[Cowboyup6609]

I have a 2001 focus se and i have only had it a year in Nov. Also it only has almost 24,000 miles and i am on my fouth transmission. The car is an automatic. I don't race it or anything so i know it isn't that. I was just wondering if anyone else has any problem with there transmission. Any info would be appricated.

Thax

Cowboyup6609

 

[plushstars]

trans probs

hey i just read your post. i had my trans replaced in february. i have a 2000 focus. i have also had all kinds of other probs with my car. has anything else gone wrong with yours?

 

[filipotx]

When they replace a tranny, does that mean the entire transaxle including the differential? I am curious because I am having a noise problem that might be in the differential. If so, can they just replace the differential? Here is a description of my problem:

After about 2000 mi I noticed a pulsating high-pitched noise from the front end of my 2001 Focus ZTS. I hear it from 15 mph to about 45 mph, where it becomes drowned out by road noise. It is louder just above 20, 30 & 40 mph. It is also the loudest when my foot is off the gas. The noise is not changed by putting the transmission in neutral. It is not noticeable on the freeway, and barely noticeable with the air conditioner on, or on a rough textured road. But most of my driving is done off the freeway, in town, on smooth asphalt streets, where it can be quite annoying at times. I am concerned primarily by the possibility that something may be defective. This car now has 9500 miles on it and the noise appears to be getting worse as time goes by.
The Ford service manager let me drive a new 2002 ZTS. It appeared to have a similar but quieter noise. He claimed that this noise was typical of this car. I went to a used car dealer & drove a couple of Focuses with 20000 and 36000 miles on them. They had similar noises to mine, but no louder than on the new 2002 ZTS. I feel that this type of noise is typical of all Focuses with automatic, but it should not be so loud as it is on mine.
I suspect that the problem is in the differential. The louder noise with the foot off the gas, when the wheels are driving the differential instead of the transmission, may somehow be due to opposite sides of the gear teeth being in contact. Could it be due to the differential being low on oil?
I would like to hear from as many of you automatic Focus owners as possible whether you have a noise similar to mine, and whether it ever bothers you. And whether you were able to get it fixed!

 

[plushstars]

ok so last week i noticed that my car was making a strange noise too. i have a 2000 focus. started as a high pitch noise and turned into a loud go cart/ lawn mower type sound. i found out that there is an exhaust leak somewhere in the engine. i am so tired of the problems my car has. i am going to trade it in for something new in the next couple of weeks.

 

[bunyz06rabbitt]

I got a 2001 wagon and noticed fluid coming from the weep hole below the torqe converter. 5400 miles. Took it in, they changed seals and it still leaked. So they said leave it, we'll change tranny and converter and now it sounds like a damn tea kettle with the whistle sound, rpm related. Just the other day after fillin' up, the car "just quit" not 20 feet from the pump. So I pushed it across the parking lot and it wouldn't start or turn over, I know it wasn't the battery. Well it finally started and I thought, maybe it's just vapor lock like on my 'vette when it gets hot. WRONG! Today I thought I was gonna to lose my life when in the left lane of a six lane super friggin' highway; yup we got 'em in Hawaii, the thing just quit again. I thought for sure I was gonna get creamed from behind, man I can't think of a time when I was so scared. Try being stuck like that just over the top of a hill and you know drivers can't see you and they're barreling at you doing 70 and 80 MPH! Well, it's at the dealer but friends lemme tell ya, I DUNNO!?

 

[bunyz06rabbitt]

Well gang, the dealer just called and said the car was fixed and ready for pick-up. They said they had to repair a wire leading to the computer. I really do hope it doesn't happen again! I was real lucky to have been helped by 2 good samaritans and a police officer. And now, I'll be helping as many stranded motorists as I can!

 

[FocusGurl3]

I have a 2000 focus and Ive had it for 3 years. Bought it brand new. Unfortunetly the Ford dealers around here in Mass. dont stand by there customers. So you can only imagine the screaming matches Ive gotten into with the workers and the President of the dealership. Its to bad we've all experienced what ford stands for.....FIX OR REPAIR DAILY or FOUND ON ROAD DEAD!!

 

[ztw]

I have a new 2004 ZTW and I also have a pulsating high-pitched noise at around 40 mph, very similar to the problem described below by "filipotx", see quote below. The noise is not very loud but just enough to be annoying. Is this a normal noise for a Focus with Zetec and automatic transmission? Does anyone know the cause or a solution to this issue?

I also noticed a high frequency whistle when driving at 75mph on the highway(again not very loud, just enough to be annoying). I read in other Forums that people were experiencing similar high-pitch noise ("similar to hearing test noises") problem at highway speeds (I am talking about engine noise, not wind related). Does anyone know the cause or a have solution?

For both of the above noise problems, I read in various forums that these noises were typical to the Focus. Although the car works OK, I just want to check if these annoying noises are normal or not.

Here is a description of my problem:

After about 2000 mi I noticed a pulsating high-pitched noise from the front end of my 2001 Focus ZTS. I hear it from 15 mph to about 45 mph, where it becomes drowned out by road noise. It is louder just above 20, 30 & 40 mph. It is also the loudest when my foot is off the gas. The noise is not changed by putting the transmission in neutral. It is not noticeable on the freeway, and barely noticeable with the air conditioner on, or on a rough textured road. But most of my driving is done off the freeway, in town, on smooth asphalt streets, where it can be quite annoying at times. I am concerned primarily by the possibility that something may be defective. This car now has 9500 miles on it and the noise appears to be getting worse as time goes by.
The Ford service manager let me drive a new 2002 ZTS. It appeared to have a similar but quieter noise. He claimed that this noise was typical of this car. I went to a used car dealer & drove a couple of Focuses with 20000 and 36000 miles on them. They had similar noises to mine, but no louder than on the new 2002 ZTS. I feel that this type of noise is typical of all Focuses with automatic, but it should not be so loud as it is on mine.
...

 

[WASACL]

Ahh the joys of the Aussie released foci.... No problems here!

 

[ztw]

Not sure I understand the "Aussie released foci" since my first language is not english??? Also, I am not from Australia. You think that these high pitch noises are not a problem and normal for the Focus.

 

[fordel]

sorry ztw, he means that in australia we get a version that is made in europe, and in america, the focus' are made in mexico, and have previously had a lot of problems with them

not really to sure on what the noises that you describe are of the top of my head sorry, have you spoken to your dealership about it ?

chris

 

[ztw]

Yes I did a test drive with a guy from the Ford dealer and he was not sure if the noise was normal or not. He said it may be a tranmission noise but the tranmission guy was on vacation. Il will have to get it checked at my next oil change.

It is not a big problem but just annoying if the radio is turned-off or low volume. Besise this little issue, the car works very well so far. After searching on the Internet, I foud that several people had reported similar problems but were not able to get it fix. In some cases, they were told by the Ford dealer that these high frequency noises were normal for the Focus.

I was trying to get some info in the forums to avoid spending time at my Ford dealer. I prefer to spend 5 minutes posting a message than 3 hours goind to the dealer... If it is not a problem or a normal noise on the Focus, I will have to leave with it.

 

[fordel]

yeah that is fair enough easier to ask here then waste time with a dealer

im sure that someone around here will be able to answer the question, i personally havent heard the same noises so note really sure

i doubt it would be a normal thing tho...

chris