2003 Ford Focus

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE PRIMEWELL PZ900 TIRES, SIZE: P205/50Z/16 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A ROAR AND FELT A VIBRATION FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE TIRE, THE CONTACT NOTICED A LARGE CRACK ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE AND REPLACED IT WITH THE SPARE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACEMENT TIRES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT TURN. ALTHOUGH I HAD BOTH KEYS WITH ME, AND BOTH WILL STILL UNLOCK THE DOORS, NEITHER WOULD TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH. BETWEEN TOWING AND REPLACEMENT OF THE SWITCH, I HAD TO SHELL OUT $450. FORD KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS VINTAGE FOCUS, BUT DOES NOT THINK IT IMPORTANT OR A SAFETY MATTER. AS A WOMAN WHO OFTEN TRAVELS ALONE, I THINK IT IS A SAFETY MATTER. I HAVE DRIVEN MANY, MANY OLD CARS - MUCH OLDER THAN THIS ONE - AND HAVE NEVER BEEN STRANDED BY SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. ALTHOUGH I WAS STRANDED IN FAMILIAR TERRITORY AND NOT FAR FROM HOME, IT MIGHT EASILY HAVE BEEN OTHERWISE. FORD KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM, IT WAS CAUSED BY THEIR USE OF FAULTY EQUIPMENT, AND THEY SHOULD FIX IT.

WHEN RIDING DOWN THE ROAD THE DOORS WILL AUTOMATICALLY LOCK BY THEMSELVES. THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE YEARS. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR USED, IT CAME WITH MANY KEYS. WELL, THIS TIME WHEN IT LOCKED, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE IGNITION LOCKED AND I HAD TO GET IT TOWED FROM SMITHFIELD NC; APPROXIMATELY AN HOURLY FROM MY HOME. THE MECHANIC CAN NOT GET IT UNLOCKED BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL HAS TO BE TURNED TO UNLOCK IT, VICE VERSA, AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED. ALSO THE LIGHTING IS VERY POOR WITH THE HEAD LIGHTS AND I SEE THIS ON ALL THE VEHICLE FOR THAT YEAR AND MAKE AS I RIDE DOWN THE ROAD. MY CAR IS PARKED BECAUSE I CANT AFFORD TO FIX IT. I HAVE FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS STEERING AND IGNITION LOCK ISSUE. I AM WONDERING WHY THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED FOR THE ISSUE. IT IS A HAZARD. I HAVE CONTACTED THE FORD MANUFACTURER CONCERNING THE MATTER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY CAN'T ASSIST ME WITH IT BECAUSE MY CAR HAS NO WARRANTY. ALSO, THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE REAL DOOR LOCK. FORD DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS REPAIRED BY TEAM FORD DEALERSHIP PRIOR TO ME OWNING THE VEHICLE; I INFORMED HIM THAT THE PROBLEM WAS STILL A ISSUE GETTING THE REAR DOOR TO LOCK SECURELY AT TIMES. HE INFORMED ME THAT IT COULD ONLY HAVE BEEN FIXED ONCE UNDER THE RECALL. THESE ISSUES HAVE OCCURRED REPEATEDLY SINCE I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN 2009. THEY ALL PUT ME AT RISK OF GREAT DANGER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR BECAME AJAR. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY TO CLOSE THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V030000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

ON FEB 11, 2015 I WAS DRIVING TO GO TO THE VET. I HAD NOT BEEN DOWN THAT ROAD IN ABOUT 6 MONTHS. I CAME UPON AN AREA THAT WAS A VERY BAD CHUNK OF ROAD...PATCHES OVER PATCHES AND VERY BUMPY. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR TILTED TO THE RIGHT AND THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. IT TOOK ME A COUPLE SECONDS TO REALIZE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. MY AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE (SIDE AIRBAG) HAD DEPLOYED. SCARED ME! I HAD NO IDEA WHY IT HAD GONE OFF. BUT THE CAR SEEMED TO BE DRIVING OK STILL SO I CONTINUED TO THE VET ABOUT 1-2 MILES AWAY. I WONDERED IF A DEER HAD HIT THE SIDE OF MY CAR BUT WHEN I GOT TO THE VET AND CHECKED MY CAR, THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE SIDE OF MY CAR. SINCE THEN I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD THEIR AIRBAGS DEPLOY WHEN HITTING A POTHOLE. THE NEXT DAY I WENT BACK AND TOOK PICTURES OF THAT AREA AND A VIDEO.THIS WAS BY A GUARDRAIL WITH A HUGE DROP OFF ON THE SIDE. I AM LUCKY I DIDN'T LOSE CONTROL OF MY CAR WHEN THE AIRBAG EXPLODED RIGHT NEXT TO ME AND POSSIBLY GO THROUGH THE GUARDRAIL AND OFF OF THAT STEEP DROP OFF. THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. IT WAS A VERY FRIGHTENING SITUATION AND THANK GOD, NOBODY WAS IN THAT SEAT. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT WAS ON THAT ROAD BECAUSE WHEN I LOOKED OVER I SAW A BIG WHITE CIRCLE (DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS AT FIRST...THOUGHT MY WINDOW HAD BROKEN) AND I SAW THE END OF THE GUARD RAIL WHERE IT ANGLES DOWN AT THE END. I WAS NOT SPEEDING, OR ON THE PHONE. JUST DRIVING DOWN A COUNTY ROAD AND HAD $1700 WORTH OF DAMAGE DONE TO MY CAR. I ONLY HAVE PL/PD ON THAT CAR SO MY INSURANCE WON'T COVER IT.

CAR COMES TO A TRAFFIC STOP AND DIES. HAD BEEN SHAKING PRIOR AND HAD A DIAGNOSTIC DONE ONLY TO SPEND $150 TO HAVE IT NO BETTER . TOOK IT TO A BETTER MECHANIC WHO SAID THE VALVE SEAT DROPPED. I OWE 2K ON THIS CAR AND IT IS WORTHLESS NOT TO MENTION I AM A STUDENT WHO HAS TO GO TO WORK AND CLASSES WITH ABSOLUTELY NO RECOURSE HERE. HOW DO I KEEP MY JOB OR MY STATUS IN COLLEGE SHAME ON FORD YOU STARTED ME OUT WITH A REALLY BIG PROBLEM AND NOW I HAVE TO PAY FOR A CAR THAT WONT GO ANYWHERE AND WILL NOT RUN ON A 2K DEBT. AND NO TRANSPORTATION SHAME ON FORD.. *TR