2001 Ford Focus Suspension Problems

The contact owns a 2001 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving her vehicle at approximately 35 MPH, the ball joint snapped on the vehicle's passengers side. The contact stated there were no warning lights illuminated nor any indication of a failure prior to the ball joint snapping. The contact stated that when the failure happened to her vehicle it caused her to crash into a ditch. The contact stated that no injuries were sustained and the vehicle was towed to the residence where it remains currently. The contact stated that she did contact the dealer as well as the manufacturer who advised her to contact NHTSA. The failure mileage was 190,000.

WHILE I FIND RUST RECALLS FOR 2001 FOCUS FUSIONS AND WINDSTARS FORD CLAIMS THERE IS NO RECALL FOR FRAME COLLAPS FROM EXCESSIVE RUST PROBLEMS. WE PULLED OUT OF OUR DRIVE HEADED UP A BLIND HILL AND THE FRONT END TOTALLY COLLAPSED LEAVING US AS AN EASY TARGET. SEVERAL GOOD FOLKS JUMPED INTO ACTION TO HELP US GET THE MESS SAFELY OFF OF THE STATE HIGHWAY BY BLOCKING TRAFFIC AND HELPING US DRAG IT BACK INTO OUR DRIVEWAY. WE ARE IN OUR 70'S AND ONLY DRIVE THE CAR 7-8 THOUSAND MILES A YEAR. IT HAS BEEN BABIED AND MAINTAINED BY THE BOOK IT ENTIRE LIFETIME . CONVERSATIONS WITH FORD HAVE GOTTEN US NO WHERE! WHERE DO WE TURN ?

2001 FORD FOCUS WITH 146K MILES. ADULT DRIVEN ONE OWNER AND WELL CARED SINCE NEW. NOTICED CLUNKING SOUND SO TOOK IT IN FOR BRAKES TO THE FORD DEALER. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THEY CAN'T FIX AS ENTIRE SUBFRAME IS ROTTED AND "I WAS ONE POTHOLE FROM THE ENGINE FALLING OUT". IT APPEARS THAT DEALERS USE THIS LINE AS I FOUND OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH THE EXACT SAME WORDING. HOW CAN YOU RECALL THE ESCAPE AND WINDSTAR FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND NOT THE FOCUS? BECAUSE FOCUS OWNERS DON'T HAVE THE SAME MONEY THAT THOSE OTHER HIGHER END CARS HAVE? I WAS DRIVING MY NEW BABY AROUND IN THIS CAR AND THANK GOD I DIDN'T HIT THAT ONE MORE POTHOLE OR BOTH OUR LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN ENDED! ALL IT TAKES IS AN INTERNET SEARCH TO REALIZE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE SUBFRAME IS A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT TO A CAR THAT SHOULD NOT JUST RUST AWAY IN 14 YEARS! CLEARLY THE DESIGN OR MATERIALS USED WERE AT FAULT FOR THIS. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THESE CARS BEFORE MORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED OR INJURED!

RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AS I WAS DRIVING TO THE MECHANIC TO HAVE A BALL JOINT ON MY LEFT FRONT TIRE REPLACED. HEARD A CLANGING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. I THOUGHT IT WAS FROM THE BAD BALL JOINT, WHEN MECHANIC CHECKED HE SAID THE COIL SPRING HAD SNAPPED. CALLED FORD ABOUT SAFETY RECALL WHICH CAME UP WHEN I PUT MY VIN NUMBER INTO THEIR WEBSITE. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE WARRANTY PERIOD WAS OVER AND MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED. IT COST ME 600.00 TO HAVE BOTH REPAIRS DONE BY A MECHANIC. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH FORD WHILE ON THE PHONE WITH THEM AND THEIR ADVICE WAS TO SAVE MY RECEIPT AND IF A RECALL GOES INTO EFFECT FOR THIS PROBLEM, I WILL GET REIMBURSED. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, YET FORD JUST IGNORES THE ISSUE AS IT IS STILL HAPPENING. NOW TODAY MY BACK WINDOW MADE A NOISE AND THE WINDOW FELL DOWN AND WON'T GO BACK UP. I'VE ALREADY HAD A NEW BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, PLUGS AND COIL PACK REPLACED BECAUSE OF SURGING AND STALLING. I AM ALSO GETTING POOR GAS MILEAGE. I WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT THERE ARE NO OPEN RECALLS ON MY CAR YET I HAVE AND AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT MANY OF THE RECALLS IN EFFECT ARE LISTING. VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE BY FORD. *JS

