Got a few things done on my ‘08 Focus. Anyone else have experience with this model? Any advice on maintenance?
An exhaust leak could mess with your fuel mileage. It affects the air-fuel ratio and sends untreated exhaust out, which isn’t great for the environment either. But other stuff could be causing it too—if you haven’t changed the spark plugs, 65,000 miles is about when you’d do that. A clogged air filter could also be a factor. And if it’s been a while, an oil change might help too.
One weird thing we had was squirrels chewing through the engine wiring on our 2011 Focus. Couldn’t get new harnesses easily, so I repaired it myself. Funny enough, it boosted my mileage by about 2 mpg afterward. We get around 30 mpg with an automatic now.
If you can, have the codes read. There might be info on whether a cylinder is running lean or rich. I use a BlueDriver OBD2 reader, but you could try FORScan software with a cable for more detailed data on a Windows laptop. It’s free for a month, then costs about $12. The cable’s around $12 on Amazon too.
No warning lights are on, so it seems to be in decent shape. I’m due for an oil change, and I think the spark plugs are still original. I’ll check out everything you mentioned. Thanks for the tips!
If your flex pipe is damaged, it might mess with the O2 sensor and throw things off.
Sam said:
If your flex pipe is damaged, it might mess with the O2 sensor and throw things off.
That’s what I thought… any idea what it might cost to replace?
How did you get that dent out so nicely?
Dru said:
How did you get that dent out so nicely?
I just found a replacement fender at a junkyard for about $80. Took around 20 minutes to swap it out.
Dru said:
How did you get that dent out so nicely?
I just found a replacement fender at a junkyard for about $80. Took around 20 minutes to swap it out.
$80 now?? I remember when fenders were like $15! That wasn’t too long ago, maybe 2017.
@Sam
Yeah, prices are up everywhere it seems!
Not sure your dealer would carry it… seems they’ve phased out a lot of parts for these older models unless they’re still used in newer cars.
Sam said:
Not sure your dealer would carry it… seems they’ve phased out a lot of parts for these older models unless they’re still used in newer cars.
Yeah, it’s pretty tough finding parts for this thing!
@Tan
There’s some aftermarket support, and this Focus shares parts with the Mazda3 and some Volvo models. A few parts from the Ecosport fit too, though body and interior stuff is mostly unique.
Sam said:
@Tan
There’s some aftermarket support, and this Focus shares parts with the Mazda3 and some Volvo models. A few parts from the Ecosport fit too, though body and interior stuff is mostly unique.
That’s helpful to know, thanks a lot!
What kind of mpg are you getting, and what’s your usual driving style? My '08 would get up to 40 mpg if I kept it at 55 mph on the highway. In the city, though, it dropped to around 25 mpg.
Will said:
What kind of mpg are you getting, and what’s your usual driving style? My '08 would get up to 40 mpg if I kept it at 55 mph on the highway. In the city, though, it dropped to around 25 mpg.
I do mostly city driving, lots of stop-and-go.
@Tan
What’s your average mpg?