Over 9.2 million Ford Focus vehicles have been sold around the world since the car’s inception in 1998. This makes it an extremely common car choice for a variety of people worldwide. Although the car has its strengths, as with any vehicle there are problems, and not knowing about them until they’ve happened is disappointing when you’ve spent so much money on your initial purchase. So to avoid any future issues, here are 3 of the most common problems to plague the Ford Focus.
Engine Cut-Outs – 1998-2004
In the 1.6 litre petrol version of the Ford Focus manufactured between 1998 and 2004, the car was suffering from intermittent engine cut-outs. This serious problem was caused by a dangerous issue with the powertrain control module software. The solution was therefore to have the program reprogrammed by Ford, who was willing to have it fixed and changed for no additional charge. A classic case of a serious issue with a simple solution.
Cooling Malfunctions – 2004-2011
In a number of the Focus Estates produced between July 2004 and December 2006, a problem was reported where its cooling fans were not working at their optimum performance, sometimes causing drivers to stop and pop their bonnets. This was caused primarily by the salt on roads during bad winters, which could be picked up by the car’s wheels and flicked up into the inner workings of the vehicle causing erosion. This issue is particularly troublesome as overheating could lead to a fire. Even with basic overheating, the temperature could have a damaging effect on your struts, so if you do find that this is occurring, replace them immediately from a site like SGS Engineering Solutions and then have your cooling system sorted.
Power Steering Problems – 2004-2011
Many of the models of the Focus produced between April and May in 2008 had issues with their power steering, which was a by-product of ineffective hoses. In the manufacturing process, hoses which did not have the best specification were used, and this allowed some hydraulic fluid to seep out. This could result in intermittent power steering, or even more seriously, in a fire.
Ultimately, you might be happy with the performance of your Ford Focus, but you should really keep an eye out for any signs of these potential problems, as they could become serious if given the opportunity to fester.