSO NOTICED A WHIRLING NOISE FROM THE BACK OFF CAR BUT DID NOT MENTION THAT TO MY MECHANIC. HE TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE AND ASKED IF I NOTICED THE WHIRLING NOISE TOO. HE SAID HE WAS CONCERNED AND CHECKED THAT 1ST. MY RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS FROZEN AND NOT TURNING, THAT'S WHERE THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM. IT HAD TO BE CUT OFF IN ORDER TO BE REPLACED. HE TOLD ME THAT THE WHEEL COULD HAVE BROKE OFF WHILE DRIVING AND COULD HAVE KILLED ME, I HAD THAT REPAIRED, ALONG WITH FRONT END BRAKES AND REPLACED WARPED ROTORS. THEN JUST 2 DAYS LATER BACKED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND BROKE A FRONT RIGHT COIL SPRING. A YEAR LATER REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. AND LAST WEEK JUST HAD TO PAY FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION, BECAUSE WOULD NOT SHIFT PROPERLY, UPON OBSERVATION THE TRANSMISSION HAD METAL CHIPS IN TRANSMISSION FLUID AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I CANT BELIEVE NO RECALL ON THIS CAR!”