2003 Ford Focus

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION HAD BECOME INOPERABLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK BECAUSE THE GEAR SHIFTER HAD BECOME STUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE TAIL GATE MECHANISM WAS CAUSING THE FAILURE AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED BECAUSE THE PART WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE THROUGH THE MANUFACTURER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

IGNITION SWITCH WILL NOT TURN PREVENTING YOU FROM STARTING THE CAR. MY DAUGHTER GOT STRANDED AT WORK AT 11PM FOR 45 MINUTES UNTIL SOMEONE WAS ABLE TO HELP HER GET THE KEY TO TURN. I TOOK TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY SAID A FORD DEALER WOULD NEED TO REPLACE AS THE 2000-2003 FOCUSES HAVE A LOT OF IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEMS. THE DEALER WANTS $350 AND WILL ONLY WARRANTY THE PART FOR 1 YEAR!! *TR

THE LEFT REAR DOOR DOESN'T LATCH PROPERLY, CAUSING THE DOOR TO FLY OPEN ON IT'S OWN. THANK GOODNESS KIDS WERE NOT IN THE CAR WHEN THIS OCCURRED. SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE DOOR WILL NOT LATCH AND IS NOW TETHERED WITH ROPE AND CAN'T BE USED. FORD KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AS THEY HAVE A CURRENT RECALL NOTICE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V030000 FORD CLAIMS THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED. THE ISSUE FOR MY VEHICLE IS THAT IT WAS PURCHASED IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN 2003 AND REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN FEB OF 2005 WHEN THE RECALL CAME OUT. (IT IS NOW REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF NY WHERE IT HAS BEEN SINCE 2006. IF THE RECALL CAME OUT ONE YEAR LATER, MY CAR WOULD BE COVERED?) COVERED OR NOT, FORD KNOWS THAT THE CAR IS UNSAFE. A REMEDY WOULD BE TO RE-ISSUE THE RECALL AGAIN SO THAT IT COVERS ANY 2003 FOCUS AS I AM CERTAIN THAT MY CAR IS NOT THE ONLY CAR SOLD IN A STATE NOT COVERED, BUT THAT HAS SINCE RELOCATED TO A STATE WHERE CORROSION CAN OCCUR DUE TO SALT AND WINTER CONDITIONS (UNBEKNOWNST TO CONSUMERS). I AM LUCKY THAT MY KIDS WERE NOT HURT, BUT SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT NOT BE AS LUCKY. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROX 70MPH, I SIGNALED MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL. AS I CHANGED INTO THE LEFT LANE, MY DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS OPEN SO SOME SEAT FOAM AND SMOKE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME. I PULLED OVER AND THE OTHER DRIVER STOPPED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND CHECKED TO SEE IF I WAS OKAY. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE HOME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE INSERTED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION BUT COULD NOT START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND SHE VERIFIED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 133,000.