Stalling on my Ford Focus 2000 one day I was driving to work on the highway when my car started to stall I almost had a accident because my car would not speed up.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

I drove a 2000 Focus ZX3 for 3 years without a single problem. On March 2007 (90000 miles) the car stalled and died completely in the middle of a California freeway. After 5 min I was able to restart the car and drive to my mechanic (not a Ford dealer). Computer analysis showed a faulty mass air flow sensor. He replaced it ($450). Two days later, the car stalled again in a residential area (20 mph and full tank of gas). The car restarted and I drove back to same mechanic. He didn't find anything wrong and suggested I should drive to a Ford dealer. They replaced the fuel delivery module at no cost because of Ford recall #03N01. After that the car stalled (and died) again while pulling out of a parking lot (5 mph and full tank). Ford technicians drove the car for 150 miles while hooked up to a "flight recorder" and found nothing. I drove it for 20mi with a "flight recorder" and it stalled right away. I tried restarting it and it stalled again (4 times in a row). I was able to record the data using flight recorder. For the first time the check engine light was on (code P1237). The Ford dealer inspection all the electrical wires looking for a faulty connection ground. After re-wiring they test-drove the car again. They think the car is ok now. This has been my third week without a car. I was renting a car in order to go to work (paying to go to work). I can't afford to spend more money on more surprises. I have been stressed emotionally and financially. Even if the car is ok now, I don't feel safe driving it (or any other Ford). At this point I decided to sell the Focus to the same Ford dealer. I'm complaining about the Ford Focus and Ford in general (as a corporation and a brand) for allowing such a flaw to be sold to the general public. I have been very well treated by the service department at the Ford dealer.

- Irvine, CA, USA

: the contact stated the vehicle was not included in NHTSA recall # 03V482000, for the fuel system: Gasoline due to the VIN, when the manufacturer was notified, although the vehicle had the same problems as described in the recall. The contact stated while traveling 55 mph, the engine hesitated when the accelerator was depressed, making a chugging or coughing sound before the engine reacted and accelerated.

- Mentor, OH, USA

I was driving at 65 mph, while the engine of my car started loosing power and rpms. I immediately shifted to neutral and pulled to the side of the road. I tried to restart the car, but it was running pretty bad, almost as if not enough fuel was going to the engine. I shut the engine off for 5 minutes. I restarted again and it worked ok for another 10 minutes, when the problem occurred again. This is not the first time this is happening, usually it happens when it's a warm (not hot) day, and with half tank or less. However the problem got worse, so it happens regardless of the fuel level. The fuel pump seems to overheat.

- State College, PA, USA

Ford issued a safety improvement campaign, campaign number: 03V482000, in November 2003, which stated that contamination of the filter in the fuel delivery module would eventually lead to blockage of the system. The replaced the FDM in my car in 2004 because my car was experiencing all the symptoms of the advisory. However, 2 years later, I am experiencing the same problems because the fix did not work. The filter once again became contaminated and the fuel pump once again needs to be replaced. I spoke to a customer service rep at Ford and although he was very understanding, the fact is the advisory was not a recall and they took care of the FDM. I am not sure what else can be done at this point because, this first recurrence happened while trying to merge onto 60+ mph traffic and my care refused to accelerate beyond 30 mph. If Ford says that the problem is fixed, then a repeat of the problem should not occur two years later.

- Fort Lauderdale, FM, USA

The contact states there is an NHTSA recall campaign 03V482000 concerning the filter in the fuel delivery module (FDM). This vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall, but it is not included in the recall due to VIN. The vehicle has not been repaired.

- Lexington, KY, USA

Did a right turn to get on the freeway and lost most power. Hobbled along the shoulder at 20 mph for 1/2 a mile, then it stalled. Waited 1 minute, restarted and then it ran fine. No check-engine nor other lights came on until it stalled. Occured after driving 3 miles in July (paritally warm) with about 2 gallons of gas. Drove to kemp Ford and asked service dept about any recalls. Seemed to have no knowledge of similar incidents. Suggested possble fuel pump problem. The car has lost power three times previously at the same location for about 3-5 seconds, and then recovered.

- Camarillo, CA, USA

My husband and I was a trip to paintsville, ky, approximately 80 miles away from home. The car began to spit and sputter and progressively grew worst the farther we drove. The engine light came on and the car was stalling. We were stranded in paintsville, ky for several hours.

- Wheelersburg, OH, USA

Washed car at local car wash, and car ran fine. Got home to do finishing touches and kept car running. Low on fuel, a little under the 1/4 line, but ran fine. Went back out about four hours later to go grocery shopping, and car would not start. All the lights and dinging would come on, but the engine wouldn't turn over. For 2 days my car sat in the parking lot not starting. I would go out in the morning to try and start it, and it would almost start, but wouldn't. I had aaa tow my car to a repair shop and when it got there, they called me and asked what I was trying to do. They got the car off the truck and it started right up. They are keeping my car over night to try and start it in the morning. I feel really dumb now and bad for wasting their time. What could the problem be?

- Ellensburg, WA, USA

Consumer received recall 03V482000 concerning fuel delivery module: Dealer claimed that the consumer needed to pay a diagnostic fee before the recall work was done. The recall notice clearly stated that the fuel filter was to be replaced free of charge if the vehicle was experiencing certain symptoms.

- Uniontown, PA, USA

While driving 55 mph the vehicle sputtered and stalled without warning. The fuel tank was half full. The driver pulled the vehicle over to the side of the highway and tried to restart the vehicle twice. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer who replaced the fuel delivery module. Consumer noted this failure would have been very unsafe had it happened around other vehicles.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

My 2000 Ford Focus engine sometimes stalls or hesitates during acceleration when my fuel tank is about one-quarter full. It behaves like it's out of gas, but I know it's not. It has happened more than 20 times since I purchased the vehicle new. To the point where I never allow my tank to get near the 1/4 full mark.

