Focus :: 2000 Focus SE Running Rough Idle Then Stalling
Oct 3, 2005
my 2000 focus se, 2.0L SPI, with 82k began to recently run rough at idle then progressed to stalling at longer lengths of idle. The condition starts once the engine warms after 2-5 minutes. I 1st tried gas treatment. I replaced the ignition coil as suggested in the other threads, but it has not improved the problem. I had the fuel pump recall-replaced 2 years ago. I would guess that a bad fuel pump would exhibit loss of power at all engine speeds? Before I proceed to replace plug wires and plugs.
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I have a 2008 Ford Focus - 4 Door Sedan SE 60300 miles.
I've gone to 3 mechanics now and no one can seem to figure out whats wrong with my car. Here's whats happening:
About 1 1/2 years ago I took my car to get an oil change at Jiffy Lube (Yeah never again). When I left, my car was idling funny... Silly me didn't take it right back and have them tell me what was wrong.. so I let it go, well about a month later it started idling even weirder. Basically it feels like my car is shaking when it gets under 1000 RPM and I notice my RPM dial start falling and bouncing back, acting like its going to stall, but never does. I notice a loss of power when this is happening (on speed up and just accelerating in general). All of this is random, I can't seem to put a pattern to it as to when it happens. One day I'll start it up and everything is perfect... Then I'll shut it off and restart it later, and it starts vibrating and puttering again... No signals as to if its hot/cold or wet/dry, no environmental variables seem to cause it to happen anymore than others. And there is no check engine light on, everything "looks" normal.
What I've had done to it so far is:
Air filter changed / reseated
3 oil changes (keep getting told it will work)
Throttle cleaned
Computer reset for idle sensor data rebuilding
Now I'm told that I need new engine mounts, and that could be the reason for the vibration. I'm thinking that the vibration caused the mounts to wear out, more so than the mounts being the cause. Mainly because I don't see how bad mounts could cause loss in power/bad idling.
What could be wrong?!? Really bugging me and don't want to keep throwing money at it for phantom solutions. Seems like mechanics I go to can't figure it out unless there is a check engine light on with some diagnosis code to tell them exactly whats wrong.
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I have a 2000 focus ZTS with about 190,000 mile. Near the back of the valve body near firewall I have a loud suction of air sound. I've checked all vacuums and they are good. I was told it's the air control valve but not sure. The car idles rough at all times and when I turn it off is the sound sounds like it's draining out.
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My daughter's automatic DOHC SE Focus had suddenly been stalling, becoming harder to start and not maintaining a steady idle. I took it to our semi-trusted repair shop and was told it needed an EGR valve, plugs, coil, and ignition wires. $580! These all seemed like repairs I could do and so I have worked through all of these. I replaced the EGR valve and that seemed to make the problem actually worse. (so I put the old one back in) I put in new plugs and that improved the idle a small amount. Then I put in the new coil and that seemed to steady the idle a bit more. But here is what I have discovered through my many test drives after making these incremental repairs: The car starts now from cold very well and runs great for the first 20 minutes or so but...when it gets hot after 15 minutes or so of 50 mph driving, the idle drops and the engine wants to cut off. At low revs it seems to stumble and lose power. I think this is what my daughter was experiencing originally and none of my early test drives were long enough to surface the original problem. I have read that the Idle Control Valve might be a culprit in this sort of behavior.
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I recently bought a 2001 Ford Focus (about 4 months ago) and it recently began having a rough idle, check engine light, and stalling. One night, I started and it immediately stalled. When I tried to drive it, it made a grinding noise. Eventually, I made it home and got it to a shop the next day. I was told that it was likely the pistons by a mechanic. He later confirmed it was the pistons, had them replaced, sent my engine off to a machine shop for "smoothing". 2 days later, I had it back and it seemed to be running great. Took it to work and went up a small grade hill (not even labeled) and it began chugging, making a grinding noise and the check engine light began flashing.
I took it back to the shop where the mechanic couldn't even keep it running and he determined that it was a broken hose. He replaced it, free of charge and the car ran great for a couple days. Next thing you know, it begins the rough idle and random stalling but no check engine light. I took it back in and he asked to keep it for a few days. He said that he determined the machine shop didn't do things correctly and sent it back in. I got it back this morning and it seemed to be running fine for my husband, but once I got in it, there was a loud rumble and a slightly rough idle. Then, there was the smell of burnt rubber. My mechanic wants it back, but isn't open again until Monday and I work the next two days. By the time I got it home from work, it had a very rough idle, issues accelerating and I'm still having issues going up hills.
Clearly, my mechanic is really focused on the issue being related solely to my pistons and is only focusing on that. I think something else is wrong and is being missed, but I have no clue what.
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I drive a 2007 Ford Focus and when the fuel level gets to half a tank the car tries to die, and quite often does, when making a left turn. About 1% of the time it will do it when making a right hand turn. It will also sputter and die when running it on idle for a few min. It first started doign this at 1/4 tank but has gotten to where it will do it at 1/2 now.
