List Your Ford design/quality issues...

[tomp]

I have a few examples of cost cutting or poor design of the Focus or problems(my ZX3). I have a feeling that I will be selling my Ford whthin two years, and I will *not* be a repeat buyer. My car has 17,000km and is one year old:

1. Front rotor warping.
2. Rear bearings (left wheel).
3. Front suspension strut bearings.
4. Poor fuel economy.
5. A pathetic number of recalls for '00 models.
6. Sticking fuel gauge.
7. Warping plastic side moldings.
8. Mis-aligned door.
9. Broken shifter boot.
10. Rear-brake squeak (fixed by lubricating backing plates and repacking bearings).
11. Broken clutch return spring (after 1 month!).
12. and possibly more I can't remember...

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Stock '00 RF Green ZX3, 5sp, A/C, BMW Tip.

[This message has been edited by tomp (edited 04-20-2001).]

[MidnightZX3]

All interior panels rattle like mad! My Explorer was rattle free but im scared to put my subs in here. Its gonna fall apart!

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Midnight Black ZX3,
35% tint,
Kicker Impulse 15's

Quote from best friend;
"Are my ears gonna keep ringing all day!?"

[Rubix]

They don't install intermittant wipers as an option even though the part exists and probably costs very little more then the stupid "fixed interval" wipers.

[Rampart]

Besides some earlier issues, I'm actually a pretty happy customer. I really have only a few issues with the design (referring to my '00 sedan).

1) Frontseat cupholder size and location
2) Split folding rear seat but single piece bench.
3) Recalls

[Marction]

Granted I've only had my '01 ZTS for 2 1/2 months...so far it's been ok.

1. Side moulding on driver's side need to be glued down (the door dent guard moulding thing, whatever it's called...I'm having a memory blank right now :confused

2. Driver's side fog lamp burnt out already.

3. A bit of pulsing in the brakes occasionally...likely warped rotors, we'll see as it will no doubt get worse. Ford rotors suck as*, same problems (repeatedly) when I had a '97 Contour.

4. Fuel gauge sits just below full after a fill up and within 50km is closer to 3/4 level...no biggie since I fill up around 1/4 tank anyway (1/2 in the winter).

Other than that, I'm really happy with the car. First model years always have bugs, but the # of recalls has been a bit nuts for those of you with '00 editions.

[RiTzBiTz]

my issues:
2001

ticking tranny, annoying and not fixable
according to ford.

surging, problem @ around 2000 rpms very very annoying.

other then that all is well. !!


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Go for the eyes BOO
Go for the eyes!

[**DONOTDELETE**]

the day i picked up my 01 sedan the ashtray
was stuck in the dash and would not come out.
the dealer fixed the ashtray but scratched the black bezel around the radio while fixing the ashtray. they(the dealer)replaced the bezel than my lighter didnt work, they fixed the lighter and than the light around the lighter stopped lighting. in between all this my power steering pump blew the shaft seal(700 miles) and had to be replaced. the upper passenger side door seal was warped so that was replaced and than my rear passenger door would not close right so than the body shop had to realign the rear door. this all happened within one month of purchase and now my car has 4000 miles on it and the drivers side rear window clicks just before it goes all the down, my throttle is sticking after the engines warms up and i have numerous strange suspension noises.but on the plus side the car seems to run stronger as i get more miles and my mpg is getting better. once the bugs are worked out all should be ok! but i agree that ford initial quality is very poor!

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RON
2001 sedan/zetec/automatic

[Noyz01]

overall i am pretty happy with my 01' zx3. besides the occasional fuel pump pressure problems and a lying gas guage, im pretty satisified. i feal bad for all you 1st year owners, it takes a few years for a car to have all the bugs worked out of it. i wish the cup holders were bigger (for my gas station bladder busters), the brakes were a bit better and there was a bit more low rpm torque. i seem to not find any torque under like 3300 rpm's

------------------
2oo1' ZX3 | Malibu Blue
Kickin' System

[ I'm willing to die to prove He exists, are you willing to die to prove He doesn't? ]

[ ZX3 : www.infinitesight.com/focus ]

[ www.infinitesight.com ][ Ride on Sacred Prayers Aided By Angelic Force ]

[MegzFocus]

The only problem Ive had with my '01SE is the adjustable seatbelt mechanism doesnt lock all the time (parts on order)and I wish the fabric quality was better

Other than that I love it! and I love bragging about her so dont get me started

Oh and I picked her up Feb 19th (2 months ago today) and have just under 4900 miles on her, she had 3 miles on her before test drive and I was her first and last test drive so yea Ive racked the miles on her and no complaints....oh I wish there was a control for the radio on the steering wheel (I think the ZTS or Sony or something had this though)

[This message has been edited by MegzFocus (edited 04-19-2001).]

