This is a work-in progress. Please provide feedback and constructive criticism to cars [at] noegruts [dot] com. Suggestions for new frequently-asked questions gratefully received. If you have the answer, even better. If you are providing an answer, please also provide the source of the information, including URL if appropriate. If the question and/or answer is specific to a particular country (eg the USA), please point this out.
The intention of this FAQ is to answer many frequently-asked questions about the Focus. It is not intended to be an all-encompassing reference for Focus information - that task is way too big to be handled by a simple web page.
I'll be revising this FAQ as an ongoing project. I’ll have to figure out some kind of structure too - at present it is just a rambling stream of questions and answers...
The trunk release button only opens the trunk if the doors are not locked. Unlock one or all of the doors before using the button to open the trunk. (RTFM)
For definitive recall information check out the NHTSA web site.
If anybody can provide information about online resources that Focus owners from other countries can use to lookup recall information, please let me know so I can list it here.
Focus sedans and wagons sold in the USA are currently built in Wayne, Michigan. ZX3 hatchbacks are built in Hermosillo, Mexico.
Some European VIN decoder info: http://www.deja.com/[ST_rn=ps]/getdoc.xp?AN=662795763&fmt=text
Comprehensive USA-spec VIN decoder info: http://focus.noegruts.com/vin/vin.htm
According to Ford there will be four special edition Focuses. They are: Kona, Sony, Street Edition and Street Edition 2 (S2).
From http://www.anime-alberta.org/~dan/focus/info.html:
- Best New Economy Car 1999 - Automobile Journalists Association of Canada
- Best New Family Car under $25,000 1999 - Automobile Journalists Association of Canada
- Best New Sports Coupe 1999 - Automobile Journalists Association of Canada
- Top Ten Cars 1999 - Car and Driver magazine
- Car of the Year 2000 - Automobile Magazine
From http://www.media.ford.com:
- European Car of the Year 1999
- Car of the Year 1999, Denmark
- North American Car of the Year 2000 Popular Science
- 1999 "Best of What's New" Grand Award
- AAA's Top Car under $15,000
- One of the "1999 Ten Best" - Road & Track
- Car of the Year - Detroit Free Press
- Goldenes Lenkrad (Golden Steering Wheel), Germany
- Scottish Car of the Year 1998/99
- Ricerce Formale, Italy
- Car of the Year, Estonia
- Semperit Car of the Year 1999, Ireland
- Family Car of the Year 1998, Sweden
- CPA Mercosur Car 2001 (Car of the Year 2001) - Automotive Journalist Council, Argentina
From http://www.maxol.ie/industry_update99/press_releases/car_of_year_ni.htm:
- Maxol Northern Ireland Car of the Year 1999
From http://www.autoworld.com/news/Ford/Ford_Focus.htm:
- Car of the Year, Finland
From http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20000629/drive05.htm:
- Millennium Product designation, British Design Council
Remove the switch on the clutch pedal if you don't have cruise control. Remove the bulb from the instrument cluster if you do. See http://focus.noegruts.com/s-light/s-light.htm for details.
With the ignition switched off, press and hold the odometer reset button. Switch on the ignition and continue to hold the button in. When “TEST” appears on the instrument panel, release the button. You can then scroll through the functions by pressing the button. See this web page for details: http://focus.noegruts.com/diag/diag.htm
Enter “diagnostic mode” and scroll through the functions until you see “DTC” on the display. The code(s) will then be displayed. If "DTC None" is displayed, you have no trouble codes.
Try this link: http://www.obdiicsu.com/Docs/DTC/DTCData.html
[Does anybody know how to do this without a visit to the dealer?]
Adjust the Automatic Volume Control (AVC) setting. Read the owners manual.
It is the car Ford competes with in the FIA World Rally Championship. It is built for Ford by M-Sport in England. The bodyshell is based on the 3-door Focus and the engine block is from the 2.0 Zetec but that is where the similarity ends. The WRC Focus is 4WD and makes about 400 ft-lbs of torque with the assistance of a large turbocharger (compared with 135 ft-lbs for the road car...). The 34mm air intake restrictor mandated by the FIA limits peak power to 300bhp; without it the WRC Focus could probably make closer to 450bhp. For more information on Ford’s racing efforts, check out http://www.fordracing.net. Ford’s drivers in the WRC are currently Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz.