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I have a 2000 Ford Focus that vibrates more at idle. The previous owner replaced the top passenger side motor mount when I bought it in Nov. I just replaced the bottom and then the other top drivers side mount two days later. 75% improvement but I wonder if there is some thing in the engine like an adjustment of some kind. I have only had it a couple months so I don't know when the last time it had a tune up. I can replace the spark plugs my self but would need a computer diagnosis to determine if there is something else that needs some adjustment of replacement.
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I have a 2000 Ford Focus Wagon with 114,00o miles on it. I'm having a problem determining why it is stalling in reverse and also sometimes while it is idling. I've had the idle speed motor replaced, hoses checked, etc. After we had these things done the car seemed a little better but I could still feel the car hinting at wanting to stall.
I also noticed it usually stalls in reverse when I'm turning the steering wheel but not if I'm backing up in a straight line. It also feels like it wants to stall when it sits at a long traffic light. Before I had the idle speed motor replaced it stalled more often - several times a week. However, now it stalls a little less.
On another note, the car seems to idle a little rough. It almost sounds like a diesel engine. It seems to simmer down some once the engine is warm. I had a new water pump installed and a timing belt put in and now I can hear a squeaking sound coming from that area of the engine. I'm not sure if any of these symptoms are related.
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My car stalls when I come to a stop but only in warmer weather (50 degrees or higher) and only after I have driven the car for 20 minutes or so then come to a stop. There is no check engine light on, no high temperature warning. I can start it back up (not a battery problem) easily, but as soon as I take my foot off the gas to put it in drive, it stalls. However, when I've let the engine cool, it's drivable again (until I come to a stop again).
I have taken it in to the repair shop after it has done this twice. Their computer check shows everything working fine and there ar no errors. Of course, by that time, then engine has cooled and they can't reproduce the stalling. I am dreading the upcoming warm weather because it's just a matter of time before I am stranded again. I don't know what to do if I can't get a diagnosis and repair!
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Why my 03 focus zx5 will stall in reverse. I have had the tranny serviced. I can drive it and then let it sit for about an hour and then try to reverse in it and it dies. I have change the mac, tps, iac sensors. I am at a loss for why this is happening. I also changed the pvc hose that runs from the back of the motor to the pvc valve.
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My 2004 Ford Focus Hatchback has 152,000 miles on it. At the end of last year the engine started dying/stalling as soon as I started it - I would have to keep my foot on the gas to keep the engine going. I took it to the dealer and they put in a WHOLE NEW THROTTLE BODY. They also told me I needed a new battery and updated the car's software. Total $700. About a week to 10 days later, the car started doing the dying out after starting thing again - intermittently - didn't matter if the engine was hot or cold, fuel high or low, weather rainy, cold or clear and warm.
This morning I worked for 20 minutes to keep the engine going, made sure the engine was warm, and it STILL stalled out. I called in for a tow, called the dealer and said I'd be coming in, went back out to the car ... and it started right up without stalling. Drove it to the dealer and they've now told me they can't find anything at all wrong with the car. They are keeping it overnight to see if they can duplicate the stalling tomorrow morning. Any thoughts? The new throttle body cost me about $500 in December. (Don't know if it matters, but the defroster fan was super loud this morning, but once the engine was able to idle, the loudness disappeared ...). It's been a great car, but maybe it's time to start looking.
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I have a 2001 Ford Focus ZX3 (2D Hatchback) that has been randomly stalling since we bought it. There is no engine light, the dealership couldn't get it to stall and just gave it back. Another garage got it to stall and thought it might be the "idle-oxygen sensor" (not sure if I'm remembering the name correctly), but that didn't stop it from stalling either.
My wife is ready to dump it, but even spending a couple thousand a year on repairs is less than the grand total of a year's payments on a new car, insurance, etc. But it would be nice to fix it.
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I purchased a 2001 Ford Focus 7/17 from a Ford dealer. While my daughter was driving, at a left turn, the engine light came on, the car stalled, and the steering wheel and gas pedal locked up. A friend did a computer scan and said the code came back that 2 sensors, the crank shaft and cam shaft sensors, needed replaced. So we had them replaced.
About 4 days later, while driving home from school, on a right turn, the car broke down again on my daughter. She said the symptoms were the same, engine light came on, car stalled, the steering wheel and gas pedal locked up. So we had it towed to a local Ford service department. They said the ignition coils needed replaced and the valve cover gasket would eventually need replaced (per the mechanic, this wasn't directly related to the issue but a small leakage was found). So we let the Ford mechanic replace the coils and the valve gasket cover. They ran several tests and put 20 additional miles on the car without failures or issues, scans came up clean.
So while driving to school this morning, on a u-turn, my daughter experienced the issue again....car stalled, engine light came on, steering wheel and gas pedal locked up. After sitting a few minutes, the car started up so she drove it home and hitched a ride from dad to get to school.
