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8.0

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$610
Average Mileage:
99,700 miles
Total Complaints:
10 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (9 reports)
  2. replace clutch safety switch (1 reports)
2003 Ford Focus engine problems

engine problem

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2003 Ford Focus Owner Comments

problem #10

Aug 012017

Focus SE 2.0L Zetec

  • Manual transmission
  • 134,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Car was becoming difficult to start, seemed you had to push clutch really hard to floor to get the engine to turn over. Finally it would not start at all. New clutch safety switch was not that expensive.

- William G., Northville, MI, US

problem #9

Aug 122012

Focus SE 2.0L V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 113,000 miles

DROVE IT ON AUG. THE 12TH IT WAS RUNNING VERY SMOOTH. STOPPED AT THE GAS STATION TO GET SOME GAS GOT BACK IN THE CAR CRANKED IT UP & IT CUT OFF. WOULD NOT CRANK BACK UP, WOULD NOT SAY ANYTHING. HAD IT LOOKED AT THEY SAID A ROD FELL; I WANTED TO KNOW HOW WAS THAT IT WAS NOT KNOCKING OR TAPPING. THEY COULD NOT TELL ME. THAT SUCKS I TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF IT, KEEP THE OIL CHANGE ON TIME, KEEP TUNE UP WHEN IT NEEDED IT. IT ONLY HAD 113000 MILES ON I DIDN'T DRIVE IT HARD AT ALL. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD. THEY ARE NO GOOD. SO PEOPLE IF U NEED A CAR DON'T WASTE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY ON A FORD BECAUSE U WILL REGRET IT. U WILL GET MORE PROBLEM THAN U ASK FOR.

- Gail P., Jackson, MS, US

problem #8

Oct 262009

Focus 5 Door 2.3L I-4

  • Manual transmission
  • 98,826 miles

Engine that has timing chain 2.3L and supposes to last 150K failed even before 100K

Engine with timing belt would not do this!

- mirox, Sandy Valley, NV, US

problem #7

Sep 152011

Focus 2.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I got my car back in 2007 its paid off in full, ever since the day i bought it I been having nothing but problems. The first problem began the day after i bought it, it shut off while driving i took it back to the dealership and they said there was no problem because it started back up..two months went by one day it completely wouldn't run, my bf and I were using our manual book and found the problem the distributor was cracked i figured this out when i stuck my hand in the engine and got shocked. I took it into ford because it was under warranty and got it replaced. A little while after that I was driving and my car was making squealing noises every time I turned we couldn't figure out the problem not until i broke down on the freeway and my car wouldn't go into drive, a police officer had to push me out of the way and call a tow truck i was by myself that day and it was raining i could've been killed it was the 15fwy!!!!, turns out the axle was broken ford replaced that under warranty. A few months went by again the electrical wires to the battery terminal were corroded replaced those twice and the battery twice...the thermostat went out replaced those, as well as the alternator twice ladies if your car suddenly keeps cutting out and dying its probably the battery or alternator. Replaced the timing belt if your car goes erratically in the engine and suddenly stops you snapped your belt. Recently this year I had my car rekeyed because i lost the keys i took my car to the dealership by then my car was working, this past month when my car was putting really bad from the air conditioner being on i found out the mechanics punctured a hole in my pvc elbow i say puncture because it looked literally like someone stabbed it with a knife. There isn't really a place u can buy this part except ford when my bf went in to order the part the guy at the counter already knew what car it was for and we didnt' even tell him any information he told my bf he had to order the 45 dollar part to replace the whole unit, with our luck though we found it for 10 bucks..and online for the ford parts its way cheaper then if u go into the dealership, not only would that guy not know who we were i got my car rekeyed a month before.Now that i got my pvc elbow replaced thats part of a hose it creates a exhaust vaccume leak if this is punctured. Recently my engine started to sound like i ran over a metal object and it was shredding up the engine this was a week after i fixed the leak, i was driving around fine..it sounded really bad i turned off the car and turned it back on same thing my bf came to check on it he thought the mechanics messed with the belt when its brand new, it wasn't i had to tow my car to his house now it wont turn over...we can't find the problem i dont' know what they did but it was fine before i took it to ford and now there is no warrenty... So far i have put at least 2k dollars into my car since the day i bought it, ill never buy a ford again they are not built to last, they are bad cars. There was a transmission leak too. I find this car to be one of the worse cars out there, its suppose to get good mileage but it doesn't.

