2000 Ford Focus petrol: common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2000 Ford Focus petrol?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2000 Ford Focus petrol than on all cars registered in 2000.

• Coil springs2.7× usual
  Ford Focus

  23.3% All 2000 cars

  8.7%

  Failed outright at MOT: 1.8%, against 1.7% of all 2000 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £175–£400 (pair, one axle) ClickMechanic

  At the viewing: Look behind each wheel for a snapped spring coil, and listen for a clunk or twang when turning the wheel lock to lock with the car stopped.

• Rigid brake pipes1.7× usual
  Ford Focus

  29.1% All 2000 cars

  17.1%

  Failed outright at MOT: 4.9%, against 2.6% of all 2000 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

  At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

• Sub-frame4.2× usual
  Ford Focus

  15.1% All 2000 cars

  3.6%

  Failed outright at MOT: 1.7%, against 0.2% of all 2000 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

  At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

• Suspension arm3.4× usual
  Ford Focus

  10% All 2000 cars

  2.9%

  Failed outright at MOT: 1.2%, against 0.2% of all 2000 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

  At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

• Rust around suspension or steering mountings1.8× usual
  Ford Focus

  14.6% All 2000 cars

  8.2%

  Failed outright at MOT: 7.9%, against 4.5% of all 2000 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

  At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

Common 2000 Ford Focus petrol MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2000 Ford Focus petrol MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

• Suspension
  57% of testsRough price £120–£400

  At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

• Brakes
  46% of testsRough price £150–£350

  At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

• Lights and electrics
  40% of testsRough price £10–£80

  At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

• Tyres
  33% of testsRough price £70–£150

  At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

• Oil and fluid leaks
  20% of testsRough price £80–£600

  At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

• Exhaust and emissions
  16% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

  At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for an engine warning light.

Known faults on the 2000 Ford Focus petrol

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

• Cambelt changes often skipped

  All engines

  A failed cambelt can wreck the engine, and because the job can cost close to what the car is worth, some owners skip it. Many specialists advise changing it more often than 100,000 miles or ten years, especially on diesels.

  At the viewing: Check the service history for a cambelt change.

  Source: What Car?: Ford Focus (1998-2004) reliability

• Catalytic converter failure

  Petrol

  Fault code P0420 means a failed catalytic converter, which is rarely worth fixing on all but the best cars.

  At the viewing: Make sure the engine light is off, and ask whether a code reader has been plugged in recently.

  Source: What Car?: Ford Focus (1998-2004) reliability

• Sill rust

  All engines

  The sills can corrode with age.

  At the viewing: Look along and under the sills for rust.

  Source: What Car?: Ford Focus (1998-2004) reliability

• Electrical faults, wet lights and windscreen heater

  All engines

  Electrical parts are prone to fail, water gets into the headlights and tail lights and blows bulbs, and the Quickclear heated windscreen elements fail.

  At the viewing: Check all lights for water inside, and test the heated windscreen.

  Source: What Car?: Ford Focus (1998-2004) reliability

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2000 Ford Focus petrol

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

1. When was the cambelt last changed, and is there a receipt?
2. Any recent work on the coil springs? (Flagged at MOT 2.7× as often on the 2000 Ford Focus petrol as on other cars the same age.)
3. Any recent work on the rigid brake pipes? (Flagged at MOT 1.7× as often on the 2000 Ford Focus petrol as on other cars the same age.)
4. Any recent work on the sub-frame? (Flagged at MOT 4.2× as often on the 2000 Ford Focus petrol as on other cars the same age.)
5. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?