Please Help Clueless Student! 2002 Ford Focus!
Hey I'm someone who doesn't know much about cars....at all.
Here's my problem:
I have an automatic 2002 Ford Focus with about 52,000 miles on it. I had
never had a problem with it until this last month. A month ago I replaced
the fuel filter(not a real problem), two weeks ago I replaced the battery
(which was only a year old), I also replaced the alternator. A week and a
half ago the check engine light came on. I filled up my gas tank, checked
my fuel cap to make sure it was secure but the light did not go off. In
fact, at low speeds the car felt like it was going to stall. I took the
car back to the shop which replaced the alternator. Diagnostic test said
it was running lean and asked me about gas, checked the fuel cap, and reset
the computer, said it was probably just a malfunction or a bad gas mixture.
Five days later the check engine light comes back on. I do a little
research and see that this problem is common, but no one seems to know how
to fix it. I bite the bullet and take the car into the dealership. They
clean the injectors and re-do the fuel cap, replace ERG pressure censor,
reset computer. That was today, but the car still feels like it's going to
stall out at low speeds. I've already spent a grand in the last month on
this car and I can't afford to spend any more really, I am only going to
use the car for another two and a half months, then I need to sell it.
I need any advice at all. I'm a college student who has no clue about cars
and really can't afford them either!
Thanks in advance!
Check your recalls. Ford is recalling 2000-2003 focuses for having a bad lining in the fuel tank. They are replacing the fuel tank, fuel sender, filter.. basically the entire system. It shouldn't take the dealership more than a day. It's surprising that the dealership didn't know about this... I had mine replaced in August. Good luck.
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