I took my Focus into the local Ford dealer because of a slight vibration and intermittent rough idle. I was told that I needed a new cylinder head as there was a buildup of carbon on the # 4 exhaust valve. They were talking about a $3,000 repair bill. 2 days later, I was making plans to have a new head installed when the engine made a loud noise and just quit in the parking lot. The noise was described very well by many posts to this site. Looks like I too was a victim of Fords shoddy product (2.0 liter SOHC engine). I had about 123,000 well cared for miles on the engine when this happened. I had been thinking about a new Ford Focus this spring but not now!

I'd be driving down the interstate and my car would start sputtering like it was out of gas, and then in just enough time for me to get to the shoulder, it'd die. I'd wait for about 15 minutes and then re-start it. Never knew how far it would go. sometimes it went for another two miles and other times it'd go for 60 miles until it died again. I took it to the Ford Dealer, who charged me $140 for engine diagnostic and they couldn't find the problem, and wanted to charge me $80/hour for another day of diagnosis. Forget it! I paid the $140 and walked away with no answers. I did this with SEVERAL mechanics, and finally found one that said it could be my computer. he replaced my computer and it ran for another $80,000 miles or so. Then it started dying again, this time it didn't sound like I was out of gas, but there was a knocking sound. I had to replace my engine. My mechanic did a 'temporary fix', which got me another year out of it. Now it needs another engine replacement... let bygones be bygones.

I bought the car, put money into the car to make sure that it would be safe for myself and my children. (approx $3000). I noticed that the car started to do funny things - yet when I took to the mechanics they would always tell me it was a sensor or some other odd job that needed to be done. When I would start up the vehicle it would jolt as if there was not enough gas or air going into the engine....as a putt putt sound. I put a little more gas to it...and eventually that putt putt sound and vibration would stop. One day while driving down a main street in my town, the car just completely died. I was able to get it to start within minutes later, returned to the mechanics and within moments a loud bang came from my engine. I then was told that I would need to replace the engine. *$2700 for used $4000 for new. Two weeks later the mechanic told me that this is a common problem and I might think about not fixing this car.

I am pissed, I bought the car for $4000 - put easily $3000 in it....and only in a matter of months...I now have no car...and being told that its not worth fixing. I think FORD should foot this bill...since its apparent that its a common problem for the 2001 Focuses. Consumers are being ripped off!

The first time, I was on the interstate and I was driving at about 70 mph. All of a sudden, my car stalled out, it sounded like it was in neutral. Then my gauges went up and down and I had to pull over to the side. I had my sister and my newborn niece in the car, we were all terrified! We started the car back up and it ran fine. The second time, I was going to a friend's house and I had the exact same problem but this time the car COMPLETELY shut off in the middle of the road! I turned it off and it started back up. I don't know what to do! Please, someone help, This is the only car that I have.

The car just stalled as my daughter was driving it. This is the 3rd time this has happened in about 3 weeks. We have replaced the main fuse because it keeps getting hot and burning out but this is not the problem apparently. You will be driving down the road and it will just stop working and it only happens during the day when it is hot out. I have driven it at night to work and haven't had the problem, but as soon as we drive it during the day when its hot outside it stops working. When we replace the main engine fuse it works again for about two days then............ back to the drawing board. I looked on the web and found that the fuel system/engine has a recall on it for this year. it has something to do with the fuel delivery module (FDM). So this week I maybe on my way to the dealer to see if it will be free to replace. I don't know if that is the problem or not?! If it fixes the problem i will be getting rid of this piece of crap.

Hey!!! I had this exact same issue, my Ford focus wagon died turning the corner out of my daughter's daycare with a semi coming straight at us! No good. I took it into a local mechanic that i use through my place of employment - they said that they checked everything out and it was a heat sensor. Cleaning the heat sensor kept the car from dying since then. It cost me about $150 to have it all evaluated and cleaned. Worth the cost. Other mechanics kept trying to make me change my alternator, pfft - fat chance. Hope this helps!

driving in heavy traffic on freeway, speed up to change to get into other lane, engine revs cut out at 4000, engine would faulter at 4000 for rest of trip, this limited power considerably. next day car fine. no further problem until 8 months later when engine cut out again except this time quit completly. and after ten attempts when it would start then stall, it finally did go and then no more problem, until 6 months later engine quit again in heavy traffic with no warning. in all three gases weather was quite warm and humid. Did nothing as felt it was water or bad fuel???. have now contacted dealer as found out this is a real problem with ford focus. I am very concerned for my safety.