2000 Ford Focus SE Station Wagon 2.0 Zetec from North America

Summary:

A great little car for the money

Faults:

This car has been very reliable to date. I have had a total of three problems:

1. I had to replace a rear wheel brake cylinder,

2. I replaced the passenger side, front wheel bearing (it was bad when I bought the car)

3. the dealer replaced the fuel pump, under warranty, due to mild surging under load - a know issue with the Focus.

General Comments:

I have owned the Focus for about a year now. This car has been a very good, and reliable car for me. Considering the age, and mileage, I don't consider that any of the work performed was premature, or out of the ordinary. I perform regular, routine maintenance - oil and filter change every 5,000 Km.

My only problem with the car is that, during rainy weather, I have to run the AC or the windows will fog inside the car, to the point that it's impossible to see out. I am sure this is specific to this car, and not a problem with all Focus's, in general. I have not done a lot of investigation into this, as it has not been a huge issue.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st December, 2004

27th Dec 2004, 11:28

I have a ford focus wagon SE from 2000, I want to sell it, how do I find out wethet it has ABS breaks or not?

7th Mar 2005, 12:51

ABS brakes are easy to discover. there are two main methods:

1. get dirty taking the front wheel apart and look at the backside of the rotor for ridges or a sensor.

2. find an empty parkinglot or abandoned road, get going pretty quick and hammer on the brakes as hard as you can and hold them. if you see an extreme pulsing sensation under your foot, or hear a noise similar to your nose being pushed and dragged along the surface of the road, you have ABS. if your wheels lock up and you start to skid out of control, you don't.

Good luck.

7th Mar 2005, 14:37

A much easier (and safer) method would be to look for an ABS warning light when you start the car. If you have the warning light, you have ABS.

2000 Ford Focus SE from North America

Summary:

It is a lemon

Faults:

The first issue I had with my Focus was after having it one week the fuel gauge failed showing that I was on empty. The car had just been filled up the day before so I know it was full. The gauge read E and the light was on. I called the dealer immediately and they said to bring it in, but to run all the gas out before I show up. Of course I had time to spend doing this so I didn't make it to the dealer for a week. They said this has happened with other Focus's and that if it happens again bring it in again. Forget that.

After the gas gauge issue I received 2 recalls in the mail. This was 6 months after buying the car. I brought it to the dealer to be fixed by the end of the day and 2 days later they finally had it done. Not even a loaner car was offered to me. Apparently they had many Focus's in that day for recalls and they ran out of parts. The two recalls were the windshield needing to be shaved down and rear passenger wheel piece replaced. If this wheel was not fixed it could cause the wheel to fall off and a accident to occur. Go figure.

About a year and a half later I had an issue with the paint on the passenger side door. We knocked the door with our fence and a huge piece of paint fell off. I don't believe that paint should just fall off when hitting it slightly. I contacted the dealer who contacted his general manager. Unfortunately they couldn't do anything about it since my warranty had just run out 2,000 miles before this occurred. Still to this day I have a big piece of paint missing from my passenger door. Hopefully this deters any future Ford buyers from getting a Focus.

And still more to go. Two years later my ignition went out which I spent over $200.00 to replace and missed a 1/2 a days work waiting to drive my car. The same week the regulator for my driver side electric window went out causing the window to not work and be stuck down until I had it fixed. This cost me $380.00. This also had to be in the shop for 2 days and no loaner car was offered. I hope some day these become recall issue's so I can be reimbursed.

Well my last issue was mailed to me just 2 days ago from Ford. Apparently a front coil spring is fracturing due to corrosion and may cause your call to lean to one side. You can only have this fixed if the coil has failed so I figure any day now I will be bringing my car to Ford to be fixed.

If I had know how faulty the 2000 Ford Focus was going to be I would never have bought it. I suggest to anyone never by a Ford because as you know the actually meaning of FORD is found on road dead and other lovely saying.

Good Luck to all of you who have already bought your Ford.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 30th November, 2004

8th Mar 2005, 09:10

I own a 2002 Ford Focus and love it to death. Despite what ford haters have to say about the Focus, it's quite the nifty car. My focus hasn't had one problem since I bought it. Some people have to consider the fact that there is always a bad car in a bunch and, also that the 2000 Focus was the first year it came out. They can't expect all the 'bugs' to be worked out yet. My focus is my second favorite car next to my 2001 Mercury Cougar. My mother is a mechanic and she knows that the Focus is a great car. Not to mention that the Focus is one of the worlds best selling subcompact sedans! top that off Dodge!!!

View 12 more comments