Seven recalls have been issued for the 2002 Ford Focus, according to carcomplaints.com, but none of these recalls has dealt with the transmission problems many Focus owners have experienced. Transmission problems such as complete transmission failure and problems shifting gears have come to light during ownership of the 2002 Ford Focus.
According to carcomplaints.com, some 2002 Ford Focus owners have experienced complete transmission failure. The manufacturer has no known cause for this transmission failure, but the transmission becomes so damaged that it has to be replaced. The bearings, bands and gears inside the transmission are so badly damaged that rebuilding the transmission is more expensive than replacing it. Focus owners say that this transmission failure occurs at about 70,000 miles.
The transmission on the 2002 Ford Focus has been having problems shifting gears, according to carcomplaints.com. The linkage inside the transmission suffers from premature wear, causing difficulty in switching or shifting gears. The transmission bands that wrap around each gear to hold the gears in place are becoming loose, causing the gears to shift harshly. Both problems have been the biggest culprit when the Ford Focus transmission experiences problems shifting gears. The only correction for this shifting problems is to have the transmission replaced or rebuilt.
The manual transmission in the 2002 Ford Focus has a cable that runs from the gear shift inside the cab to the linkage on the transmission. This cable allows the transmission to shift from gear to gear. Several Focus owners have been having problems with this cable breaking, making the gear shift to go slack. The cable becomes corroded, weakening it. Over time, the cable will break, stranding the Focus owner, because the transmission will not shift into gear. The shifting cable can be replaced either by the dealership or a local mechanic.
