NHTSA Complaint #760710 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

FUEL PUMP PROBLEMS: WHEN MAKING RIGHT HAND TURNS, OR DRIVING AROUND EXTENDED RIGHT HAND CURVES (LIKE FREEWAY ON- AND OFF-RAMPS [AKA CLOVERLEAFS]), THE CAR NEARLY STALLS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AFTER THE TURN. WHEN CONSUMER STEPS ON THE GAS PEDAL, THE ENGINE SEEMS TO STOP RUNNING. WHEN CONSUMER LETS OFF THE PEDAL, THE ENGINE RUNS AGAIN AND ONCE THE CAR HAS ROLLED IN A STRAIGHT LINE FOR A SHORT DISTANCE, (50-100 FT.), CONSUMER IS ABLE TO ACCELERATE. THIS PROBLEM BEGINS TO SHOW UP WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATES THE FUEL TANK IS LESS THAN FULL. AT THAT POINT, THE STALLING PROBLEM ONLY OCCURS AFTER MAKING A HARD TURN. THE STALLING PROBLEM IS EASIER TO REPLICATE AS THE AMOUNT OF FUEL INDICATED BY THE FUEL GAUGE DROPS BELOW 3/8 OF A TANK. THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT OCCURRED WHEN MAKING ANY LEFT HAND TURNS. REAR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS UP UNTIL ABOUT 38,000 MILES, THESE PROBLEMS WERE INTERMITTENT, AND WERENOT EVIDENT MOST OF THE TIME. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED AT A DEALER AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO LOCATE (OR EVEN REPRODUCE) THE PROBLEM. RECENTLY, THE PROBLEMS BEGAN TO REOCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY, UNTIL NOW, THEY ARE PRESENT VIRTUALLY ALL THE TIME. THE PROBLEMS OCCUR TOGETHER. IF ONE PART OF THE SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, THE OTHER PARTS ARE FUNCTIONING AS WELL. THE PROBLEMS ARE, THE RIGHT TURN SIGNALS FLASH QUICKLY. THE RIGHT TURN SIGNALS FLASH QUICKLY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. IF THE TURN SIGNAL IS ON WITHOUT THE BRAKES (AS IN APPROACHING A TURN OR SIGNALING A LANE CHANGE), THE TURN SIGNAL FLASHES NORMALLY. THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS NEVER AFFECTED. THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK. THE LIGHT ON THE SWITCH ILLUMINATES WHEN PRESSED ON BUT THE WINDOW DOES NOT CLEAR SO THERE SEEMS TO BE NO POWER GOING TO THE WIRES OF THE DEFROSTER. TAILLIGHTS AND BACK-UP LIGHTS ILLUMINATE. WHEN THE SWITCH OF THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER IS ON (AND THE DEFROSTER IS NOT WORKING) THE TAILLIGHTS AND BACK-UP LIGHTS ILLUMINATE.*JB