- Doylestown, PA, USA

2000 Ford Focus SE/sw with at and ac stalls and or dies during normal driving conditions at high or low speeds. ItS a repeating occurrence, after the car has been driven for a short while and the engine is at its normal operating temperature. While the above incidents take place, the carS warning systems do not indicate any apparent failure or overheating.

- Wa, WA, USA

Fuel gauge giving incorrect readings, car stalling on tight curves such as on-ramps to parkways and interstates. Told the problem was the fuel pump. Had it replaced on 7/11/03; within 48 hrs lines disconnected from pump spilling fuel everywhere. Ford reconnected lines which held for 2 weeks then disconnected again. This time Ford replaced the second pump. Now its the coolant system that is failing, car overheats then stalls. So far no accident has occured, but it seems only a matter of time.

- Cortlandt Manor, NY, USA

Loses power on right hand turns (entering freeway especially). Stalls while driving. Began at about 42000 miles, with a quarter tank of gas, so always kept the tank at least half full. This week stalling has occurred with full tank, trying to accelerate from a stop going uphill. Air conditioner. 95000 mi currently. (average 3-4K miles/mo).

- Murrieta, CA, USA

Fuel delivery problem, possibly vapor lock/fuel pump related (a common $450-$600 repair way too early in the life of the 2000 & 2001 Ford Focus according to anecdotal E-mail evidence on internet chat sites), but equally likely to be related to EA02-022. 1st symptom was loss of power upon shifting into 2nd gear. Speed there was acceleration from 12 mph up into 2nd gear. The car recovered after a near stall with oncoming traffic approaching. 2nd incident was the next day (today) where I was shifting from around 25 mph into third gear in morning rush hour traffic and was nearly rear-ended because the vehicle stalled. Fortunately I was albe to pull over to the shoulder, whereupon the vehicle would not accelerate in any gear/was completely asthmatic. After two minutes in place the vehicle recovered and I was able to proceed. The mechanic wants to replace the fuel pump, fuel filter, fuel filter hose and fuel return line....but if the problem is systemic to the fuel delivery system prior to the fuel pump pursuant to the referenced study, then a new pump will be able to draw fuel better/serve as a temporary fix. But, like the original, it too will fail early due to the higher demand on drawing the fuel through the blockage. The tank was approx. 1/4 full at the time of both incidents.

- Olathe, KS, USA

The vehicle lost power/hesitated and sometimes stalled when in motion and allowed the fuel tank to drop below 1/4 full. (vehicle will not run) the consumer believed the problem was the fuel delivery system.

- East Stroudsburg, PA, USA

I have a 2000 Ford Focus w/ 2.0 zetec engine that started having problems in may of 2002 when I was driving home on the expressway. Symptoms included the car lurching in higher rpms (necessary to maintain speed) and eventually the car was unable to maintain 55 mph and stalled on the expressway. It started up half an hour later, and I was able to limp home at 50 mph on the E-way. That problem disappeared after a week, and showed no signs of coming back until the next time I made a long car trip, when it did the same thing, but thankfully did not stall. The car continued to do this, and Ford dealers never did find anything wrong with the car, although one dealer charged me $400 to drain and clean the tank because of debris in the tank causing the car to stall on right turns. If not for the focaljet.com website, I would be stuck with an out-of-warranty defective car that Ford flatly refused to cover during the warranty, but was happy to split the cost 50-50 one day after the warranty ended. After making another long trip and having the car sputtering at 4000 rpms, I dropped the fuel tank, removed 2 clogged filters from inside the gas tank fuel-sending unit, and the car has worked perfectly since then. I now have more power, smoother power delivery, no stalling or stumbling on the E-way or on right-hand turns, and the car no longer hesitates with the A/C on. These clogged filters have cost me countless hours, trips to the dealer, and $400 when the fix is just to let the external (and user-serviceable) fuel filter do its job. I have kept the 2 filters that I removed and taken pictures of the fuel canister that contained the clogged filters, in case there is any need to investigate them.

- Bethesda, MD, USA

My 2000 Ford Focus with 45,000 miles on it had been experiencing dramatic hesitation problems around highway exit curves/corners. This happened about 4 separate times, with it finally just stalling and breaking down the last time. Thank god the cars behind me were not speeding and didn't crash into my rear end. I was able to roll safely a few feet away to a small shoulder area. I turned the car off and waited a second before starting it again. It started right up with no problem. Also a few weeks earlier the car wouldn't start one morning. I had it towed to my local Ford dealer, who said it simply needed transmission fluid, they added it and it started up. But in the next two weeks is when it began hesitating on curves and feeling like it was going to cut off. But it had happened once prior to that, it hesitated after the curve and wouldn't accelerate even though I was stepping on the gas. When I took it back to Ford, they did a full inspection and told me I needed a new fuel delivery module, a new fuel filter and injection cleaning (the latter 2 being regular maintenance). But this fuel delivery module was major. And my extended warranty (not through Ford, but with GM major guard) almost didn't cover it, but decided to cover most of it. The Ford dealer told me that the cause for the fuel delivery module going bad was just basic wear and tear over time. I find this hard to believe, especially after reading other customer's complaints of the same problem on this web site and an article on www.cartalks.cars.com. please recommend to Ford to address this problem before someone is seriously injured.

- Largo, MD, USA

Car stalling during right hand turns.

- Bryan, TX, USA