2000 Ford Focus LX from North America - Comments

Several things have gone wrong with the car.

- I have had 3 recalls on the car.

- The car makes a noise in the transmission at low rpm's; sort of a grinding noise.

-If I go over a puddle a bit too fast water gets in the car and wets the carpet.

- The gas mileage could be better. For a small engine with not too much pep, I seem to waste a lot of gas.

- The air conditioning smells bad.

- The interior dash shakes at high speeds.

- The clutch slips and burns if I try to take off fast.

-T he most agravating issue of all is this one. After only having the car for a year and 27,000 miles on it, my CV-joints are going bad. I noticed the noise the other day in a parking garage. I had never noticed it before, but the echo of the parking garage's concrete walls allowed me to hear the very disturbing noise. I just can't wait to go back to the dealer and have to hassle with them and wait a week to get it fixed. To top it all off, will also have to ride around in a rental until my car gets fixed. I should have gone with something better.

The car in general is bad. Bad quality, bad company and bad reliability. I try to find the good qualities of the car; and there are some, but all the good qualities seem to be overwhelmed by and overshadowed by all the faults and disappointments.

The car responds nicely considering the low output of the engine. It is comfortable and spacious. The engine seems to be reliable; about the only thing in the car than can be considered so.

I really thought that this would be a change for Ford and their long line of unreliable cars. I seem to be wrong. Just like its ancestors' history, very unreliable.

The review seems a little harsh. My heart goes out to you for having such bad luck with your car. I, too, have a 2000 Ford Focus LX and it runs great. I've brought my car in for the minor recalls, too, but the people at the dealership were quick and really nice about it all. I don't know where you drive mostly (freeways, side roads - during rush hour or when there is no traffic and such), but I'm in SoCal where traffic is horrible and I get some pretty good mileage with mine. Sorry you had such bad luck with your car, but I am very happy with mine and I hope your review doesn't discourage anyone out there from considering buying one.

You say your clutch slips and burns when you try to take off fast. Well, don't take off fast! And stop hauling ass thru standing water. You're like the little kid that can't resist stomping on every puddle he sees. Stop driving like thta and you won't have complaints about your gas mileage either.

The last two comments make more sense than the original author's remarks. I too drive a '02 Focus LX with out any optional equipment. Granted, I don't drive much -- 8,500 years in two years -- but so far the vehicle has performed well. I had all the recalls to date handled in one visit. The standard motor is peppy and quiet -- even going up mountain roads here in Oregon. I am concerned about the comments regarding premature brake failure. This car was well designed (by German and English Ford engineers working together), and if only US Ford would specify components for the Focus based on durability and reliability -- rather than cost alone -- Ford wouldn't be able to keep up with demand for the Focus.

I have a 2000 Focus SE, the key would not go in the ignition last night and when it finally did go in the ignition would not turn. Taken to ford and told the ignition needed to be replaced at a whopping $480.00. told by mechanic that in his UNOFFICIAL opinion that the Focus is the biggest lemon out there and that the dealer ship has started keeping ignitions on stock because they have replaced so many in the past year. I wish that this had happened after the eventual recall I'm sure will follow, but I'm interested if anyone knows of any class action lawsuits in progress against Ford for the Focus problems.

I own a 2000 Focus LX with over 57,000 miles on it and the only problems I've had are a loss of acceleration going up moderate hills and a bad fuel pump.

I get good gas mileage, and great turning. I'm very happy with it.

I have owned a 2000 focus LX for about three years. In the beginning it ran fine, but now after 57,000 miles the transmission is starting to buck and lose acceleration. I now have to shift my automatic manually to keep the trans. from slipping, in my opinion the ford focus is the biggest P.O.S on the car market, and I never intend to buy another ford and long as my body is capable of driving.

I own a 2000 Focus LX, and my ignition has also failed, brakes have been replaced twice in one year, my car loses acceleration due to a bad fuel pump, and now my head gasket has blown. The stereo also turns on and off by itself. The good aspects of the car are that it is roomy and spacious, I get excellent gas mileage, and it does have some get up and go considering the issues I've had with it.