# Faltering Ford Focus **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [August 28, 2008, 4:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faltering-ford-focus/18792 "2008-08-28T16:28:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![plant1211](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58f4c7/32.png) [@plant1211](https://community.cartalk.com/u/plant1211)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 4:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faltering-ford-focus/18792/1 "2008-08-28T16:28:09Z")
2002 105,000 miles Maine car. Will sporadically die repeatedly due to stoppage of gas. replaced gas filter , now someone wants to replace fuel pump, although trusted mechanic says no it doesn’t act like fuel pump problem. Mechanic mentioned baffles in tank that keep fuel flow even as possible issue. Help? ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_G](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dave_g/32/768_2.png) [@Dave\_G](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Dave_G)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 4:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faltering-ford-focus/18792/2 "2008-08-28T16:55:21Z")
How do you know it’s a fuel problem? Just beacause an engine dies doesn’t mean it’s not getting fuel. The next time the car dies someone needs to quickly check to see if the car is getting spark. When this car dies does it do it instantly like someone turning off a light switch, or does it sputter and struggle to run for a few moments before dying? ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 4:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faltering-ford-focus/18792/3 "2008-08-28T16:58:12Z")
Has anyone measured the fuel pressure? Are you sure it’s a fuel problem and not an ignition problem? ---
**Author:** ![plant1211](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58f4c7/32.png) [@plant1211](https://community.cartalk.com/u/plant1211)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 5:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faltering-ford-focus/18792/4 "2008-08-28T17:36:50Z")
both good points. Can’t get the car to misbehave when convenient Thanks fellas ---
**Author:** ![plant1211](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58f4c7/32.png) [@plant1211](https://community.cartalk.com/u/plant1211)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 5:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faltering-ford-focus/18792/5 "2008-08-28T17:39:26Z")
Off like a light ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 5:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faltering-ford-focus/18792/6 "2008-08-28T17:41:38Z")
If it shuts off “like a light” I’d suggest the problem is with the ignition, and not the fuel. ---
**Author:** ![plant1211](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58f4c7/32.png) [@plant1211](https://community.cartalk.com/u/plant1211)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 5:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faltering-ford-focus/18792/7 "2008-08-28T17:42:36Z")
What might be another indicator of an ignition problem. It does die instantly and then restart with no problem except it dies again after a few minutes but sometimes runs fine ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_G](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dave_g/32/768_2.png) [@Dave\_G](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Dave_G)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faltering-ford-focus/18792/8 "2008-08-28T18:36:49Z")
If the car is shutting down like a light switch ten 9 out of 10 times that would be an ignition problem.