Ford Focus - this is not only a well-known brand, but also a high-quality equipment that over the years of use has shown itself from the positive side. The first generation of these cars has been sold in the secondary market for many years and still remains relevant, despite significant wear and tear.

Now the second generation cars are entering the secondary market, and in this article we will try to assess how reliable these cars are and whether they will not be worse than their predecessors after a certain period of operation.

Body. Well, galvanization, as before, saves it from rotting, but then the paint failed, it quickly becomes cloudy from the effects of water, prone to scratches, peels off. The front bumper and the edge of the hood also quickly lose color, it would be nice to apply a protective film or anti-gravel coating on them. Already in the second year of use the backlight contacts are oxidized for license plate car.

Opening the hood with a key is still not a very pleasant pleasure, bearing many problems. You can start with the fact that after such a case, the hands often remain in the mud, and quite often the plastic rod breaks, which goes from the lock cylinder to the retainer. Replacing the lock will cost 70 euros. Fortunately, there are craftsmen who put the same detail, but already metal. Sedans often the trunk stops opening, corny breaks part of the wiring, which is unsuccessfully located.

The second generation suffers from headlights, light bulbs burn out in them, and for the sake of repairing the latter it is necessary to disassemble the entire headlight. The same thing happens with mirror heating threads. The heater often requires increased attention to itself, seat heating often stops working. The fan of the heating fan is generally a separate topic, having a cost of 240 euros, he can safely give up the ends after 50 thousand km., He has a resistor burned, but if when shifting speeds you will hear a yelp, then do not bother to lubricate the shaft bearings - it is useless, you need to change.

Another reason for cold snaps in the cabin can be the engine. Gasoline engines for 1.8 and 2.0 liters got a thermostat, which stops working not "nagulyav" and 100 thousand. Km. The generator brings some joy, it rarely fails before 150 thousand km. If he refused, then there is no need to hurry with the replacement, often a simple replacement of brushes saves the day. Note that if the generator still fails, it is better not to go further on the battery, because the engine control unit will fall asleep so hard that you will only have to wake up with brand equipment.

With the firmware of the electronic control unit is also a lot of trouble. Duratec 1.8 is the most buggy, in which, with different versions of software, the motor pulls weakly until it warms up, idle speed jumps, starts up poorly, and jerks when driving into tension.

In general, in the 1.8 and 2.0-liter Duratec engines, as well as in the first generation Focus, the throttle valve block, ignition wires and coils pose problems. Every 50,000 miles. need to clean the throttle unit, because it is quickly polluted, if flushing does not help, then you just need to change the flap position sensor, which costs 70 euros.

Also be sure to check the spark plug wells for the presence of oil deposits, they usually appear after 90,000 km. This means that it is time to change the gasket at the valve cover, which costs 30 euros. You can also try tighten the valve cover, as due to vibrations its inhibition weakened. To this range, vibrations can increase, because the upper hydraulic support of the motor weakens. Its replacement will cost 90 euros.

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On engines with a volume of 2 liters after 100,000 km. a two-mass flywheel can fail, it will make specific rattling, its replacement will cost 520 euros. If time does not change it, the consequences will be dire. There are also cases when, after 3000 rpm, the Check Engine light disappears and the Check Engine light comes on, which means that it is time to change the valve that controls the intake manifold for 85 euros.

In these engines, the only thing that does not require attention is the timing chain and drive, they calmly withstand 250,000 km. But on older engines with a capacity of 1.4 and 1.6 liters, it is necessary to change the timing belt every 80,000 km. These motors work on the first generation of the Focus, they are quite reliable.

There is one more engine which began to be installed on the 2nd generation of the Focus - 1.6 liter with a capacity of 115 liters. with. Ti-VCT, in which the intake and outlet mechanism of variable valve timing works. In this engine, this mechanism and causes problems - the special reliability of the camshaft coupling is not characterized. After restyling in 2007, this site was finalized, and the problems disappeared by themselves.

In general, all Ford Focuses with gasoline engines have common weak points: a fuel pump that requires high-quality fuel. The machine may not start if the mesh of the fuel pump becomes clogged. Here, the difficulty lies in the fact that this grid is not so easy to change, it is assembled with a gasoline pump, which costs 300 euros, and you will have to pay another 150 euros for the work, because take off the gas tank in order to change the fuel pump. But this is all the official course of events, now there are masters who, for a modest payment, will be able to pick up the net and change it separately, leaving the serviceable fuel pump in the car.

But all this is minor compared to another situation - neutralizers costing 800 euros, they are not famous for their long service life and are located very close to the exhaust manifold. These neutralizers ruin excess fuelwhich did not burn during the ignition and oil, which fell on the inlet due to coked or worn piston rings. This problem is relevant when the engine consumes 1.5 liters of oil per 10,000 km. run Rings may occur due to late oil change. On vehicles whose mileage exceeded 100 thousand km., The oil should be changed after 10,000 km, and not as stated in the instructions - after 15,000 km. Also rings wear out faster if there is no proper cooling, so you need not be lazy clean radiators every year. In an especially hot season, it is possible and not to notice that the engine overheated, because the coolant temperature gauge is not very accurate.

