2006 Ford Focus

The welded retainer of the front bushing on the right side lower (control) arm had rusted through. This allowed the control arm to separate from the frame and the right front wheel to turn outward (while I was traveling straight ahead). The drive shaft was pulled from the transmission and some parts hit the ground. Luckily, I was approaching a stop sign and traveling at less than 30 miles per hour. (The day before I was on I95 at 65 mph) Upon inspection you can see that the control arm is forged in the shape of a "C" from very thick metal where the bushing rests against the arm. However, the bushing is retained by a much thinner metal, welded across the arm forming the other side of the "C". It is that thinner welded retainer that had rusted out. We live in an area where salt is routinely used on the roads during the winter. I know the car is very old. However, this design is inadequate from a safety perspective in the Northeast.

FORD FOCUS STATION WAGON WITH 40,000 MILES ON TIRES. TIRES WORN COMPLETELY DOWN TO BARE METAL ON BOTH REAR TIRES. I DROVE INTO A PARKING LOT TO SHOP AND HEARD HISSING NOISE. SAW DAMAGED TIRES CHANGED LEAKING TIRE TO SPARE TIRE. WEAR ON INSIDE OF REAR TIRES ONLY. LOCAL TIRE DEALER LOOKED AT ALIGNMENT AND COMMENTED THAT FOCUS TIRES FREQUENTLY BLOW DUE TO "TOW" IRREGULARITIES IN ALIGNMENT. DIFFICULT TO ADJUST TOW TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS WITHOUT EXCESSIVE WEAR ON REAR TIRES. I REPLACED TIRES. I WAS ADVISED TO ROTATE TIRES FREQUENTLY AND HAVE ALIGNMENT CHECKED REGULARLY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH OR MORE THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN LUNGING TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT ON SLIPPERY SURFACES ESPECIALLY WHENEVER IT RAINED OR DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEY ALIGNED THE REAR END; HOWEVER, THE SAME FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND STATED THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THEY WOULD ASSUME THE REPAIR COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

THE REAR OF THE CAR JERKS/PULLS AROUND. IT IS VERY HARD TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THOUGHT IT WAS AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. AFTER HAVING FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENTS DONE, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. SEVERAL MECHANICS TRIED DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM WITH NO LUCK. FINALLY ONE MECHANICS WAS ABLE TO PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. SEEMS THE REAR LOWER ARM ASSEMBLIES ARE FAILING (DEFECTIVE OR WEAK PARTS). MY WIFE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT A FEW WEEKS AGO WHICH I BELIEVE MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR (BACK END BASICALLY DOES WHAT IT WANTS TO DO) THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM. I KNOW OF THREE OTHER PEOPLE WITHIN A TEN MILE RADIUS WHO ARE ALSO HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THERE FORD FOCUS. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN IT TAKE EVERY LITTLE BIT OF EFFORT TO KEEP YOUR CAR IN CONTROL ESPECIALLY ON SNOW COVERED ROADS. *TR

27500 MILES, 2006 FOCUS ZX3, I NOTICED AS GOING OVER SPEEDBUMPS AND PARKING INTO PARKING SPOT, MY CAR MADE CREAKING NOISES AS IF THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR WAS GOING TO FALL OFF. I TOOK THIS TO MY DEALERSHIP AND IT TOOK THEM A WHILE AND EVENTUALLY THEY FOUND RUST ON THE SPRINGS. THEY FILED OFF THE RUST AND PUT THE CAR BACK TOGETHER, NO MORE CREAKING. *TR

BOUGHT CAR WITH 12,000 MILES ON IT IN 2007. NOTED VIBRATION AND PULL TO THE RIGHT SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. TOOK TO A DEALERSHIP FOR ALIGNMENT AND TOLD THE ALIGNMENT WAS PERFECT. AFTER ANOTHER MONTH AND HAVING TO REPLACE ALL THE TIRES DUE TO BALD SPOTS, TOOK CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SHOWED ME THE COMPUTER PRINT OUT AND CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ALIGNMENT. SECOND SET OF TIRES NOW PREMATURELY WEARING AND CAR CONTINUES TO VIBRATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND PULL TO THE RIGHT. TIRES ROTATED EVERY 6,000 MILES AND ALL HIGHWAY DRIVING. LIKE THE CAR BUT FEEL UNSAFE WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

REAR TIRES PREMATURELY WORN AND DAMAGED. 2006 FORD FOCUS WITH 34,000 MILES. THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE WORE OUT BADLY, (BALD SPOTS, AND IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. ALSO THE DRIVER'S REAR TIRE WORE OUT WELL BEYOND THE ACCEPTABLE RANGE FOR THE MILEAGE. ALSO NEEDS REPLACEMENT. REAR END IS UNSTABLE AND I TURNED THE CAR AROUND WHEN REAR OF CAR LOST STABILITY. HAVE AN ALIGNMENT SCHEDULED BUT IN 50 YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR'S REAR WHEELS TO BE OUT OF ALIGNMENT BAD ENOUGH TO MAKE CAR UNSAFE. *TR

I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR ON REAR TIRES. AT 20K MILES THE REAR TIRES ARE ALMOST BALD 2/32 OF TREAD LEFT. THERE APPEARS TO BE AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE THAT DEALER WOULD NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS TOLD THAT ALIGNMENT IS ONLY COVERED FOR FIRST 12K MILES. THE FRONT WAS ALIGNED UNDER WARRANTY AFTER A BAD TIRE WAS FOUND AT SCHEDULED SERVICE. IT IS SO BAD NOW THAT WHEN YOU HIS A BUMP IN THE ROAD THE REAR OF THE CAR JUMPS TO ONE SIDE. *TR

VEHICLE STARTING PROBLEMS. TOOK IT TO DEALER A FEW TIMES AND IT STILL DOES IT FROM TIME TO TIME. AN ADVISORY WAS ISSUES, BUT STILL DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. REAR PASSENGER BEARING WENT BAD AROUND 9000 MILES. FRONT BRAKES WERE ALREADY WORN OUT AT 17000. THEY REPLACED THEM , AND STILL WENT OUT AROUND 21000. HAD TO USE OTHER COMPANY PADS/ROTORS TO GO BY. REAR BRAKE SHOES WERE CRACKED, NOT USED, CRACKED. THEY SAID IS NORMAL. MANY SUSPENSION NOISES. THEY SAID ALL WAS OKAY. I CHANGED THE SUSPENSION FROM MY OWN MONEY SINCE THEY WERE NO HELP AND STILL SAME NOISES. NOW THEY BLAME THE E AFTER MARKET SUSPENSION ON THE PROBLEMS. *AK OTHER USERS AND PEOPLE I HAVE TALKED TO COMPLAINED ABOUT SAME OR SIMILIAR ISSUSE.