A bit off-topic. Just came back from 1Utama and apparently the Nissan road-show is still displaying the current(old) models of the Sylphy and Teana. Though I have to say I am quite impressed with the black leather interior of the high-spec Teana. The interior certainly looks classy and comfortable with the soft and plush leather seats.

The Sylphy also has the black-coloured leather seats which is nice(the earlier models only had cream beige leather seats). However, the interior trimmings and rosewood panels on the doors are outdated and look a bit "unclish". I do hope the new Sylphy that is due next year would get a refreshed interior as this one is high on the shortlist as a replacement to my Proton Preve Turbo.

As a side-note, I do notice the engine vibration with the Focus during idling(vehicle at N) is getting a bit obvious. I can feel the intermittent engine vibration in the cabin when waiting at the traffic lights. During the next service I will highlight this and see if the vibration can be eliminated, completely.

Anybody managed to get this engine vibration eliminated at the service centre?

Yes, the vibration is intermittent when the vehicle is idle, ie. vibrate for 1 second, no vibration for 2-3 seconds, vibrate for 1 second, no vibration for 2-3 seconds etc. Not really serious but I can feel it. This engine vibration gives the feeling or impression that the engine is going to shut down or something due to empty oil tank.

I'm going to send the vehicle to the service centre earlier than the scheduled 10,000km service as recently the driver's windscreen is producing a slight screeching sound when it's winding up and down. Will probably bring up this engine vibration issue and ask about the minor jerks and grinding sound.

May I ask if any owners here do not experience even the slightest rattling sound from the steering wheel when the vehicle is going over bad or rough surfaced roads? I want to determine if my vehicle is one of the few that exhibits this rattling sound in the steering wheel. I plan to bring it up to the service centre very soon to see if the rattling sound can be eliminated.

Thanks.

This morning the screeching sound from the windscreen is gone. So I may postpone my visit to the service centre since I consider all other issues (minor engine vibration, jerk when accelerating) to be minor. I will update when I get the car to the service centre when something more serious happens. It is a waste of time to send the car to the service centre, and I will only do so when the issues are at a more serious level, or when the car is due for the scheduled 10,000km service.

I recently notice that the jerks during acceleration are not so smooth now, getting serious. The car's acceleration is not smooth at low speed 0 to 60km/h. Getting worse. I am wondering if it is due to the fuel as I recently changed from Petronas to BHP. Will pump back Petronas and see if things will improve. Otherwise, I guess it's the transmission that is getting jerky. Will monitor further on this.

Now I know why some people prefer the Japanese to the continentals. So far I do not have any serious issues with the Ford Focus yet other than the jerks at low speed acceleration which seem to be getting worse now. Still tolerable. My previous Nissan Sylphy does not have any issues at all and zero rattling sound and zero engine vibration during idle. My Focus has minor rattling sound from the steering wheel when going over bad roads, and minor engine vibration when idling (transmission at Neutral).

I can understand the frustration especially from some owners like Choowh with more serious problems whereby the car failed to start for 4 or 5 times. Though I believe this is more toward an isolated case.

Thanks for the information. Certainly useful. It appears that there is a fix for this rattling sound when the vehicle goes over rough road surfaces at low speeds. Exactly what I'm experiencing right now.

Cheers.

I just reread the article. Apparently the fix for the rattling noise is from the front suspension and not the steering wheel. IN my case, the rattling sound is from the steering wheel. Hence, this fix is not applicable in my case. Having said that I will raise this issue to the service centre and see if they have any fix for it the next time I send my vehicle in to them.

Thanks for the information which is certainly useful. Exactly the same thing that I am experiencing with my car. The rattling sound comes from the steering wheel at low speeds when cornering, but only when the road is bad(rough surfaces). On good roads, there is no rattling sound. In your case, is the rattling sound at low speed when cornering on good or bad roads?

Engine vibration when the car is idling(brake and Neutral gear at traffic lights), I can also feel it, but it is not so serious yet. I will definitely bring this up to the service centre when it's due for the 10,000km service. Still a long way to go.

Yes, the "kruk kruk kruk" sound when the car is accelerating at low speeds as if something is falling apart. In most situations the sound is very soft, and sometimes louder. The "kruk kruk" sound is most audible when the vehicle is on steep slopes, in which most owners have concurred on the same experience.

Currently gear changes on my vehicle are not too jerky. But sometimes it can get more jerky. Funny, as if the car has got its own mood to be more jerkier or less jerkier. Will continue to monitor on this.

Just a minor defect on the steering wheel whereby there is a slight friction sound when the steering wheel is turned left or right. Will need to arrange to go to the service centre sometime next week to have this looked at.

