Ford - Focus :: 2003 - Engine Malfunction / Won't Start
Jun 1, 2011
I have a 2003 Ford Focus Sedan with 75K miles, bought used from a Ford dealership 3-4 yrs ago with 45K miles.
I spent Saturday driving around doing errands. Late in the day, it wouldn't start up again. This was after about 20 minutes of sitting in a parking lot right after a 10-mile drive. It would turn/crank but not actually turn over. Eventually, I had a tow driver come out, who also gave it a try, and then it made an awful clunking-grinding-crunching sound after a couple seconds of trying to turn. Towed to the local mechanics.
They did some compression tests and tell me that a spark plug is "smashed." They say only a major engine problem could smash a spark plug and recommend just replacing the engine. The alternative would be to take apart the engine to figure out exactly what's wrong, at a labor cost of $800-1,000, but they say there would be a good chance that whatever they find out wouldn't be fixable anyway.
Recent history: oil change about 6 wks ago, no history of oil problems, regular oil changes (at least since I bought it).
Recent problems:
(1) About 2-3 times in the past few months (including Saturday morning the day this happened), my car would sometimes take a bit more turning over to actually start. Those episodes would feel like it was "barely" starting, and then the car would kind of gentle buck for the first 20-30 seconds of driving, then be totally normal and start right up again afterward.
(2) For the past year or so, the speedometer and odometer would intermittently go to zero, usually after a sudden speed or lane change or big cranking of the wheel (e.g., reversing out of a parking spot)...this would last a mile or two then randomly come right back on.
(3) The weekend before my engine wouldn't start, my check-engine light came on while driving on the highway.
This happened to occur during one of those brief zero-speedometer episodes. I took it to the shop, they said it was a sensor issue, and it took nearly $500 to repair.
So....questions:
(1) any of the above history related to current engine problem? My shop says probably not, but I'm not sure what to believe.
(2) Recommend taking the engine apart at this point to diagnose the problem, or just replace the thing?
(3) If replace, get used or refurbished? (Shop recommends latter b/c they say history with used is totally unknown)
(4) Tow it to a different shop for the second opinion? (5) Or, just give up on the car totally and get a new car? I have minimal knowledge of mechanics.
View 6 Replies
Advertisement
The problem makes the car unsafe to drive. The quickest way to describe it is a hard pull to the left after a very linear steering feel. My perception is almost as something is holding on and then just fails and lets go and the car quite abruptly shoots left in a very unsafe manner. Here are the things I have done to remedy the situation, I replaced the struts with factory replacements 15,000 miles ago. At the same time i replaced the left and right axles, drove the car with the problem then last weekend, I replaced the upper tie rod arms, and lower tie rod ends, the sway bar bushings, and the control arms on both sides. I literally feel as though it is a darn near new front end.
Just yesterday I had 4 new Goodyear eagle tires and an alignment done and the problem became more pronounced and worst. I really like this car and want it to be a joy to drive as I know from others these little hatchbacks are a real joy on winding mountain roads.
View 10 Replies
I have a 2000 7.3 f450 having some electrical issues. When you turn the key on sometimes the dash will start ticking and left side light flashing...engine will turn over but it won't start. The ticking is coming from under the hood relay 32 (you can hear and feel it clicking). Book says its injector driver module power relay. A lot of the times it will start fine other times it will be running and just die (prob because of this issue) happened once when I was driving.
What to check here already replaced the relay still have the problem.
View 6 Replies
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.
View 5 Replies
I have a 2003 Ford Focus ZTS with a ZTec 4-cylinder motor, 5-speed manual transmission, @145K miles (one owner). I had the fuel pump replaced in October 2012. For the past couple of months I have had intermittent engine surges when the car is under load, and it is most prevalent when undergoing heavy acceleration or when going uphill. The engine idles smoothly at about 800-1000 rpm. The problem seems most prevalent when I have more than 1/2 tank of fuel in the vehicle.