CHECKED YOUR SITE FOR RECALLS. FOUND FIELD SERVICE ACTION NUMBER:03M02 RE: COIL SPRINGS. PREVIOUSLY CHECKED FOR RECALLS TWO YEAR AGO. THIS NOTICE WAS NOT ON YOUR SITE THEN. AS THE ORIGINAL OWNER, I HAVE MADE IT A POINT TO KEEP ABREAST OF ALL RECALLS. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THIS NOTICE BY FORD. USED THE SAME DEALER FOR REPAIRS FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS. CALLED FORD TODAY. FORD SAID THE DEALER HAD A COPY OF THIS NOTICE. NEVER INFORMED OF THIS BY THE DEALER (AUTO NATION, BELLEVUE DEALERSHIP). YOUR SITE POSTING OF THE NOTICE SAID IT EXPIRED AFTER 10 YEAR OR 150,000 MILES. FORD SAID I WAS OUT OF LUCK AS "WHAT EVER CAME FIRST, YEARS OR MILEAGE". I SUSPECT THAT FORD NEVER NOTIFIED NHTSA OF THIS PROBLEM & I ALSO SUSPECT FORD IS DOING A CYA. *TR

RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD. THE BROKEN SPRING PENETRATED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND IMMEDIATELY DISABLED THE VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SPRINGS WERE MANUFACTURED IMPROPERLY AND DO NOT RESIST CORROSION. FORD HAS RECOGNIZED THE PROBELM THROUGH SEVERAL TSBS AND EVEN HAD A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 03M02 WITH AT LEAST 2 SUPPLEMENTS CONCERNING THE ISSUE AND REPLACEMENT OF THE FAULTY PARTS. I SPOKE WITH A LOCAL FORD DEALER (HONDRU) AND THEY TOLD ME THE PROGRAM EXPIRED AND THE CAR IS NO LONGER COVERED. I THEN SPOKE WITH A FORD REPRESENTATIVE THROUGH DIRECT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY CONFIRMED THIS WAS THE CASE. THEY CONFIRMED THE CONVERSATION WITH NUMBER CAS4271469-Z6W0F2. THE REPRESENTATIVE'S NAME WAS KENDRA. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK TO ME AN MY FAMILY. THE COIL SPRING IS A SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT OF THE SUSPENSION, AND WHEN IT BRAKES THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO CONTROL THE CAR IS EXTREMELY COMPROMISED. TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, THE BROKEN SPRING DESTROYS THE TIRE IMMEDIATELY, FURTHER REDUCING THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THE CAR. SINCE IT WAS DOCUMENTED THAT THERE WAS A FAULT IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS, AND FORD AND NHTSA KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM, THESE PARTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED UNDER A RECALL DUE TO THE SAFETY CONCERNS. *TT

SUBFRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH. *TR

FRONT RIGHT LOWER BALLED JOINT SEPARATED AND BROKE THE CONTROL ARM ALMOST SEPARATED THE WHEEL FROM THE CAR. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *TR

HEARD CLUNKING NOISE-REAR SUBFRAME IS COMPLETELY ROTTED AND BROKEN ON BOTH SIDES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5MPH THERE WAS A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AND A CLUNKING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE POWER STEERING ALSO FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STEER TO THE LEFT ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE PRIVATE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE FRONT SPRING FROM THE STRUTS HAD DETACHED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,099.

COIL SPRING ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BROKE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. UNABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE A METAL OBJECT FROM BROKEN SPRING JAMMED INTO THE FRONT TIRE. THE CAR IS OLD, BUT HAS BEEN KEPT INSIDE A GARAGE AND HAS LOW MILEAGE.

ON MAY 9, 2011 MY CAR WENT FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO BILL WILCOX'S CHARLON FORD AGENCY OF RIDGECREST, CA. AFTER $1725 REPAIRS, I EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION IN MILEAGE, DROPPING FROM 30-31MPG TO 25-26 MPG, A 17 TO 18 % DROP. THAT BEGAN IMMEDIATELY, WITH THE INITIAL PURCHASE OF GAS - IN VISALIA; AND, IT WAS LATER CONFIRMED WAS CAUSED BY THE IMPROPER USE OF A TORCH ON A SUSPENSION CROSS MEMBER. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO ROB HOLBROOK'S AUTO CREW IN CLEARFIELD, UTAH, CHECKED FOR UNDERCARRIAGE DAMAGE AND EVIDENCE THAT CHARLON FORD'S REPAIRS CAUSED THE PROBLEMS. HE IS A LICENSED SAFETY INSPECTOR FOR THE STATE OF UTAH. WIDESPREAD DAMAGE TO THAT MAIN CROSS MEMBER, WHERE THE ATTACHMENT FOR THE REAR MOTOR MOUNT IS AFFIXED TO THAT PORTION OF THE SUB FRAME, WAS CONFIRMED. THE SUB FRAME WAS QUITE DISTORTED, BOWED IN AND OUT, AND EXHIBITED EVIDENCE THAT THE MOUNT HAD BEEN REMOVED BY USE OF A TORCH SO THE REAR DOG BONE MOTOR MOUNT COULD BE REPLACED. DEFORMATION OF THAT CROSS MEMBER AND RESULTANT CHANGES TO THE SUSPENSION WERE THE REASONS FOR LOW MPG AND TIRE WEAR BECAUSE OF IMPROPER CAMBER. BILL WILCOX, STATED TO CALIFORNIA BAR THAT TOE-IN WAS ONLY ADJUSTED WHILE THE CAMBER WAS OVERLOOKED OR COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED. BUT, THE USE OF A TORCH TO THIS UNIT IS NOT CALLED FOR - UNLESS IT IS TO REPLACE THAT UNIT. LEAVING THE SUSPENSION CROSS MEMBER IN THAT CONDITION, LEADS TO A STRESS POINT THAT COULD LEAD TO CRACKING AND TEARING, AND COULD PREMATURELY CAUSE RUSTING WHICH WEAKEN THOSE ATTACHMENTS TO THE SUSPENSION. IF REPAIRS ARE MADE IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT IT AND SURROUNDING STRUCTURES BE RETURNED TO PROPER DIMENSIONS. BUT PROBLEMS ARISE WHEN IMPROPER HEAT AFFECTS STRENGTH AND CREATES PERMANENT SOFTNESS AND INCREASING BRITTLENESS. THE CROSS MEMBER HAD TO BE REPLACED AND A NEW ALIGNMENT PERFORMED - AT A COST OF $851.74. *TR