[Calias]

Lesse, Five recalls so far on my 2000 LX sedan:
1. Master Clutch cylinder
2. Rear left wheel retention
3. Rear Suspension
4. Rear brake stuff
5. Head impact cushioning

Stuff they broke while doing recalls:

1. Pedal brake light switch
2. Forgot to put my rear right hubcap back on

Stuff that broke all by it's lonesome:

1. Ignition lock set (aaah! my key won't turn and I'm trapped in Duarte!!)

Design complaints:

1. Cupholder size and placement (can I get an "Amen"!)
2. Weird seatbelt stuff
3. Intermintent wipers please!
4. Front door storage units USELESS if you've got manual windows.
5. Sticky reverse gear
6. Idiot friends keep breaking the covers on my child seat retention points. "Hey what's this?" ((yank, crack)) "oops."

Dumb things I did:

1. Dropped a cigarette on my rear seat (Doh! best reason to quit I've found yet)
2. Drive the car like it's a formula one (not good for longevity)

All in all my Ford dealer has been understanding and quick with repairs, so far I am a satisfied customer. I love my Focus.

Now to win the lottery and add all the toys I want...

[Noyz01]

i sat on tar then got it all over my seat (stoopid). and i dropped my soda (small cupholders) and forgot i was still on the road and drove into a pile of snow.

i dont like the seat belt adjustable things, very poor design and i wish there was int. wipers (even though its not a big deal to me ) and maybe of the rear seats on my zx3 folded down flat like a normal fold down seat.

i would like to see a twizzler dispencer as an option for the roof, (likein waynes world)

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2oo1' ZX3 | Malibu Blue
Kickin' System

[ I'm willing to die to prove He exists, are you willing to die to prove He doesn't? ]

[ ZX3 : www.infinitesight.com/focus ]

[ www.infinitesight.com ][ Ride on Sacred Prayers Aided By Angelic Force ]

[bluewagon]

In general, I'm pleased with my 2001 Focus SE Wagon (Ztek, 5-sp). As a business traveller who rents upwards of 50 cars each year, I have some basis for comparison:

1. Handling - Even stock, my Focus handles like it's on rails, compared to the competition.

2. Seats - Not the comfiest, but definitely adequate. Good support, and I really like the height (firmness) adjustment.

3. Minimal blind spots.

4. Good utility with the back seat down.

5. Nice headroom clearance.

6. Good headlights. I did change out the bulbs for the "blue" ones. $14 a pair at Wal-Mart. Even without the fogs, good visibility.

There are however, a few things that (a) suck, and (b) I would have designed differently:

1. CD OR TAPE!?!?!?! What the hell is THAT for an option? Lets offer a sound system that lives up to the "Detroit Techno" name.

2. After FINALLY offering the 5-speed on the wagon for 2001, the car was delivered with the stock crap instruments. NO TACH, NO Gages other than Speed, Temp, and Fuel. Idiot lites should be for idiots.

3. Why is there NO sunroof option on the wagon? If Ford wants to compete with sport-ute's, then they'll have to do better. Besides, the wagon's roof is identical to the other models!

4. The cupholders are lame.

5. Needs a couple of strategically placed 12V power outlets.

6. The center console is just plain crap! Re-design it to be roomier and more functional, or just get it the hell out!

[MegzFocus]

Things I wish I had....

1. more clearance for the cup holders (I like the biggie sized lemonade at Wendy's)

2. Radio/CD control on the steering wheel

3. Sunroof, but there so much head room that theres tons o'sun in my car but I want the open airy feeling

ummmmm thats it! still love my focus aka project Stocky Spice


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'01 SE Sedan
Gold
Sport & Comfort Pkgs.

MODS:
Leopard print fur steering wheel cover =)

Chrome muffler tip

vroom vroom

[JonBoy470]

Issues I have with the Focus with respect to build quality/design quirks:

1. Front rotors warp very easily.
2. Why can't they bolt the hood on straight?
3. No center armrest, and the armrest kit from Ford is too expensive and not that great.
4. Squeaks and rattles (though not that bad) after 10K miles and 1 winter's bad roads.
5. No variable int. wipers (solved with $43 switch)
6. Hatch needs stronger hydralic struts to stay open when parked up an incline (Which I do alot, my driveway is a hill).
7. Automagic transmission lacks smoothness of comparable GM products.
8. Gas mileage iffy for a compact car (27-28 MPG on the highway).
9. Engine sometimes reluctant to start on really cold mornings.