I have noticed that when the car is in cruise control mode and surges occur the accelerator pedal depresses as if the engine is trying to get more fuel. Spark plugs, Timing belt, tensioner, and water pump were changed approximately 30K miles ago. Alternator replaced @10K miles ago. No visible leaks around the head or valve covers. Vehicle is driven mostly highway miles in low dust environments. Engine light normally doesn't come on, but today the surges were worse than normal and the engine light came on several times over approximately 1 minute interval. Then the surges stopped and the engine light went out and did not come back on.
View 1 Replies
Ok I just bought a used 2003 Ford Focus from a dealership which I am financing and after the second day driving the check engine light came on. Once I saw that I took it back to the dealer and he told me the sensor was very sensitive and because I didn't close the gas tank tightly the light came on. I didn't feel satisfied with this answer so I took the car for a diagnostic. They informed me that the car had a gasket leak. I then took the car back to the dealership and told them what I had been informed and the mechanic told me that it wasn't a big deal, nothing for me to worry about. Now I don't know much about cars and I have been doing a little research of my own and a gasket leak seems to be a big problem.
View 8 Replies
Almost every time I start my 2001 Ford Focus, it won't start. The starter functions but the engine won't start. I have to pump it, give it gas, and once it starts, it's perfectly fine, no stalling, no problems after that. That is until I turn the engine off. When I go to start it again, say after doing an errand or two, it may or may not happen again throughout the day, the problem only occurring when I attempt to start it.
View 1 Replies
03 focus SE Wagon, Automatic Tran, has a bit of a problem. Whenever it gets driven through a puddle (big, small, paddling pool, etc.) it will make this high pitch squealing noise, and then when it gets shut off after driving through said puddle, will have trouble starting. (It will turn over, catch, run for .2 seconds & then the engine will cut out, but all the electronics will work) THEN! if you can get it started, it needs to be reeved constantly or it will stall when it idles. Lastly, if the conditions are ridiculously horrible, & you need to go some place, you have to '2 foot drive' the little beauty to whereever you're going. Now, she's been in to see the Ford mechanics and has 'stumped' them.
View 4 Replies
2011 Focus 2.0L L4 engine, manual transmission, 70K miles - when up-shifting gears, the throttle remains high, dropping v-e-r-y slowly instead of dropping rapidly when the throttle is released. It is the same when not moving, when the throttle is run up to steady RPM's, then the pedal is released, the RPM's drop slowly. This has started recently, at first I thought it was just 'operator error', and that our shifting skills were deteriorating with age (ours, not the car), but testing has proven the fault lies with the vehicle. I researched sticking throttle issues, and thought I had located the problem as a bad throttle body assembly. Changed it out with a new one, went thru the computer reset procedure,and the problem still exists. No error codes are showing, but the little yellow wrench light is lit on the dash (resets each startup. Vehicle drives fine otherwise, no loss of power, etc.
View 10 Replies
I have a 2002 F-250 with a 7.3.
I have been having a no crank, no start issue off and on for a while. batteries are new, cables are new, connections are clean, and starter has been rebuilt and checked. I bought a "starter relay" which i thought was the top solenoid in this picture. I also replaced the lower solenoid in the picture. The bottom solenoid was replaced with what im sure is the correct replacement. The upper I think is wrong. It started but then shut down and will not restart. The upper solenoid also was very hot after it shut down.
Long story short what is the upper solenoid for? Im assuming its not the starter solenoid. If so where is the Starter solenoid on a 2002 7.3?
View 14 Replies
I own a 1997 ford f150 V6 engine and I have problems with the electrics. I turn the key on and the engine starts up runs great but I then look at the gauges and not one moves at all the. No fuel when i have just filled up,no tep,no oil,no battery all read nil. I went a drive and the speedo reads 0 it does not move but the truck drives great. Could it be a fuse, does a fuse control the gauges, which one it could be. I have lifted the hood and under the hood on the drivers side there is a box with small and larger fuses.There is one that is very small and the colour is white that's blown. Would you no what that fuse is for.