4x108mm, same as the Contour/Mondeo.
On the USA-spec. Focus there is no actual redline marked on the tachometer. The computer will cut the ignition at.6750rpm.
On the (USA-spec.) Focus hatchbacks the rear seat back splits 60/40 but the seat cushion is one-piece. And the seat backs will not lay flat unless the cushion is first raised. So you can't really take advantage of the fact the seat backs are split. This is probably one of the (few visible) cost-saving measures employed by Ford to keep the cost of the car down. Annoying though.
Update: Most (all?) 2002 model-year USA-spec. Focus hatchbacks now have the 60/40 split seat cushion in addition to the split seat back.
Dealer should fix them at no charge as per service message. Here is the text on the receipt when I had mine replaced:
- CAUSE: 4786 ROAD TEST. NOISE COMING FROM REAR BRAKES.
- R.R REAR DRUMS TO INSPECT.
- REPLACE REAR BRAKE SHOES WITH UPDATED PARTS PER SERVICE MESSAGE.
- 1 YS4Z*2200*BB KIT-BRK SHU & LNG RR (N/C)
- 2001BB BRAKE SHOES/PAD ASSEMBLIES - HYDRAULIC - REPLACE (2001/2007/2200) (N/C)
Good question. The European Focus comes with discs on all four wheels on the 1.8 liter and 2.0 liter models. Most of the USA-spec. Focuses come with front discs and rear drums, which somewhat spoil the look of the alloy wheels. This is almost certainly another of the measures Ford employed to keep the cost of production down.
Of course, to get rear discs you can always check out the aftermarket parts manufacturers, many of whom are gearing up to provide Focus parts. However, since the USA-spec. 2001 model year Focus (and now the Focus SVT, too) comes with rear disc brakes when equipped with the Advance-Trac option, it should be possible to buy the required parts from Ford to perform the conversion.
Try http://www.helminc.com/ - 2000 FOCUS WORK SHOP MANUAL Item No: FCS1294900 Price: $130.00. The CD-ROM version comes up for sale on eBay from time to time..
[Sources for non-USA model service manuals?]
You can bypass the fog light relay (relay #13). The only function of this relay is to switch the fog lights through the headlight circuit. The full fog light relay current flows through the fog light switch irrespective of this modification, so you should probably exercise caution when upgrading the fog light bulbs.
Try a Google search for step-by-step instructions on performing this modification. It really is very simple.
If you live in the USA or Canada, Ford has recently put the SVT Focus into production. It has received some excellent press reviews and would seem to be an excellent value. See the Ford SVT web site for further details. Note that this car is very similar to the Focus ST170 sold in Europe and (presumably) elsewhere.Ford announced the Focus RS for the European market late last year. It has a turbocharged 2.0 Zetec engine making “200+ bhp” along with Brembo brakes, 18 inch Oz Racing wheels, Quaife differential etc etc. Prices have not yet been announced. Update: apparently this car is still not in production due to problems with the exhaust manifold on the test cars. Latest guesses are that first deliveries will happen in "Summer 2002". That will make it about two years later than first promised, if I am not mistaken. Check out this excellent web site for more up-to-date information: http://www.focusrs.net/
Some people from the UK in the alt.autos.ford.focus newsgroup have reported that their 2.0 Zetec-equipped Focus will sometimes not return to idle when coming to a stop. They report the engine speed staying at anything from 2000 to 4500rpm for an extended period with the engine only returning to idle speed after some time or even after it has been switched off.
The current theory for this problem is that intake manifolds intended for the 2.0 Ford Mondeo have been mistakenly fitted to some Focuses. Apparently the Focus and Mondeo manifolds have the same part number even though they are in fact different, leading to some apparent mix-up at the factory. While this sounds incredible, it may well be true. If somebody can confirm this and/or provide further information, please let me know so that I can update this FAQ.
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