2007 Ford Focus

The contact stated that her mother-in-law owns a 2007 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her mother-in-law was driving at an unknown speed, the front passenger’s side wheel detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic who diagnosed the failure as a control arm failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that 2 weeks later the driver’s side wheel detached. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic who stated that the control arm had detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that 3 months later while stopped at a traffic light, the driver was unable to control the vehicle as the front passenger’s side wheel detached from the vehicle as well as the transmission slid into the engine. The transmission observation was by the tow truck company. The vehicle was towed to the owner's residence. The failure cause was not diagnosed by the dealer or an independent mechanic. The contact stated that the tow company informed her that the vehicle was unable to be towed on the flatbed due to the fact that the front end of the vehicle might detach. The contact stated that the headlights would also flicker on and off while driving. The contact stated that the independent mechanic replaced the light bulbs however, the failure continued. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

GOT THE CAR 3 YEARS ABOUT A YEAR AGO I ADDED MY CAR READER TO MY VEHICLE AT THAT TIME IT SHOWED ME THE TWO RECALLS I THINK IT'S CAUSING MY CAR TO DIE ON ME AS I'M DRIVING ON THE ROAD THIS START A WEEK AGO AND IN STILL WITHOUT A VEHICLE I WAS BROKE SKYLAND LANE ON MEMORIAL AND I BROKE DOWN. ON EASTMAN RD LAST NIGHT GOING HOME LOST ALL POWER. *TR

RIGHT TAIL LIGHT BURNED OUT, WHICH I NOTICED IN A WINDOW REFLECTION AS I DROVE AWAY FROM AN AUTO PARTS STORE. WHEN I OPENED THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY TO CHANGE THE BULB, I SAW THAT THE BULB AND ITS BASE AND SOCKET WERE SCORCHED BLACK, AND THE HOLE IN THE RED PLASTIC TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY WHERE THE BULB HAS TO GO THROUGH WAS MELTED AND WARPED. THE RED PLASTIC HAD TO BE SCRAPED WITH A KNIFE TO OPEN THE HOLE ENOUGH FOR THE BULB TO GO THROUGH. I HAD TO GO TO MORE THAN ONE AUTO PARTS STORE TO BUY A NEW SOCKET. I HAD TO USE BLACK DUCT TAPE TO HOLD THE SOCKET IN PLACE. WHEN I CHECKED THE LEFT TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY, I SAW THAT IT HAD ALSO MELTED AND THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD ALSO USED BLACK DUCT TAPE TO HOLD THE SOCKET IN PLACE. I READ ONLINE THAT FORD HAS SAID THE REASON FOR THE MELTING IS THAT THE DRIVER KEEPS HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TOO LONG. SINCE WHEN IS THERE A TIME LIMIT ON PUTTING YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS IS REQUIRED WHEN YOU ARE AT A RED LIGHT, AND OFTEN HAPPENS WHEN YOU STOP TO CONSULT DRIVING DIRECTIONS AND DON'T WANT TO PUT YOUR CAR IN PARK WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON! WHAT IS THE TIME LIMIT? 30 SECONDS?

MY AIR CONDITIONER QUIT WORKING TO SOON ONLY ABOUT 4 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT MY COMPRESSOR WAS OUT COMPLETLY. I ALSO HAVE CHANGED MY LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHT ABOUT 4 TIMES WHY? ANOTHER PROBLEM I HAVE IS MY REAR END TIRES KEEP WEARING OUT WAY FASTER THAN THE FRONT TIRES WHY? ALSO WHILE I DRIVE MY CAR SQUEAKS THE NOISE COMES FROM MY DASH AND UNDER MY DASH MORE SO WHEN I DRIVE SLOWER LIKE AROUND TOWN ALSO WHY? *JS

NHTSA 10023297 CONTENTS RE: NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE CORROSION, SUBSEQUENT HEAVIER GAUGE REF. P/N 14300 / 14301 OEM HISTORY OF ALTERNATOR/BATTERY REPLACEMENT BEYOND NORMAL DUE TO CORROSION OF CABLING FOIA THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, OR FOIA (5 U.S.C. 552, AS AMENDED), GENERALLY PROVIDES ANY PERSON WITH THE STATUTORY RIGHT, ENFORCEABLE IN COURT, TO OBTAIN ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT INFORMATION IN EXECUTIVE BRANCH AGENCY RECORDS. THIS RIGHT TO ACCESS IS LIMITED WHEN INFORMATION IS PROTECTED FROM DISCLOSURE BY ONE OF FOIA?S NINE STATUTORY EXEMPTIONS. FEDERAL REGISTER PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING THE FEDERALREGISTER.GOV WEBSITE AND THE VARIOUS EDITIONS OF THE DAILY FEDERAL REGISTER, THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR), FEDERAL REGISTER/CFR INDEXES, AND THE PUBLIC LAWS POSTED ON THE FEDERAL DIGITAL SYSTEM (FDSYS.GOV) ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE REQUEST FOR RECORDS PROVISIONS OF THE FOIA. UNDER THE FOIA, OUR PUBLICATIONS ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH NUMEROUS SOURCES, INCLUDING THIS WEBSITE, GPO?S FDSYS.GOV WEBSITE, THE GPO BOOK SALES PROGRAM, AND NEARLY 1,250 GOVERNMENT DEPOSITORY LIBRARIES LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE NATION. FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REFERENCE GUIDE. THIS GUIDE PROVIDES INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBTAINING INFORMATION FROM US (FOR BOTH OPERATIONAL AND HISTORICAL RECORDS) USING THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR FOIA REGULATIONS (36 CFR 1250). READ THE TEXT OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (5 U.S.C. 552). *TR