View 1 Replies
Have a 2000 F-150, 5.4L. Once recently in a parking lot, it would crank but not fire or start. Wife called me to come get her. By the time I got there, she said it started "after she loosened the gas cap & re-closed it." But, it started fine for next several weeks. Yesterday it didn't. I read a bunch of threads here on possibilities. Many troubleshoot items I checked out or had done.
Chilton manual says you can get limited error codes from the light on dash flashing - MIL - Malfunction Indicator Lamp Method.
For now, I'm trying to find the 2nd, separate, one-wire lead "near or with the (main) Diagnostic Connector." They call the single wire / connector the "Self-Test Input connector" (STI). You're supposed to use a jumper between that STI & the upper, right connector of the main diagnostic connector. Then you (may) get flashes corresponding to codes via the key on, engine off method.
I see no such single wire lead or connector anywhere near there. Not up under the dash either - stuck my head under there & used mirror. There's a separate connector (not in use) clipped on the L side of the main diagnostic connector, but it has 5 pins inside. I took pics, but forum says I "may not post attachments." Been a member for yrs. That extra 5 pin connector faces toward firewall.
There's an "empty hole" - 1/4 in. (facing forward) in the bracket that holds the main diagnostic connector. Just above the main connector. Not sure if something was ever there
If no one knows how / if the Malfunction Indicator Lamp Method works or where the jumper goes, I'll be forced to buy a code reader w/o researching which are decent or crap (around $200 or less). I maybe? could wait to order one online (if knew which one). Also have AutoZone, O'Reilly, Advance, NAPA, PepBoys & others locally.
* The truck shows a check engine soon light, so should be a code already. * Yes, I tried her loosen / tighten gas cap trick.
* Also put a slow charger on for a while & even used the fast start setting on charger. No go, but engine turns really fast.
* Crawled under the gas tank & listened for fuel pump to activate when key is turned to Run.
* Fuel pump made a small noise - more like a relay or "clicking" - not a whine or whir.
* Checked most fuses - under dash & hi voltage box - that have anything to do w/ fuel pump, PCM & several others - mentioned in similar threads here.
Can't really check relays & don't want to just start replacing parts. I don't have a code reader & reluctant to buy one from local store w/o some reasonable research. (I don't mind buying one, but...). If I could drive it to the auto store, I wouldn't be asking this. Chilton's doesn't say if this malfunction indicator lamp method will work if a vehicle won't start. But, a code is already thrown.
View 6 Replies
My AC clutch will not engage until the engine gets hot enough to call for the radiator cooling fan to switch on, which in moderate weather at highway speeds can be forever. (Single electric cooling fan.) Of course, the AC should override the engine coolant sensors and turn on the fan and engage the clutch. Once the engine is hot, the AC works normally. No one seems to know where to start looking. It's an '03 Grand Marquis with an interceptor engine package.
View 5 Replies
The engine fan in my 2003 MC SS doesn't seem to be working and the car is starting to overheat. The other fan, which I think is the A/C fan seems to be working okay. I know nothing about cars and before I take this to a mechanic. I do not want to go somewhere and get totally ripped off. So it would be nice if I appear to know what I am talking about... when I take it to the mechanic.
View 2 Replies
Occasionally my 2004 Ford Focus will not start. I put in the keys and turn them. The lights and radio fire up and there is a click, but the engine won't turn over. To resolve this, I remove the key, open the hood, loosen the battery cable on the positive terminal, wiggle the cable around, and then tighten it back down. I then go back in the car and turn the key. The engine starts. Is there a bad connection somewhere? Should I replace the battery cable?
Long version of the problem: I've been having these problems intermittently for almost a year now. After the first or second time I had the car towed to a local shop. They couldn't figure out what the problem was because the car was starting just fine at the shop. The mechanic said that some of the cables might have shifted around in the towing process. So I tossed an adjustable wrench in the glove box in preparation for the next time. The next day, it happened again. Through some quick trial and error, I narrowed down the problem to be the positive battery cable (or something that's connected to it).
