2003 Ford Focus engine and engine cooling problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A DRAGGING NOISE AND PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE RADIATOR FAN WAS DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,153.”

“IN MARCH 2013 I TOOK MY FORD FOCUS IN TO REPLACE MOTOR MOUNTS, RETURNED IN APRIL FOR THE SAME AWFUL VIBRATION WHILE HEATER WAS ON AND WHILE IDLING. THE MECHANIC CHECKED AND FOUND THAT ONE OF THE MOTOR MOUNTS WAS FAULTY AND HE REPLACED. I AM TAKING MY FOCUS BACK FOR THE THIRD TIME BECAUSE IT IS STILL VIBRATING WHILE IN IDLE WHILE THE AC IS ON. THE FIRST FEW TIMES AFTER HE REPLACED THE FAULTY MOTOR MOUNT IT DID THE SAME THING AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT IT'LL JUST RUN LIKE THAT AND THAT HE RAN A DIAGNOSTIC AND THE TRANSMISSION, ALL MOUNTS LOOK GOOD. AND MY SOMETIMES MY STEERING IS OFF AT 35 MILES PER HOUR. I ONLY USE MY FOCUS FOR IN TOWN I DON'T USE TO TRAVEL OUT OF CITY OR STATE. I AM NOT A MECHANIC BUT I AM DISABLED AND I NEED MY CAR RUNNING GOOD. I DON'T WANT TO LOSE IT. THANK YOU. *TR”

“THIS VEHICLE WITH 110K MILES TURNS OUT THE VALVE SEAT OF CYLINDER #4 BROKE OFF INSIDE THE ENGINE AND IRREPARABLY DAMAGED THE PISTON, CYLINDER AND CYLINDER HEAD OF WHICH THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THIS IS WITH A REPLACEMENT ENGINE. THIS OPTION IS MORE THAN WHAT THE CAR IS VALUED. ON FURTHER RESEARCH OF BOTH MY MECHANIC AND I AS WE SEARCHED THE WEB, IT APPEARS THAT THIS HAPPENS MORE FREQUENTLY THAN IT SHOULD. IT SEEMS THAT FORD SHOULD PUT A RECALL TO FIX THESE VALVE SEATS BEFORE ANYMORE PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO UNNECESSARILY SPEND THOUSANDS TO REPAIR THE ENGINE OR LOSE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON A UNDRIVABLE JUNK CAR, SUCH AS MYSELF. COULD YOU PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER FURTHER AND LET ME KNOW IF THIS IS INDEED AN INHERENT PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. [XXX] *TR”

“I HAVE A 2003 FORD FOCUS AND THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING UNIT IS CRACKED. WHEN IT CRACKED, AND STARTED TO LEAK, IT CAUSED A LOT OF SMOKE, AND WHEN IT STARTED TO LEAK, DUE TO THE TEMPERATURE OF THE COOLANT INSIDE, IT BURNED THROUGH OTHER HOSES ATTACHED AND ALMOST STARTED A FIRE. THE PART IS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC (SHOULD BE MADE OF SOME TYPE OF METAL SUCH AS ALUMINUM DUE TO THE HIGH TEMPERATURES INVOLVED CONSISTENTLY), AND 4 CERTIFIED AUTO TECHNICIANS THAT I TALKED TO SAID THAT THEY REPLACE DOZENS OF THEM ON FORD FOCUS EVERY YEAR. THEY SAY THAT "IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH FORD'S VARIOUS FOCUS YEARS, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED A LONG TIME AGO." EVEN THE FORD DEALERSHIP SAID THE FOLLOWING "YEAH, FORD KNOWS IT'S A PROBLEM; THAT'S WHY WE ALWAYS KEEP THAT PARTICULAR PART IN STOCK." LITERALLY, THERE ARE TENS-OF-THOUSANDS OF ONLINE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS PART, AND HOW IT HAS CAUSED SERIOUS HARM AND DAMAGE. THE PROBLEM STARTS BY SOME COOLANT LEAKING SLOWLY, AND WITHIN A WEEK (EVEN AFTER CONTINUOUSLY ADDING COOLANT), THE LEAK BECOMES LARGER AND LARGER, CAUSING THE DAMAGE LISTED ABOVE, AND CAUSING THE HEATER TO NOT WORK. WHY IS THIS A VERY WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM TO FORD; A…”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TIMING BELT FRACTURED AND RESULTED IN COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”

“SAFETY HAZARD-- UPPER MOTOR MOUNT ON 2003 FORD FOCUS MALFUNCTIONS/ DISINTEGRATES WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF INSTALLATION; WHETHER BY GARAGE, DEALER, OR OWNER. IN SEVENTEEN MONTHS, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE MOUNT (WHEN CAUGHT) FOUR TIMES AND FOUND IT AGAIN NEEDS REPLACEMENT. THE OEM PARTS SAY GUARANTEED BUT IT CONSTANTLY COST TO REMOVE, REPACKAGE, SHIP, AND THEN REPLACE. *TR”