My fiance's '01 Focus SE had the check engine light come on a while back. About the same time, it started to have a noticeable vibration roughly every half-second or so at idle. Took it to Autozone, got them to hook it up to their handheld computer thing and it said it needed a new upstream O2 sensor. Bought one, changed it. Handheld device still said the O2 sensor needed changing. Check Engine light didn't go off, but we figured we'd fixed the problem, so we reset the light. 20 miles later, light comes back on, engine still vibrates at idle. It's not a constant vibration, it shakes, then stops, then shakes, then stops, and so on. Once you start moving, the vibrations stop. Sometimes it feels like the engine is just going to die it's shaking so bad, other times it's barely noticeable. Any ideas about what's wrong? Or perhaps you know of a good mechanic I could take it to?

6/11/2008 12:24:24 PM

what code is it exactly?

Pxxxx

6/11/2008 12:57:37 PM

aren't they like disposable wipes ? use until unusable then garbage.

6/11/2008 1:04:02 PM

^^ not sure...i'll take it back tonight or tomorrow and find out

6/11/2008 1:09:22 PM

you have an intake leak down stream of the maf

6/11/2008 1:14:53 PM

^expensive fix?

6/11/2008 1:18:11 PM

depends

6/11/2008 1:18:51 PM

http://www.fixfords.com

These guys are the best. My family has used them exclusively, and gotten 250k+ on all our fords, and over 300 on two.

Now, we only buy Fords because having something they will work on is well worth it. It's out in Hillsborough (and Graham).

Their biggest asset is honesty, and the right outlook on business. I can't tell you how many times they've said, "I'm pretty sure I know what it is, but I'm not going to throw parts (and your money) at the problem until it's fixed. Let me look into it a little more and make sure." The few times he was wrong, the right repair was free. The owner is just an honest, good ol' boy from the sticks. And he's very, very good.

Yeah, it almost sounds [homo], but they have saved me piles of cash.

6/11/2008 1:21:50 PM

^awesome, thanks

6/11/2008 1:23:13 PM

dont fix it till you have to. meaning dont fix it till you are actually married.

6/11/2008 5:48:29 PM

ahaha A+

6/11/2008 5:56:40 PM

^^ hahahahhaahah

6/11/2008 5:58:29 PM

did you actually check your engine?

[Edited on June 11, 2008 at 6:13 PM. Reason : seriously though, rough idle/O2 code sounds like a vacuum leak or plugged injector]

6/11/2008 6:12:47 PM

Quote :

"dont fix it till you have to. meaning dont fix it till you are actually married."

lol, unfortunately we are driving to florida in two weeks, and i'd prefer not to have it break down on the way. that would suck.

6/12/2008 11:48:26 AM

Quote :

"you have an intake leak down stream of the maf"

winna

6/17/2008 9:49:38 AM

update?

6/17/2008 9:57:45 AM

on the topic of Ford Focus-- since I've had this thing, I've debated the cause of lack of umph & horrible gas mileage -
1. it's a Ford with a little 4 banger & that's just how it's going to be
OR
2. something is actually wrong.

Sounds like there is an exhaust leak pretty close to the front-- any way to check on that other than just physical inspection?

It also bogs down a lot in 2nd. Automatic 4 bangers & I have never gotten along, so it might just be my fault- expecting too much from it. Also, my granddad never drove it over maybe 45 for the first 18,500 miles (in 4 years mind you). In the month & a half I've had it I've already put 1,500 miles on it. It's definitely feeling better now that it's been through a full range of speeds, but something is definitely still off. So- what's the consensus? I'm planning to get this thing on the market as soon as it's mine (1-2 weeks), but I would definitely like to get the exhaust leak taken care of if possible as to not scare off potential buyers.

[Edited on June 17, 2008 at 10:01 AM. Reason : ]

6/17/2008 10:00:33 AM

i think the problem is that it is a ford focus

6/17/2008 10:03:09 AM

yeah- most likely.

6/17/2008 10:05:56 AM

it's a pretty good car i think. haven't had any problems with it other than this, and it was just a hole in the connector on the end of a hose. replaced, good as new. and this one gets pretty decent gas mileage, so i don't know what's up with yours.

6/17/2008 5:06:12 PM

so did you ever actually check the engine?

6/20/2008 11:57:27 AM