2006 Ford Focus

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT GASOLINE OVERFLOWED FROM THE GAS TANK ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHO UPON EXAMINATION DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS MINOR DEBRIS IN THE VENT HOSE OF THE GAS TANK. THE DEALER BLEW OUT THE VENT HOSE. AFTER THE PROCEDURE THERE WERE NO FURTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE GAS TANK. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL # 06E056000 REGARDING FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE WHICH WAS FOUND THAT WAS SIMILAR TO THIS ISSUE. UPDATED 01/10/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AT NIGHT, AND WHILE MAKING A SLIGHT RIGHT TURN, THE RIGHT WHEELS ON THE VEHICLE DROPPED INTO A SHALLOW ROADSIDE DITCH. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE DITCH, HOWEVER THE STEERING LOCKED. A LARGER AMOUNT OF FORCE WAS APPLIED TO THE STEERING WHEEL, AND THERE WAS A LOUD SNAPPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE SPUN 360 DEGREES, AND LANDED IN THE DITCH ON ALL FOUR WHEELS. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 11/30/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ACCELERATING 5 MPH FROM A STOP SIGN ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, A VEHICLE TRAVELING 35 MPH IMPACTED THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT FENDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A YARD WHO DEEMED THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE OTHER VEHICLE INCURRED SLIGHT DAMAGES. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT THE VEHICLE MUST BE A SAFETY HAZARD IF THE VEHICLE'S PARTS WOULD BE SCATTER ALL OVER THE ROAD AFTER AN IMPACT OF LOW SPEED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN.

ON FRIDAY THE IGNITION ON MY CAR DID NOT IMMEDIATELY TURN. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT AT THE TIME. SATURDAY AFTERNOON IT REFUSED TO TURN AT ALL. THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER. IT FIT AND WAS REMOVABLE BUT JUST WOULDN'T TURN. THE CAR WOULD NOT THEREFORE, START. I WAS LEFT STRANDED IN A PUBLIC PLACE PREGNANT WITH MY 3 YEAR OLD CHILD FOR SO LONG DRUG DEALERS STARTED SHOWING UP. I HAD TO PAY FOR A TOW TRUCK WHEN IT FINALLY ARRIVED. THIS IS IN A 2003 FORD FOCUS ZTW WAGON. IT IS 3 YEARS OLD WITH 50,000 MILES ON IT. I SPENT ALL DAY TUESDAY ON THE PHONE SPEAKING WITH VARIOUS LEVELS OF MECHANICS AND MANAGEMENT. THEY ALL AGREED THAT FORD IS NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT. ONE OPERATOR DID NOT EVEN RECORD MY PHONE CALL. FORD IS RECALLING DIFFERENT MODEL VEHICLES FOR IGNITION CYLINDER PROBLEMS. THEY HAVE NOT SET UP ANY PUBLIC REIMBURSEMENT OR REPAIR FOR THIS SPECIFIC YEAR AND MODEL VEHICLE. I HAD TO PAY A PRIVATE LOCKSMITH TO COME TO MY HOUSE AND BUILD A NEW CYLINDER AROUND MY KEY BECAUSE I COULD NOT AFFORD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED AGAIN AND PAY THE EXORBANT DEALER PRICE. I WAS WITHOUT MY VEHICLE FOR SATURDAY, SUNDAY, MONDAY AND THE TUESDAY SURROUNDING LABOR DAY WEEKEND. THE PRIVATE LOCKSMITH REPAIRED IT WEDNESDAY IN A TIMELY MANNER. I HAVE NOT BEEN OFFERED TOWING REIMBURSEMENT, A RENTAL VEHICLE, A REPAIR REIMBURSEMENT OR AN APOLOGY. THE OLD PART (WHAT WAS LEFT AFTER DRILLING IT OUT PER FORD INSTRUCTIONS) WAS NOT SAVED. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S VENTING SYSTEM BLEW WHITE FLAKES AND DUST INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHEN THE HEATER OR AIR CONDITIONING UNIT WAS ACTIVATED. THE FIRST TIME THE INCIDENT OCCURRED THE HEATER WAS ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CLEANED INSIDE THE VENTING SYSTEM BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE WHITE FLAKES CONTINUED BLOWING THROUGH THE VENTS. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT A CLEANING AGENT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN USED TO CLEAN METAL KNOWN AS SOLDERING FLUX MAY BE THE CAUSE OF WHITE FLAKES COMING FROM THE VENTS. THE EVAPORATOR COIL HOUSING WAS REPLACED ON 04/07/06. THE EVAPORATOR COIL HOUSING WAS CLEANED ON 04/21/06. THE VEHICLE VENTING SYSTEM WAS CLEANED AGAIN ON 05/23/06, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THIS CAUSING A RESPIRATORY PROBLEM.

I PURCHASED A 2006 FORD FOCUS ON 12/3/05, IT HAD 4 MILES ON IT WHEN I DROVE OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP. ON THURSDAY MAY 3, 2006, IT CAUGHT FIRE IN MY CARPORT. THE MILEAGE IS BETWEEN 2,000-3,000 MILES, I BELIEVE. I ARRIVED HOME FROM A MEETING AT A LOCAL BANK, HAVING DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES. I PARKED THE CAR IN THE CARPORT, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND ENTERED THE HOUSE. I DID NOT NOTICE ANY STRANGE NOISES OR ODORS. MY HUSBAND ARRIVED HOME ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES LATER. HE BEGAN TOOTING THE HORN ON HIS VEHICLE TO GET MY ATTENTION. WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR, HE YELLED "GET YOUR KEYS." I COULD SEE FLAMES UNDER MY CAR AND SMOKE SEEPING OUT THE SIDES OF THE HOOD. I THREW HIM THE KEYS AND RAN FOR THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. HE ENTERED MY FOCUS GOT THE ENGINE STARTED AND BACKED THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE CARPORT AND AWAY FROM THE HOUSE. AS HE BACKED UP THE VEHICLE, FLAMING PARTS BEGAN FALLING OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR ONTO THE CONCRETE FLOOR. HE GOT THE CAR BACKED UP ABOUT 10 FEET AND THE ENGINE QUIT AND WOULD NOT RESTART. HE EXITED THE CAR AND TRIED TO OPEN THE HOOD. THE HOOD WAS VERY HOT TO THE TOUCH BUT HE GOT IT OPENED. THE FLAMES WERE ABOUT A FOOT HIGH AT THE BACK OF THE ENGINE AREA ON THE LEFT SIDE. WE WERE ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES WITH THE EXTINGUISHER. WE THEN EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES ON THE PIECES THAT WERE LYING ON THE CARPORT FLOOR. BOTH CONTINUED TO SMOKE FOR SOME TIME BUT THE FIRE DID NOT RE-IGNITE. WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARED AND WE FELT IT SAFE TO APPROACH THE VEHICLE, WE COULD SEE THE CHARRED REMAINS AND MELTED PARTS. IN RETROSPECT I REMEMBER ON TWO OCCASIONS SEEING THE BATTERY ICON LIGHTED ON THE DASH WHILE A SAT OUTSIDE MY OFFICE WAITING FOR THE BANK TO OPEN WITH THE CAR IDLING AND THE RADIO ON. BOTH TIMES I REVVED THE ENGINE AND THE LIGHT WENT OUT. *NM