Ford - Focus :: 2003 - Cranks Fine But Now Sputtering / Hard Time Switching Out Of First Gear
Jul 22, 2014
I have a problem with my 2003 Ford Focus ZTS. It has a 2.0L ZETEC engine and is automatic. I recently replaced the Starter, Alternator, and battery cable because the car was having some current issues. All parts are brand new, non-refurbished. The car cranks fine but is now sputtering. When I drive it, it seems like it has a hard time switching out of first gear and and will hit 3-3500 RPM before the gear shifts.
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My Focus has 102,000 miles. It has thrown a p0171 code and I have been attempting to fix it. So far this is what I have done:Changed MAF, air filter, PCV Valve, plugs, Valve cover gaskets, Bank 1 O2 sensor and fuel filter. All new. I have cleaned the throttle body, fuel rail intake manifold. Cannot hear vacuum leaks and tested for leaks with carb cleaner.
Symptoms: engine cranks but has a hard time starting, usually on second try. When tank is about half full I get Rough acceleration, higher RPMs (doesn't change gear) and engine stalls on hard left turns. Idle gets rough at times but usually stabilizes at around 700 rpms.
At the beginning, #1 spark plug chamber had a lot of oil in it. It's been a few months and no oil after Valve cover gasket and PCV change. Tested coils and the plugs get a spark. Before I start messing with the fuel pump, am I missing something else that I can do?
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My girlfriend has a 2003 f150 4.6lt pick up its a great truck most of the time. Problem is when the temp gets in the neg double digits it becomes very hard to start it cranks fine but doesnt want to fire. When it does fire it might stall a few times before it stays running. The last cold snap we had I replaced the battery and in the summer the starter got changed. I have heard that this model of truck are known for hard cold starts. I am just wondering if this is true and any other thing besides block heater. It is strange that my 89 gm pickup will start no matter what temp and I'm having problems with the newer truck.
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Could my brake issue be related to my transmission problem? Neither are constant. Brake problem= sometimes the brake pedal feels hard, like there's no power brakes (I drove a car once. ..looong time ago. .. that had no power brakes or steering) but it will kick in after a short distance. Transmission prob= seemingly unrelated, is a problem shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. This has happened maybe a 1/2 dozen times, the first time and mostly when in heavy commute traffic and when going between 1st and 2nd gear because of the slow commute speed, but also at other times when not in lengthy slow commutes. When it doesn't shift, the odometer doesn't work (shows only dashes) and an engine light comes on (the sprocket/gear looking one). Usually the transmission will eventually shift and the light goes off.
I read that the brake problem might be a vacuum hose problem? Something about a booster? Is this dangerous? or is it like having a car w/ no power brakes? Going to have my transmission looked at this week. Read on another site about dropping valve seats on this year car. If there's a major transmission problem, I'm wondering if it's worth fixing? I changed, timing belt, water pump, front and rears brakes, tires. 143,000 miles.
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My car recently started running overtemp not much, but enough to bother me. I flushed the system with no change. after about a week with continued symptoms, my trans started shifting hard between 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd, and running rough in general, sputtering lightly in high gear. I assumed it was running over temp with the rest of the car, so I replaced the radiator and the radiator cap, yet still am having the same problem. Is it still related to the cooling system? if I replace the water pump will i solve my problems, or is it really a hidden trans problem? I'm fairly certain the trans has never been serviced, and I'm reluctant to do so given the high milage, 174,000. The fluid is full, but its very thin, and no longer red, its sort of a pale yellow.
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The truck:
2000 4X2 F150
4.2l V6
280k miles/ some towing
The problem : The trans has a hard time getting into 1st gear. When you put it into gear you have to rev it to about 3k (when it's warm, 4k when cold) RPMs at which time you feel a definite engagement and it goes through the rest of the gears just fine. Once it's warm it will do stop and go traffic as long as you start it with the OD off.
The background : Orobably the stock motorcraft filter on there, and I don't think the oil has been changed in the life of the trans, but I do know that it's never been ran low on fluid. I took a gander at it and found a plug where a gear type speedo went on older models to be loose and leaking. tightened it up about two full turns. also noticed what looks to be a leak where the main case meets the output shaft housing. now I know neither of these are the cause of my headache but I do wonder if the second leak might be a sign.
The research : I've been looking for almost a week now for a solution. I've been all over TCCoA, Explorer Forum,10 pages of search here on FTE and various other Ford based websites and have come across a single thread with the same symptoms but the OP never came back with a solution.
The plan : A fluid/filter change (and flush) is definitely in the plans as well as inline filter for my own satisfaction. from what I've read the stock 1-2 accumulator is known to go bad on some of these and if I have the pan off might as well check anyways.
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I have a 2005 Ford Focus Man Trans, and am having issues getting it into first gear and into reverse. This happens most often when the car is cold. I am kind of wondering what it may mean before I take it in to have the issue fixed. It has 65 thou miles on it and I would think that I don't need a new trans already?
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The Engine cranks over fine, but won't start. When it does start everything is okay and it runs good with no codes. I noticed that by taking the key out of the ignition, I was checking under the hood, and put it back in the truck fired right up. Also it has never done this to the second driver who has a different key. The truck runs fine at all speeds and loads, even when hauling twenty bags of wet mulch. It's a 2001, 4.6 L, RWD. Could the PATS Chip be failing?
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I have a 2003 Ford Ranger 4X4 4L AUTO. About once every 6 months it will not start. It cranks just fine but doesn't fire. After about 45 min. it start and runs great for an other 6 Months. I have replace the plugs, wires, distributor cap but it hasn't solved the problem. It has had this problem when it is cold and warmed up.
