Community Forums

wolfcreek · 06-10-2015, 08:28 AM

Just wondering which braking system some are using on the Ford Focus. Someone mentioned the M&G air brakes system but the Focus does not have enough room under the hood for it.( I called the Mfg. ) Any help on this would be appreciated. Thanks!!

THS Hammer · 06-10-2015, 04:29 PM

Wolfcreek
I am no help but very interested in the forthcoming responses. We take delivery of a 2014 Focus Titanium next week.
Thanks as well.

mrt_1111 · 06-10-2015, 05:32 PM

I been using a brake buddy for the last three years. The only problem I have had is the cigarette plug kept vibrating loose. I cut of the plug and put a trolling motor plug (with fuse) on it. I power it from a battery with a charge line from the MH.

Petcar · 06-10-2015, 08:44 PM

Ready Break surge break works well on our 2014 Focus Titanium. Worked well, for many years, on our '98 Chevy Tracker also. No battery loads and easy hook up to RV. Ford wants the negative battery disconnected. I put a latching solenoid on the POSITIVE side including white wire. Button is on out side of car so I don't have to raise hood. Peter

rekwiat · 06-10-2015, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Petcar

Ready Break surge break works well on our 2014 Focus Titanium. Worked well, for many years, on our '98 Chevy Tracker also. No battery loads and easy hook up to RV. Ford wants the negative battery disconnected. I put a latching solenoid on the POSITIVE side including white wire. Button is on out side of car so I don't have to raise hood. Peter

Petcar. How easy was it to route cable, and can you share how you ran into the fire wall? Have a 2012 focus that is getting ready to be a toad.

Petcar · 06-11-2015, 09:16 AM

It's raining and forecast to do so for several days, so no under car pix for a while. The '14 Focus has 2 plastic splash pans under motor that need to be removed, not difficult. The break away cable (red) was run from drivers side of lower grill opening. Locking mech. screwed to cross member under radiator. Then back & up to firewall. Breaking cable runs under motor/trans then up to firewall. There's a tight radius between my chosen mounting point on front and radiator, but within specs. The 2 holes were drilled behind break pedal per instructions. The job on the '14 looked more daunting than it was. Near Topeka (casino) today and heading to Central City Co. (More casinos) tomorrow to escape heat and will atempt to take under hood pix some where along the way, or there. Peter

rekwiat · 06-11-2015, 11:38 AM

Thanks and good luck at the casinos

moisheh · 06-12-2015, 08:53 AM

I keep reading about Tranny problems with the Ford Focus. It is on my short list of possible small toads but the tranny scares me. According to what I read this is an ongoing problem that Ford has not solved. Consumer Reports put the car on a 10 worst car list due to that Tranny. I want to pursue it as a toad but am leery of future problems .

wolfcreek · 06-12-2015, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moisheh

I keep reading about Tranny problems with the Ford Focus. It is on my short list of possible small toads but the tranny scares me. According to what I read this is an ongoing problem that Ford has not solved. Consumer Reports put the car on a 10 worst car list due to that Tranny. I want to pursue it as a toad but am leery of future problems .

Moisheh,

We towed the 2015 Focus to Hilton Head and back which is 800 miles or so and have had no issues with the tranny. You are suppose to stay 70 mph or less in which we did not go over 65 mph. We have driven it around town and so forth here at home and everything seems to be OK. Tranny could go out tomorrow, but I hope not.

mrt_1111 · 06-14-2015, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moisheh

I keep reading about Tranny problems with the Ford Focus. It is on my short list of possible small toads but the tranny scares me. According to what I read this is an ongoing problem that Ford has not solved. Consumer Reports put the car on a 10 worst car list due to that Tranny. I want to pursue it as a toad but am leery of future problems .

I have not heard about tranny problem with the focus. Where did you heard it from? I towed my 2012 model about 20,000 miles so far.

Never mind i google it for myself.

moisheh · 06-15-2015, 07:56 AM

mrt 1111: Do a Google on the subject . You will be inundated with comments from web sites that review vehicles and thousands of owners who are frustrated. Sounds like there will either be a class action suit or a recall as it is safety related.

Snowman9000 · 06-21-2015, 09:00 PM

I don't know if the 2015 still has the same trans as the earlier series. Which was a manual trans that is automatically controlled and clutched by a dual clutch system. You put it in D like an auto, but it does have an odd feel at parking lot speeds. We have a 2013. Once I got used to it, it is no problem. But this is what people are complaining about.

The upsides are that being a manual gearbox and clutch(es), it should be very reliable, and cheaper to fix if the clutches need to be replaced in the long run. And the MPG. It's superb, due in large part to not having the hydraulic drag of an auto trans.

If you drive it conservatively, 40 MPG is normal during mixed rural driving. I am very satisfied with mine.

Old Radios · 06-21-2015, 09:54 PM

Had a 2014 Focus SE and put 12,000 miles on it in six months with no problems. Just traded it in for a 2015 SE with more options. This one has the automatic transmission with the paddle shifters. It is smoother shifting at low speeds than the 2014 and I will most likely only use it in "standard" mode in the snow once in a while.

Won't have to mess with the brakes as we use an Acme Dolly with surge disk brakes.

patch-y · 06-24-2015, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moisheh

I keep reading about Tranny problems with the Ford Focus. It is on my short list of possible small toads but the tranny scares me. According to what I read this is an ongoing problem that Ford has not solved. Consumer Reports put the car on a 10 worst car list due to that Tranny. I want to pursue it as a toad but am leery of future problems .

I have a 2014 Focus SE hatch........auto trans.....28,000 driven plus 16,000 towed behind a 2013 Thor Palazzo(junk) and 2015 Newmar Ventana(great).

I started off by using a RVI-2 brake.....that worked poorly and I stopped using it due to lack of confidence. I now tow with no brake...... the car is 2950 lbs and for almost all states it falls below the weight limit where a brake is required. I will be changing out the Focus to something else because of several reasons.....most notably the tranny.

It has been rebuilt twice and I am scheduled for a third rebuild in August. The seals leaked twice. The tranny shudders on launch periodically and it has slipped(in the past from oil on the clutch). It is now shuddering again on launch.
The web is loaded with comments on this issue.....see for your self. Ford does repair it willingly and it does work for a while after each repair.

The car gets good mileage and fits my two dog crates (with rear seats down) nicely. When the tranny acts up the mpg reduces by 10% to 15%.

Hook/unhook goes smoothly but battery disconnect is required......not a big deal.

If I were strong like a superhero I would throw the Focus though the roof at Ford so as to have it land in the Ford Board-room table during the annual meeting. I would attach a note to it which would read "JUNK"......however I am a mere mortal and will therefore trade it in on something else. if I am lucky a terrorist will buy it and then justice will be served.....

regards
rich