Ford - Focus - Alternators :: 2002 - Instruments Go Flatline And Then Car Dies
Apr 11, 2011
Yesterday my 2002 Ford Focus SE Zetec wagon (140k) died at a stoplight. Before that, the radio would turn off and on like it was possessed. The last five miles before it conked out, the fuel gauge and speedometer dropped to zero (ie same as with key-out). Waited two hours and was able to drive it two blocks home but the same symptoms w/instruments occurred. Battery measured 12.0v @ home. The alternator is the first suspect but what else should get replaced? Any guesses as for cost? DIY or take it to a shop?
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In January, I had the alternator replaced on my 2004 Focus after it died in the middle of the street. It's been fine since then, but yesterday I was driving it and it suddenly seemed to lose power - the dashboard battery light came on, there was the dinging noise that indicates that a seatbelt is unbuckled or the headlights have been left on when you open the door, and the fuel needle dropped to empty (even though the tank was 3/4 full.) Then everything kicked back on. Then it happened again. This cycle repeated three or four times. I parked the car, restarted it, and after that it was okay. BUT - I have two long trips coming up, to remote areas of the Rockies, and I want to make sure it's okay before setting off on these journeys.
It seemed like the alternator was bad, or maybe there was a loose connection, but I took it to the mechanic and he couldn't detect anything wrong. The alternator is under warranty, so he's suggesting that I just replace it, but also wants to run "other tests" to see what's going on.
Of possible relevance: it's been pretty cold out here for the past week (-5 F), I don't drive the car that much, and it was the first time I'd started it in several days. The heat and radio were both on when I started it. I left it running in neutral while I scraped off the windows, which I usually don't do. Generally I scrape off the windows first, then get in, start, and just drive. Sometimes it's sluggish in the cold when I do this, but usually it's fine.
Is it possible that this was just the cold? I'm wary of getting into a situation where the mechanic starts finding a bunch of stuff wrong with it that isn't actually wrong.
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every few days, the battery stops charging and dies.... tested the alternator, and that provides a charge...tested the battery, and that takes a charge... the car runs off the battery or alternator...tested and replaced all wires between alternator and battery... cannot figure out what is wrong.
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So I have a very confusing problem. In my 92 Chevy Astro the battery occasionally stops charging runs down and dies while I am driving and will not restart via jump but must be fully charged. This first happened a couple months and several thousand miles ago but has occurred 3 times in the last two weeks. Both the battery and the alternator have checked out good, and the alternator belt is tight as a drum. What could this possibly be?
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My 05 Ford Focus just suddenly died. I had it jumped and moments later it died again. Jumped it again and it died again. Could this be an alternator problem?
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I currently own a 2002 Hyundai sonata that was purchased brand new I have mostly kept up with the general maintenance spark plugs, air filters, oil changes, etc. but have been lenient on some of the less noticeable things such as belts background history: my car's alternator has tested fine at multiple places (Walmart and advance auto parts) but when I had tested it, it had only produced around 30 amps when it was built to producing about 90, i assume this is because of a bad diode.
I thought i could just use it until it completely died (despite the fact that it could harm my battery) because I'm still in school and cant afford a lot at the moment, but last night when I was driving home (it was wet out with deep puddles) and I drove through a rather deep puddle with a lot of water getting into the engine compartment. (i have driven this car through many puddles some making a much larger splash, with no problems what so ever.) shortly after I left for work and my batter light was on, I tried different things like turning the AC on high to see if they worked better at high revaluations to find out whether it was the battery or the alternator, as it turns out the fan maintained a constant speed and after work my car started.
I got about 20 feet and it died, my Friend came to charge my car but when he jumped me, the alternator started working again even though not 30 minutes ago it was not, the same thing happened to me today (same puddle same rout) the alternator didn't work going to work and it miraculously did when i went home my alternator is obviously bad and needs to be changed, but is it the alternator causing this problem, or something else?
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This past January (I live in Minnesota), I started to have an issue with my 2002 Ford Focus 4D SE (120,000 miles, automatic transmission). Sometimes (not always) when I first start the car, either at home or after it's been in a parking lot, it starts just fine, but the car crawls when I step on the gas. Even with the pedal on the floor, it still crawls. At the same time, the speedometer doesn't engage, and the odometer is blank. The engine light is on, too. Then, after the car has traveled a block or so, the speedometer and odometer snap on, the locks snap shut, and the car runs normally. I can get the car to go forward at somewhat normal speed if I put the car in second gear. Again, after a block or two, everything snaps back and I put it in drive.
