2004 Ford Focus Brakes Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE FAILURES OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

IT HAPPENED SPORADICALLY AND ONCE IN A WHILE. WHEN BACKING OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT, THE BRAKES BARELY WORKED. THE PEDAL WAS VERY HARD TO PRESS AND IT TOOK A LOT OF FORCE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. TODAY, IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHEN I WAS ON THE "DRIVE" MODE. THERE IS NO WAY TO PREDICT WHEN IT WOULD HAPPEN. THE ONLY PATTERN HERE IS IT HAPPENED SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE CAR. IT COULD BE IN THE REVERSE OR DRIVE MODE. THE FREQUENCY SEEMED INCREASED RECENTLY WHEN IT WAS VERY COLD. *TR

NOTICED HYDRAULIC BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER WHICH IS MOUNTED BEHIND THE CLUTCH PEDAL UNDER DASH. CLUTCH SYSTEM SHARES BRAKE FLUID WITH BRAKE SYSTEM. FLUID DRIPS ON CLUTCH PEDAL AND FLOOR CREATING A VERY SLICK SURFACE AND DROP IN FLUID LEVEL IN BRAKE RESERVOIR. THIS CREATES A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE IN MY OPINION. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD FOCUS MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS. THE ONLY REMEDY WAS TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER. ALSO NEEDED TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH PEDAL RUBBER FOOT PAD WHICH HAD DISINTEGRATED FROM EXPOSURE TO THE BRAKE FLUID. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE BRAKE SHOE MATERIAL SEPARATING FROM THE SHOE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE WHEEL LOCKING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. UPDATED 1/26/09 *CN UPDATED 01/26/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE TIRES WOBBLED AND FLAMES ERUPTED FROM THE REAR TIRES. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE TIRE BEARING. THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. RECENTLY, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED AN IDENTICAL FAILURE. THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND SMOKE ERUPTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.

THE IGNITION LOCK AND THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT. HAD TO BE TOWED AT MIDNIGHT FROM THE HOSPITAL IN 18 DEGREE WEATHER. DEALERSHIP SAID MANUFACTURE PART AT A COST OF $455.00. BRAKE NOISE NO ONE CAN FIND. REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM TWICE. WILL NEVER BUY FORD AGAIN!!! *TR

ONE MONTH AGO I NEEDED TO HAVE BRAKES REPLACED, AND ASSUMED THAT BECAUSE THE LIGHT CAME ON THIS WAS AN INDICATOR. AFTER BRAKES WERE REPLACED, BRAKE FLUID WAS STILL DISAPPEARING. I ALSO FOUND A DRIP ON MY PEDAL FROM SOMEWHERE UNDER THE DASH, AFTER MY FOOT SLIPPED ON THE CLUTCH FROM SLICK BRAKE FLUID, AND NEARLY WRECKED MY CAR ON I-70 WHEN I NEEDED TO SHIFT INTO A LOWER GEAR AFTER MY FOOT SLID RIGHT OFF THE PEDAL. TURNS OUT THE MASTER CYLINDER IS LEAKING. MY CAR IS ONLY 3.5 YEARS OLD, AND ONLY HAS 41,000 MILES ON IT TOTAL. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO MECHANIC, IT IS A FORD MANUFACTURED ONLY PART, AND WITH PARTS AND LABOR IS COSTING ME $450+ TO REPAIR THIS ON A RELATIVELY NEW CAR NOT EVEN PAID FOR YET. STILL NOT A SAFE SITUATION WHEN YOU CAN'T KEEP YOUR FOOT ON THE PEDAL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS ZTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE DEALER CHANGED THE BRAKE PADS. UPON LEAVING THE DEALER THE FAILURE RECURRED. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE CONTACT HAD TO RELEASE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THEN DEPRESSED IT AGAIN FOR THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND PROPERLY. WEATHER AND SPEED WERE NOT FACTORS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 41,500. *AK

ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT FULLY STOP. MY CAR ENTERED INTERSECTION AND WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MY CAR. *NM

I HAD MY CAR IN THE GARAGE FOR A FUEL PROBLEM WHICH WAS SOLVED BY A COMPUTER UPDATE AND WHILE IT WAS THERE, I HAD THE DEALER DO AN OIL CHANGE. FOR SOME REASON THEY CHECKED THE BRAKES AND FOUND THAT MY LEFT FRONT BRAKES WHERE GONE. THEY REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS AND PADS AND I TOLD THEM TO PUT THE OLD PARTS IN MY CAR. UPON MY OWN INSPECTION OF THE OLD PARTS, 3 OF THE PADS STILL HAD ABOUT 1/4 INCH OF PAD LEFT WHILE THE INNER DRIVER SIDE PAD HAD NOTHING LEFT TO IT. THE DRIVER SIDE ROTOR ALSO HAD SIGNIFICANT WEAR TO IT WHILE THE PASSENGER SIDE STILL LOOKED AND FELT FINE. *NM

FRONT END COLLISION, AIR BAG PUT OUT POWDER AND LIGHT INDICATES DEPLOYMENT, HOWEVER NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG OCCURRED. MY DAUGHTER WAS INJURED AND THE STATE TROOPER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN OBVIOUS DEFECT AND IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA WEBSITE. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT DEALER FOR CRASH REPAIR I HAVE YET TO HEAR THEIR DETERMINATION REGARDING THE AIR BAG NON-DEPLOYMENT. ADDITIONALLY, THE BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE FADED AND FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THIS IS THE SECOND BRAKE FADE PROBLEM I HAVE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ONCE FOR THE PROBLEM AND THEY FOUND AIR IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM. *NM

