2000 Focus 2.0L Zetec Auto weird symptoms

mchan68 · May 1, 2008

I've been requested by our SM to drive this vehicle home, due to some really things happening. Vehicle in question is owned by an elderly lady who is not very "car smart" as described by the SA. Upon driving on my way home from work, the backlighting on the odometer display and radio will flicker, as will the temp and fuel gauges. There is also loud static coming from the speaker as this occurs. Entering the highway, during steady cruise, this "flickering" persists with the speedo dropping down to zero at one point, with other symptoms coming. The transmission will pop out of gear and the MIL and door ajar warnings will light up for a second or two. On quite a few occasions the transmission will pop out of gear and randomly re-engage extremely harshly, a couple of times accompanied by the MIL light lighting up, and then the door ajar light. Stopped off at Burger King for a bite to eat. Make my way home and the symptoms never reoccured. Vehicle has 54,000 kms. (or 30,000 miles for you 'mericans), all maintenance kept up, and in very good condition. Unit is as described in post subject, is a station wagon with base instrumentation (no tach) if it matters. The last repair carried out for this same symptom was when the last tech cleaned up the ground wire next to the battery on the body. Obviously it's going to be something loose or shorting out, or something really stupid. Anyone else ever come across something like this in a Focus? Thanks in advance.

Jeff_E · May 1, 2008

Check the underhood body grounds. I've had a couple get really rusty and cause similar concerns. They are located near both front strut towers. I hope this helps.

Shlep · May 1, 2008

Sounds like you got yourself a Focus with bad battery cables, I had one with similar problems last fall and it drove me crazy trying to find the problem, did the ground routine with no luck so I called the hotline to see if anything else was common on these POS's and he told me to change out both cables, much to my surprise it actually fixed it.

mchan68 · May 2, 2008

Sounds like you got yourself a Focus with bad battery cables, I had one with similar problems last fall and it drove me crazy trying to find the problem, did the ground routine with no luck so I called the hotline to see if anything else was common on these POS's and he told me to change out both cables, much to my surprise it actually fixed it.

Interesting that you should mention that. Being a 2000 model year, wasn't there a safety recall a few years ago that had us "modify" the battery positive and negative cables? I'm beginning to wonder if this could be a result of a poorly carried out repair? Well, I was asked to drive this vehicle home again tonight. So far, it hasn't acted up YET.

Mekanik · May 2, 2008

I think thats where the problem is. From what I hear, the Focus is notorious for electrical problems caused by a bad ground.

Jim Warman · May 3, 2008

Mike... did you run OASIS on the car? It would tell you if 02S41 has been done or not..

mchan68 · May 3, 2008

Well, Jim after the "repair" the car never acted up again. I wasn't the one who "repaired" it. Apparently, the servicing tech "relocated" the ground on the left side of the vehicle near the battery. Apparently this recall was already carried out years ago. I was only instructed to drive the vehicle home and to work the next day. This kinda reminds me of the Chrysler days when the 2000 model years Neons were just released. Many had the ground bolts atop the headlight assemblies overtightened from the factory and breaking. On the one side, it would cause the headlight and signal light to not work. On the other side, it would cause the fuel pump not to run, causing a no-start. Amazing how important these grounds are.

Aaron · May 5, 2008

I had one of those pieces of crap when I worked at the Indy shop kickin' my ass. I ended up running a seperate ground cable from the battery to the car, that fixed it.