There are diesel versions of the Focus, but we have to get them very difficult, because they were released only 4%. They require high-quality diesel fuel, if to refuel an unsuccessfully cheap diesel, there is a very expensive repair to restore the injection pump, the work alone will pull 500 euros, and the pump will cost 1,000 euros. Also nozzles will need to change, and they cost 315 euros. To after 100 thousand. Km. It was not necessary to change the EGR valve for 400 euros, it should be cleaned of sediment. And of course, the 2-mass flywheel creates the same problems here as in 2-liter gasoline engines.

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Transmission

The Focus has a simple and, accordingly, reliable 4F27E automatic transmission, it is not famous for its special quickness, it is also installed on the Ford Escort, Mazda of the 3rd and 6th series, it already has no such problems that were on the old Focus. The only thing that can happen unpleasantly, and that, due to the fault of the hydraulic unit, pressure sensors and pressure control solenoids. If a install a new hydraulic unitthen this is minus 1,300 euros, but it can be recovered for 600 euros. Solenoids will cost 100 euros, pressure sensors for 110 euros.

The mechanical box, on the contrary, is less reliable in the 2nd generation Focus. The 5-speed mechanics of the IB5, which is completed with the 1.8-liter Dutatec engine, can fail even after 80,000 km, if it is given a good load. Here in the differential the axis of the satellites can break, after which crankcase hole - the oil will begin to flow out, which means that the box will require expensive repairs in the amount of 2,500 euros. There are cases that after 100,000 km. there is a howl from the bearing in the primary shaft, if it is not changed, then it can jam, and then the box will also require expensive repairs.

If such failures occur, it is not necessary to repair the box or buy the same new one, it makes sense to install another 5-speed box, namely the MTX75, which goes to the 2-liter engines. It is already more robust and suitable for a 1.8-liter engine. No matter what box is installed, should keep track of the glands and the seal of the gearshift rod. Quite often, the rod can poison the oil, this should not be, otherwise the slightest shortage of oil will lead to the fact that the gear rims of the gears and the shafts will become unsuitable.

There have been cases that after 60,000 km. the release bearing failed, the replacement of which cost 65 euros along with the clutch cylinder. The clutch completely costs 290 euros, so when a bearing is being replaced, it is worth looking at the condition of all the other clutch elements. Even if you drive carefully, the clutch will be able to work no more than 130 thousand km. If a will start flyingthen this is not a reason to change the cable mechanism, it is enough just to tighten the cables.

Suspension

New surprises in the 2nd generation suspension bracket did not appear, the suspension remained the same as in the first generation - quite tenacious. Front - McPherson, in which the hub bearings do not live long - up to 60,000 km, and they need to be changed as an assembly with a hub for 130 euros. Also to this run replacements require stabilizer barseach of which will cost 26 euros. Further, after 80,000 km. usually tired support bearings racks, each of which costs 12 euros. And after 100,000 km. It will be necessary to change the levers, which are assembled with a ball bearing and silent blocks for 150 euros.

As for the rear suspension, there is a multi-link, it is more durable, withstands calmly 120,000 km. After this run, it is necessary to sort it out - it will cost 520 euros. Silent blocks are assembled with levers, but there are craftsmen who can put non-original silent blocks, thus, it will be possible to save a little, but this is a more risky event. In general, most of the details of the rear suspension are the same as on the Mazda 3-series.

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Steering

After 60 thousand km. in steering it is necessary to change the thrust, which cost 65 euros, the rack and pinion mechanisms for this run begin to knock slightly, they are often changed under warranty.

The focus is an electric power steering, which can burn the board that controls the pump. If this happens, you will have to change the entire unit for 700 euros. In cars with engines of 1.4 and 1.6 liters is a normal power steering, which in severe winter frosts can refuse. But this is not a reason to buy a new pump, which is sensitive to severe frost. Condensate accumulates in the oil., which means that the access valves could freeze. Just wait for the car to warm up. To avoid such a situation in the future, it is necessary every 50,000 km. change the special oil from the power steering. By the way, the oil can be either mineral or synthetic, the main thing is that it corresponds to the VIN code.

As a result, we see that the new generation of the Focus has not become more reliable than the previous generation, but the car also did not become worse. The main advantages of Focus are low enough price at the time of purchase, and the content does not cost too much. If you buy a Ford Focus 2, it is better to choose models of later years, because the early models are the same as the Focus 1 of the last years of release, only the first generation costs about 60,000 rubles cheaper than the second.

If you compare the Focus with other machines from this class, then the 2nd Focus looks more attractive than such competitors as Renault Megane 2 and Peugeot 307, which are 30,000 rubles cheaper. As for Japanese cars, those are much more expensive than the Focus - the Mazda of the 3rd series costs 40 thousand rubles more, and the Toyota Corolla is even more expensive - about 60,000 rubles.

So Ford Focus is quite easy to sell, now older versions of the 2nd generation cost about 265,000 rubles. As for the body type, sedans are more common. Among the proposed modifications is to choose a diesel equipment with a mileage of not more than 60,000 km, it will cost about 500,000 rubles, or a gasoline car with a 1.6-liter engine, although it is not very powerful - only 100 liters. with. But buying gasoline versions with engines of 1.8 and 2.0 liters is undesirable, because in the future you can expect a lot of trouble from them in the process of operation.

If you have any gaps in the issue of buying a second-generation Ford Focus with mileage, then this video will definitely close them: