2001 Ford Focus: power window failure

Filed Feb 6, 2015 · Suspension · 118,951 miles · NY

Right front coil spring broke as I was driving to the mechanic to have a ball joint on my left front tire replaced. Heard a clanging noise while driving. I thought it was from the bad ball joint, when mechanic checked he said the coil spring had snapped. Called ford about safety recall which came up when I put my VIN number into their website. I was informed that the warranty period was over and my car was not covered. It cost me 600.00 to have both repairs done by a mechanic. I filed a complaint with ford while on the phone with them and their advice was to save my receipt and if a recall goes into effect for this problem, I will get reimbursed. I have seen hundreds of complaints about this problem, yet ford just ignores the issue as it is still happening. Now today my back window made a noise and the window fell down and won't go back up. I've already had a new battery, alternator, plugs and coil pack replaced because of surging and stalling. I am also getting poor gas mileage. I was told by ford that there are no open recalls on my car yet I have and am having the same problems that many of the recalls in effect are listing. Very poor customer service by ford.

Filed Nov 28, 2012 · Visibility · 116,000 miles · OH

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. The contact stated that he attempted to open the rear passenger side window however, the window opened and fell into the door panel independently. The contact stated that he attempted to close the window but it would not respond. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the window motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 116,000.

Filed Oct 16, 2012 · Visibility · 90,000 miles · VA

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. The contact stated that all four of the power windows fell into the door well independently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who set the windows to stay up and taped the power window buttons so that they could not be pushed as the windows would fall again. The manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. The failure and current mileage was 90,000. Updated 12/5/12 *cn updated 12/10/2012

Filed Jul 24, 2012 · Visibility · 20,000 miles · TN

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. The contact stated that two the front driver side and the passenger side rear door handles fractured from the vehicle. The contact would have to leave the windows open in order to later enter the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer however, the contact stated that the window regulator was defective and would need replacing. The contact was concerned that in the event of an emergency no one would be able to exit the vehicle immediately. The manufacturer was notified of the failure who stated that the contact should take the vehicle to the nearest dealer for a diagnosis and offered no additional assistance. The failure mileage was 20,000 and the current mileage was 74,000.

Filed May 25, 2012 · Visibility · 111,000 miles · MI

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. The contact stated that the rear driver side and rear passenger side window regulator motors failed. Several months later, the front passenger side window regulator motor failed. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 111,000 and the current mileage was 115,000.

Filed Jul 6, 2010 · Visibility · CA

The rear passenger and rear driver windows are broken. It started with the rear passenger, not going up, or down, then not staying up at all.. Then it was the rear driver side that did the same thing. The problem is even when you think it is up and in place, all of a sudden it is a quarter down, or half way down. If it rains you might as well tape plastic over windows, to keep rain and cold out. I have been reading the complaints that are filed on odi.the federal safety agency.dot and also reading the multiple ones that come up on the internet when you type in ford focus window problems. How many people does something need to affect before they do an investigation of an item? It is obvious to me that the issue ii the window motor regulator.

Filed Jun 25, 2010 · Visibility · 123,617 miles · CA

I purchased my 2001 ford focus se in march 2001. The first window regulator broke in 2004, leaving one rear window in the down position and unable to open; it just stopped working. The 2nd regulator broke in 2006, leaving the other rear window in the down position and unable to open; also just stopped working one day. The 3rd regulator broke (front driver's side) on 6/23/2010 only this time, the regulator didn't just fail and stop working, the whole thing burst into pieces when I attempted to roll the window up and shattered the window while I was driving. Glass came raining down inside the vehicle, leaving a minor cut to my leg (because it was very minor, I'm not considering it an "injury" and checked the "no" field below). Fortunately, I was driving in a parking lot when it happened so low speeds didn't allow the glass to blow around but if I had been on the freeway doing high speeds, I could have potentially experienced severe cuts from the shattering glass flying into my vehicle. The first two window regulators that broke (both rear) have not been replaced as of yet, I couldn't afford the parts (quoted as $120 each at the time) so vice grips are inside the door holding the windows up, both faulty regulators are still available. The front drivers side had new glass placed in it on 6/24/2010 and cost $146.00. They did not have a regulator at the repair shop so that window is now also being held up by other means and the faulty regulator is still available for that window as well. I plan on replacing all 4 of them this weekend, even though only 3 have broken at this point, I'm sure the 4th is soon coming so it will be replaced as well. I have found numerous online complaints about regulators breaking on this model vehicle so it appears to be a common problem, but when glass starts shattering while driving, that significantly raises the risk/safety factor and cause for concern.

Filed Nov 20, 2007 · Visibility · 23,000 miles · FL

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford focus. The rear windows collapsed in the vehicle. The mechanic stated that the plastic holder failed and caused the cables to intertwine, which then caused the window motor to malfunction. The passenger side rear passenger window was replaced at the cost of $300. The manufacturer advised the contact to take the vehicle to a ford dealer for a diagnostic, but they could not guarantee that they would be able to assist. The powertrain was unknown. The current mileage was 25,000 and failure mileage was 23,000.

Filed Feb 11, 2007 · Electrical, Visibility · CA

I own a 2001 ford focus se automatic: my ignition lock and the steering wheel are jammed. It is a very recent development and I am finding out that I may have to pay hundreds of dollars to fix it, which I am very unhappy about since it would have been prevented by a recall of the vehicle. I still have no idea how I am going to fix it and I might have to end up towing the car which will cost even more and I don't have enough money to do that, but if I leave it on my street then I will get a parking ticket. Shame on you ford for not issuing a recall, what am I supposed to do? Another problem with my focus is that the rear passenger side window broke in 2005. The motor got jammed and broke or something, but now my window won't roll up and my car is getting rained inside of, again thanks ford for not issuing a recall on that problem, which is a problem that every ford focus owner that I know has. I will never buy a ford again, and I will tell everyone that ford's suck!!!!!

Filed Aug 21, 2006 · Visibility · TX

2001 ford focus-window regulators fail without notice. 5 times the window regulators failed, 3 of those while driving under normal conditions, the window either dropped or would not roll back up if window was open. The first 3 times it was over 100 degrees outside and the air conditioning would not cool the back seat where my newborn was sleeping. All 4 windows have done this at least once, the driver side front window has done it twice. Ford fixed the problem 4 times and refused on the fifth time. The customer service representative from ford in dearborn, mi hung up on me 3 times refusing any service.

Filed Aug 4, 2006 · Visibility · 88,000 miles · TX

Both rear passenger windows systems have failed, with no warning, within a month of each other. The window will not open or close, and unless it is secured in the frame, it will slide down into the door and stay there. The window regulator that fails is a ford (plastic) part, that costs over $130 and needs a special tool to replace. Every place in town that I called about this says they repair more ford focuses than any other car, as this part is clearly defective. I see many focuses with windows taped up, etc. I'm considering just gluing the second window into place in the frame, as over $200 (parts and labor) to replace a defective part is money I do not have.

Filed May 18, 2004 · Visibility · 45,578 miles · UT

When the vehicle was parked and running, the rear window fell through the vehicle. Please provide additional information.