View 2 Replies
After two repair shops telling me there is nothing wrong with my car, I'm at a loss. My car is in great condition except when it decides not to start. On hot days, if I am doing several errands I need to worry about if my car will work after the first stop. After driving for a bit, when I turn off my car and return a short while later it will not start. The car will attempt to turn over and the battery works just fine, it just won't start. Also, another issue I think is related and connected to this is that on car trips lasting more than 15 minutes, the air conditioning will stop working. The air will blow but the cool 'conditioning' aspect will fail and I will be stuck with hot air blowing at me. The catch to this is that after waiting 2 hours for a tow, the driver was able to start my car on the first try, thus making the tow unnecessary. Obviously my car is not 'perfect' like the repair shops are telling me....
View 1 Replies
I have a 2005 Ford Focus ZX4. It is a stick. For the past month it has been having trouble starting, the example I will turn the key and it will try to start up, but doesn't. Then it will start but it is weak, sputtering, not wanting to really start, but I give it a little gas and it is fine. The last time it happened, It started after about 8 tries. I was driving a little ways and all of a sudden the radio/cd player quit working flashing a message that said low battery. Then all the lights in the car started to dim out. The headlights started dimming out too.
I did make it home, turned it off and when I tried to start it again all I heard was a click, click, click noise. It is at the shop now. I thought for sure it was the alternator, but they said the alternator is testing fine and once they 'recharged' the battery it is fine too. They drove it around for about a half an hour and they said it was running fine. What the what? They said they did have the problem getting it to start that I did, but only once. Now they aren't sure what the problem is. I don't want to get ripped off! I also don't want to have to fix something that isn't broken. I
View 7 Replies
My 2006 focus just turned 100,000 miles. Last few months as it started to get cold outside its had issues with not "holding" a start. It seems to make all the normal sounds but won't continue to run. It is progressively getting worse, ie: more frequent and takes more tries to get it started. Yesterday I tried repeatedly and it wouldn't start until I gave it a LOT of gas-this is the worst its been. Previously it would either eventually start after repeated tries or with a little gas. Even on unseasonably warm days its happening now. Both autozone and tireman say the battery (2yrs old), alternator, and starter check out fine.
After lots of online reading here's what I've tried/paid attention to in hopes of narrowing it down.
-Changed spark plugs
-Fuel injector cleaner
-Spare key
-Don't notice security light flashing when it happens or any other random electrical issues
-No strange idle fluctuations
Once its running its fine and seems to start ok for next couple tries even at cold start. Trying to narrow down from IAC valve, PCV valve, throttle position sensor, wiring, ignition switch, fuel pump, etc. Can computer codes read even without warning lights? I have noticed for quite some time that idle has a slightly rougher sound (nothing obvious) but this seems to comes from muffler end and its been in for standard service and never been mentioned as an issue...? Its never stalled at idle or sounded like it was close to stalling/strictly issue with getting it going. I'm trying to determine if its logical that repeated attempts or giving it gas build up more fuel pressure? Or more logical that lots of gas is pushing open something thats clogged up?
View 5 Replies
I have a 2001 Ford Focus, lately on occasion, not all the time when I turn the key nothing happens, the car doesn't start. I then turn the key back and forth a few time and turn the wheel a few times and then it start and runs fine and I may not have this happen again for a few weeks or it may happen the next day.
View 11 Replies
My F150 4X4 would not start a few days ago, after only having turned it off a few minutes prior. The gauges would sweep wildly and get stuck at various positions. I checked the fuses and they were fine, then unplugged the battery for a bit and it started back up. Occasionally it won't start and i'll have to disconnect the battery again to get it to start.
I'm still having some strange electrical issues though. The radio no longer turns on unless the ignition is turned to AUX. My back up alarm for going in reverse doesn't come on anymore. The gauges take at least 10 seconds to wake up after starting the truck. The dashboard blinker indicators will randomly stop blinking or making any noise. I was thinking it could be the computer, but could it be something else?
View 1 Replies
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.
View 14 Replies
