2005 Ford Focus

I WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION NEAR MY HOME. THE STREET WAS WET, AND WHEN I DETERMINED THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO STOP, I APPLIED FULL BRAKING. MY VEHICLE DOES HAVE ABS, BUT MY WHEELS FULLY LOCKED. I REAR ENDED A 1994 FULL SIZE CAR AT APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 30 MPH. MY CHIEF COMPLAINT IS THAT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THAT THE ABS BRAKING WAS ESSENTIALLY NON-EFFECTIVE. THIS ACCIDENT WAS MY FAULT, HOWEVER, I DID EXPECT THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT ON MY VEHICLE TO WORK. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING INSPECTED FOR REPAIR. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED A LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED, THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATED IT WAS A BATTERY NOT CHARGING PROPERLY LIGHT. LATER IN THE DAY, THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS FAILED, AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY FOUND IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ALTERNATOR, AND THE ALTERNATOR IS BEING REPLACED. *AK

I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND IT GETS THE WORSE GAS MILEAGE I HAVE EVER SEEN. I NEVER GET BETTER THAN 25 MPG HIGHWAY. I BOUGHT THIS CAR WITH THE FORD DEALER TELLING HOW GREAT IT WAS ON GAS. THAT I WOULD AVERAGE 32 MPG. I COMPLAINED TO MY DEALER WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND THEY SAID I WAS AVERAGING 31.7 MPG ACCORDING TO THERE COMPUTER. THAT IS NOT TRUE! THEN THEY SAID IT NEEDS A BREAK IN TIME OF 5000 MILES. I HAVE 15000 MILES ON THE CAR AND I DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY EVERY DAY. MANY OTHER FOCUS OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED BUT FORD IGNORES US. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE SHIFT CABLES CONTINUED TO BREAK. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE AND ONCE PRIOR TO PURCHASE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CABLES TWICE, MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CABLES ONCE, AND REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW WHAT REPAIRS WERE MADE BEFORE PURCHASE. THE VEHICLE IS STILL HARD TO GET INTO GEAR. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS BEFORE IT BREAKS. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE WHEEL COVERS POPPED WHILE DRIVING, ONE OF THE COVERS CAME OFF THE CAR. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO GET THE COVER BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC. HE CONTACTED FORD, AND THEY WOULD REVIEW THE PROBLEM ONLY IF THE WHEEL COVER WAS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT, AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE A PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN MY VEHICLE SHIFTER IS IN NEUTRAL (I HAVE AN AUTOMATIC TRANS) AND THE BRAKE IS PRESSED CLUSTERS ON THE DASH ILLUMINATE (OIL LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, BATTERY LIGHT.) THE ENGINE STALLS AND I LOOSE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES MAKING THE VEHICLE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STOP AND STEER ESPECIALLY IF I AM ON THE FREEWAY DOING 65!. IT SEEMS TO DO IT MOST OFTEN WHEN I AM ON THE FREEWAY GOING DOWN A HILL IN NEUTRAL AND THE BRAKE IS PRESSED. *JB

THURSDAY MORNING, (10/6/05) I WAS DRIVING NORTHBOUND ON THE DAN RYAN I94. I WAS IN THE LEFT HAND LANE IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF MY HOOD. I THOUGHT I MUST BE OVERHEATING, THOUGH THAT SEEMED WEIRD SINCE IT WAS FAIRLY COOL OUTSIDE AND NOTHING ON MY DASH SHOWED DISTRESS. I PULLED QUICKLY TO THE LEFT SHOULDER, TURNED OFF THE CAR AND DECIDED TO CALL ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE. WHILE ON HOLD A STRANGE SMELL STARTED TO FILL THE CAR AND I NOTICED MORE SMOKE AND THE SMOKE WAS GETTING DARKER. I GRABBED MY BAG, AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR. WITHIN A MINUTE, THERE WERE SMALL FLAMES COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. I BEGAN TO WALK QUICKLY AWAY FROM THE CAR ALONG THE SHOULDER. ALL THIS TO SAY THAT THE CAR IS TOTALED, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MADE IT BEFORE IT EXPLODED....BUT IT IS DESTROYED. *NM

DT: 2005 FORD FOCUS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE GRILL AND HEADLIGHTS WERE OUT OF PLACE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY WERE NOT SURE IF THEY WERE GOING TO ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP MADE ADJUSTMENTS, BUT THE CONSUMER DIDN'T FEEL IT WAS PROPERLY CORRECTED. THE CONSUMER STATED ONLY ONE HALF OF THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS ABLE TO BE PUT IN COMPLIANCE. HE HAS BEEN TOLD THE RADIATOR SUPPORT PANEL WAS BUILT IN AN IMPROPER POSITION. FORD STATED THE VEHICLE WAS BUILT WITHIN TOLERANCE. IT SHOULD NOT AFFECT ANY SAFETY COMPONENTS. WHEN THE CONSUMER ASKED FOR THAT IN WRITING THEY WERE UNSURE OF THEMSELVES. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE HOOD SITS TOO LOW AT THE FENDER NEAR THE RIGHT A- PILLAR, THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED. *JB

ONCE ON A 3 LANE EXPRESSWAY (7/29/05) AND ONCE ON A BUSY STREET (8/4/2005), THE STICK SHIFT DISCONNECTED ITSELF FROM THE TRANSMISSION LEAVING ME IN NEUTRAL THE FIRST TIME AND 1ST GEAR THE SECOND TIME. THE 2005 (245 MILES ON IT) FORD FOCUS LEFT ME IN A SITUATION WHERE I WAS A SITTING DUCK AND ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED THE FIRST TIME AND YELLED AT THE SECOND TIME. THE DEALER (FRONTIER FORD, SANTA CLARA, CA) RECONNECTED THE LINKAGE THE FIRST TIME IT WAS TOWED IN. IT FAILED AGAIN ON 8/4 AND WAS TOWED IN AGAIN. NOW THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP SINCE 8/4/2005 AWAITING PARTS. THE DEALER SAID MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE TO EXHIBIT THIS FAILURE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY HAZARD AND FORD IS DOING NOTHING TO FIX IT BUT TELL ME THAT THE CABLE ASSEMBLY IS ON ORDER. *NM

ON SUN 8/28/05 I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON I69. JUST SOUTH OF EXIT 25 I WAS GOING TO PASS A RV. I CHECKED MY MIRRORS AND THOUGH IT WAS SAFE TO PASS, BUT I MISSED JUDGED THE CAR BEHIND ME AND HE WAS IN MY PASSING LANE. I JERKED BACK INTO MY LANE. WHEN STRAIGHTENING UP SOMETHING POPPED IN MY STEERING. AS A RESULT I WHEN SLIDING SIDEWAYS DOWN THE HIGHWAY. I FINALLY ENDED UP SLOWLY GLIDING DOWN THE GUARD RAIL. I COULD NOT STEER MY CAR. *NM