Overall the build quality of my Focus falls below that of import competitors such as Honda, Toyota and Nissan, but for the most part its faults have been minor and in line with what I would expect from a new, first year American car.



------------------
-Jon
2k ZX3, Infra-red, auto, air, cruise, tilt, pw/pl/pm, abs, var. int. wiper conversion, Sylvania XV headlights
IM: JonBoy470

[tomp]

I have one more (or a repeat of another problem):

Rear *right* bearing is now dead. The left rear bearing and drum were repaired last week.

One question: Why didn't they look at the right bearings when I took the car in last week?

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Stock '00 RF Green ZX3, 5sp, A/C, BMW Tip.

[wmudavey]

i bet you can get steering wheel controls for your car. I know in europe you can buy a stalk from the dealer. it like glues on to the steering column or soemthing. i would check if this is an option. the radios we have in ours are similar to the euro spec ones jsut we do not have as many features such as RDS

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2001 ZX3
Advance Trac, Side bags, moonroof, Malibu blue
Mods to my company car:
Intermittent wipers, BMW tip, Ireland sticker, Foglight mod.
That will be about it...I don't own it!

[JMcQueen]

By and large Im fairly happy with the car. However there are a few things that bother me:

1) Poor quality of paint finish. It seems as though they only sprayed the bare minimum they had to. Its no way near the quality of paint and finish that I had on my VW Polo a £7000 car compaired to my £14000 Focus.
2) Poor throttle response/underpowered engines. I know 16V engines suffer on low end torque compared to 8V but mine seems patheric until you hit around the 2800rpm range, you then have to keep it in that power band to make swift progress. Also I used to have a 1990 MK2 golf GTI 1.8 16V that developed roughly 136hp as standard, more than my 1.8 Focus, I thought engine technology had moved on on the last decade.
3) Poor quality of some parts used. I had to take mine back to have the headlight switch changed after the black paint covering scratched off leaving the white plastic underneath.

MODERATOR,PLEASE DELETE THIS POST, DOUBLE POSTED BY MISTAKE
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1.8 Focus Zetec (UK)
Pacific Green
Lockwood white dials
Momo gear knob
Koni shocks
Eibach springs
17" Speedline Chrono's

[This message has been edited by JMcQueen (edited 04-22-2001).]

[JMcQueen]

By and large Im fairly happy with the car. However there are a few things that bother me:

1) Poor quality of paint finish. It seems as though they only sprayed the bare minimum they had to. Its no way near the quality of paint and finish that I had on my VW Polo a £7000 car compaired to my £14000 Focus.
2) Poor throttle response/underpowered engines. I know 16V engines suffer on low end torque compared to 8V but mine seems patheric until you hit around the 2800rpm range, you then have to keep it in that power band to make swift progress. Also I used to have a 1990 MK2 golf GTI 1.8 16V that developed roughly 136hp as standard, more than my 1.8 Focus, I thought engine technology had moved on on the last decade.
3) Poor quality of some parts used. I had to take mine back to have the headlight switch changed after the black paint covering scratched off leaving the white plastic underneath.
4)Poor quality of seats. I opted for the so called 'sports' interior which is supposed to have more bolster support. While they are better than the standard seats, a pair of Recaros as an option would have been nice. They are available on VW's and other cars in the Ford range.
HOWEVER most of these things are easily solved by spending a few extra £££'s and so in my opinion they are minor.


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1.8 Focus Zetec (UK)
Pacific Green
Lockwood white dials
Momo gear knob
Koni shocks
Eibach springs
17" Speedline Chrono's

[LIL YELLOW]

1-seats suck: super uncomfortable to get a perfect position. The way you have to tilt the seats to get to the back seats.
The material of the seat sux. I am going on to the second seat cover.

2BRAKES why di they have to SQUECK so darm much.

3 Paint is crappy looking. It looks cheap compared to the (MY DREAM CAR) BEETLE.


FORD customer service is reason enough to never buy a ford again

4 Gas mileage is horrible. of 22 miles per gal is crappy

5 the ac is either too low or to strong (same goes for the heater)

6 when I put the car in drive i hear an annoying click

7 some "normal" (according to ford) noise comes out of the front drivers side area when tthe car goes from park to drive.

