2.3L 280 ST EcoBoost 5dr

Bitter sweet experience

Having previously owned the 2018 Fiesta ST and having experienced build quality issues with my first car which was rejected, I then suffered more issues with my replacement. This took away from what was an otherwise fantastic car to drive on a daily basis.

So, after seeing the 2019 Focus ST and being fed up with Fiesta I decided to pay the deposit and see what the fuss was about. I choose my car in the solid Frozen White option as my Fiesta ST in Performance Blue did not wear well over a winter.

I collected the car and within ten minutes of driving the car I experienced a loud buzzing and rattle from the front door cards. Having had the B&O audio system in the Fiesta I knew what to expect and this wasn’t it. I immediately returned to the dealer to express my frustration at the speakers sounding so poor! The dealers stated they would investigate the issue and the car was booked in. However, two weeks after owning the car I experienced steering failure luckily at low speed. This issue was resolved by simply turning the ignition off and on again, but this now left me concerned that it could happen at high speeds. I also noticed that the bonnet had been fitted slightly off centre and the firm filler cap was not aligned correctly either! These build issues were reminiscent of my Fiesta ST’s and was concerned given the cost of this car.

The car went into the dealers for the rattling and the steering failure and I was told that there was a technical service bulletin that was issued before my car was built whereby an issue with the window regulators would cause the buzzing and rattling sound in the door cards. The fix I was told was a form that would be inserted into the door panels to prevent this issue. The steering I was told was seen on the fault codes, but could not be replicated and therefore was likely a one off. What has angered me however was that the dealers had damaged the door cards using screwdrivers instead of trim tools to remove them! The dealers accepted this and told me that the damaged parts would be replaced.

Despite being annoyed by this I had forgotten the issues so far and began to enjoy my car again. On B roads and motorways this car came alive with torque always on offer and the Jekyll and Hyde nature of this car made it a great everyday car to live with more so than say an RS.

Fuel economy using Shell V Power was on average between 32mpg and 40mpg on longer journeys. This often dropped to 25mpg in traffic and town driving around London.

After six months of waiting the foam for my door cards Ahmad still not arrived and I was naturally frustrated at having to wait so long for what would you think be an easy part to obtain. Finally after complaining to Ford UK customer services the parts suddenly appeared and my car was booked in to have the work completed. To my disappointment the dealers only filled one door with expanding foam and told me that I’d need to test that the door filled with foam no longer has the rattling sound! I was astounded to find that the technician had also managed to get this expanding foam on my paintwork and also the interior which left permanent marks. Strike two for the dealers! Too add insult to injury the fox did not work and my door was in fact now worse and I was told that the dealers did not know what else to try to resolve this issue and would have to go back to Ford technical department to see what they suggested.

Then whilst waiting for a new suggestion my car suffered another steering failure, however rod one did not resolve by turning the ignition on and off. The car was now not safe to drive and it had to be recovered to the dealers for a be steering rack and module. Due to the COVID-19 lockdown though they cannot perform any other repairs such as the doors, bonnet and fuel filler issues!

I have emailed the Ford UK CEO highlighting the issues I have and continue to suffer not only with the new Focus ST, but two Fiesta ST’s also. I immediately got a response from the Ford UK Executive Office who are now dealing with my case. I no longer have faith in my car, despite the steering rack being replaced. The numerous issues that have still not been addressed are not acceptable given the price of this vehicle. I have therefore asked for the same car, albeit another new ST. Once the dealership reopens after the lockdown Ford UK will look to arrange an exchange of my vehicle.

Would I buy another Ford after this? Unlikely, which is a real shame as the car itself is a fantastic piece of engineering. It’s a shame that the build quality isn’t up to standard.



So after nearly 6 months

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