Questions and Answers
Focus Eats Tires
Q. Vincent, we own a Ford Focus 2000 SE wagon, 2.0 liter DOHC 16 valve Zetec engine. Fuel injected, automatic transmission, A/C, P/S, A/C ABS brakes. At present we have 42,000 miles on the vehicle We have experienced the following:
Safety recall OOS31 with service performed on 10/24/00. Put winter snow tires on vehicle with their own rims, put regular tires on in march 2001.
Spring of 2001: Dealer replaced all 4 tires due to excessive wear, milage about 12,000-15,000. Original tires were Firehawk GTA's, replaced with same.
July 2001: Wheel bearings rechecked by Ford Dealer due to recall check of bearings.
November 2001: Dealer replaced two rear tires due to excess wear, and had all wheel alignment. Tires replaced with Cooper SLE type. Put on winter snows, milage around 35,000-37,000.
March 2002: Removed winter snows, rear snows all cupped on inside and out of round. Put on regular tires. Dealer was to check bearings and have all wheel alignment, milage around 42,000. Dealer charged us for the alignment.
Is there something going on with the rear end on this model, will I continue to have excess tire wear and or all wheel alignment fees to pay every 6 months.
Sincerely,
DougA. There are no TSB's on this problem so it would appear on the surface that it is not a chronic problem as far as Ford is concerned.
I think the Dealer has made an honest effort to correct the problem, but I think it is much deeper than a simple alignment problem. I think the next move is to take it to a frame shop and have the unibody checked for true. The Focus is not an especially hardy vehicle and it doesn't take too much to knock it out of whack. A frame machine will detect any malformations and be able to correct it.
Additional Information provided courtesy of ALLDATA
