2001 Ford Focus Fuel Pump Driver Module

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The 2001 Ford Focus has 140 NHTSA complaints for the fuel system. Also the jerking and stalling were caused by an erratic fuel pump driver module.

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2001 Ford Focus (Page 6 of 7)

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2001 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 6 of 7)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #40

Focus

  • miles
My automobile stalled and then the engine completely shut off while driving between Oregon and hailey, Idaho. The cause was determined to be a defective fuel pump. The auto was towed to the local Ford dealer who informed me that a nationwide shortage of Ford Focus fuel pumps existed because the defect was so widespread.

- Hermiston, OR, USA

problem #39

Focus 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
Engine starts to stall with 1/4 to 1/2 tank of fuel when going round right hand bends (such as freeway ramps). Can even occur at junctions (right turns). Occurs every time without fail unless one drives very slowly - less than 30 mph. Have spoken to dealers and read many reports of this failure and I am not the only one with these symptoms.

- Novi, MI, USA

problem #38

Focus 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 12,325 miles
I have a problem with my 2001 Ford Focus ZX3. It has the zetec engine and the mtx75 5 speed manual transmission. The fuel pump for this vehicle is in the fuel tank (I have had the car in for fuel gauge repair a couple of times). The problem occurs whenever there is half a tank or less showing on the fuel gauge. When taking a right hand turn - I.e. expressway on/off ramp - the car engine will stutter and die. This only happens turning to the right. The lower the fuel gauge reading, the more severe the problem becomes. Turning left has no ill effect on drive ability. It seems the fuel pump is not at fault. Only under the right turn conditions do I experience any loss of fuel to the engine. Could this be a design flaw in the fuel pick-up system? I have heard of many complaints on this very issue. Thank you for your time. Tim ruiter - Michigan certified master mechanic # M140125

- Spring Lake, MI, USA

problem #37

Focus

  • 48,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The small plastic clip on the fuel pump broke, which resulted in a fuel leak. Vehicle wouldn't start.

- Smithville, OH, USA

problem #36

Focus 4-cyl

  • 39,000 miles
2001 Ford Focus - stalls in corners and going uphill- just looses power and dies. Sounds like fuel pump problem that many other Focus owners have had.

- Huntsville, AL, USA

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problem #35

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 51,500 miles
Vehicle stalled with no warning and would not start back up for about 5 minutes, it seemed as if the accelerator was not pumping because gas seemed to not get to the right place. I was also driving at a high speed with my foot on accelerator and the gauge went down. It also happened at a lower speed.

- Angola, NY, USA

problem #34

Focus

  • miles
The fuel pump was defective, which caused the vehicle to stall.

- Dallas, TX, USA

problem #33

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles
Our car currently has 40,000 and the fuel pump has gone out. The problem with the car was the fuel gauge was not reporting the correct amount of fuel and at times the car would not go forward when the accelerator was pushed. My wife almost had an accident because the car would not accelerate.

- Tulsa, OK, USA

problem #32

Focus 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 10,000 miles
Malfunction of fuel filter. Was replaced on two different occassions. Malfunction of steering assembly. Was replaced twice on two different occassions. Malfunction of braking system. Was replaced on two different occassions. All within a 16 month period after purchasing the automobile in may of 2001. It is a 2001 Ford Focus ZX3.

- Raleigh, NC, USA

problem #31

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
The consumer has experienced the following: The brakes has an abnormal noise, pulsation when moderate-hard braking, and grinding, the accelerator cable clip-broken, battery and case, belt assembly and idler seal, transmission/pan gasket leak, temp guage-found burnt resister/connector-goes hot and cools when A/C is on and the fan does not come on, the vehicle stalled at an intersection, the exhaust camshaft seal is leaking, the fuel sender works intermittently/inop, and the rear suspension-rear shocks-seemed weak and hears a noise in the rear end when going over a dip. Scc

- Newport Beach, CA, USA

problem #30

Focus 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 28,300 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My 2001 Ford Focus ZX3 stalls on curves and hesitates at wide open throttle, and has been to the dealership for this issue 4 times and nothing is being done to correct the problem. Almost got rear-ended by another vehicle on one occasion because my speed dropped rapidly on a corner.

- Francis Creek, WI, USA

problem #29

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 34,910 miles
Vehicle starts to lose power. Engine misfires, then stalls. After sitting a few minutes, car will restart fine. Will then repeat.

- Poway, CA, USA

problem #28

Focus

  • miles
When accelerating vehicle completely shutsdown without warning due to carbon getting into cylinder head or dirt getting into fuel pump.

- Cambridge, WI, USA

problem #27

Focus

  • miles
While traveling on highway vehicle will stall and shut down. Dealership is aware of problem.

- Wellsboro, PA, USA

problem #26

Focus

  • miles
This defect occurs when making sweeping right hand turns or going up steep grades with less than half a tank. The most dangerous occurred when I was in the passing lane trying to get over when the pump failed and was almost rear ended.

