CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2002 Ford Focus 2.0L SOHC engine has a defect where the intake valve seat fails. The valve then falls into the cylinder, destroying the engine & most owner relationships with Ford in the process.
6.8
fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
$750
Average Mileage:
89,300 miles
Total Complaints:
5 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
a/c compressor clutch replaced (1 reports)
had to repair the motor mounts (1 reports)
had to replace a vacuum hose that had a hole in it (1 reports)
The rough-idling starts only after the car has warmed up. The car seems to "diesel roughly" as you wait at a traffic light etc.. You have to touch the gas pedal periodically because it feels like the engine is going to stall! Once you step on the gas to accelerate a head it goes away. It starts again at the next stop. Please advise me if you have had a similar situation.
This was very annoying. This tube runs from the valve cover to the intake manifold. The whole tube is hard durable plastic but then they stick this cheap ass rubber L shaped connect on the end that goes into the intake. This elbow joint is weak and wears out. When this happens you'll hear a hissing sound coming from the engine and the car will idle roughly and even shut off AND YOU COULD LOSE YOUR BREAKS!!! I almost ran into someone because of this. Replacing this part is very easy, you just have to remove the air intake tube (the fat plastic tube). The thing that sucks the most is that they (Ford parts) make you buy the entire tube just to replace the faulty elbow joint that comes right off.
Here's the deal- Bought my car used and it ran like a champion. Used it as a commuter and I average 80km daily.- no issues. Recently it started running rough after I'd stop for a coffee then start it again. Took it in and for $300 the dealership tells me nothing comes up on the code reader..... Then I come across Technical Service Bulletin 04-9-1. Exhaust valve sticking due to excessive carbon build up. Suggested fix is an updated cylinder head and valve assembly running $1500 plus labor. WHAT?! And this "bulletin" was posted back when the car came off the assembly line! Why didn't they do a recall and deal with it then instead of a TSB?! Talk about defective engines...... Right now it is still worth it to fix but... I talked with a mechanic and he suggested that he has an "compressed" engine cleaning thing that MAY clean and remove the carbon deposits from the exhaust valves. Here's hoping that works. 2 other mechanics I talked to had no idea that this problem even existed. Buyer BEWARE! I am up sh*t creek- hopefully finding a paddle.
It started as a little shake. But then in the mornings it would get worse. I thought the car was just warming up thats why it was all shakey! But then the problem got worse, and the shaking became consistent, and an annoying rattling noise came from inside the ac vents. drove me nuts. only to find out one my motor mounts needs replacing. $50 bucks if you know how to do it yourself, but Ford will charge you almost $200 to fix.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Replace the A/C compressor clutch. Most likely is not the motor mounts if they have been replaced recently.
- nickweston, Hialeah, FL, US