2001 Ford Focus weird stalling / electrical problems

2001 FORD FOCUS
95,000 MILES • 4 CYL • FWD • AUTOMATIC
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FROSTBYTE1970
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At random the car looses all power to the engine , dash idiot lights all light up , gauges sweep far right and then left .... car coasts for 4-6 seconds , loose radio and head lights and all of a sudden car resumes back to normal . this happens while driving . Alternator replaced 2x , battery and cleaned all grounds . No codes no faulty brain just a major mystery to me , friends and ford !
Oct 19, 2008 at 12:18 PM
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BAC512
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so I can't PM you, but I'm having (I think?) the same problem.... if you found, or find an answer, please let me know!
Jan 5, 2009 at 7:45 PM
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FROSTBYTE1970
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not sure ... u can email me @frost-byte@verizon.net
Jan 5, 2009 at 7:54 PM
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BRYANC1
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Even though you said you cleaned all grounds, it still sounds to me like a ground issue. Did you clean both ends of the ground cable? One thing you might do is to add MORE ground cables. It never hurts to have too many. I would run a second cable from the battery to the engine (to a different spot) and another from the engine to the body.
Jan 11, 2009 at 7:23 PM
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BAC512
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I donno if this will help you or not, but, mine happened to be a bad connection on the alternator + side....
Jan 12, 2009 at 5:15 PM
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MARKYMARK82
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Ok, so I have a similar problem (or at least it sounds the same)...

2001 Focus LX Auto 68k on the clock.

The car is currently in a garage, but the mechanics can't seem to replicate the problem, it did it to me about 15 times this morning and none since.

Have other peoplse cars done the same, I'm getting complaints that they can't diagnose it with no symptons at the moment, so looking for ideas.

I'll suggest the grounding issue to them...
Feb 4, 2009 at 9:37 AM
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HAROLDPETERSON
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had the same problem on 2000 focus and it was the ground wire just below battery box. everythime we had car serviced they wouldover fill wiper fluid and it would run down on ground below battery box and eventually corrided so bad car would not start. replaced end aon cable and reattached. seems fine now been 4 years with out problem.
Jul 12, 2009 at 3:50 PM
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JESTERIN98
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This can also be caused by an ignition wire touching the coolant sensor wire. Creates all of the gremlins described and can be hard to replicate. Track down all the ignition wires and tie back any others that are too close to them.
Dec 12, 2009 at 3:03 PM
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NOODLEZ DAVID ESSEX
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@haroldpeterson don't know if you will see this reply, but you just saved my butt. My issue was the opposite side, under the coolant reservoir. Had been having some leaking. Didn't even notice there was a ground wire there, it was so nasty
Sep 26, 2022 at 3:53 PM
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