To me, there is a difference in handling between the hatchback and sedan. It is very obvious, even though I have only test driven the hatchback only once in a short route less than 10km, and the sedan which I own now. The handling of the hatchback is more precise, just sharper handling. You can feel it either in the corners or on the straights. The difference in handling characteristics is mainly due to the body of the car, one short and one long, and the size of the tyres, 16" vs 17" wheels apart from the normal suspension vs sports suspension in the hatchback. If handling is important to you, then the Sports hatchback would be the one. If more family-orientated with long journey drives, the sedan will be more appropriate with the boot space and more comfortable ride.

I had just driven the Focus up to Genting Highlands yesterday. One word. Fabulous handling and power up the twisty steep road. I briefly switched between D and S several times and found that the S mode is the way to go. The engine is free-revving and after exiting from a sharp bend, the instantaneous power delivery is excellent as the vehicle accelerated effortlessly on the straights up the steep slope. Rpms are kept high throughout the journey up the steep gradient mostly 4000+/- in S mode and sometimes above 5000 on the short straights.

It is just pure fun to manouevre the Focus around the twisty bends as the vehicle kept its composure well enough. Some of the vehicles I overtook when on the way up are my previous car which I have sold, the Nissan Sylphy(poor handling) and Mercedes Benz.

At some sections near the top, there are some very steep sections especially on the inside of a sharp bend, and usually vehicles will choose to go on the outer side of the bend since those path are less steep. Some vehicles were hogging the entire road, choosing most of the outer side of every bend. I overtook some vehicles using the inner side of a bend that is the steepest portion of the bend, and although the power came in slowly when the vehicle accelerated up the steep gradient, it gained momentum after a while, and the overtaking process is relatively effortless. I am particularly impressed not only by the handling prowess of the Focus but also the power that it has in spades. It is surely fun to have the Focus on these challenging driving conditions.

When I reached the multi-level car park, I have to go round several times as mostly all are full. When I was about to park the vehicle, the display suddenly showed transmission is heating and requested to switch off for 5 minutes. I guess the transmission had been working hard as the driver was having too much fun in Sports mode.

When going down Genting, I used Sports mode throughout but occasionally changed to D on the flatter/less steep sections or the straights. The rpms shot up high several times in S mode, and I guess the engine braking is at work when the vehicle was gaining speed at those steep sections. At several sections, areas with gentler slope and long straights, D is preferable as the acceleration is more uniform with the rpms kept lower. In S, the acceleration is somewhat restrained by the engine braking and high rpms. When switching between S and D, I accidentally changed to N twice, but quickly switched to D when I realise that.

This time, I was overtaking each and every vehicle during this Genting Highland trip, both going up and coming down. During my last Genting trip in the Nissan Sylphy earlier this year, almost every vehicle was overtaking my vehicle, even some of the large double-decker buses. This time, the table was turned. :-) When exiting to the Karak highway, again, just a great feeling taking those curving roads in the Focus.

Lastly, no issues with jerking or grinding sound during the whole trip. Overall I am satisfied with the handling and power of the car. Just a slight plastic friction sound of the steering wheel which I will bring up to the service centre soon, though the performance of the car far outweigh its weaknesses.

Don't know about the TCM. It is something that Ford publishes, though I'm not sure if the service centres here in Malaysia follow this TCM thing since it's more of a worldwide publish.

As for the steering wheel friction sound when turning it left and right, you have it on your vehicle as well? Hmmm, looks like it's not my vehicle. I consider it as a defect as there should not be any sound from the steering wheel at all. Even Protons do not have these friction sound when turning the steering wheel left or right. I will bring the car to the service centre sometime this week to complain on this.

Kruk Kruk sound, I don't hear that too often now. When I attempt to pick up all rattling noises in the car, I will usually leave the stereo switched off. Yes, with the sound system at moderate volume levels, all these noises will not be heard.

Thanks. Fortunately my wife is more tolerant with sportier driving manners. If my parents or in-laws are on board on the same journey, there is no way I could drive the way I did up to Genting Highlands. Having said that, I didn't really test the car near to its limits yet. If I were alone driving the car I could have had more fun. :-)

I'm only on the sedan, so I could imagine what the hatchback could offer with increased levels of handling. Apart from the impressive power on tap, one very noticeable aspect that is worth mentioning about the Focus is the low body roll of the vehicle during cornering. The is no feeling that the vehicle is going to topple over or turn upside down when taking sharp corners at moderate speeds(that feeling is very high with the Nissan Sylphy). The vehicle is stable during cornering with very low body roll. Coupled by the light and responsive steering, it gives the driver a sense of full control over the vehicle with a sportier drive.

As for the friction sound when turning the steering wheel, I use the turning signal most of the time when I change lanes. When on traffic lights, I usually don't use the turning signal. Yes, the turning signal sound of the Focus, the "dek dek" sound when the turning signal is on, is quite loud. I am not referring to this sound of course. The friction sound when turning the steering wheel is completely different sound from this turning signal sound. It is a very soft sound akin of plastic rubbing against each other. I am sure this is a defect as in the first 3000km I don't have this sound. Only just lately the sound came up.

