You are here: Forums Hatchbacks Ford Focus Ford Focus Care & Maintenance

Ford Focus Care & Maintenance

309 messages,  Last post on Oct 18, 2009 at 1:19 PM

You are in the Ford Focus Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer

What is this discussion about? Ford Focus, Hatchback, Sedan, Wagon

Messages Page 25 of 32 1 ... 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 ... 32 Prev Next Last

Go To Msg # Search This Discussion

#238 of 309 Re: 2005 Focus SES Alignment Problems [Mr_Shiftright] by mrsdoni Jul 31, 2007 (11:03 am)
Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jul 31, 2007 10:15 am) Keep in mind my problem is NOISE the tires make due to the car not staying aligned.   The rear tires DO have very bad irregular wear. So much so that when rotated to the front, they sound like tractor tires The tread depth is still very good but the noise they create is horrible. I replaced the orignial Pirelli tires (because of the same noise issue) with BF Goodrich (recommended to me) of the exact same size that came on the car.   I have taken the car to two different dealerships for alignment. The car will simply not stay aligned. I drive the same roads I have driven for the past 12 years (all paved). My last vehicle was an Explorer that would get 65K + to a set of tires and was rarely out of alignment for the 185,000k miles I drove it.   Does anyone else have to get their Focus 4-wheel aligned every 3-6 months??   I guess I was hoping there was a recall on it that would fix the problem.   The gas savings seems to be going towards tires & alignment instead of my pocketbook. I am looking at the explorers again and thinking of trading up. Replies to this message: Mr_Shiftright (Jul 31, 2007 5:39 pm) user777 (Jul 31, 2007 8:16 pm) mrsdoni (Sep 01, 2007 6:31 pm) 04monterules (Sep 24, 2009 11:21 am)
#239 of 309 Brought car to be fixed and something still off.. by randomness Jul 31, 2007 (1:35 pm)
I have an 05 Focus Zx4 and jumped a curb hard enough that it triggered the air bag(but didn't come out) and made that loud backfiring noise when I went over it.   Brought it to the dealership and they fixed the alignment and supposedly test drove it and said it was fine. They said the car considered that jump an "accident" and something was bent but it was nothing that needed to be fixed or would cause problems other than if I get into an accident, the air bag won't deploy. So I waited and saved $1500 that I don't have.   - Alignment still seems slightly off. - Newest issue I am noticing on the highway, I'll be doing like 50 and won't really push on the gas to stay there or because I want to slow down. When I do this, the car now jumps a few times until I push on the gas or brake. - Also seems like I have to push harder on the gas when I want to go faster. - Sometimes the car seems ..shaky. Either it's stopped or I've gotten used to it; I'm not sure.   Something just seems..off. I don't know. Before it always had that new car feel to it and since that incident it doesn't. Any ideas? Replies to this message: randomness (Sep 01, 2007 6:36 pm)
#240 of 309 Re: 2005 Focus SES Alignment Problems [mrsdoni] by Mr_Shiftright HOST Jul 31, 2007 (5:39 pm)
Replying to: mrsdoni (Jul 31, 2007 11:03 am) I still think that whoever is doing the alignment doesn't know what they're doing. The only other explanation would be a bent frame, but then the car would not align in the first place. Have you ever been hit? Do you know the car's history from Day One?    I don't think 65K on tires is the norm anyway, so you were very lucky on the Explorer. If you are in the San Francisco area I can recommend an alignment shop that knows their business and would be able to get to the bottom of this very annoying problem.   it would be helpful to see a photo of the tire wear patterns. Some types of wear are not actually alignment issues, such as "cupping" (suspension) or center-wear only or two-sided edgewear (inflation issues). Replies to this message: user777 (Jul 31, 2007 8:16 pm) mrsdoni (Sep 01, 2007 6:31 pm)
#241 of 309 Re: 2005 Focus SES Alignment Problems [Mr_Shiftright] by user777 Jul 31, 2007 (8:16 pm)
Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jul 31, 2007 5:39 pm) i agree, it seems to me the tires may be cupping.   this may help http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=53702
#242 of 309 Should I buy a 2003 Focus? by danzigdan Sep 01, 2007 (5:21 pm)
Replying to: blackbja (Mar 21, 2007 6:45 am) Are 2003 Focus models considered "past the hump" of many of the problems that plagued early Focuses? I really want a wagon with the 2.3 engine (I'm in NY so they are available here).
#243 of 309 Re: 2005 Focus SES Alignment Problems [Mr_Shiftright] by mrsdoni Sep 01, 2007 (6:31 pm)
Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jul 31, 2007 5:39 pm) Thanks for your reply Mr_Shiftright   Since my last post, I have taken my Focus to another tire shop in town and purchased 4 new tires.... they are soooo quiet compared to the old set!!   They said that the "cupping" issue is probably due to the suspension and that another customer with a Mazda Protege (same suspension as my SES Focus) had the same problem. They recommended a 'harder tire' instead of the high performance tires which are 'softer'.   Every 5k miles, I will get them rotated (it's free! Yay!) and will get the alignment checked at the same time. Hopefully, these will wear out evenly...
#244 of 309 UPDATE by randomness Sep 01, 2007 (6:36 pm)
Replying to: randomness (Jul 31, 2007 1:35 pm) Brought my car back and went on a test drive with the guy. He felt something off too and said it was shakey but the alignment was fine. Turned out to be the balance because of a bent wheel. So for some reason they took my front wheel off and put it in the back so of course it's still bumpy and messed up. (Also, already had tires rotated so now I'd have one old front in the back and an old back tire..) It still sucks on bumpy or unpaved roads and I feel every bump I hit. I'm surprised I haven't been pulled over yet for drunk driving because of all the swerving I do now to avoid potholes and bumps. I had to stay around 60 on the highway the other day because it was so irritating.   If I didn't have to get out of there fast, I would've just asked for a wheel replacement. So I'll be doing that next.
#245 of 309 Re: 2005 Focus SES Alignment Problems [mrsdoni] by comanchero1 Sep 07, 2007 (6:42 am)
Replying to: mrsdoni (Jul 31, 2007 10:09 am) Hello Mrs Doni, I have a similar story. I bought my daughter her first car, she makes the payments. A 2006 Ford Focus. This will be the THIRD SET of NEW TIRES !!! And its only 48K miles. I didnt realize it happen so fast thjat the REAR TIRES were wearing out. A Firestone dealer told me that he had a customer with only 8K miles and the REAR TIRES wore out too. Theres a problem with the REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENT on the Ford Focus. And by the way I had the best GOOD YEAR TIRES that money could buy!!! The Attorney General of Florida (MR. BILL) doesnt seem to be pressing the LEMON LAW ISSUE. The dealer BEV SMITH FORD, of WEST PALM BEACH, wants to push it off as a MAINTENANCE PROBLEM, as so does the FORD MOTOR CUSTOMER CARE...and that was established before I have even taken the car in to have it inspected!!! THIS PROBLEM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TIRE ROTATION !!! It's the cambers, and a new kit would probably solve the problem, and unfortunately the dealers dont want to "annie up" to cost!!! Replies to this message: user777 (Sep 07, 2007 12:28 pm) mrsdoni (Sep 07, 2007 2:37 pm)
#246 of 309 Re: 2005 Focus SES Alignment Problems [comanchero1] by user777 Sep 07, 2007 (12:28 pm)
Replying to: comanchero1 (Sep 07, 2007 6:42 am) i think a few posts back, i provided a link to someone's experience posted on another site where hardware replacement at the rear locations was required.
#247 of 309 Re: 2005 Focus SES Alignment Problems [comanchero1] by mrsdoni Sep 07, 2007 (2:37 pm)
Replying to: comanchero1 (Sep 07, 2007 6:42 am) Hi Comanchero1.   Yep. I've had two places tell me the rear suspension is faulty. I wish Ford Motor Co would offer to replace it.   The best of luck with yours! Doni Marie~

Messages Page 25 of 32 1 ... 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 ... 32 Prev Next Last

Go To Msg # Search This Discussion

You are here: Forums Hatchbacks Ford Focus Ford Focus Care & Maintenance