Is the Ford Focus ST reliable?
Generally, yes. But there are a number of things you should look out for before you buy, given that it is a fast Ford and has likely had a punchy life. Stolen, crashed and badly repaired cars with false identities, cars passed off as being a higher trim level, cars tuned to within an inch of their life: all these are traps awaiting the unwary buyer of a Focus ST.
But if these and the following common problems check out, and it has a decent service history (ideally a full one) then you should have a trusty steed.
Engine: Services are every 12,500 miles, and the engine has a timing chain rather than a belt. Check for exhaust smoke, coolant loss and low boost pressure. Fluctuating revs or stalling on pre-facelift cars may be a wiring loom fault. That triggered a recall in the US; here, some cars got new looms under warranty, while others were repaired.
Transmission: The six-speed manual gearbox is tough, so pay closer attention to the clutch and for it slipping in higher gears under hard acceleration from low engine revs.
Tyres, Steering and suspension: Bushes, dampers and springs take a pounding, so drive a handful of cars to compare their ride and handling. Irregular tyre wear patterns may indicate steering and suspension geometry problems.
Wheels and brakes: Check alloys for kerbing, brake discs for warping and pads for remaining life. Brake lines corrode badly. Optional 19in wheels look great. Some Rado Grey 18in alloys are losing their lacquer coat.
