Ford Focus 2000 Problem Solution

Hey everyone, I have a problem. I have a Ford Focus sedan with a 2.0 SPI engine and automatic transmission. The problem is that after driving for a while, the car starts to jerk and stalls as if it's running out of fuel. After it stalls, I restart it and it seems fine, but after driving a short distance, it starts jerking and stalling again. This happens repeatedly, and every time I restart it, it seems fine. I've already checked the fuel injectors, and they're fine. I checked the fuel filter, and it's clean, since I recently replaced it. I even scanned it, and nothing came up. Fault codes are present. The pressure is monitored and is at 65 psi, which is correct. When the fault occurs, the pressure begins to drop. I connected a pressure gauge to the fuel rail to check this. My question is whether the fuel pump could be causing this problem, and if this fuel delivery system has any special components to control the pressure or the pump. If so, how does it work? I would be very grateful for any help you can provide.

Solution below.

The pumps are calibrated for a certain pressure; they can drop but never rise. The check engine light isn't on, so we can rule out the electronic system and the transmission, as it should show a fault in both directions. The problem could be air in the injection system. Try driving with a full tank and see if the fault occurs. If it doesn't, there's an air leak in the injection system near the pump. Based on the symptoms, I think that's your problem. If it helps, all the hoses and the fuel pump should be checked.

Hey friend, I have the same problem as you, only mine's a 2002 Mondeo. As soon as I find a solution, I'll let you know how to fix it. But for now, I haven't bought a pump or any replacement parts because I already tried and it didn't work. I hope that if you find the solution first, you can share your answer with me. Thanks.

In a case like this, it could be anything, like the relay that supplies power to the pump (this fault isn't registered in the ECU's memory), or the fuel pressure regulator.

It's a matter of ruling things out. I've had cases where an engine has a problem and it turns out the fuel tank filler cap isn't sealing, or the power maintenance relay that feeds the fuel pump relay, or there's an air leak in the injection system, as kikemec mentioned. Well, good luck with the problem, macplus! :woohoo:

Solution:

As I mentioned a few days ago, I had the problem that after driving a certain distance, the car would start jerking and stall. Well, what I did that day was check everything I mentioned before. I monitored it again, but this time with the car running, and drove around until the problem reappeared. The pressure dropped from 65 psi to 0 psi, so I proceeded to check where the pump was located. I lifted the back seat thinking there was a cover to remove the pump, and what caught my attention was that it had a small black box. I proceeded to investigate what it was before doing anything else. This box is called the Fuel Pump Controller (or Driver) Module, so I also researched the electronic diagrams of the connection to the pump. Assuming this was the problem, I connected a multimeter to check if the connector was faulty. I opened the module, and everything seemed to indicate that it was fine. I connected the I used a multimeter and reconnected the pressure gauge. I drove the car around until the problem reappeared, and it happened again: the pressure dropped to 0 psi, the multimeter read 10.85V, and then jumped to 14V. This indicated that the module wasn't the problem, since the module was responding to the low pressure. From this, I deduced that it was definitely the fuel pump. Unfortunately, I dropped the tank and tested the pump outside in a small container of fuel, running it until the problem reappeared. The pump was working fine, but due to age, it was dirty and clogged with rust from the tank, preventing fuel from passing through. I cleaned the gas tank to remove all the dirt and rust. I did have to buy a replacement pump, and since then, it hasn't failed again.

As Kikemec mentioned, I ruled out the check engine light since it doesn't appear in these types of faults. I only used a scan tool to check for any outstanding codes and monitor the fuel pressure and automatic transmission. Based on this, I went straight to the fuel system.

I hope the solution I found for my problem helps you. Greetings to all, and thanks for your comments.