I have taken the car to a mechanic more than once. The mechanic said the engine light indicated that the speedometer sensor needed changing, but I was not convinced that would fix the problem, and didn't get the sensor changed. I have asked the mechanic to check the electrical wires, but I don't think they did. I have also had a new battery installed. In May (when it got warm again), the engine light went off and the problem ceased and the car ran normally.But in the past couple of days, the car has started crawling again. What's going on? Would changing the speedometer sensor solve the problem, or is it something else? The mechanic can't seem to find anything else wrong with the car.
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It sounds like something is intermittently dragging behind my car - like a light piece of metal dragging on the ground. I pulled over twice to look, and everything appears ok. There is also a weird noise that sounds like it could be coming from the trunk - a low pitch rattle. I drive a 2002 Ford Focus manual and this just started today while driving straight on residential streets.
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I recently installed a cold sensor to my 2002 ford focus due to it trying to stall out in cold weather. It is still trying to stall out even with the cold sensor what else could be the problem?
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My 2002 Ford Focus ZX5 has had a low idle (not unsteady) for about a year. Just thought I needed a tune-up. Recently, it started surging and bucking between 40 and 50 MPH. Seems to run fine under acceleration, but then when backing off the accelerator, it starts the surging/bucking. The check engine light is on constantly. A diagnostic pointed to the EGR valve, which I replaced, but it didn't solve anything.
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I have a 2002 Ford Focus coming up on 150k... still drives fine, but when I went to change the plugs today, I found all four of them submerged in oil. What's going on?
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I've owned a manual 2002 Ford Focus ZX5 for 5 years. I bought it with 77,000 miles and it now has 112,400. I've been pretty good at having the oil changes and tune-ups at the right mileage. This last time I took it to a new service place, they suggested I looked into changing the Manual Transmission Fluid. I have never had it done, and I'm not really sure about the previous owner. What's your take on this? I've done some research and opinions seem to differ quite a bit about at what mileage the transmission fluid should be changed.
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Car wont start and antitheft light flashes 3 minutes later light goes off car starts.
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After having jump started my 2002 Ford Focus, the radio/stereo stopped working and would not turn on. I can't eject cds, or even turn it on.
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Last week, I brought my 2002 Ford Focus (automatic transmission) to the mechanic to have an oil change and to have the motor mounts and cabin air filter replaced. Before I brought the car in, it was fairly loud at idle--which had been going on for a couple of years and which I attributed to the worn motor mounts--but had otherwise been running fine.
When I went to pick it up after the repairs, the car would not start. The mechanic ran some tests and told me that the alternator was overcharging the battery. The battery could no longer hold a charge, so both the alternator and the battery needed to be replaced, which the mechanic did.
I thought at first that everything was OK after the battery and alternator replacement. Because I almost always turn my car off immediately after putting it in park, I didn't realize what was happening and that it was a problem... but in retrospect, I realize that ever since I got the car back from this second set of repairs, the battery light has flashed on during the split second between when I shift to park and when I turn the ignition off.
Yesterday, I took my car back to the mechanic because it stalled when I was in the parking lot at work. (I realize now that it must have happened just after I shifted gears, probably into park.) Since that was the first time it had actually properly stalled--rather than just a quick battery light flash just before I turned the car off--I had not yet made the connection between the stalling and the shifting to park, so all I told the mechanic is that it stalled on me when I was slowing to a stop. I'm pretty sure the first time it stalled was the first time I let it idle for more than a half-second in park before turning off the ignition.
He kept my car for a full day and ran a lot of tests on it. He was unable to make the car stall during multiple test drives (though, to be fair, I hadn't told him that the trigger for making it stall was shifting to park because I didn't realize it myself yet). There were no engine codes, the check engine light was never on, the fuel pressure is OK, and the throttle body position sensor, the idle air control valve, the ignition system, and the fuel system were giving no abnormal readings. When I asked, he told me that they did perform an idle-relearn procedure after replacing the battery and alternator. He returned the car to me and told me to come back if it stalled again.