- Waynesboro, PA, USA

problem #25

Focus

  • miles
While driving vehicle stalled without any warning. Fuel pump had a leak and all the gas leaked out.

Thumbsplus pro v10. - New Castle, PA, USA

problem #24

Focus

  • miles
Engine light comes on and stays on. Vehicle will not accelerate properly, and has a rough idle. Replaced sensor and fuel pump.

- New Castle, PA, USA

problem #23

Focus

  • miles
This vehicle has hesitated/stalled at various speeds since new. Finally in may, 2002, the engine quit while my wife was in traffic on a two lane highway, with no shoulders. The dealer replaced the fuel pump. In less than a week the engine hesitated again, and has done so several times. The dealer states they can find nothing else wrong. After looking over the number of similar complaints on the NHTSA website, I find it difficult to believe nothing has been done to address this issue. Since our warranty will be up in a few months, I guess this is what they are waiting for. Why are you waiting?

- Eucha, OK, USA

problem #22

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
At no particular speed, vehicle jerks hard and stalls. Consumer had vehicle checked and repaired by dealer with no resolution.*akthe dealer is having consumer to monitor the vehicle when it starts failing, by pushing a button. This is supposed to pinpoint where the problem is occuring. The vehicle was downshifting while in motion, the sending unit was replaced. Also the jerking and stalling were caused by an erratic fuel pump driver module. This module has also been replaced. The ignition lock was replaced, there was a clunking noise present in the door assembly which was repaired, the wheel was out of alignment so dealer adjusted the upper ball joint, and the sun visor was broken which was also replaced.

- Pennyan, NY, USA

problem #21

Focus

  • miles
Have had numerous problems with the car hesitating and stalling. Have taken the car in a total of 7 times. 5 of which were related to hesitation. 3 of the those 5 times they found problems with the car. 2 times for an egr emissions sensor and 1 for a fuel pump (they think). The other two times they coulndt find anything wrong at the time. I have called Ford directly and they can do nothing about the car, because they say it is repairable. I have had the car back now for a little over a week since they have replaced the fuel pump. Seems to have a little hesitation still, but has not stalled. We have had the left rear tire replace once for cupping of the tire. Ford dealership wasnt sure what caused it, but they say I could have run over something hard. The new tire starting cupping like the one they replaced, then that is when the recall for the rear wheel bearings was issued. No problems since then with the tires.

- Osceola, WI, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »

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The fuel pump is ground side controlled by the Fuel Pump Driver Module (FPDM) When verifying the ground, verify the ground to the driver module as Tester indicated. The FPDM supplies a variable ground signal to the fuel pump in order to control the pump speed and hence the fuel pressure. (Yes the fuel pressure is variable depending engine operating conditions.) The pressure is determined by the PCM watching the input from the Fuel Rail Pressure (FRP) sensor. The PCM has a desired target fuel pressure based on the intake manifold pressure, the higher the manifold pressure, the harder the PCM will request the FPDM drive the fuel pump. In rare cases, the FRP sensor will report erroneously excessive pressure. In this case the PCM incorrectly believes that the fuel pressure is higher than required and shuts the fuel pump off.

The FRP sensor is on the fuel rail and can be unplugged electrically. If unplugged (FRP) the fuel pump will be commanded on at a default value, you can check to see if the pump turns on and whether the vehicle runs. If the pump runs, you have a circuit fault to the FRP or the sensor is shot. If the pump still refuses to run, there are a couple of other issues that can be present:. The ignition switch power is supplied to the FPDM to power the module and splices off to power the pump itself.

This needs reverified. If the Driver module has no power supplied, it will never attempt to run the pump. You need to load test the circuit. The PCM and FPDM communicate via two wires The fuel pump COM circuit and the Fuel Pump Monitor circuit. These circuits pass between the PCM and the FPDM and will need verified. IF the COM circuit (blk/wt) circuit is open, the FPDM will never see an on signal from the PCM and the pump will never run.

(Signal is a duty cycle 5-50 percent is a valid on request. 5% equals 10% pump request, 50% command is 100% on the pump, remember the pressure control is fully variable). Circuits between the Driver module and pump could be compromised. Verify continuity and pin fit at related electrical connectors. This could indeed be confusing to debug from the comments in the posts above. It would look like the pump is getting power at its 12 volt input, but in fact the ground isn’t being connected. And w/no ground, no current will flow.

I’d be inclined to measure the current flow in the power wire going to the pump to assess if the ground is being connected or not. It’s probably quite a bit of current, 10 amps or more maybe, so an ordinary current meter might not work and could be damaged if wired up in-line. I have an inexpensive DC current meter I got at Sears years ago that senses the magnetic field from the current flowing in the wire and you just put the wire in a little channel in the meter and read how much the needle deflects. One other idea: OP should be aware that on many fuel injection systems the computer must sense the engine is rotating before it will turn on the pump. This is a safety feature, to prevent the pump from pouring fuel in the event of an accident. So if you have a problematic crank or cam sensor, that would make the computer think the engine isn’t rotating, and that could cause this symptom.