- kitkat24, Vv, CC, US

problem #6

Dec 102010

Focus ES 4.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,000 miles

car died. called mechanic from friend. he towed car to shop. they said it was valve gone bad. they replaced head gasket and valves. problem continued. took it back. got fed up. now problem started again last thursday. took car back. mechanic opened shop with new guys. he said his employees from other shop messed it up. replaced valve (different one of course) sensor. brought me car yesterday. he said sensor light gonna stay on for a while. ??? also said transmission going out? car made loud popping noise last night. made it home. parked car in garage. will not go in reverse. i am sooo done

- Yolanda M., Dallas, TX, US

problem #5

Jul 162010

Focus SVT 2.0L Zetec

  • Manual transmission
  • 107,000 miles

Currently, my car will not start. I turn the key and my gauges come on, as does my radio, but nothing else. It was doing that last week, so I followed a mechanic's advice after describing what was going on. He gave me a push start so I could get home from work. I wouldn't be here if this car wasn't a thorn in my side since LITERALLY the day after I bought the piece of crap back in January of 2005. Not ever 24 full hours after purchasing it, the hose that carried power steering fluid blew up and coated my entire engine. It spent the following 11 days in the shop. I had tried on numerous occasions to have it "lemoned" to no avail as, since I've owned it, it's been towed to a repair facility due to mechanical failure at least 15 times in the past 5 years. My problems have involved 7 or 8 blown water hoses that caused my engine to overheat near instantly. All Ford did was "band-aid" the problem and never looked into what was causing it, which another mechanic did the first time it broke once my warranty was over...head gasket was shot and was leaking hot oil onto the hoses and melting them. Also, Ford had to replace my clutch, flywheel, and starter at 35,000 miles because the flywheel busted into pieces. Back in November, my ignition completely locked up and the key wouldn't turn at all, which Ford happily charged me $600 to fix and provide me with the new chip based keys. Sadly, one week almost to the day later, the A/C pulley froze completely and through off my timing, but didn't stall the car nor did the check engine light even turn on. A couple miles later resulted in the bending of ALL 24 of my valves and a lot of other damage...$2300 repair. In the last calendar year alone,

Sadly, this isn't even all of the problems this hunk of junk has given me. I work in electronics sales and I've never seen a single product in my 6 years doing that job come anywhere near how awful this car has been. I had made countless efforts to have Ford honor their end, to which they didn't AT ALL. This started at the dealership that I bought it at, where I was given the run around every time I called. I even went to writing their national customer relations on a weekly basis. Ford never even responded to a single one of them. I suppose that I'd be less mad if

- Clifton L., Bowling Green, FL, US

problem #4

Apr 012010

Focus ES V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 126,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My check engine light came on a couple weeks ago. I was going to have it looked at but then the light went off. today 4/1/10, I started the car up to go out and it ran for a bit but then just stopped running. I put the keys in the ignition and nothing is happening.

- tampawindy58, Tampa, FL, US

problem #3

Feb 122010

Focus V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 121,000 miles

It just won,t start. I had no problem the 1 month I have had it. I parked it then went out 10 mins. later and it won't start. Talk to the guy who worked on it at the lot I bought it from and tried everything he told me to and still won't start.

- junec, Olympia, WA, US

problem #2

Dec 082009

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 51,574 miles

Locked ignition, definitley should be recalled. What a pain in the ass to have my two little babies in a cold car unable to start. Thank goodness my uncle was home and able to drive us home. Tried the spare key, nothing. Told my husband to try the hammer/screwdriver trick. He's going to let me know what happens.....

- Alyssa R., Harrow, ONTario, Canada

problem #1

Oct 122006

(reported on)

Focus

  • 25,500 miles

The 2003 Ford focus wont start. but when the flow meter socket (Air filter) is removed it starts. the most annoying thing is when you put it back the engine stops! please help!!

- asuquo, Calabar, Cross River, Nigeria

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