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1996 / 2.2 L4 / 186k / Upper engine rebuild 30k ago
Car was driven on a errand by my mother. Upon trying to leave for home, the car started running very rough, and stalling. From the description she gave on the phone, it sounded like a plugged up exhaust. I told her to get some fresh gas and ease it home after.
When I checked the car for codes, I got 2. A P0300 and a P0122. Okay, so the throttle position switch has taken a dump, that's easy enough. The car has 186k miles, but my constant nannying usually soothes her, so surely that's all, right? God, I wish that turned out to be true.
I pulled the plugs, and #4 was gas fouled and sooty, #2 and #3 looked lean, and #1 was partially wet fouled. There was also gasoline in the oil. When the car would run, it would run the gambit from idling semi rough then stalling out and refusing to restart, almost like it was flooded, to idling scarily bad and no pedal response, to running too high of an idle and idle searching.
Since I have:
Replaced the TPS
Replaced the IAC
Replaced the CTS
Replaced the MAP
Replaced the ICM
Replaced the FPR
Replaced both ignition coils
Replaced plugs and wires
Replaced the fuel injectors
Replaced the PCV
Replaced the fuel filter
Checked the pintle on the EGR (looked good, cleaned)
Checked for Vacuum leaks (as best I could)
Checked the Fuel pressure (40 PSI) (drops to 20 after shutoff)
Checked for exhaust restriction (ran open exhaust manifold)
That brings us to today. New injectors just in, and the engine will run, but rough and loud. It almost sounds like the firing order is off slightly (I am using 1342 or from L to R 4132) and throttle control is almost non existent. It also shuts off when its warm almost like its flooded. No codes are showing. (despite discovering a sensor in back being unplugged and the O2 sensor being unplugged at times).
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After 3rd consecutive stop, my focus will not stay running It turns over but shuts off promptly. After one hour it starts again without a problem. It does this only in the summer, but it has never overheated,and it has never left a code. I replaced the following Battery, alternator, fuel pump,fuel pump relay, themostat and housing, crank and cam sensor, oxygen sensor. What could the problem be?
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As I mentioned earlier I have a 2001 Ford Focus and for the past month I've been smelling gasoline in the interior of the car, especially when the heater is running and the car has just started. My mechanic, as yet, had been unable to discover a source of the gasoline fumes. The fumes are so strong that if a source cannot be found the car is, for all-intents-and-purposes undrivable. If this problem cannot be resolved, there is a real possibility that I'll have to get a new car. What, if any thing, do I tell prospective buyers, should I decide to sell the car?
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My son drives a 2003 Ford Focus with 183,000 miles on it. At random times when he starts the car, the engine runs very rough at idle speed but when he drives away, it runs fine until he slows for a stop sign/turn, etc. and the engine is at idle speed again. When this happens, the engine runs so roughly, that he loses vacuum to the brakes and his brakes stiffen dangerously. The car may not do this at all for a couple of weeks of driving, and when it doesn't do it, it runs beautifully.
Also, it only runs like this if it does it from start-up; it never idles roughly in the middle of a drive in which the car started normally. I have changed the spark plugs and wires, PCV valve, fuel filter, and air filter, but it still goes through this about once a week. I bought the car used just a few months ago and it had just had the valve cover gasket changed because the valve cover was leaking.
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IAC issues? 2003 Ford Focus LX 2.0 ... Over the last week or so, my car has occasionally started very roughly. It stumbles and is very rough. After about 20 or so seconds, it smooths and drives fine.
Also, I've noticed in the last few weeks that there is a noticeable drop in power when I turn on the blower, even with the AC off. Not a loss as where it stalls, but still very noticeable. Then I've also noticed that when I'm at a long light, or other times I start it and it doesn't stumble/start rough, that it will sort of feel as if someone is slowly pushing down on the accelerator and releasing, and this can go on for a while. Not dramatically, but definitely noticeable.
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When I first start out driving the car, and come to a stop, in drive, the car begins to run rough. I can hear and feel the vibration, it's very noticeable. I put it in neutral and it stops. As I load the engine with AC or use the electric windows it seems to gets worse. Then after driving for about 5-7 miles, it quits. Primarily in cold weather, since it started 4 months ago. I do allow the car to warm up before driving.I'm still under warranty, and have been to the dealer 3 times. Of course, it doesn't happen when I go to see the dealer. But they did re-tighten the motor mounts. I don't think it worked.
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I have a 2008 focus and at about 15000 miles started having a slight vibration at idle. Its idling at about 700rpm is that normal? It more annoying than anything. Took it to Ford and they just say its normal. What the problem could be? Should I replace the plugs?
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I have a 2009 Ford Focus SE with about 55K miles on it. I took it in last week complaining of a serious vibration at idle. They told me about this "service shield" that Ford recommended in a Tech bulletin TSB 08-24-9. The part was installed but I still have a vibration. They said all the motor mounts look good. I am really at a loss here, it is still vibrating. Someone recommended putting premium gas in. I love everything else about this car but this vibration at idle.
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