A lack of clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector meant the throttle could get stick open when the accelerator was fully depressed. Following a petition from the Center for Auto Safety, NHTSA opened an investigation and eventually issued a recall to fix the sticky throttles in the 2001–2004 model years.
Even with the throttles fixed, the 2001 model year could still have trouble stopping due to multiple problems with leaking brakes.
4.0
definitely annoying
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
144,050 miles
Total Complaints:
2 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
not sure (1 reports)
used zip ties to hold the window regulator housing together (1 reports)
Yesterday my son used the power button to roll the rear drivers side passenger window down, he heard a weird noise and then the rear window dropped and he was unable to roll it back up. After reading about sooooo many issues with the Focus, it sounds like they are using the same cheap parts. I have a lot of miles on this vehicle, but like most people, I rarely use the rear windows. Sounds like the power steering leak problem I was having. The part that was leaking was the pressure sensor plug. It is a cheaply made part made in Mexico and was know to spring a leak. A common fix is to put super glue or screw a tiny screw into the hole to plug it. I wish I had known this fix before I bought the $40 part, also made in Mexico. FORD, very disappointing. Trying to live up to there nickname I guess, "Found On Road Dead".
Update from Apr 28, 2012: They indeed used cheap plastic to hold the window regulator together. After using the window several times, the plastic tabs that hold the whole assembly together break and then the whole thing unwinds. My son and I fixed it by re-wrapping the cables around the cam assembly and then holding them both in place while putting the metal cover back in place over the plastic cam and plastic housing that had the broken tabs (the broken tabs hold the metal cover in place which keeps the cam inside the housing and keeps it from unwinding). There are springs holding tension on the cables once they are wrapped around the plastic cam. It was very difficult to do, but we managed to pull them out far enough to get the metal cover back in place and put the cables with the springs back into the recess on the plastic housing. Then we used three or four zip ties to hold the whole assembly together. Much cheaper than buying the entire window regulator which is the only other way to fix this defective piece. I hope this helps someone else if they encounter this issue.
Well I'm in the military and I have to go on and off base. I must show my Military ID to enter. My driver's side window will not go down. I have to open the door to show my ID rather than just rolling my window down. It would be so much easier if I knew why my window suddenly refused to go down.
- Anthony D.,
Beaufort, SC, US
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Yesterday my son used the power button to roll the rear drivers side passenger window down, he heard a weird noise and then the rear window dropped and he was unable to roll it back up. After reading about sooooo many issues with the Focus, it sounds like they are using the same cheap parts. I have a lot of miles on this vehicle, but like most people, I rarely use the rear windows. Sounds like the power steering leak problem I was having. The part that was leaking was the pressure sensor plug. It is a cheaply made part made in Mexico and was know to spring a leak. A common fix is to put super glue or screw a tiny screw into the hole to plug it. I wish I had known this fix before I bought the $40 part, also made in Mexico. FORD, very disappointing. Trying to live up to there nickname I guess, "Found On Road Dead".
Update from Apr 28, 2012: They indeed used cheap plastic to hold the window regulator together. After using the window several times, the plastic tabs that hold the whole assembly together break and then the whole thing unwinds. My son and I fixed it by re-wrapping the cables around the cam assembly and then holding them both in place while putting the metal cover back in place over the plastic cam and plastic housing that had the broken tabs (the broken tabs hold the metal cover in place which keeps the cam inside the housing and keeps it from unwinding). There are springs holding tension on the cables once they are wrapped around the plastic cam. It was very difficult to do, but we managed to pull them out far enough to get the metal cover back in place and put the cables with the springs back into the recess on the plastic housing. Then we used three or four zip ties to hold the whole assembly together. Much cheaper than buying the entire window regulator which is the only other way to fix this defective piece. I hope this helps someone else if they encounter this issue.
- camaroman269, Laredo, TX, US