The Focus is an automobile manufactured by Ford Motor Company. Originally designed and sold in North America in 1999, the Focus is a compact car. The Focus is now in its second generation as of August 2009. Though Ford hoped to create a reliable compact vehicle at an affordable price, "affordable" and "reliable" don't normally mix well. As with most Fords, the 2001 Ford Focus may suffer from Ford's infamous poorly designed power-steering pump pulley (which results in the "Ford whine" when turning the steering wheel). On top of this, the 2001 Focus has its own unique problems that you'll need to troubleshoot.
Check to see if your vehicle is equipped with a ZETEC engine. The battery cables could be misrouted, causing cable insulation damage. This, in turn, can cause the wiring to short out. The Focus could fail to start, or it could catch on fire. This is covered by Ford's factory recall.
Check your vehicle for unexplained hesitation throughout the rpm range, loss of power or surging. The filter in the fuel-delivery module may be clogged. You can have this item replaced under the factory recall for the fuel-delivery module up to 10 years from the date of the original purchase.
Check for a whining noise coming from the rear wheels. This indicates the rear wheel bearings are worn or faulty. The 2001 Focus suffers from a poor wheel bearing design. In states that use salt to de-ice roads, the salt can become lodged in the wheel bearing seal race, damaging the seal. This, in turn, causes debris to become lodged in the wheel bearing itself, which causes premature wear to the bearing. This item is covered under the Ford factory recall.
Check for obvious malfunctioning of the windshield wipers, random activation or failure of the wipers to activate when turned on. A switch in the plastic wiper motor cover has malfunctioned, causing the wiper motor to fail or malfunction. This item can be serviced under a factory recall.
