Rick's Free Auto Repair Advice » Focus

Uneven brake wear, vibration, and noise on Ford Forcus 2008-11,

Rick — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 16:34:10 +0000

Some Ford Focus owners are reporting uneven brake wear after performing a brake job or having it done at a shop. The problem can be caused by improper installation of the brake pads. While the pads look alike, there is a definite inboard and outboard pad. They cannot be swapped. The pads have a wear sensor and special “nibs” that hold the shim in place.

The pad with the wear sensor must be placed on the inboard side of the caliper (next to the piston). If it is placed in the outboard position, the nibs will press against the caliper housing and “cock” the pad slightly. The caliper’s clamping force will be applied to the nibs rather than the entire backing plate. This will cause uneven wear, vibration, and other noise.

If you’re doing your own brake job, always make sure you install new abutment clips and lubricate the caliper pins and hardware with a high temperature synthetic brake grease

For more information on this repair or any others for your vehicle, buy an online subscription to either Alldatadiy.com or eautorepair.net. Click on this link to compare the two services: Compare Alldata and Eautorepair.

If you just need information for a single repair and want to save money,eautorepair offers a lower price 1-week subscription for only $11.99. Or, if you’ll be working on this vehicle in the future, you can buy a 1-year subscription (Alldatadiy.com for $26.99, or eautorepair.net $29.99)

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Warning lights on even when vehicle is off – Ford Focus

Rick — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:02:21 +0000

Shops are reporting problems with late model Ford Focus vehicles where the warning lights stay on even when the vehicle is off, or flicker while driving. This can happen to the oil light, brake light, ABS light individually, in combination, or all of them.

Here’s the fix:

Remove the instrument cluster and clean the printed circuit board with rubbing alcohol. Then coat the entire circuit board with di-electric grease. Ford is finding that mold growth on the circuit board bridges the circuits together and causes these symptoms.

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

Click on the link below for speedy navigation:

ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use

Engine flush

Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder

MAF or MAP sensor

Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test

PassLock or Passkey

Thermostat issues

Transmission flush

Serpentine belt diagrams

Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive

P0171 on Ford Focus

Rick — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 20:33:42 +0000

Fords are notorious for vacuum leaks. This model is now different. It’s hard to find a leak on these newer cars because of the plastic intake manifolds. The whooshing sound is conducted by the plastic manifold, making it harder to listen for a leak. However, the most common failure on these vehicles is the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) hose or the PCV elbow. That should be the first thing you check/replace.

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

Click on the link below for speedy navigation:

ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use

Engine flush

Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder

MAF or MAP sensor

Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test

PassLock or Passkey

Thermostat issues

Transmission flush

Serpentine belt diagrams

Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive

Ford door switches—a known problem

Rick — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 03:21:00 +0000

Remember the pin/plunger switches that car makers used to install in the door jamb? Well, you won’t find them in Fords—some brilliant engineer had a “better idea.” They decided to place the switches inside the door right under the latch mechanism. When the door latches, a lever deactivates the switch and the body control module turns off the interior lights. Good so far….. The problem is that the switches gum up with grease from the latch mechanism or corrosion. That’s when interior lights stay on.

Some shops have reported success by saturating the latch mechanism with a rust penetrant and opening and closing the door about 20 or 30 times. That works the penetrant into the mechanism and some of it finds its way to the lever and switch. You really don’t have much to lose by trying this method because the only alternative is to remove the door trim panel and replace the switch.

I’ve tried this on a few Ford vehicles and had success. However, it’s not a long term fix. You will have to do it about twice a year.

Find a replacement ford door lock switch here

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

Click on the link below for speedy navigation:

ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use

Engine flush

Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder

MAF or MAP sensor

Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test

PassLock or Passkey

Thermostat issues

Transmission flush

Serpentine belt diagrams

Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive

Vibration at idle – Ford Focus

Rick — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 22:08:00 +0000

Some engineers should be designing weapons to defeat the enemy, rather than our cars. Here’s a case where the engineers designed a “roll restrictor” (motor mount) that’s open to the elements. Well, elements is a kind word for things like gravel, rocks, ice, or snow. If any of that gets into the “roll restrictor,” the engine gets locked into an unstable position and that creates the feeling of a rough idle. The fix is to clean out the gravel, rocks, etc and install the shield that should have been designed into this piece from the beginning. The shield is part #2M5Z-16102-AA. This problem affects 2000-2006 Ford Focus vehicles.

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

Click on the link below for speedy navigation:

ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use

Engine flush

Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder

MAF or MAP sensor

Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test

PassLock or Passkey

Thermostat issues

Transmission flush

Serpentine belt diagrams

Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive

Debris blowing out of HVAC vents – Ford

Rick — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 05:46:00 +0000

It’s not snow coming out of your vents—it’s excess brazing flux from the evaporator core. You’ll need to vacuum out the vent system to get rid of it all. Remove the floor duct trim. Attach a shop vacuum hose to the driver’s-side floor duct and seal it off with masking tape. Then, seal off every dash vent with tape. Turn the mode lever to Floor/Panel and the temp to cold and insert a compressed air hose into one of the vents. Turn on the vacuum cleaner and blow compressed air into the vent for at least 30 seconds. Perform this procedure at each vent. Next, move the mode lever to Floor/Defrost and insert the air hose into the defrost vents. Remove the blower motor and repeat the procedure from that location. Vehicles that have the problem: 2005-05 Expedition, F-150, Lincoln Navigator, 2002-05 Crown Vic, Mercury Grand Marquis, and 2005 Focus.

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

Click on the link below for speedy navigation:

ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use