8. the fact that I get shocked every 5 minutes

9 AND NOW the stupid check engine light came out GREAT

I have been to the dealer 6 times in the last 5 months and now I am about to get to my 7th because of the engine light. AND NO these were not scheduled visits such as oil changes
So the big questions are

Am I gonna get another Ford ?? HHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLL NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

and will I keep mine for much longer ? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I am planning on keeping it till the warranty is up then I will get a beautiful VW BUG

[Ducman69]

Weird...I got my worst gas mileage EVER today, which was 27.5mpg. But I spent at least a 1/4 of that tank practicing drag launches this weekend at every opportunity I found. The rest I spent shifting around 4,000rpm with 2/3 throttle (usually I shift at 2-2.5K rpm with 1/2 throttle), with a 1/4 tank of highway thrown in as well. I average between 28 (aggressive) - 32 (normal city mix), to 36 if mostly highway.

That's why I don't understand how some people are getting such miserable mileage. How did you break in your car when it was new? Does it consume an unusual amount of oil? Also take a peek at your spark plugs...

I really like the seats. My leather Mustang seats don't really hold you in at all and you almost have to brace yourself on the steering wheel on high-g turns. The Focus seats actually hold me in place around my rib cage. However, the material used is not exactly of the highest quality. Luckily, mine haven't shown any serious signs of wear yet, but its only been 12,000 miles. It would be nice if it had a seperate lumbar support too for the long trips where you need to move a bit to stay comfortable.

The steering wheel is too far away from me, and at the time they didn't have the tilt/telescoping wheel available. The wheel should be at my wrists with my arms extended, but its exactly at my palms, and there is no real way to adjust my seat w/o leaning straight upright to correct that.

With the seats folded down, it should make a flat surface. However, it does not and has a little step in it which makes it very difficult to slide large object back there and utilize all the space available.

My right headlight fills with condensation as it is apparently not sealed or has a small crack in the back. Not a huge deal though.

Lastly, a couple of times the fuel gauge seems to have stuck on 'E' or empty. Another thing I'm going to have the dealership look at in detail. The difficult part is reproducing it.

------------------
00 Ford ZX3 / 96 Ford Cobra
90 Yam FJ1200/ 85 Yam RZ350 / 84 Yam RZ350
Engine Forum Moderator -Chris-

[arskiker]

Fuel pump starvation around sharp or long corners with under 1/2 tank of gas.

[Nodriveslow]

Overall I've been pretty happy with my 2001 ZX3. I have had a few problems though:

1)Roof molding on passenger side came loose and had to be replaced.

2)Had new drum brakes installed due to a weird high pitch when applied

3)Yesterday I was told that the PFE sensor went (had a little surging before the engine light came on - that's why I took it in)It is on back order.

4)The drivers seat is wearing prematurely along the door side bolster.

They are the main problems. I also get horrible gas mileage and do not like the fixed interval wipers, but I do like driving the car.

[bluewagon]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by arskiker:
Fuel pump starvation around sharp or long corners with under 1/2 tank of gas.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I had that problem a few weeks back, and I thought it might be "fuel starvation." You may actually have a bit of water in the bottom of your fuel tank. Try a bottle of "Water Disapator" from STP or other brand. I used a bottle in each of two tankfuls of fuel and the problem went away.

[jwardell]

My biggest problem, which I hope none of you ever experience, is the front bumper design or lack thereof.

I rear-ended a small pickup at only 5mph. The damage? $5500!! Of course the difference in bumper hights was the culprit (why isn't this standardized??), and there is no protection above the bumper. The hood folded, his tow hitch pierced my radiator and stopped within an inch of the engine. I can't imagine what the cost would have been had I hit 2mph faster! The price was a good example of the rating that came out, rating the focus the most expensive in low-speed front-end collisions.

I should complain about traction. Cuz these tires are so thin, despite having ABS, there is no traction when emergency braking or in the snow. I think whenever I need to replace them I will look into wider wheels (suggestions?).

Otherwise I am ecstatically happy with this car. You've never been able to get such design and feel with a similiarly priced car.

[blurr]

DISLICES
1 Hesitation
2 Stumble
3 Rough Idle
4 Dealer (Dis)Service
5 Backwards action gn front seatbacb fold handle, takes 2 h`nds to fet access to rear seat
6 Groan from front brakes
7 wait, wait I'll think of it....
...nh yeah, Miserable Fuel lileage hn town n20 mpg.

LIKES4BR>1 Handling, almost makes up for above. Almost.
2 Ctyling
3 Price
4 Steering
5 Prhce
6 Handling