Ford Focus Problems

For the 2010 model, Ford switched from a replaceable fuel filter located just in front of the fuel tank under the car, to a 'lifetime' filter which was part of the fuel pump. The fuel pump itself, meanwhile, is located inside the fuel tank, so that’s where the filter lives as well. Despite being a lifetime filter, contaminated fuel and other factors can require the filter to be changed and the good news is that the filter can be replaced independent of the actual fuel pump. That bad news is that the tank needs to be removed from the car to access those components, so it’s not a cheap, simple job.

Try a Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3, or a Ford Focus. All would seem to fit the bill.

Your car requires an octane rating of 91 RON and, to be honest, the biggest difference in using the more expensive 95 or even 98 RON brew will probably be to your wallet, not the car. Changing to a higher octane rating is not really a scientific way of fixing problems like rough running, and there’s probably another reason for the poor performance.

I’d be scanning the car electronically for a clue to what’s going wrong with it, but bear in mind rough running can be caused by lots of things. If you really want to pursue the fuel you’re using as a potential cause of the problem, rather than change to 95 RON, change the service station you use. Sometimes, a service station can have contaminated underground tanks and this can cause all sorts of running problems by the time the dirty fuel is in your tank. Another hint: If you see a fuel tanker delivering fuel to a service station as you pull up to refuel, find another service station. The fresh fuel being pumped into the underground tank will stir up all sorts of nasties that would otherwise settle at the bottom of the tank. By filling up immediately after the station’s tanks have been filled, you stand a good chance of buying a tankful of dirty fuel.

The Ford Focus wasn’t released into Australia until late 2002, so it’s very unlikely you have a 2001 model unless it’s been privately imported. At which point, all bets are off in this regard as different markets had different models which may or may not be swappable.

But if the two cars are the same model of Focus and aren’t either side of an upgrade, facelift or model change AND provided they used the same engine from the factory (1.8 litre or 2.0 litre) then you should be able to repower one with the other’s engine. The problems would start if one was a 1.8 and the other a 2.0 when you might find that wiring looms, computer software, sensors and even engine mounts might differ from each other, making the swap much harder than it should be. Don’t forget to inform your insurance company and your local registration authorities of the change of engine number.

One to try is the Ford Focus; it has a rear view camera, GPS, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and fits within your budget.

Your question is a bit confusing Geniel, because the Ford Focus wasn’t released in Australia until September 2002. Which is to say, there wouldn’t be any 2000 model-year Focus engines lying around waiting to be fitted to another Focus. However, the original Focus was launched in Europe in 1998 and that car was broadly the same structurally as the version sold right up to 2005 in Australia.

The catch, of course, is that the Focus was sold with both a 1.8 and a 2.0-litre engine here, so you’d need to make sure that you were trying to fit exactly the same engine in exactly the same specification to ensure that everything from the fuel lines to the wiring loom and the cooling system to the gearbox matched up and fitted properly.

If, by some chance, you’ve found an imported Focus engine, be very wary of fitting that as it may not have the appropriate pollution equipment fitted to be legally registered in Australia. And don’t forget, whenever you swap an engine you need to inform the registration authorities and your insurance company of the new engine number.

That’s a very interesting question and one that my instinct suggested would be a yes. That’s because the Focus from those two model-years was based on the same platform and that the differences between the sedan and hatchback variants were all from the A-pillar back. And so it is. I checked with a major windscreen replacement network and, yes, the two vehicles have a windscreen with exactly the same part number. So you should be good to go.

You don't need to spend $30,000 to get a great small car to run around town in. A Suzuki Swift GL Navigator from $17,690 plus on-road costs ($1000 more for the auto) makes for an excellent choice, with a surprisingly roomy interior, a refined, frugal and lively engine, great handling and superb reliability. Great value for money, in other words.

Moving on from there, to the next size up and in our order of preference, are the Mazda 3, Ford Focus Active, Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Corolla Hatch, Honda Civic (turbo only) and Subaru Impreza. All are quality small cars that should fit the bill perfectly.

There's also merit in considering a small SUV, chiefly because their higher roofline and loftier seating positions make them easier to get in and out as well as see out of. Our value pick is the Kia Seltos S with Safety Pack. The Mazda CX-30 and Toyota C-HR are also high-quality and refined choices, though they're right at the cusp of your budget so you may have to search for a discounted demo model. Going small SUV does  mean extra outlay, but they do generally offer better resale value, as their popularity seems endless.

As you can see, there's lots of choice, so take your time, drive the ones you like the look of, and see which feels best. Out of scores of alternatives, these 10 are our top recommendations at under $30K.

The dual-clutch automatic transmission in the Focus had issues, so I would urge caution in buying one. It can be fixed if it fails, but it would be costly.

Steering wheel controls are very convenient but, generally speaking, they’re not something that can be retro-fitted. Even if there was higher specification Focus with steering wheel controls as a factory fitment (and the Ghia version of your car did) it’s unlikely your car would have the wiring and electronics to adapt the steering wheel from that model. Even if the wheel could be physically fitted, the functions wouldn’t be accessible to the rest of the car.