Ford focus doesn't run well

vanguard

vanguard

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2005
Location
Apex, NC
My wife's ford focus is stuttering and mildly bucking at lower RPM. I've cleaned the MAF sensor, replaced the fuel filter, and replaced the air filter but it hasn't had any impact. Now I'm looking for the wisdom of the group. In 5th gear it really runs nicely at 80-85 mph but it stutters at 60 mph. A similar low to mid range RPM problem happens in every gear.

Other notes:

* It runs better on a full tank of gas than a nearly empty tank.
* It's been happening for months.

Any ideas?
 
go to auto zone and have the obd2 scanned it's free and it'll probably tell you that you need a new MAF or ignition part.
 
If it is running fine on a full tank of gas but starts acting up when the tank is low you may have water in the tank. Water will float on top of the gas cuasing the problem to show up when the tank is lower. Get a good (brand name) can of Sta-bil. It will run you about 5 bucks. Go the gas station with no more than a half a tank. Dump the sta-bil in the tank and fill the tank with gas. Run that tank out and see if it goes away. I am not sure why but my Focus has run poorly on gas when my truck has did fine on the same gas from the same nozzle before. Maybe they are more sensitive to the water. Try it and see if it helps. Worse case you are out 5 bucks. Good Luck.
 
call your local ford dealer and have them run your vin number. see if you the fuel pump recall 03N01. they had that on early 2000 model focus's. everything you have describe is the symptons of that recall. hope that helps....
 
I had one that would shut off going down the road,took it to ford and they could not find anything wrong cost was $900.00 for this I left the parking lot it stalled on the road right out side the dealership,took it home and found out the negitave battery terminal was losing ground when it would get hot,replaced with a $1.25 one from advance working great to this day......Almost the same thing was happing that you described,might want to give it a shot ..........
 
N3PHT - sounds like you have the negative battery terminal re-routing recall. basically re-routed the neg battery terminal and replaced it. dunno why they didnt do that for you?
 
BIGWOODY said:
yes it will my friend
Click to expand...
I actually have a code reader. I'll give that a shot this weekend but I'm pretty encouraged by GotTerrain's post. I'll try the stabil if those ideas don't pan out.
FWIW, I was thinking fuel pump when I started the post because of the way it happens when the tank is low. I considered bad fuel too but it's happened on every tank for 4 months now at dozens of stations. I just think that bad fuel would have worked its way through by now.
 
GotTerrain? said:
call your local ford dealer and have them run your vin number. see if you the fuel pump recall 03N01. they had that on early 2000 model focus's. everything you have describe is the symptons of that recall. hope that helps....
Click to expand...
I should have mentioned it is an early 2000 focus. Thanks for the tip, I'll follow up on this.
 
not sure about yours but last weekend a black focus passed my house going around 100mph with a nc state highway patrolman chasing him with lights and sirens on.:driver:
it was funny to see.
sorry for the off topic . :beer: but it was a focus.
 
broncomania said:
not sure about yours but last weekend a black focus passed my house going around 100mph with a nc state highway patrolman chasing him with lights and sirens on.:driver:
it was funny to see.
sorry for the off topic . :beer: but it was a focus.
Click to expand...
man that must have been a couple of tired squirrels.
 
N3PHT said:
I had one that would shut off going down the road,took it to ford and they could not find anything wrong cost was $900.00 for this I left the parking lot it stalled on the road right out side the dealership,took it home and found out the negitave battery terminal was losing ground when it would get hot,replaced with a $1.25 one from advance working great to this day......Almost the same thing was happing that you described,might want to give it a shot ..........
Click to expand...


I'd be all over the Dealers A$$ for that one! Seeing as their Flunkies couldn't diagnose a Recall issue!!!

Just goes to show that taking your vehicle to the dealer for anything other than Warranty work is a waste of money. Hope you got a refund from them on that BS!
 
every dealer is not the same. unfortunately dealerships like that give mine a bad name.
 
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