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES BEGAN TO SQUEAK. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS NEEDING NEW FRONT ROTORS AND MADE THE REPAIR. ONE MONTH LATER, THE BRAKES BEGAN SQUEAKING AGAIN. A PIECE OF THE FRONT ROTOR FELL OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS AGAIN. THE POWERTRAIN, PURCHASE DATE, AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 23,400 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED BY ITSELF AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. THE ACCELERATION WAS RAPID IN NATURE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ATTEMPTING TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL AT THAT TIME, SHE WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO DEALER OR A MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSIS OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE WINDSHIELD LINING WAS COMING APART, ONE OF THE ROTORS WERE WARPED. UPDATED 11/29/05. *JB

BRAKE ON NEW 2004 FORD FOCUS HAS LARGE RIDGES AND RIM IS COVERED WITH BRAKE DUST. WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS "HOW IT WAS SUPPOSE TO LOOK". CAR HAS 2300 MILES

DT: CONSUMER EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE WITH HIS 2004 FORD FOCUS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE LOCALLY, BUT THEY WERE TRYING TO LOCATE IT NATIONALLY. THE BRAKES MADE A RACKET, THERE WAS A WEIGHT THAT ADJUSTED THE COUNTERWEIGHT, AND NEEDED OTHER PARTS REPLACED AS WELL, BUT THEY HAVE TO WAIT ON THE WEIGHT TO COME IN BEFORE THE WORK COULD BE DONE. THEY STATED THAT THERE WERE SIX OTHER DEALERS THAT HAVE ORDERED THE PART, AND IT WAS SENT OUT IN THE ORDER THAT IT WAS REQUESTED. CONSUMER STATED THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR APPROXIMATELY A MONTH AND A HALF TO TWO MONTHS. WHEN ON VACATION HE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR A SQUEAKING NOISE, AND THEY RESURFACED THE BRAKES, WHICH ELIMINATED THE SQUEAKING NOISE. BY THE TIME THEY RETURNED FROM THE TRIP, APPROXIMATELY 1100 MILES, THE SQUEAKING NOISE CAME BACK, AND THE RACKET STARTED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED BEFORE GOING ON THE TRIP, AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS OKAY TO DRIVE.*AK

BRAKES FAILED ON OUR 2004 FORD FOCUS ZX5 4 DOOR HATCHBACK AS MY WIFE WENT TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN LEAVING OUR DEVELOPMENT AND WAS BROADSIDED BY A TRUCK. THIS RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE AND INJURIES SUSTAINED TO MY WIFE. POLICE AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL WERE ON THE SCENE. SHE WAS TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL.

ROTORS GONE BAD HANSEL FORD SAID AT 9200 MILES THE SQUEAKING WAS NORMAL, THEN AT 13000 I CALLED THEY STILL SAID IT WAS NORMAL BUT NOW THE WARRANTY WAS UP, THEN AT 20000 MILES THEY CHECK IT BECAUSE IT WAS DOING IT MORE, NOW THE ROTORS HAVE GROVES BEYOND REPAIR, YET THE BRAKE PADS STILL HAD BETWEEN 65% AND 90% LEFT TO THEM, I HAD TO REPLACE BOTH ROTORS AND PADS FOR SAFETY FOR MY DAUGHTER.

DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. WHEN TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR SERVICE THE FRONT LEFT BRAKE PAD WORE OUT FASTER THAN ALL OTHER THREE. THE CAUSE OF WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK

AT 15,000 MILE I REPLACED MY REAR BRAKE SHOES AND THEN TWO DAYS AFTER THAT THEY STARTED TO SQUEAL VERY BADLY LIKE THEY WHERE WORN OUT AGAIN. I RETURNED TO THE FORD DEALER IN WHICH I PURCHASED THE CAR AND WHO HAD REPLACED THE BRAKES THEY REAPPLIED LUBE TO THE SHOES AND DRUM. THAT WORKED FOR THREE DAYS AND NOW ONCE AGAIN THEY SQUEAL AGAIN. I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKES AGAIN AT 25,000 MILES AND THEY STILL SQUEAL AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT TO DO. BOTH TIMES THE BRAKES WHERE REPLACED THEY WERE DONE AT A FORD DEALERSHIP. I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO MAYBE PURCHASED NEW DRUMS EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CURRENT ONES BUT I DON'T SEE THE NEED TO DO SUCH A THING ON A CAR THAT IS BARELY 2 YEARS OLD. PLEASE HELP. *NM

CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW 6/15/04 WITH 317 MILES. THERE HAS BEEN OVER $1500 WORTH OF FACTORY WORK DONE ON THIS VEHICLE FROM BRAKE PADS, ROTORS, SENSOR BEING REPLACED ON TRANSMISSION. NOW THE CAR IS CONSTANTLY JERKING WHEN ACCELERATING AT 20 MPH AND STALLING. ON FEBRUARY 16TH, MY CAR WOULDN'T START AND WAS JERKING. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY HOME. ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH THE RADIO CAME ON WITHOUT THE KEY BEING PLACED IN THE IGNITION. I HAVE FILED THE LEMON LAW AND SUGGEST OTHERS DO IT AS WELL IF THERE PROBLEMS AREN'T RESOLVED. I WAS TOLD MY CAR HAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE, BUT DON'T WANT IT BACK. I HAVE A SMALL CHILD AND AM AFRAID SOMETHING TERRIBLE WILL HAPPEN.*AK