WITHOUT ANY INDICATION OF A LOW BATTERY, THE CAR BEGAN TO LOSE ELECTRICAL POWER WHILE DRIVING. AT FIRST, I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN I NOTICED MY RADIO STOPPED PLAYING. UPON LOOKING AT MY RADIO, I REALIZED THE LIGHTS WERE COMPLETELY OFF, INCLUDING THE CLOCK--WHICH STAYS ON EVEN IF I TURN THE RADIO OFF. I NOTICED I WAS VERY COLD, AND MY DEFROST HAD STOPPED WORKING. THINKING IT WAS HOPEFULLY JUST A BLOWN FUSE, I CONTINUED ON MY WAY TO WORK, DRIVING CAUTIOUSLY. MY CAR DID SOUND LIKE IT WAS NOT SHIFTING GEARS AS MUCH AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. I MADE IT TO WORK FINE, AND EVEN CHECKED ON IT DURING MY LUNCH HOUR--IT STARTED UP FINE, LIGHTS AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING, WITH NO INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATING ON THE DASH. THINKING IT WAS FINE, I DROVE HOME THAT NIGHT WITH THE INTENTION OF BRINGING IT TO THE SHOP TO CHECK THE BATTERY OVER THE WEEKEND. WHILE DRIVING HOME (IN THE DARK) THAT EVENING, I MADE IT ALMOST TO MY APARTMENT. I NOTICED AGAIN THAT MY RADIO SUDDENLY STOPPED PLAYING. I LOOKED AT THE RADIO, AT WHICH POINT I SAW THE TEXT DISPLAY "LOW BATTERY." I BEGAN TO NOTICE EVERYTHING DIMMING--THE DASHBOARD, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND EVEN MY HEADLIGHTS. I WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO GET TO MY APARTMENT OK. THE NEXT MORNING I HAD AN APPOINTMENT TO GET TO THE SHOP. AFTER READING THE OTHER COMPLAINTS OF SIMILAR DRIVERS OF 2007 FORD FOCUSES HAVING IDENTICAL ISSUES, I WAS NERVOUS ABOUT DRIVING TO THE SHOP. NOT KNOWING IF MY CAR WOULD SUDDENLY DIE ON ME, AND IF I WOULD BE ABLE TO USE MY HAZARD LIGHTS, OR TURN SIGNALS TO INDICATE TO OTHER DRIVERS IF MY BATTERY STARTED TO GO AGAIN. LUCKILY MY CAR MADE IT THE 3.1 MILES TO THE SHOP, BEFORE GIVING OUT. SAME THING--NO EARLIER INDICATIONS THAT THE BATTERY WAS LOW, THE POWER JUST STARTS SHUTTING DOWN. THIS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS, AND I WAS LUCKY THAT I READ UP ON THE ISSUE AND WAS ONLY DRIVING LOCALLY, AND NOT ON A HIGHWAY. *TR

DASHBOARD AND RUNNING LIGHTS GOING OUT. REPLACED BLOWN FUSE AND THEN FUSE BLOWS AGAIN. OPENING AND CLOSING THE HATCHBACK THE LIGHTS CAME ON AND THEN OFF AGAIN AND THE REPLACED FUSE WAS BLOWN. LOCATED A BUNDLE OF WIRES WITHIN A RUBBER HOSE THAT RUNS FROM THE INTERIOR ROOF HEADLINE OUTER RIM OF THE VEHICLE ACROSS TO THE INTERIOR TOP OF THE HATCHBACK. WE PULLED DOWN THIS RUBBER PROTECTOR TO FIND TO OUR COMPLETE AMAZEMENT THAT THE BUNDLE OF WIRES THAT RUN TO THE HATCHBACK BRAKE LIGHT AND THE HATCHBACK WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS BROKEN AND BURNT. THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBLE LOOSE CONNECTION THAT JUST NEEDED TO BE SNAPPED BACK TOGETHER, BUT ONLY TO FIND A BUNDLE OF BROKEN AND BURNT WIRES WRAPPED TIGHTLY TOGETHER, PLUS THERE WAS NO BLACK WIRING TAPE AROUND THE WIRES FOR EXTRA PROTECTION. JUST THE WIRES TIGHTLY BOUND TOGETHER. LITTLE TO NONE FLEXIBILITY FOR THE BENDING OR MOVEMENT FOR THESE WIRES. THESE WIRES ARE LOCATED IN AN AREA WHERE THERE WOULD BE MOVEMENT DUE TO OPENING AND CLOSING THE HATCHBACK. CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE STATED THAT THE WIRE BUNDLE HAVE BEEN MADE SHORT IN SOME VEHICLES. OUR CONCERN:POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD AND STILL MAYBE UNTIL FIXED; CONCERN ARE FOR OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY OWN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE THAT MAY BE TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS (TO INCLUDE CHILDREN IN CAR SEATS) IN THE BACK SEAT (WHICH THERE IS NO BACK SIDE PASSENGER DOORS) THAT COULD HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME EXITING THIS VEHICLE SHOULD IT GO ON FIRE DUE TO THESE BUNDLE OF WIRES POSSIBLY CATCHING ON FIRE AND IGNITING THE INTERIOR ROOF HEADLINER OF THE VEHICLE. WE HAVE NOT TAKEN OUR VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP AS WE ARE WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. ADDITIONALLY, THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY A PORTION TO REPAIR (WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE A FAULTY DESIGN AND DEFECT) TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. PICTURES AVAILABLE. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##