2000 Ford Focus from North America - Comments

January 8th, 2007.

Well I am now having a problem with water leaks on my passengers side as well. I have so much water on the floor in the front and back it's like a swimming pool!! I called Ford and they said they have never heard that to be a common problem (which I know is a lie after reading all the endless complaints about the same problem). They also told me that they would do a diagnostic test for $107.00 and that the water leak is not covered under my extended warranty. I am going to a Body Shop tomorrow and hope to get this problem fixed. I have luckily (with fingers crossed) only have a few problems since I bought the car in 2003 but this water leak is getting on my last nerve.

Can't say after reading all these reviews on the Focus that I would buy another Ford. My advice to people out there purchasing a vehicle. Do your research!!!

(UK) My brothers 1999 Ford focus has just developed this leak in the passenger side footwell. He has had it in various garages to investigate with no luck. Sounds like a dodgy fitted pollen filter. I will be having a look this weekend will let you all know the result.

I have a 51 Focus 2.0 and have a pool of water collecting in the rear passenger footwell - yet to take it into the dealer, but first things first I will check the pollen filter. If that doesn't work it's off to the dealer to see what they say!

It's not the pollen filter at fault (although it's not best placed where it is) it's a faulty seal between the windscreen (windshield) and the plastic cover that sits at the bottom of the screen. This cover is in 2 parts, driver and passenger, and is held with clips and 1 screw. You can get away with re-using the cover, provided you can apply a good sealing material between it and the screen. Waterproof mastic will do very well. Good Luck!

<<It's not the pollen filter at fault (although it's not best placed where it is) it's a faulty seal between the windscreen (windshield) and the plastic cover that sits at the bottom of the screen. This cover is in 2 parts, driver and passenger, and is held with clips and 1 screw. You can get away with re-using the cover, provided you can apply a good sealing material between it and the screen. Waterproof mastic will do very well. Good Luck!>>

My Focus also had flooding in the rear, so what's up with that? Thankfully I got rid of the piece of crap before the warranty ran out.

Having owned my 2000/w reg focus (UK model) for nearly two years, it has just recently developed the swimming pool syndrome in the rear passenger footwell, other than that (which sounds like an easy fix) it has been a superb car and never let me down.

I can only assume that the UK spec focus's are built better than the US ones as our roads are crappily surfaced and a lot more demanding (we got corners an everything) and I've not seen many UK focus's falling apart.

Its no bmw, but for the running costs and price you pay, it's a damn good car.

Just noticed the leak in the front passenger foot well and at the rear of my 51 Focus, we are parked on a hill and it has been raining a lot recently. Will be taking a look at the pollen filter when it gets light.

Focus owner since Feb 06...I too have had water to leak inside my 2000 Ford Focus SE on the passenger side. I thought it happened when it rains and it comes in from somewhere. I will now take it back to the Ford dealer and get it checked to see if it is the A/Cor the pollen thing. Also I am now dealing with grinding from the back brakes and I have had it only a year. The place I took it too said that the Drums were supposed to be replaced, but all they did was cover it with shoes until the metal wore down and now the whole brake line in the back needs to be replaced. That will be a $500 dollar job.. Other than that the first yr I had the car was with little to no problem. I only have a yr left to pay on it so I'm hoping after my expensive brake job this weekend that will be the last thing...

Just bought a 2002 Ford Focus 1.6 Ghia and there is water dripping in from around the interior light fitting (roof). Anyone know any causes for this?

I can't see any gaps or anything around windscreen or the roof mounted radio antenna.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My Father has a 2000 Focus zx3 with 123k on it. It is by far his worst purchase and most unreliable car anyone in our family has ever owned. I am the one who has done most of the repairs on the car and can say with authority that it is build very very cheaply. Everything seems plastic and so flimsy. Anyway the biggest and most expensive repair so far was get this, the manual transmission. The car had about 100k on it when it happened. Now think about it a manual tranny should last pretty much last the lifetime of a car especially on a car with such little torque as the Focus, but no not this tranny. The thing is it wasnt a gear or 2 inside the tranny. No, the actual TRANNY CASE BROKE. How in the world does that happen? Poor quality for sure.

Well here are all the problems. Wheel bearings went bad way to early, Wheel cylinders, door handles both broken, key ignition about to break, dad leaves the key in the car, front spring just broke, rear hatch won't open with button, throttle stick open revving the car to infiniti, starter, altenator way to early. This car stinks. Ford, please Bring back the reliability of the old faithful 5.0 mustangs.

I have a 2003 ford focus estate 1.8TDCi ghia and the rear passenger foot-well fills up with water when it rains. It doesn't seem to be getting in from below when the car is moving. It can fill up overnight after heavy rain. Front passenger footwell is dry. HELP - any ideas. I can only think of the door seal, but no sign of any dampness on the vertical areas around the door.

Just like the comment I saw written above on 3 June 07, my rear passenger foot-well fills up with water when it rains. My (similar) Focus model is: a 2003 1.8TDCi Sport 5 door hatch. I'm told leaks rarely come from below, and in this case the foot-well can become a small pond (!) when the car is left parked in the rain, so leakage from below can really be dismissed.

Front passenger foot-well is now dry after mastic to pollen filters.

HELP! - any ideas? I thought of the door seal, but no sign of any dampness on the vertical or horizontal areas around the door. Perhaps via the window, ext side, where it recesses into lower part of door?

Any ideas appreciated.

Here is a possibility: the rain water may enter into the door behind the seal between the glass and the lower part of the door. Normally that water runs out through drain holes at the bottom of the door. If these drain holes are plugged then the water might spill into the foot well. Check the drain holes on the underside of the door.

Good luck.

Hi everyone I have a uk focus 1.4 5 door had it six months now and it seems OK apart from rust on both n/s and o/s doors were the wing mirrors are fittedi have heard it is a common problem and have taken it to my local ford dealer bodyshop were the work will be done under warranty all you uk owners check for rust bellow wing mirrors and get it sorted don't let ford put you off they are talking crap if they do.

I park my 1999 Focus half on the kerb so the passenger side is higher than the driver's side and my passenger side footwell fills with water overnight if it rains. I've had it to bits tonight, before I found this forum and can confirm that the water runs down the windscreen, under the pollen filter cover plate and through the filter, the blower casing and onto the floor. There is a gutter attached to the underside of the cover, but it only drains the water to the side if the car is level! If the passenger side is higher, it drains into the pollen filter instead! I fashioned a plate to cover the filter so water cannot run into it and will mastic the cover down (when it's dry). The blower motor squeaks as a result of corrosion due to this leak. Some WD40 lubricant should stop it.

Otherwise I love the car. Superb mileage and power (1.8 Turbo Diesel). Great handling. I've had two Escorts and three Transit vans.