Ford Focus Electrical and Lighting Problems

486 messages,  Last post on Dec 19, 2012 at 7:45 AM

You are in the Ford Focus Forum.

What is this discussion about? Ford Focus SVT, Ford Focus, Lights, Electrical, Coupe, Hatchback, Sedan, Wagon

#370 of 486 lights by oldfordmech

Oct 24, 2010 (7:46 pm)

? does your horn work if you press the horn button ? I retired as a Ford mech. in 2001. Having satd that, Ford had a recall on the 2000 Focus for the wireing loom that ran through the trunk. It would rub a hole in the loom and short out. You did not say what body style you have. That loom had a connection in the trunk, up under the L. side of the rear glass. You may also have a few bad bulbs.
Purchase a 12 volt test light ( $5.00- $10.00 ) unplug L.R. stoplight socket and check for a flashiing 12V with the ign turned ON and the L. turnsignal ON,and the bulb removed. If no power there, find connector, unplug and test there.
let me know what you find.
Cliff

#371 of 486 Re: electrical [tenchi_oni] by hault

Oct 25, 2010 (3:22 pm)

Replying to: tenchi_oni (Oct 24, 2010 7:11 pm)
I think old ford mech had a good idea to check the wire harness from the brakes to the front. I would find a good electrical person to trace the problem. A good shop has a machine that "checks" the circuits. Of course check the bulbs first. Sometimes a power surge can burn them out. That is a different issue. Kepp us posted on your progress.

#372 of 486 Electrical or Trunk Latch? by eah

Dec 22, 2010 (7:47 pm)

2003 focus zts has been good used car w/very few problems - neg post on battery corroded terribly; replaced all cables couple yrs ago but that kept happening. This past summer replaced alternator which died while driving on highway. Trunk would not latch sometimes causing door ajar light to come on; about month ago it would not go off no matter how much slammed trunk closed. Then this past wk came out after 5 mins in a store to a completely dead car. Could not jump it. Replaced battery. Fine for 3 days, then completely dead after being parked for 6 hrs. towed to garage where discovered trunk not completely shut and light on - presumed draining battery. Got trunk latched and car starting no problem, til I got in to leave garage and dead car. Found trunk had come open again. Removed light bulb in trunk, got trunk latched & locked, jumped car, ordered new latch. Drove to work and after 3 hrs car completely dead again. This time the anti-theft light on dash going crazy (everything else dead - no lights, clock, etc.) flashing & clicking. When hooked to another car lights came on, anti-theft went normal, but could only get click, click, click from engine. So - what is it? Alternator tests fine, battery is brand new - could bad trunk latch be causing anti-theft instruments to be draining battery? that quickly? should I ask garage to check alternator wires? and grounds? as a side note the heated seat element on drivers side also went out this week and they have one of those on order too - does that play into this? Help!!

#373 of 486 Battery by oldfordmech

Dec 23, 2010 (5:31 pm)

#1. Get a cheap digital volt-amp meter. ( Harbor Freight about $3.00 ) #2. charge battery on slow charge and test voltage across batt post ( with neg cable removed ) next day batt should have 12 to 12.5 volts. If it does, hook up neg cable and start car, with meter across posts, while cranking over the voltage should not drop below 10 volts. When running the batt voltage should rise to 14-14.5 volts.
Run these tests and let me know,
Cliff
clifford20comcast.net

#374 of 486 Re: Electrical or Trunk Latch? [eah] by hault

Dec 25, 2010 (8:48 am)

Replying to: eah (Dec 22, 2010 7:47 pm)

#375 of 486 Trunk latch by oldfordmech

Dec 25, 2010 (2:50 pm)

I received this at 7..50.am but there was no Message ?

#376 of 486 2000 Ford Focus numerous problems by grreyes6

Jan 01, 2011 (9:17 am)

1: horn does not work
2: cigarette lighter does not work
3: dashboard light go off when driving sometimes. I have to turn off and back on again , sometimes they stay on, sometimes not.
4:door locks and trunk lock only work manually
 
Not sure where to begin~fuses?

#377 of 486 2000 Ford Focus numerous problems by grreyes6

Jan 05, 2011 (4:18 pm)

An Update-
Checked all fuses, all were good.
Bought a new cigaretter lighter(socket & lighter), still not working.
The horn went out gradually so I am assuming I just need to replace it.
Any other ideas?

#378 of 486 Horn by oldfordmech

Jan 05, 2011 (7:28 pm)

How did you check fuses ? If you checked them with a test light, then your fuses are probably good. If not, retest with test light at both sides of fuse. To test the horn, pull off electrical connector at horn, and stick test light in wire end, ( ground other end of test light )
have a helper hit the horn button while you watch the light, if it lights. replace horn. if it does not light. check for a bad horn relay, find the relay and swap with another 1 of the same size. NOTE the horn button grounds the horn relay, you can check horn button at the relay connectors. find the hot wire (hot all the time) find a dead connector and connect ground end of light ,then have a helper hit the horn button and the test light should light, if not ,try another post,and so on.
check these items and let me know.
Cliff
clifford20comcast.net

#379 of 486 2000 Ford Focus going crazy by careed33

Jan 06, 2011 (1:49 pm)

My 2000 Ford Focus started off having problems yesterday when I started the car and all the needles on the instrument panel shot all the way over to the right and then a few seconds later went back down to zero. I turned off the car and started it again and it didn't do it a second time. I decided to go and run my errands and it started again but this time while I was driving. The needles started jumping all over the place but the gas needle stayed where it was. After a little bit of this, my odometer shut off completely then came on with little lines on it. It was acting funny when I tried to brake and had a slight jerk and when I was stopped it ever so often made this strange grinding type sound from under the hood. This morning when I tried to start it, it cranked and same needle effect then shut off. I had to jump it and it ran fine then when I touched the key to turn it off, it made this horrible SCREECH sound and I promptly shut it off. When I tried to start it again, it gave me that classic im not gonna start sound. No clicking like when the battery is almost dead or anything like that. I am wits end with this car. Someone please help. I don't have all the money in the world to fix this car at a shop and am capable of fixing this to a certain extent.
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