Hi there!
I bought a used Focus, 2001, in early January. Three days after I purchased it, it started to die due to electrical problems.
Initially, I noticed just a split-second flicker of gauges going haywire -- the speedometer and temp gauge would max out, the fuel gauge would bottom out -- but it had no effect on engine performance. Then, a few seconds later, the gauges would go nuts again, ALL the warning lights on the dash went on, the digital odometer read all 8s, and the engine began to stall. Depending on how fast I was going, sometimes things would kick back in and I could continue driving before the engine completely stalled out. Most times, though, I was on residential roads and the engine completely stalled and had to be restarted.
I took it to the shop for electrical diagnosis, and they found nothing. They told me nothing was wrong with my car. He said he would take it for a spin and see if he could recreate the problem. Not surprisingly, he called back and said that there was definitely a problem, but he didn't know what it was. After "some more fiddling" he found that the battery was "crap," and thought that replacing it would fix the problem. He replaced the battery and took it for another drive to see if that fixed things, and it seemed to.
I was less than convinced, but took it back anyway. I've only driven it about 50-75mi since then, and it's started having the same problems again. I took it back to the mechanic to have them test the battery, thinking maybe there was a problem that was CAUSING a drain on the battery.. but the battery is fine.
Now they're saying it's the alternator. Meanwhile, at the beginning of this mess I suggested the alternator, but they said that wasn't possible due to the fact that my system "kicked back in". They said that when an alternator goes, it's gone, and that's that. Now the guy I talked to yesterday is saying he's "seen them come and go."
I've pretty much had it with this car. I worked nights and summers through college to save up and I paid in cash, and I've already had to dump $250 into the thing, and I'm still on the first tank of gas!
Has anyone had this problem, or have any idea what it might be?? I think I'm taking it back to the dealer tomorrow to see if he's willing to do a trade-in...