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It's a 99 f350 7.3 diesel powerstroke. About 180k miles I think.
It cranks fine. I just changed the glow plugs(all were dead) but when you try and start from cold, it takes about 7-10 seconds to fire. The oil res is full, tried disconnecting the EOP sensor, still fires up and takes just as long. There is one near the oil filter, and that seems to not be it either.
Doesn't smoke, no oil leaks that I know of. Not sure what else to check before sending it to another shop to get put on a diagnostics machine. I read about the IPR, but it has no problems when running. Only problem is a very long time to start. Also changed the fuel filter.
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I've replaced the fuel pump, relay, drive module, and the filter. The fuel pump still refuses to switch on when I go to start the vehicle.
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My dad has a 99 F250 with a no start issue. Everything was starting and running fine one day. The next he gets a no start. Cranks fast and fine but wont fire up and start. He has a scangaugeII hooked up to it and his oil pressures and volts look fine. His tach moves when he is trying to start it. He checked the icp sensor and it had oil through it so he replaced it with a Ford part. Unplugged it and the scangauge pressure goes up but no start. He also replaced the ipr with a new Ford one just in case. He checked and is getting low pressure and high pressure oil.
I am having him check the fuel heater fuse #22 to make sure it is not blown. He had the block heater plugged in all night along with a battery charger to make sure they are topped off as well. We have gone through a couple of the checklists on this site for a no start condition but nothing has solved it yet. I think he is sitting at about 200k on the motor. No major issues or problems until now. He is currently also pulling the ICM to check it out as well. No codes are being thrown.
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Lately (within the last couple of days) when we park the Excursion we have a difficult time getting it out of park and into gear whether it is going in to Reverse or Drive the gear shift does not want to move.
I have not forced anything at any time but eventually with some pumping of the brake pedal and some putting into park and out of park we can free it up. This is something that happened virtually overnight and once we are in gear everything is normal.
What is causing it? I am making an assumption that it has to be some switch in the steering column but I am no mechanic and only guessing.
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I have a 2003 Silverado 1500 V6 vin code x with 260000 miles, for about a week now in the morning when its damp out or when it has rained the truck won't start, it cranks fine but will not fire. once it sits for a few hours and everything drys up it fires right up with the first turn of the key.
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My daughter called me and said her "battery light" came on. I didn't even know there were battery lights. The car still starts and runs fine. What could cause the "battery light" to come on?
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I start the car - a 2001 Ford Focus 4 cyl DOHC. It runs fine for 30 seconds then stops, as if it is no longer getting fuel. I can't start it again for a couple days then the same thing happens over again. FWIW, I parked the car for 8 months before this happened and only started it once in that time. But it ran fine then and before I parked it. What can this be?
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2002 Excursion, 7.3L 375,xxx miles ... As the weather is cooling off, my excursion has a starting problem for a few years.
Replaced all the glow plugs last year. We (my brothers and I) thought it was injectors, but in the summer time or if block heater is plugged in, she starts normally and idles smoothly. And no smoke and runs fine once she warms up.
When cold, it acts like 1 or 2 injectors are not firing. Have run all kinds of cleaners through the oil and fuel.....
Don't want to swap injectors just to swap parts. Would like to diagnose problem....
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I have a 2001 F150 Supercrew that cranks but will not start after a hard rain. The mechanic checked the gem module and the fuse box, the gem module looked good but the fuse box had some corrosion he thought from water so he replaced the fuse box and had a body shop reseal the windshield. The first time it rained it started right up but after the next rain it would not start. I went out 12 hours later and it fired right up. I wonder if I would be better off taking to a Ford dealer. What to do next.
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So my aunt has a 2002 ford f150 king ranch 5.4l and a night ago it started this problem which when you put it in drive which she has to put it in 2nd for it when she pushs on the pedal it will rev up to 2500rpms than jerks and goes and its usely fine till she stops than goes and it does it again...
Than today it wouldn't even go in anything but reverse... So than we herd about the Range Sensor on the side of the transmission and it seems like it was it so I unplug it when it was running and when i push on the pedal and it revs up to 2500rpms it will go forward and have power. So we went to get a new range sensor after like 4 hours trying to get the dam thing off and another 2 to get it back on.. I started it up and only reverse works again... So I unplug the harness to it again and we got the gears but 1st and 2nd will just rev and go.
We at a lost right now i even tighten the shift screws under the dash cause our expedition was loose at one time and the gear shifter was loose like hers. But even tighten the bolts it still don't fix the looseness or even the gears.. Is this a transmission problem? OR even the torq covertor?
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I have a 2003 F250 with a 5.4L V8 automatic transmission with 64,000 miles. The truck runs and drives well, but occasionally while driving, it acts like it shifts into a higher gear, slips a bit, then downshifts and runs fine. The duration of this "acting up" is about 1-2sec. It seems to do it when going up a slight grade at cruising speed about 40-50mph. (Not towing when it does it) It doesn't do it all the time. I'm planning to change the filter and fluid but am doubtful that will work. The fluid color is nice bright pink and does not smell unusual.
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I have a 1999 Chevy s10 truck 2.2L with 202k miles on it. I have a real difficult time getting my car into gear, and mainly first and second. I my clutch pedal has to be pumped for 4 minutes before it will disengage, and when it does its pressed nearly all the way in. Also, I need to cram it into gear real fast or it won't go in, sometimes it takes maybe 5 times to go into gear. I was all of this is much worse in the winter.
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