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zx3 secret feature

2K views 53 replies 33 participants last post by  LemonGT 
#1 ·
There are 2 "handles" inside the hatch to grab so that one can close the hatch without touching the exterior of the car. It's a bit awkward at first, but it is a lifesaver in the winter when the car is grimmy. This "feature" is not described in the owner's manual

I see a lot of hatchbacks with all sorts of fingerprints and handprints on the exterior of the hatch, so I thought I would raise the topic.

BTW: Does anyone else know of any 'helpful'
secret features our beloved focus has?

zedexthree
 
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#5 ·
I found another interesting feature that I have never noticed in a car before. If you shut the car off, but don't remove the key, the steering wheel does not lock. Is this typical in other cars. I don't know if I have tried it before.
 
#8 ·
Everyone knows about 'dealer test mode' right? If you don't, its where you hold down the trip button while starting the car. You can then press the button to cycle through the different digital displays. Like speed, rpm, temp, etc...

Don't flame me for posting this because I'm sure there are some people out there who have never heard of it.
 
#9 ·
I can't use the hatch handles. I also have the "secret" Focus "feature" where the hatch likes to bounce back open at random, so I have to use repeated attempts to close the hatch... which always seems to happen when I have an audience, and even more often with attractive women around who I'd like to impress with my hatch closing finesse.
 
#10 ·
Everyone knows about 'dealer test mode' right? If you don't, its where you hold down the trip button while starting the car. You can then press the button to cycle through the different digital displays. Like speed, rpm, temp, etc...

Don't flame me for posting this because I'm sure there are some people out there who have never heard of it.
http://www.focushacks.com/index.php?modid=13

I'm working to grab more DTC codes and find out what each mode does.
 
#11 ·
Oh yah...

with the CD player (original style, not the audiophyle or mp3 players), listen to a CD then press and hold 1 and 6 at the same time. the screen shows 2 sets or funky info for about 10 seconds and goes back to normal.

on the passenger side front seat belt receptacle, there's a square of velvetty felt stuff glued to it. No one knows why.

The first time you use your spare tire jack, be prepared to not figure out how to get it put back correctly. Thanks, Ford. (after a few times using it, it's easy though)

when listening to the stock CD Player head unit without AVC on, Volume 22 is actually louder than volume 30 on most songs. Volume 1 is too loud for background music, 0 is not audible at all. What gives?
 
#13 ·
The first time you use your spare tire jack, be prepared to not figure out how to get it put back correctly. Thanks, Ford. (after a few times using it, it's easy though)
I am Still baffled on this one, I gave up on it a few weeks ago






My advice: Once you get it to fit with the tire in, take the spare tire out, leave the jack where it's at, and use some spray paint that contrasts with your spare tire well in there so you have an outline of the jack. Yes, you'll get paint on the jack. Who cares?
 
#14 ·
Here's one more. Its not really a secret but more of a hack/fix. I posted this earlier in a post about a stuck CD in the 6 disc in dash changer:

The 6 disc changer is garbage. Terrible reception and stuck CD's. If anyone didn't already know.

My #1 CD is stuck right now but I figured out a temporary solution. If a cd gets stuck, the cd player is useless because it just keeps trying to read the stuck cd and won't change to any of the other cd's. But, if you turn the unit back to the radio and hit eject, you can then press any numbered cd to eject then eject it and put it back in. I for example ejected #2 cd and put it back in. When I returned to the cd play function, it went to cd #2. I still can't eject the #1 cd but if you switch to any other cd, it will get the player working again until you accidentally hit #1 again.

The first time a cd got stuck in mine, I un-stuck it myself. I took out the radio, and was able to hear the loose cd flopping around. I then pushed it back into position with a small screwdriver through the vent holes in the case.
And in an update, I used the same technique to get the #1 CD out. I turned it to radio. Hit eject, then hit the #1 button. It failed a few times but it ejected it after a few tries. I think it helped that I was driving down a bumpy road at the time. It got things shaking around in there. I put it back in and it has been working ever since.
 
#16 ·
on the passenger side front seat belt receptacle, there's a square of velvetty felt stuff glued to it. No one knows why.
Are you talking about where the seatbelt enters the slot on the pillar? If so, the velvety stuff is for NVH. I believe early 2000 Foci (like mine) originally didn't have such a piece, and the seatbelt rattled quite badly as a result. When I took my car to the dealer to ask about it, they said it had been happening a lot, and installed some felt to make the noise go away. Same thing happened to a friend of mine, too. Evidently, that's a standard part now.

If that's what you were talking about.
 
#17 ·
Get an aftermarket CD player. Voila, problem solved.
 
#19 ·
i dont know if i'd call that a secret feature...
Yeah.. it's not like it's hard to see... just... look up when it's open.
Yea. One that caught me off gaurd was in the hatch on some early models, there were 2 or 3 pieces of velcro to secure the carpet/floor thing. Both of mine don't have that. But I do love the redesigned trim in my 2003.
 
#20 ·
on the passenger side front seat belt receptacle, there's a square of velvetty felt stuff glued to it. No one knows why.
Are you talking about where the seatbelt enters the slot on the pillar? If so, the velvety stuff is for NVH. I believe early 2000 Foci (like mine) originally didn't have such a piece, and the seatbelt rattled quite badly as a result. When I took my car to the dealer to ask about it, they said it had been happening a lot, and installed some felt to make the noise go away. Same thing happened to a friend of mine, too. Evidently, that's a standard part now.

If that's what you were talking about.
Nope. It's on the buckle receptacle end near the center console. Only on the passenger side, too. It's not on an area that would touch anything, as far as I can tell.

BTW I have an early 2000 ZX3 as well (old style intake manifold, etc etc) and I also have the rubbery padded things on the B pillar. That's wierd that you don't have those.

Also, I added the jack thing as a hack to focushacks.com.

http://www.focushacks.com/index.php?modid=24
 
#21 ·
When the trunk on my sedan is all cruddy, I use the part that sticks out inside that the latch is on. It's like a strong man competition or something, grabbing the piece and throwing it down...hehe
 
#22 ·
Nope. It's on the buckle receptacle end near the center console. Only on the passenger side, too. It's not on an area that would touch anything, as far as I can tell.

BTW I have an early 2000 ZX3 as well (old style intake manifold, etc etc) and I also have the rubbery padded things on the B pillar. That's wierd that you don't have those.
It's there to keep the buckle from rattling against/scratching up the center console on cars with an armrest. When you move the passenger seat back and forth the buckle slides right along the armrest support.

Other secret features...

On cars with rear power windows when you deactivate them the LED lights go off on the rear buttons.

If you use your remote to unlock your doors, and don't open a door in 60 seconds the doors automatically re-lock and the power locks deactivate.

If you leave your windows open, and lock your power locks, the power lock buttons deactivate.

Some foci have kangaroo pockets to store stuff in the front of the seat.

There is a weird tribal ritual dance you can do to deactivate the "belt minder" feature on you car, so that it stops beeping at you constantly to put your seat belt on (this is really annoying in pre 2002 cars because it starts beeping once you start the car, in post 2002 it will let you start and sit in the car, it only beeps once you start moving till you put it on) You can always temporally deactivate it buy putting the seat belt on and then off.

btw what is this 'rubbery padded things?"
 
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