2005 Ford Focus

MY BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PAST WEEK ON MY WAY TO WORK...THEN ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MY MOTHER-IN-LAW AND I DECIDED TO GO TO ASHEVILLE, NC...WE GOT AS FAR AS WAYNESVILLE, AND MY CAR QUIT...(ABOUT 80,000 MILES ON MY CAR)...I WAS ABLE TO ROLL IT OFF AND POP THE CLUTCH AND GET IT TO START...I DROVE ABOUT 5 MILES, AND IT QUIT AGAIN...THIS TIME, I COULD NOT GET IT STARTED AGAIN...HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK...HAD MY CAR TOWED TO ANDY SHAW FORD IN SYLVA, NC, THE TOWN CLOSEST TO WHERE I LIVE...THEY CHECKED OUT MY CAR AND SAID THAT IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR...THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT IN COLD AND HOT WEATHER, THE ALTERNATORS WILL GO OUT...MY HUSBAND HAS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA, WITH 240,000 MILES ON IT AND HE HAS NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR IN HIS TRUCK...I HAVE HAD THREE OTHER NEW CARS, THE FIRST ONE BOUGHT IN 1986, FORD FESTIVA...IT HAD 149,000 O SO ON IT WHEN IT QUIT....NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR...THE NEXT ONE I BOUGHT WAS A 1995 TOYOTA TERCEL, HIT A DEER WITH ABOUT 149,000 ON THE CAR...NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR IN THIS CAR...THE NEXT ONE I BOUGHT WAS A 2000 KIA RIO...TOTALED IT OUT WHEN SOMEONE HIT ME IN 2005...THE CAR HAD ABOUT 140,000 ON IT THEN...NEVER HAD TO EVER REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR IN THAT CAR...SO, WHY DID THE ALTERNATOR GO OUT ON THE FORD FOCUS? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL WHILE BEING DRIVEN 5 MPH OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT ONE OF THE CLAMPS FOR THE FUEL LINE DETACHED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 65,000.

I CANNOT REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION ON MY 2005 FORD FOCUS. THIS HAPPENED SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND TRIED TO REMOVE THE KEY AND IT WILL NOT COME OUT. I HAVE SEEN THAT SEVERAL OTHER FORD FOCUS OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND FORD REFUSES TO DO A RECALL, CLAIMING THAT THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I ALSO NOTICED THAT I CANNOT LOCK THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR, EITHER MANUALLY OR ELECTRONICALLY. I THINK THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE AS ANYONE COULD GET INTO MY CAR AND DRIVE OFF SINCE THE KEY IS STILL IN THE IGNITION AND THE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK. I WILL TRY TAKING THE CAR TO A LOCKSMITH TO GET THE IGNITION LOCK REPLACED AS I HAVE HEARD THAT THIS IS CHEAPER AND MORE RELIABLE THAN GETTING THIS PROBLEM FIXED BY THE DEALER. *TR

NOTICED ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK ON FRIDAY THAT WHEN I CLICKED ON THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL, IT WENT IN A "FAST BLINK" WHICH USUALLY MEANS A BURNED OUT BULB, SHORT, OR BLOWN FUSE, BUT USUALLY JUST A BURNED OUT BULB. ONCE I GOT HOME IN THE DRIVEWAY, I GET OUT AND TEST THE LIGHTS AND SEE THAT THE FRONT LEFT TURN SIGNALS ARE FLASHING FAST, AND THE BACK LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS NOT FLASHING AT ALL. I'M STILL HOPING FOR A BURNED OUT BULB AT THIS POINT. I MAKE A NOTE TO CHANGE IT OUT IN THE MORNING. ON SATURDAY OCT 4TH I PULL OFF THE LEFT REAR LIGHTING ASSEMBLY, CONSISTING OF TWO SCREWS HOLDING IT TO THE CAR, AND I FIND TWO BULB CONNECTIONS; THE BOTTOM ONE (BRAKE LIGHTS) HAS A NORMAL QUARTER TURN AND PULL OUT CONNECTOR TO GET TO THE BULB. ONLY THAT BULB IS FINE. THE TOP ONE ALSO HAS ONE OF THOSE "QUARTER-TURN-AND-PULL" CONNECTORS, ONLY IT DOES NOT "PULL" HECK IT DOESN'T EVEN QUARTER TURN, IT'S FROZEN IN PLACE, AND THE BACK SIDE OF THIS LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS MELTED INTO AN EGG SHAPE (SUPPOSED TO BE ROUND). NOW I'M NOT INTO JUST A BULB ANY MORE. IT'S SATURDAY, AND MY NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP IS ON M-F BANKERS HOURS, SO I ORDER A REPLACEMENT FROM AUTOZONE FOR $100 WHICH SHOULD BE HERE THIS WEEK. I SEE FROM NHTSA WEB SITE THAT THERE ARE NO EXISTING RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE, HOWEVER SOMEBODY ELSE APPARENTLY HAS ALSO SUBMITTED THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I WILL BE ASKING MY FORD DEALER ABOUT IT THIS COMING WEEK, BUT I AM ALSO FILING THIS COMPLAINT TO DOCUMENT A PART FAILURE ON A CAR THAT IS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD, AND WHATEVER THE REASON; THIS FAILURE INVOLVES ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, EXTERNAL LIGHTING, MELTING PLASTIC PARTS, AND FAILED SAFETY EQUIPMENT. I LEAVE IT UP TO YOU TO DETERMINE IF FURTHER ACTION IS REQUIRED. *TR UPDATED 02/19/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE ISSUE WITH THE MELTED ASSEMBLY AROUND THE BRAKE LIGHT SOCKET WAS NOT LIMITED TO THE BACK LEFT, BUT ALSO PRESENT IN THE BACK LIGHT TAIL LIGHT OF HIS 2005 FORD FOCUS STATION WAGON. UPDATED 02/19/10.*JB UPDATED 08/20/10*JB

