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Hatchbacks Ford Focus Ford Focus Transmission Problems
264 messages, Last post on Dec 03, 2009 at 7:47 PM
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Hi everyone... My girlfriend owns a 2003 Focus. (I don't know the trim, but it's a 4 dour sedan with the SOHC engine.) Anyhow, the automatic transmission slips badly between all gears, esp. when accelerating harder. The car is under warranty but the dealership appears to me to do everything (and charge for it) but to actually get their hands dirty with the tranny... Any suggestions? How do you get a Ford dealership to stop pulling your chain? Thanks! J |
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Replying to: pega1 (Jan 04, 2005 10:57 am) Marj |
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Replying to: marjk (Apr 20, 2005 10:52 am) |
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Replying to: marjk (Apr 20, 2005 10:52 am) |
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I am having similar difficulties with my Ford Focus ZX4 ST, 2.3 liter engine. It broke down with 700 (yes, 700) miles on the odometer. I was upshifting from first to second when the shifter refused to go into gear. After a new slave cylinder did not resolve the problem, the dealer determined I needed a new clutch assembly. It took more than three weeks to replace the clutch assembly. The car has broken down three times since then, and still has less than 2000 miles. The dealer currently working on the car informed me that the clip which attaches the shift cable to the transmission was of defective design. A new clip has been sent to this dealer (the third to work on the car). As I write this, I am waiting to hear from this dealer to find out when the car will be fixed. While I didn't have the clutch problem you described, I did notice odd smells (like burning plastic) coming from one of the dashboard vents after the second fix attempt. I too ascribed the smell to "burning off the newness". Perhaps this is not related to the clutch at all. But for what it's worth, my original dealer thought he had to replace the clutch when that was not the problem.
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Replying to: bk40 (Jul 27, 2005 9:16 am) I too had this problem (burning smell) when I first got my 04 ZX3. Took it back to the dealer and they determined it was a cleaning agent used during the detail process. They cleaned the engine up and I never smelled it again. My ZX3 is just over 1 year old and has over 42,200 miles on it. No real problems with the car to speak of, clutch is still like new. |
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I just bought my 2003 Focus ZX5 less than 2 months ago, it is an automatic but seemed to die when in neutral at stop lights and when you take off seems to rev to 5,000 rpms but skip gears or down shift with a thud! I am bringing it in to the dealership in the morning, does any one have any insight on this problem???? 
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Transmission. Specifically, the clip that connects the transmission cable to the shifter - it came off repeatedly during the first 1800 miles, always on an upshift. This would result in an inability to put the car into gear. The first time happened with 700 miles on the odometer. The dealership from which I bought the car attempted a fix by replacing the slave cylinder. When that didn't work, they tried replacing the clutch assembly. Obtaining parts to do this took nearly three weeks. After many calls to Ford Customer Relations, I finally got my car back, and it broke down again, this time locking in reverse. Same dealership resolved the problem by making "an adjustment". Shortly thereafter, it broke down a third time (again, on an upshift - the car refused to go into any gear) on a trip to Pennsylvania. The local dealership correctly identified the problem, and even noted that the clip was failing due to a design defect. They attempted to compensate with a cotter pin. I was able to drive back to New York City, where the car broke down a fourth time (same problem - the cotter key pin fix failed). At this point, I discovered that the dealership from whom I bought the car had gone out of business. Therefore, the car went to another local dealer, who merely re-attached the cable. When I refused to accept the car, the service manager called Ford and apparently reached someone who not only acknowledged the design defect but also promised to send a re-designed part. This part was installed at about 1780 miles. I have since driven about 1500 miles without another failure, but I don't trust the car as far as I can throw it. It's very frustrating to have a car with an engine so potent they don't even put a redline on the tach but which I fear to take over 3000 rpm for fear of another failure. And through this entire ordeal I have gotten multiple ineffectual responses from Ford Customer Relations.
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Replying to: bk40 (Oct 24, 2005 12:27 pm) Igor
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