|
| Search | Car Forums | Gallery | Articles | Helper | Air Dried Fresh Beef Dog Food | IgorSushko.com | Corporate |
|
|||||||
 |
 Show Printable Version | 
Subscribe to this Thread
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
#1
07-05-2005, 04:36 PM
|
|||
|
|||
Major problems with 2000 Ford Focus SE at 48,000 miles.
It all started last week. I was pulling into a gas station and heard something scraping on the ground... as I stopped the car and looked underneath I noticed the fan was hanging all the way down on both sides. A guy at the gas station helped me. He said the clip on the fan had broken and that I would need to get it fixed. We got some string and he tied it in tightly in the meantime. Fast forward a week. I've probably driven 400 miles with the fan like that (stupid move on my part) and the problem has just gotten worse. The fan worked for awhile, in fact, I think it was still working yesterday, when the big problems began. The fan, or SOMETHING was hitting on the protector to the fan, making a really loud noise. I pulled over and noticed the string was coming loose. I fixed the string and it drove fine for awhile. In fact, I made it 15 miles or so before anything happened. The noise happened again, but that wasn't all that happened. It was overheating. The temp gauge was in the red, the RPM shot up and it was pretty much undriveable. I wasn't sure what to do. I pulled over to the side of the road, opened the hood and let it cool down. The fan was fine. I figured it might be the radiator. The fluid was completely down. I drove it to the gas station and got the radiator jug filled with water. It drove fine after that (I only had to drive 3 miles to get to a friends' house).
I was halfway home and the temp gauge was reading normally. But the car was feeling jerky, so I pulled off in a gas station. I had used a plastic cord to keep the fan up. It was starting to melt, and it really freaked me out. I decided not to drive it any farther, I had someone come and pick me up. My dad had said he would fix it, but now he says he's not going to get it fixed, I'll just have to be without a car. Has anyone had problems with the engine fan? I've heard the clip breaking is a normal thing after a certain amount of miles in a Focus. Is it really expensive to fix? 
|
|
#2
07-05-2005, 04:38 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: Major problems with 2000 Ford Focus SE at 48,000 miles.
Oh just thought I'd add... I called these 'major' problems because there's never been any other problems with this car. It has excellent gas milage (I've driven 200 miles and still had a quater tank of gas in the car) and I love the way it drives. Most of the time, until now.
|
|
#3
07-05-2005, 06:13 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Re: Major problems with 2000 Ford Focus SE at 48,000 miles.
Hmmm...I wouldn't call that a normal problem on any car, certainly something I've never heard of happening before on the Focus. The repair bill shouldn't be too astromical, at least for the fan. The fact that you're losing coolant somewhere concerns me. My guess is that when the string came loose, and the fan was hanging, it punctured the radiator, causing your fluid leak. Make sure, when the fan is replaced/repaired, that they track down the source of coolant leak, and repair that as well.
__________________
-Chuck
|
|
#4
07-05-2005, 08:07 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: Re: Major problems with 2000 Ford Focus SE at 48,000 miles.
Quote:
Actually, I went to an oil change station last month and they had asked me if I wanted them to refill the radiator too, but I didn't have the money for it so I refused it.
|
|
#5
07-06-2005, 08:37 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: Re: Re: Major problems with 2000 Ford Focus SE at 48,000 miles.
Quote:
also things you can figure out how to do on your own (with a little help from the friendly af crew if need be  )
__________________
I'm not a mechanic, I'm the guy people bring their car too when they don't run. I usually scratch my head and tap on stuff, then call the dealer to see if they can help me find the carburetor.
|
|
#6
07-07-2005, 12:47 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Re: Major problems with 2000 Ford Focus SE at 48,000 miles.
If you can't afford coolant, you can't afford to drive without it! You only have to severely overheat an engine once to warp or crack a cylinder head. This is a major repair! Get the fan fixed, check the system for leaks, and make sure the coolant is full, and remains full.
|
|
#7
07-14-2005, 10:38 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: Major problems with 2000 Ford Focus SE at 48,000 miles.
They were going to charge you for coolant???? My shop tops off all fluids for free as long as you came in for atleast an oil change and that's only 15bucks
|
|
#8
07-16-2005, 10:43 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Re: Major problems with 2000 Ford Focus SE at 48,000 miles.
The overheating is most likely due to the incorrect position of the fan. Most radiators depend on the extra airflow from the fan to adequately cool an engine.
As for fluid, everyone is in agreement that you need to keep all fluids topped off. When you ran low and put some water in you need to check for your antifreeze level. If you don't have enough, you'll overheat again. Mustangman25 is right tho. You most likely are causing more damage running w/o fixing this. Now you need to search for leaks and worry about any additional damage you may have done to the engine fro overheating. Take the time to get it done unless you can afford larger repair bills and being without your wheels.
|
|
|
POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD |
 |
|
|
