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2013 Ford Focus

14 messages,  Last post on May 16, 2013 at 3:53 PM

You are in the Ford Focus Forum.

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

Messages Page 2 of 3

#3 of 14 defrost or de-ice? by pod

Dec 19, 2012 (1:00 pm)

I'm not sure that there is a rear defroster (to remove frost from the window). Generally there is a forward windshield defroster which delivers lots of "air conditioned to be dry" warm air to clear the inside of the front windshield. This clears the fogged glass quickly because it is dry and the fan setting is wide open.
On the rear there is an embedded de-icer which is simply a grid of heater wires fused to the glass that melt the ice (which generally skids down the window and out of sight. The rear de-icer would have no effect on the inner glass surface fog (air conditioning would be required to do that---to dry out the air inside the car).
 
Does the new Focus have ducts that deliver defrosting air to the rear window?

#4 of 14 Re: defrost or de-ice? [pod] by derfokus

Dec 19, 2012 (1:40 pm)

Replying to: pod (Dec 19, 2012 1:00 pm)
Ehh sorry I wasn't clear. I am talking about the grid of wires. On previous vehicles the grid dried the window of interior fog (When I leave my dog in the vehicle while at the store on a cold morning) or of exterior due on the rear windshield in the morning. For those the grid barely - if at all registers lines of drying surface. Having said that, this morning real frost (rare is CA Bay Area) was on the window and the grid did get rid of the frost quicker than ever before. Maybe its just not going to be like my previous vehicles.

#5 of 14 Re: defrost or de-ice? [derfokus] by pod

Dec 19, 2012 (2:27 pm)

Replying to: derfokus (Dec 19, 2012 1:40 pm)
Thanks for the clarification. I was wondering why your car had frost on the inside of the rear window in the morning. Generally the formation of frost requires a high humidity. The dog is the answer. Any residual wetness whether from tracked snow (as here in the East) or rain that came in the side windows or a doggy shakedown left in the car could show up as frost on the inner glass. You can use the AC and the heat simultaneously when the pooch is with you. The drier you leave the inside of the car, the less likely morning frost on the inside of the glass would be. Once it has formed, drying it out is the method. Perhaps in your other car the heater grid heated the glass sufficiently that it evaporated the frost back into humidity in the car.

#6 of 14 Re: defrost or de-ice? [pod] by derfokus

Dec 20, 2012 (8:40 am)

Replying to: pod (Dec 19, 2012 2:27 pm)
Thanks again for the reply. I think I'm going to just live with it since it handled the ice yesterday and will get another test today as it is 29 degrees this morning, a rarity for our area. Happy holidays.

#7 of 14 2013 Ford Focus Titanium Sedan Superb Compact Car by two_romeo

Feb 28, 2013 (11:21 am)

I have 650 miles on mine. My wife loves it, and she is a brand-conscious car snob, so that says a lot. Excellent car, I would echo Motor Trend and Edmunds in saying it is an extraordinary bargain. I don't know how Toyota sells a single Corolla when, for the same money, you can get a Focus that is much faster, gets much better MPG, and has in-dash navigation, a rear-view camera, heated leather seats, dual-zone climate control, and neat little features like turn signals embedded in the side-view mirrors, none of which are available on any Corolla at any trim level. Mine is very quiet in the cabin, with wind and road noise managed surprisingly well for a car this affordable. I test drove a Honda Civic and a Chevy Cruze, both of which seemed to have plenty of power for the job, but my Focus would dance circles around either, and the transmission is very smooth. Shifts where you expect it would, without a lot of fanfare. I have just three recommended improvements I would commend to Ford: 1) for about the same money, Ford could make a different version of the Continental tire standard equipment. They should go with the Extreme Contact DWS, which Tire Rack reckons is a 25% better tire than the OEM Continental ContiPro Contact. 2) I wish my gas tank was one gallon larger. Some extra range would be really nice. 3) I wish it came in brown or sand/tan. That Mocha color that is available for the 2013 Honda Civic is very attractive, and the Chevy Cruze comes in a color I think they call Gold Mist that looks super. No reason Ford couldn't provide similar offerings.

#8 of 14 Locked Out by puffinalong

Mar 06, 2013 (1:04 pm)

I bought a Focus sedan Ti and I was at the airport and I left my keys on the car seat. Now, I'm 300 feet from the runway and my car got jammed and I was locked out as a 757 touched down.
  It was 21 degrees out and the wind chill factor was 15 degrees.
  Any airdales on here have any thoughts?

#9 of 14 Re: 2013 Ford Focus Titanium Sedan Superb Compact Car [two_romeo] by cannon3

Mar 17, 2013 (5:05 pm)

Replying to: two_romeo (Feb 28, 2013 11:21 am)
I totally agree about the Corolla. I don't get why anyone would by a Corolla over a new Focus.

#10 of 14 Re: 2013 Ford Focus Titanium Sedan Superb Compact Car [cannon3] by sandman_6472

Mar 17, 2013 (5:17 pm)

Replying to: cannon3 (Mar 17, 2013 5:05 pm)
Absolutely agree here just wish they would change the color of the info displays in the Focus...that blueish gray is so boring...needs some color to liven the them up...very boring. Really love my '06 Civic the best but like the cockpit feeling of the Focus...it kind of surrounds the driver in a nice snug cocoon and from what I've heard, the auto tranny "learns" the drivers driving style and sets the shift patterns from there. Since I've only driven a few, can not really comment on that but it is a nice ride. And I'd bet one could snag a nice one for not to bad a price with all the incentives. Still, the "old" Corolla still sells in record numbers and the new one due out soon should be a real winner...it has to be in order to compete with the newer models coming out.
 
The Sandman

#11 of 14 SE sport package by jlaszlo

Mar 21, 2013 (10:00 am)

For 2013, did Ford remove the suspension tweaks for the sport package on the SE? It was included on the 2012s but don't see it listed in the package details now.

#12 of 14 Re: 2013 Ford Focus Titanium Sedan Superb Compact Car [sandman_6472] by puffinalong

Mar 22, 2013 (7:26 am)

Replying to: sandman_6472 (Mar 17, 2013 5:17 pm)
I have a Focus Ti Tuxedo Black and I'm afraid to drive it due to all the horror stories on Kelly's Blue Book consumer reviews.
  Read starting from lowest to the highest and I think you'll get the real picture.

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