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2000 Losing Power & Stalling

We have a 2000 Focus and I know that there was a recall on for the "Progressive Contamination of the fuel filters." This is because the Focus will lose power, hesitate, and stall. We had a Ford dealer work on the brakes, and while it was there, we told them to check the fuel filters. Prior to this, my wife let the fuel tank go to about an

1/8th of a tank, and the lose of power, hesitation, and stalling occurred. The dealer replaced the fuel pump module on 4/01/04, so they say. Saturday, my wife was merging onto a freeway, and with half a tank of gas, the car lost power, and the engine light went on, and after she pulled it to the shoulder, the car died. After waiting a few minutes, she tried to start it, which worked, and she drove another 15 miles home with no further problems. The engine light did not come on again. I drove it around 10 miles, and no problems. Right now, my wife's afraid to drive it for fear it will do it again. Does anyone have any suggestions? Does it sound like the fuel module, or what I call the Fuel sender, and could the Ford dealer have just not performed the change? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Reply to
Bob Kovach
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That definitely sounds like a fuel obstruction, but may simply be that she got some bad gas. Has there been a long spell of cool wet weather recently where you live? Did she buy gas at a discount place?

It is important to have the diagnostic codes scanned as soon as possible, since there are a variety of other possible causes i.e. electrical connection. The computer only keeps these codes for a limited period of time.

Reply to
Dave Gower

I'd check to see if the work was done when they said and also how much has it been driven since then ? Would you still have had older gas in it ? I live in PA. and I don't know when they changed from winter to summer formulas but it would affect drivibility too..there are a lot of variables like how much it's driven - what work has been done to it already...when my fuel pump was dying it would act like that too and who's to say you didn't get a bad pump. Good luck and let us know. Linda

Reply to
HbgpodLW

Today, I was driving it, and for about 20 miles, everything was ok. I filled it up with gas, and even got the oil changed. On the way home, I turned onto another road, and about 200 feet down, as I was giving it gas, the tach just started going down until it was under 1000. I pulled off the road, shut it off, and sat there a while, like what my wife did when it happened to her. We've probably driven about 2000 miles since the warranty work was done on the fuel sender, and we bought gas a Sam's club, the same place my daughter gets it from, and her 2002 Focus is running just fine.

After setting there for about 3 minutes, I started the car and it ran like normal, so I put it in gear and went down the road about a half mile, and it did it again. Now, no matter how long I sat, when I started it, it would start, but the rpm's would go above 800. Finally, I left it idling roughly while I got out and looked under the hood. I remember when I got the oil changed quite a while ago, the attendant said that they couldn't open up the compartment to check the air cleaner because of Ford's flimsy mounting screws, and the nut was spinning and so......the air cleaner hasn't been checked for a while.

There is a plug on the air intake tube, and I unplugged it, and the engine revved up to normal. I closed the hood, and drove the car home, although it was shifting a little harder than usual. I took my Haynes repair manual out and found out that I unplugged the "Air Flow Sensor."

Tomorrow am, I'm going to open up the air filter to check it. That may be my problem, but somehow, I can't believe it could be that plugged up. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for the follow-ups, and advice.

Reply to
Bob Kovach

I think they've had 2 or 3 different issues with the fuel pump - fual pump and fuel filter on the 2000 model. I no longer have a 2000 model but my mother-in-law does. I hope you have a good dealer or tech you can take it to as I remember some people had problems ( I think) with a ??? mass air flow sensor??? I pray someone will answer this one for you...was this bought new or used ??? Later - Linda

Reply to
HbgpodLW

I have 2000 and ended up with a fuel pump problem at 84,000 miles. Ford replaced the fuel pump assembly under a recall \ hidden warrantee. While it was apart they also discovered a gelatinous blob in the tank. apparently some fuel reacts to the plastic in the tank causing some kind goo to form. This can cause the symptoms of fuel starvation you are describing

Reply to
Brian Barton

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