I PURCHASED A 2005 FORD FOCUS, MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE HAS BROKEN AND THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED OR IT WILL NOT CLOSE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE IS LOOSE ALSO AS WITH OTHER COMPLAINTS NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO FIX THIS ISSUE A RECALL REPORTED ON THIS ISSUES DOES NOT PERTAIN TO MY VIN# . DON'T KNOW WHY CONSIDERING IT IS THE SAME ISSUE, I HAVE ONE KEY LOCK ON OUTSIDE OF CAR ON DRIVERS SIDE BUT CANNOT LOCK CAR NOW THAT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE HAS BROKE SO I CAN NOT LOCK MY CAR. DEALERSHIP IS WILLING TO LOOK AT IT BUT WILL PROBABLY COST MAJOR MONIES TO FIX. WHY ISN'T THIS CONSIDER A SAFETY ISSUE IF YOU CANNOT GET INTO YOUR CAR. OR IF THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR SWINGS OPEN SHOULDN'T HAVE ALL OF THE 2005 FORD FOCUS BEEN RECALLED. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS NEED TO BE FILED BEFORE IT GETS RECALLED? *TR

I HAVE A 2005 FORD FOCUS WITH OVER 84K MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING TROUBLE OPENING THE DOORS. THEY USED TO STICK BUT NOW THEY JUST DON'T CLOSE. THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR STICKS AND IS HARD TO OPEN & BOTH REAR DOORS DO NOT CLOSE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO RUSS MILNE FORD IN MACOMB MICH. THEY WANT OVER $700 TO REPAIR THE DOORS. I FOUND IT APPALLING THAT THEY WOULD CHARGE THAT MUCH MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT I VIEW AS A DESIGN FLAW THAT THEY SHOULD REPAIR FOR FREE CONSIDERING THE SAFTEY HAZARD THIS COULD CAUSE. I CALLED THE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER AND OPENED TICKET #0615822478 AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE. I REALIZE THIS IS NOT A LUXURY SEDAN SO THE FACT THAT THERE IS LOUD WIND NOISE, SHAKES AND RATTLES AND EVEN THE FRONT ARM REST FLINGING ITSELF OFF ITS BASE AND BREAKING DOESN'T REALLY BOTHER ME OR THE MP3 PLAYER NOT READING THE DISCS OR THE TRUNK BUTTON REQUIRING SEVERAL PUSHES BEFORE IT OPENS THE TRUNK DOESN'T GIVE ME GREAT CONCERN, BUT I CERTAINLY EXPECT THE DOORS TO CLOSE. IF I WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE CHEAP WHEELS THAT I'VE HAD TO REPLACE TWICE ALREADY OR THE TIRES OR THE ENGINE, I COULD SEE BEING TOLD IT WAS DUE TO THE MILEAGE BUT THESE ARE DOORS THAT I SHOULD EXPECT TO CLOSE. I READ THROUGH THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND EVEN THOUGH IT BROKE OUT MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES FOR TIRES, OIL, ETC, NO WHERE DID IT SAY THAT ONE COULD EXPECT THE DOORS TO STOP CLOSING AFTER "X" MILES. AT HOW MANY MILES SHOULD I HAVE EXPECTED THE DOORS TO STOP CLOSING? 25, 30, 50 THOUSAND? I FOUND A RECALL NOTICE FOR 2004-5 FOR THE EXACT THING THAT WAS HAPPENING TO MY DOORS. RECALL NUMBER: 05V030000 SO WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID IT DID NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE. THEY SAID THAT RECALL WAS ONLY FOR VEHILCES BULIT UP TO JANUARY OF 2005 AND THAT MY VEHICLE WAS BUILT IN JULY OF 2005. IMAGINE THAT, I HAVE THE SAME ISSUEI WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION TO MY CASE. THANKS.

2005 FORD FOCUS ZX4 FLAT TIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE WHEEL COVER HITTING THE VALVE STEM. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WHEEL COVER IS BENDING THE VALVE STEM . *NJ ALL 4 OF THE WHEEL COVERS WERE ROTATING ON THE WHEELS . THE DEALER USED EPOXY GLUE TO FASTEN THE WHEEL COVERS TO THE WHEELS. THREE OF THE COVERS STUCK, BUT THE FOURTH CONTINUED TO ROTATE. *JB