Tonight, when I got the car home, it started to die immediately when I put it into park (the headlights dimmed and the battery light came on). I was able to reproduce this a second time as well. Fortunately, it does start back up just fine.
I plan to take the car in for repairs again, but I'm wondering if I should go back to the same mechanic. My questions are:
1) What is likely to be causing the problem?
2) Is it something that is likely to have been caused by incompetence when installing the new battery and alternator or doing other repairs, or could it be a coincidence (I was willing to believe the first coincidence of the battery and alternator dying while the car was at the repair shop, but I'm having difficulty believing a second coincidence)?
3) Whether or not the problem is likely to be the mechanic's fault, is it something that a thorough check on their part should have discovered?
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My 02 Ford Focus makes a racket in 5th gear. The engine sounds like it's ready for takeoff. The other gears are quiet but when I pick up speed, the noise is a steady & relentless hum.
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Let me start by saying the car is the 2002 ford focus and has a remote starter keyless entry and alarm that has been in stalled years ago so the one day I'm trying to go inside my car and the unlock button on the key fob doesn't work so I put the key in the door and open it all the doors unlock.
I ignored it when I'm leaving the car I lock it with the key fob it chrips then my son rushes outside and opens the door. That's when I noticed the door didn't lock then I try the door switch to lock and unlock the doors but nothing happens I tried the passenger switch nothing
Symptoms : Both driver and passenger door lock switches are not working If I hit the unlock button twice on the key fob all the doors unlock...
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I've got a misfire problem with my Focus. It started about a month ago and did not trip a code until last week. It stumbles on acceleration between 2,000 and 4,000 rpms. It is only a slight stumble and although noticeable, it does not impede driveability much. Last week I was able to get it to finally trip an OBD code. P302 - Cylinder 2 misfire. I changed the plugs and wires with no effect. I thought I had it narrowed down to the coil or injector until my wife noticed a new wrinkle.
Under normal driving conditions the misfire is annoying, but my wife found that if she turns on the A/C, it is undriveable and will not accelerate past 30 mph without some patience and a neck brace for the bucking. My first thought was the A/C compressor was freezing up. I turned off the A/C and left the blower on and it would not stop missing. I turn off the blower and it smooths right out to the annoyance I described first.
Right now I drive the car without A/C and blower whenever I accelerate. If I'm going a steady speed, all is well and I can run the blower and A/C.
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Started the car got out of the parking lot and drove a few feet till it stalled and rolled to a stop. It cranks but would not turn over all the way to drive. Called mechanic to let them know that it would be towed. They asked if it had gas. It has a 1/4 tank. Tow driver asked the same question. I'm wondering if the fuel pump could be the culprit or timing belt. If timing belt than I wonder if the engine could be the bad kind (interference). And of course cost. It has just over 90k miles and it has received regular oil changes but not the recommended services. I'm biking to the mechanic to drop the key off and thought that I would try it again and look under the hood, but I need to know what to look for.
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My hazard, reverse don't work. The over all instruments panel light doesn't light up (the small bulbs work). Gauges with needles work. I'm putting every thing back into the truck. I left the steering wheel resting on the floor while cleaning and also left the wiring in. Everything else came out because I had to clean out the smell of mice. After I installed the instrument panel I started the truck, there was no hazard lights. I checked all the fuses under the dash. I checked all the fuses under the hood.
I did have a bent brake plug blade to bend straight. I need to replace a bad key cylinder, you can turn it without a key. I believe there were three plugs I unplug to lower the steering wheel. Park brake, brake pedal and a plug under the steering wheel. Wipers, interior ceiling light work. I believe there's a switch on the column (?) that includes the wiper arm. Should it also operate the hazard lights ? The steering column is installed, I can drive it around. Outside cargo lights won't go off, even with the light switch pushed in. Everything worked before.
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My father was driving his 2007 sport trac limited on his way home tonight and all of a sudden he lost all of the instruments in the gauge cluster. At the same time all the indicator lights came on. the truck kept running along with the air conditioning and radio, just lost the instrument cluster. almost like when you first turn the key on before starting. when he got home and turned the truck off, it would not re-start. when you turned the key on even the odometer was blank. when you tried to start it it wouldnt even try to crank. i unhooked the battery and hooked it back up. after about 5 key cycles of not starting like previously, it finally started.
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