4.0

definitely annoying
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
1,600 miles
Total Complaints:
1 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. replaced drivers' side heated seat relay (1 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Ford dealer.

problem #1

Sep 172009

Focus SES 2.0L

  • Manual transmission
  • 1,553 miles

I noticed an intermittent ticking noise in the interior of the car in the summer time and couldn't figure out what was going on. I let the dealer know about it and even left it with them. They couldn't reproduce the effect, but I found another defect when the car came back. One of the smaller plastic panels on the interior drivers' door was broken.

So I called the dealer and let the service department know about the door and took it back to show them the problem. No problem, the warranty will cover the part. So the part was ordered and I'm happy again except for that the original problem has disappeared, but the fault wasn't pinpointed.

So the following weekend I had to take a long trip outta town to attend a hockey refereeing clinic. So I'm en route home and the ticking starts up again. Perfect! I can figure this out over the next hour's drive home with a cup of coffee.

Then the car really starts acting up. The manual transmission starts over revving every time I shift up a gear which is really weird, but I'm getting so much better performance on the downshifting than what's normal. And then I start getting really, really warm... so warm in fact that I have to start shedding clothes. So after a pull over or 2 I realize that the heated seat is turning on without warning and that it's not just the coffee.

The following day off I returned to the dealer and spoke with a guy at the service desk. Since I have some experience troubleshooting electrical problems we got to work in the parking lot and figured it out.

There's a relay and wiring under the drivers' seat that controls the heated seat and the power wire is also used in the sensor relay that prevents the tranny from over revving when shifting and smooths the performance in the shift. The mechanic repaired the wiring, replaced the relay, and replaced the panel all in one convenient drop off and pick up. It hasn't acted up since.

- squidinkfocus, Owen Sound, ON, Canada