2001 FORD FOCUS SE, VIN [XXX], 62000 MI. - BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ARE BROKEN, MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND FORD ONLY ISSUED EXTENDED WARRANTY NUMBER 03M02 FOR 1999/2003 MODEL YEARS. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS AND NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFO FROM FORD ABOUT THE PROBLEM. SPRING BREAKS AND RUBS AGAINST TIRE AND CAUSES BLOW OUT. FAULTY SPRINGS. FORD ADMITS DEFECT BUT SAID I WAS PAST WARRANTY DATE AS OF 09/26/2010 THEY WOULD NO LONGER COVER THE PROBLEM - DISGRACEFUL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, HE HEARD NOISES. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE LEFT REAR COIL SPRINGS HAD FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHT LENSES WHICH BECAME FOGGY OVER TIME. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD CHANGED HEADLIGHT MANUFACTURERS BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 81,800. UPDATED 1/19/2010 *CN UPDATED 03/25/11*JB

2001 FORD FOCUS, FRONT STRUT SPRING BROKE IN 2 PLACES. I JUST GOT IN THE CAR AND IT SOUNDED LIKE A RIFLE SHOT WENT OFF....STARTED TO DRIVE OFF AND STOPPED FOR THE 'CLUNKING' SOUND. DROVE TO NEAR BY REPAIR SHOP, SAID THE TROUBLE WAS THE SPRING. CHECKED RECALLS, IN CASE...2000 MODELS HAD RECALL FOR SPRING BREAKAGE, BUT NOT THE 2001 MODELS. HAVE WRITTEN TO FORD AND AM SUBMITTING VEHICLE INFO TOMORROW FOR CONSIDERATION. *TR

2001 FOCUS 112K MI. BOUGHT FROM LOCAL FORD DEALER, 1 YR OLD W, 21K ON IT. A RECENT INSPECTION BY MY OWN MECHANIC TELLS ME THAT THE REAR SUB FRAME IS ROTTED AND IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IT. ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE LOCAL DEALER LAUGHED WHEN I INQUIRED ABOUT A NINE YEAR OLD CAR W/ RUSTED FRAME. *TR

I WILL START WITH THE FACT THE CAR IS ON IT'S FOURTH BATTERY. IT HAS HAD THE WIRING HARNESS REPLACED ALONG WITH EVERY SENSOR IN THE CAR SOME TWICE. THERE WAS A STEERING COLUMN RECALL DONE ON IT. THE TWO BACK WINDOWS TRACKS HAVE BEEN BROKE A TOTAL OF SIX TIMES. THE DOOR HANDLES BRAKE THREE SO FAR. THE STEREO IS BROKE FOR THE SECOND TIME. I HAVE HAD TO DO THE BRAKES TWICE SO FAR AND ALL THIS AND THE CAR ONLY HAS 63,498.8 MILES . *TR

FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE. *TR

WHILE MY YOUNG DAUGHTER AND I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY 65MPH, I SMELLED RUBBER BURNING, LOOKED IN MY REARVIEW AND SMOKE COMING FROM MY CAR, I TURNED RADIO DOWN AND HEARD THE LOUD WHINING SOUND AS I TRIED TO PULL TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF ROAD WAS A LOUD CRUNCHING NOISE AND I FELT SOMETHING HITTING UNDER MY DRIVER SIDE FLOOR, I HAD TROUBLE STEERING THE CAR BUT DID GET IT PULLED OVER, AFTER MY HUSBAND INSPECTED THE CAR BRIEFLY WE NOW KNOW THAT THE COIL SPRING BROKE CUT INTO MY TIRE AND OTHER DAMAGES, MY FRONT FENDERS WERE ACTUALLY SITTING ON MY TIRES. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED HOME WE DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. I AM THE ONLY OWNER OF THIS CAR. AFTER LOOKING AT OTHER COMPLAINTS I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT I HAVE HAD ALOT OF THESE PROBLEM AS WELL. MY CAR HAS SEEN THE BACK OF A TOW TRUCK MORE THAN ITS SHARE. *TR