Okay thanks. I mistakenly took TCM as TSB, the service bulletin or something.

I suppose the bumper of the ST version needs to be ordered. Anyway the current design on the Focus Mk3 is nicer than the ST version's bumper, to me.

Funny avatar I found on the FocusFanatics forum.

Interesting news. so the Ford Focus is the worldwide best selling car in year 2013. Funny that the Ford Focus is labelled as a "best-selling small car" in the article, and the Toyota Camry as a "mid-sized vehicle". I wonder what is considered as a "large-sized sedan" if the Camry is mid-sized.

Looks like apart from the excellent handling of the Focus, the Forbes article has reported that consumers worldwide have chosen the Focus for its fuel efficiency and compact size. Interesting the Focus is ahead of the Toyota Corolla, and Honda Civic doesn't even get into the top 10.

Yeah, it's a turn-off when you suddenly notice a dent or scratch on the metallic paint of your vehicle once you are back from shopping or at home. It is inevitable even though one is careful due to the carelessness or inconsiderate behavior of others. Mostly careless adults or small kids and teenagers.

Usually the mishap happens when you park your vehicle in parallel parking in shopping malls or open areas. Most of these parking areas are tight, and usually there aren't much space in between vehicles. Paint chips, dents or scratches mostly happen here. I am always careful when I open the door so as it won't bang the vehicle that is parked beside of mine, but others may not be so careful. The only option to minimize damage to the metallic paint of your vehicle is to park "nicely" or in a better parking spot, and keep a distance away from large trucks, lorries or busses when driving on the highways as small stones tend to fly from the wheels of these large vehicles that may eventually hit your front bumper or the windscreen.

Hi there, congratulations on the Sports. Don't worry about the run-in period too much. You'll get to know most or everything about the car once you get the user manual.

In the user manual Driving Hints page 149, it was mentioned in Running-In :-

Avoid driving too fast during the first 1500km(1000miles). Vary your speed frequently and change up through the gears early. Do not labour the engine.

This post has been edited by SportyHandling: Dec 26 2013, 07:45 PM

Yes, that was what I'm talking about. As a former Nissan Sylphy owner, the change to the Focus Titanium sedan already brought a huge smile to me with the massive improvement in handling and driving dynamics. So I can imagine going from the Sentra 1.6 to Focus Sport hatchback to yield even greater results. The power and handling between the two will be just enormous. Even when going from the Sylphy 2.0 to the Focus, I can feel the latter to have much powerful acceleration. You just feel your body pushed back to the seat in hard acceleration if you really floor it. The Focus' 2.0-litre engine is most powerful in terms of horsepower and torque when compared to most common 2.0-litre engines in the market, and with the Powershift transmission there is little loss in energy transfer. The NIssan Sylphy works on CVT gear transmission so the acceleration is smoother and not as powerful as the Ford. Since your vehicle is still new, guess you cannot have so much fun yet. Maybe after 1500km then you can start to "test" the performance of the car.

So, from your previous experience with 3 generations of the Honda Civic, they cannot compare to the handling of the Focus. Good to hear. From what I read, all Japanese will not match the Ford Focus handling other than the new Mazda3 that may come close. I haven't driven the Civic before, but based on my limited driving experience with the Focus vs. Nissan Sylphy and Proton Preve Turbo, the handling and driving dynamics of the Ford Focus are surely one fascinating experience. I could just imagine the Focus Sports hatchback to deliver even more (than the Titanium) with even greater thrills and driving experience.

I haven't tried Ron97 before but Ron95 feels just fine to me.

As for juddering, it is normal when the mileage is below 1000km. Certainly very noticeable to the point of worrying. It will get lesser once above 1000km, gradually diminishing once approaching 2000km. Above 2000km I would say it has about reached the plateau, and any further minor jerks in low speeds may be inherent in the transmission itself.

Sound system of the Focus is one of the best I have experienced. Very full and rich sound that is 3-dimensional. The bass is also full and taut. Sony sound systems are certainly good. All other stereo systems sound thin and 2-dimensional in comparison with poor bass lines. The bass in the Focus sounds as if there is a subwoofer hidden somewhere in the car. I am not sure if there is actually a subwoofer tucked nicely somewhere in the boot or something. I'm an audio enthusiast and the sound system of the Focus is certainly commendable.

My phone is mostly in my pocket when I am driving. Occasionally it's on my lap. No navigation system. I haven't really used the USB port to charge the phone yet, surprisingly but true. Will need to try that sometime. Blutooth connection works okay for me, though I haven't really played with the Sync too much. The Sync voice recognition which enables the driver to call someone just by uttering his name is pretty cool.

As for seating position for your wife, the Focus sits pretty low so it may be an issue for short drivers. You can try pushing the seat as close to the front as possible then pump it up so as the legs can still reach the pedal.