Getting Ford to Recall the fuel pumps and gas tank

jnmarshall · Jun 5, 2003

Recently I've experienced the wonderful fuel pump issue with our cars and was rear-ended when the car stalled during a right hand bankment of an on ramp. Ford's repair bill for this is between $500-$1000 and it's not covered under insurance or any recalls. If you are out of warranty, like me, you are out of pocket.

Because this issue is clearly a safety one, I am trying to get more foci owners who have either had or have the problem to file a complaint with the NHTSA. Follow this link to the NHTSA Complaints online form.

galeano · Jun 6, 2003

done.

fruitport_focus · Jun 8, 2003

I have also reported this problem.

zx3r_type · Jun 9, 2003

I also reported a problem about 4 months ago. My fuel pump still hasnt been replaced and the dealership says I am full of crap every time I bring it in for stalling. It has been in 9 times in the past 5 monts and yes I am angry. Gonna have it checked again this week and if I dont get it fixed I am gonna contact the Dispute Settlement Board.

Focus Fuel Pumps

jnmarshall · Jun 9, 2003

When you go in, make sure your tank is empty. I dropped mine off this weekend with 1/8 of a tank. They dealer is right off the freeway, so we just had to pull out the parking lot, onto the sweeping right hand turned, floored it, and it died!
Good news so far... I spoke with ford, after the dealer drops the tank, if they find the lining material in there, they said they will offer an extension to the warranty. The way the dealer explained it, it something like they will warrant that problem for 5 years/75K with a maximum of 2 repairs!

I should know something this afternoon.

orndog · Jun 10, 2003

Remember, at Ford, "Quality is Job 1". Too bad they skipped that job, and the one under it, "Customer Service". Wonder why I bought that Subaru instead of another Focus.....

det_riot · Jun 21, 2003

ford sucks
when this is paid off it will be my winter beater and i will be driving an import..even though my family works for them

i didn't mind that at just over 36,000 miles my dpfe sensor went bad and i had to pay. now my trans is going,i have paint coming off my hatch, and for some reason my first fan never comes on now,(even though if i jump power to it it does) but when my car stalls around a turn this is bull [censored] and is very unsafe.
i'll stall my car out and crash it right into their world headquarters. maybe they will build a better turd

oh well i get a plan deal but will never ever recomend another ford to any person

Darth Weasel · Jun 21, 2003

Re: Getting Ford to Recall the fuel pumps and gas

My pump started dying at 23k miles, when it sputtered at high rpms and stalled on the highway. After a week, the problem would go away. I always thought it was the tranny. One dealer charged me $400 to clean the tank when I stalled it on right-hand turns, but I still had sputtering and stalling. After multiple trips to 2 dealers and Ford saying they wouldn't replace anything unless they knew the problem, the warranty expired and they finally got serious about fixing it... by charging me a diagnosis fee (they still didn't know the problem) and splitting the cost of parts with me.

Anyways, last week (at 33k miles!) I dropped the tank myself, pulled out 2 screens that are inside the tank (one disc, one sock that was inside the fuel-sending-unit cylinder), put the tank back in, and wham! Lots more power, smoother driving, no stalling on the highway or on right-hand turns, and I can accelerate with the air-conditioning on!

If the NHTSA ever get around to forcing a recall, I hope they don't just replace the pump with a new one that leaves crap in the tank again. If they do, I suppose I'll get my money refunded, have the new pump installed, then drop and re-design it so that it doesn't fail in 20,000 miles.

Phillip · Jun 21, 2003

Re: Getting Ford to Recall the fuel pumps and gas

This is what I did to mine also:

Stock is 5/16". I opened mine to 7/16"

This is stock:

I can carve nice,long, right-handers now without a glitch. I can get on it hard after a long right-hander!!! It NEVER did that, even new.

blueovalbaboon · Jun 22, 2003

Re: Getting Ford to Recall the fuel pumps and gas

some stupid [censored]-bag rear-ended me the other day, so I gotta pull off my rear bumper and go mad with bondo, I figure why not fix this stupid fuel issue while I'm at it. SLUSHBOXES SHOULDN"T STALL. How hard/long a job is it to pullthose screens out?

Discord · Jun 22, 2003

Your sort of misleading people...it IS covered under the extended warranty if you opted for it. Had mine go out between 38k and 42k, explained the symptoms, brought it in with 1/4 tank, I'm sure they experienced it too.

50 bucks. The labor alone was like 1/2 of what I paid for the extended warranty.

Phillip · Jun 22, 2003

Re: Getting Ford to Recall the fuel pumps and gas

some stupid [censored]-bag rear-ended me the other day, so I gotta pull off my rear bumper and go mad with bondo, I figure why not fix this stupid fuel issue while I'm at it. SLUSHBOXES SHOULDN"T STALL. How hard/long a job is it to pullthose screens out?

If you have the tank out, not hard at all. How detailed would you like me to get? I cut in an access panel. I can yank mine in maybe...1 minute..seriously.

all2envyZx3 · Jun 25, 2003

Re: Getting Ford to Recall the fuel pumps and gas

Phillip,
If you could possibly show a diagram or post a pic of where you cut the access panel for the feul pump.
I got mine replaced april 02 on a road trip from texas to cali and the sucker went dead in el paso. They replaced it under my 5 yr/75k mile warrenty but that was at 66,000 miles, and now I have over 93,000!!
Anyways I want to be able to fix this sucker my self rather than my dealership!
And with fords excellant quality parts

This nthing might not last too much longer?
So if you or someone else can enlighten me on where to cut , please let me know
Thanks, john

Phillip · Jun 25, 2003

Re: Getting Ford to Recall the fuel pumps and gas

Pics? Ya, here ya go.

det_riot · Jun 27, 2003

Re: Getting Ford to Recall the fuel pumps and gas

i put in a complaint to them and they called me back
then an engineer from ford called me and wanted my vin number and stuff, and possibly do testing on it.

maybe they will fix it for free?

Getting Ford to Recall the fuel pumps and gas tank

jnmarshall

galeano

fruitport_focus

zx3r_type

jnmarshall

orndog

det_riot

Darth Weasel

Phillip

blueovalbaboon

Discord

Phillip

all2envyZx3

Phillip

det_riot

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