2009 Ford Focus

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the contact felt the front passenger’s side brake was seizing. The contact stated there was smoke coming from the brakes. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over on the side of the road and waited for the vehicle to cool down and the vehicle started operating normally. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact had the brakes replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 80,000.

OCCASIONALLY, WITHOUT WARNING OR PREDICTION, WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, MY BRAKE PEDAL WILL TRAVEL NEARLY TO THE FLOOR WHICH REDUCES BRAKING TIME AND ABILITY. BRAKING TYPICALLY RETURNS TO NORMAL AFTER EACH INCIDENT. AT NO POINT DOES AN ABS OR BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT COME ON. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST 1 OR 2 TIMES DURING MY COMMUTE EACH WAY TO WORK, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 18 MILES AWAY OR A 1 HOUR DRIVE TIME WITH TRAFFIC.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE CONTACT TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY, BUT THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AWAY FROM THE SCENE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A HISTORY OF STEERING FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE RIGHT ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH OR THE STEERING FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000.

BEFORE TAKING A RIGHT OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, I TURNED MY BLINKER ON (WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE) AND THE CAR ACCELERATED FORWARD INSTEAD OF TURNING. I KEPT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR SPEEDED UP EVEN MORE. I FINALLY CRASHED INTO A FENCE ONTO PRIVATE PROPERTY. THEN I CAME TO A FULL STOP WHEN I HIT AN SUV. THIS CRASH COMPLETELY DAMAGED THE FRONT OF MY 2009 FORD FOCUS.