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Engine Stalling and sputtering

13K views 11 replies 6 participants last post by  flick6nine 
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#1 ·
I drive a 2000 Ford Focus that was brand new when i bought it. It stalls uncontroablly without warning and the engine sputters when i step on the gas! This is MAJOR problem and Ford denies everything! I have found several articles on the internet with thousands of people with the same problem, but Ford still denies it! Every time i have taken my car to the dealer where i bought it, they cant find a problem with it. Now my car is 6,000 miles out of warranty and they ant to charge me $85 just to diagnose and i will not pay that cause they will not find a problem with it! Anyone having this problem??? Get back to me and tell me your story! I would love to hear it and what kind of resolve you have found.
 
#2 ·
have you had any of the following looked at? TSB are technical Service Bulletins that if diagnoses should be repaired.

Recalls are necessary.

TSB:

02-23-4 -- NOV 02 -- Engine Controls - DTC P1635 Set After PCM/IC Replacement
02-21-13 -- OCT 02 -- Engine - Cylinder Head Straightedge Surface Check
02-21-2 -- OCT 02 -- Fuel System - Fuel Pressure Relief Valve Eliminated
02-11-4 -- JUN 02 -- Aluminum Engine - New Cleaners/Service Tips
02-2-3 -- FEB 02 -- Engine - Aluminum Block/Head Machining
02-1-4 -- JAN 02 -- Engine Head Gasket - Approved Replacement Procedures
02-1-9 -- JAN 02 -- Engine Oil - Oil Recommendations/Applications
01-24-6 -- DEC 01 -- Engine - Oil System Priming Procedures
01-23-6 -- NOV 01 -- Engine Coolant - Propylene Glycol Recommendations
01-20-5 -- OCT 01 -- Driveability - Vacuum Leak Detection
01-15-6 -- AUG 01 -- Heater Core - Repeated Failure
01-10-12 -- MAY 01 -- Wire Harness - Terminal Repair Kit
01-9-7 -- MAY 01 -- Emissions/Computers/Electronics - Driveability Diagnosis
01-9-2 -- MAY 01 -- Evaporator Case/Cowl - Interior Water leaks
01-7-8 -- APR 01 -- EVAP System - MIL ON Multiple DTC's Set
00-2-1 -- JAN 00 -- PCV Valve - Fluttering Noise When Car Is Turned Off
99-26-9 -- DEC 99 -- Fuel Economy - Customer Expectation vs. Vehicle Usage
99-25-4 -- DEC 99 -- Timing Belt/Tensioner - Revised Setup Procedure
99-23-4 -- NOV 99 -- EVAP - DTC's P0442/P0455/MIL ON/No Driveability Concerns


Recalls:

99B22 -- SEP 99 -- Campaign - Engine Mount Replacement
99B21 -- SEP 99 -- Campaign - Fuel Pulse Damper Replacement
00E09 -- MAR 00 -- Recall - Injector Pressure Sensor Replacement

These are just the Engine related TSBs and Recalls.
 
#3 ·
Sounds like a problem centering around the fuel pump relay and/or wiring- get them to check the whole circuit out including main grounds etc. If the concern was reported in the warranty period and is still ongoing then there shouldn't really be a problem having it repaired under guarantee. Speak to Ford direct if you still haven't gained satisfaction.
 
#4 ·
if u get a racing chip it puts your car at around 1k rpms which could fix your problems. it may be your fuel pump like the guy said ^
 
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#5 ·
My wife has a 2000 focus and lately if the weather is hot out when she is driving it will die. It can be restarted quickly but it will die multiple times. It will tend to run rough as well when it has this problem. The problem now has become and all the time thing. Last week after having it at the Ford dealer a couple of weeks back, they left all the connections loose and the car had gas running out every were. After they fixed it this problem started again. Also have had a code that said we had a bad gas cap.

We have replaced everything that has anything to do with the fuel system and it did no good. Fuel pump 2 times, fuel regulator, fuel control module. Also checked all the connections as per Ford bulletin.

How do I get in the lawsuit on this one? Why don’t they do a recall? According to the NHTSA web site they know what the problem is and addressed it in later models but are doing nothing for the 2000, 2001 models.
 
#6 ·
one word comes to mind.....dodgy.
 
#7 ·
that 2000 Focus is a disgrace to all worldwide Foci. Ford USA should be proud of itself for creating such a bad image of the car. Sadly, the latest cars are so much betteer but still tainted by the image of the 2000.
 
#8 ·
Be nice to the focus, I don't think it is just related to the '02 Focus, because my 2002 focus is doing the same thing, although, not as frequently as yours. It is a concern and our techs here are monitoring it; as it is only intermittent it iss very hard to trace.
 
#10 ·
yours maybe something different though, just based on the fact they're made on the other side of the world. Doesn't mean they can have the same problem, but the Euro model generally has had less problems thant the North American one. Hope it gets fixed, coz mine's suffering a high-rev problem, it sputters a bit at the top, not smooth anymore after getting the engine mounts replaced in the first service. My guess is something's out of balance.
 
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#12 ·
well for now it seems like it was the spark plugs and wires that was causing the sputtering.... all this time and no fix till now! i was told after they change the O2 sensor they should change the plugs and wires... which they never did. but ... the car still stalls uncontrollably!! ive now started a written document... dont know why or for who... maybe the lawsuit I am in with the NHSTB will be interested in it.. who knows... so till the next time the piece of @#$% breaks down......c ya!
 
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