2002 Ford Focus Complaint Log

WHILE DRIVING, WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED THE VEHICLE'S ACCELERATION DECREASES. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. MR

I'M CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCING A BURNING SMELL (AS IF SOMETHING IS GETTING VERY HOT) COMING FROM WITHIN THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE 'NEW' APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AGO. I'VE NOTIFIED THE FORD DEALERSHIP (SELLER) AND RETURN THE VEHICLE BACK TO THEM REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THEY CLAIM THAT THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT. I ADVISED THEM ABOUT NEWS REPORTS WHICH INDICATED THAT OTHERS WITH SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCED A VEHICLE FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER THEN CLAIMS THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE UNTIL FORD MOTOR COMPANY DECIDES TO INITIATE A RECALL NOTICE. DT

THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING SEVERE WHEEL/TIRE THUMP, WHICH CAUSES A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING AND A LOUD AUDIBLE NOISE IN THE CABIN, THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OG THE PROBLE BUT A SOLUTION WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR SOME MONTHS, THE FACT THAT THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE HAD HIGH MILEAGE THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY 12 WEEKS OLD. *SCC

IN THE SHORT TIME THAT I'VE OWNED MY FOCUS I'VE HAD TO RETURN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 3 OCCASIONS BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON. THE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT IT IN THEY HAD TO REPLACE A MODULE TO THE AIR BAG COMPONENT. THE SECOND AND THIRD TIME I BROUGHT IT IN THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THE THIRD TIME I BROUGHT IT BACK THEY GAVE ME A RECORDING DEVICE THAT I HAD TO USE TO RECORD THE AIR BAG LIGHT BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS NOT REGISTERING THAT IT EVER CAME ON. I HAD TO RECORD THE LIGHT A TOTAL OF 3-4 TIMES AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. I DID SO AND RETURNED MY CAR ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THIS DEVICE TOLD THEM NOTHING. SO NOT KNOWING THE EXACT PROBLEM THEY WENT AHEAD AND REPLACED THE ENTIRE AIRBAG. ALL OF THESE ATTEMPTS OCCURED LATE SEPTEMBER THROUGH MID OCTOBER. AS OF 11/8/2002 THE LIGHT HAS NOT COME BACK ON. I FEEL KNOW THAT I'M LEFT WITH A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY AND THE QUESTION OF IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT IS THIS AIR BAG GOING TO PROTECT ME. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS AN ISOLATED CASE BUT I'M NOT TO SURE ABOUT THAT. I THINK THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO SERIOUS CONSIDERATION. DT

THE CAR LEAKS UNDER THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE UPPER LEFT CORNER. THE CAR HAS BEEN INTO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES IN THREE WEEKS AND IS CURRENTLY THERE NOW. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE CASING AND SEALED IT TWICE. AWAITING NEWS ON WHAT WILL BE DONE THIS TIME. DT

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT THE RADIATOR FUN. ALSO STATED THAT THIS HAPPEND WHILE HE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE FUN ON THE RADIATOR FELL OFF AND CAUSE DAMAGE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHCLE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED TO THE CONSUMER TO CONTACT THERE INSURANCE TO FIND OUT IF IT WAS CONSUMER S FALL OR THE MANUFACTURES DIFFECT. TS

WHILE DRIVING THE SUSPENSION BROKE. NLM

WE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH OUR AIRBAG SYSTEM. WE HAVE HAD COMPONETS REPLACED ON 4 OCCASIONS. AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL NOT REPAIRED. THIS PROBLEMS IS CAUSING THE AIRBAG SYSTEM TO BE NON FUCTIONAL. WE FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, SINCE IF A COLLISION OCCURED THEY WOULD NOT WORK. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS LIMITED TO OUR MODEL OF CAR AND ONLY THOSE THAT IS A 4 DOOR AND 5 SPEED. FORD HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND CANNOT COME UP WITH A FIX. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE A RECALL CAN BE ISSUED SO THAT THIS PROBLEM CAN BE CORRECTED BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT OR KILLED. MR

DASH BOARD STICKS OUT SO FAR THAT I HIT MY LEG ON IT WHEN ENTERING THE CAR. MR

LUMBAR CABLE/PARTS BREAK WHEN YOU ADJUST SEAT BACK. NLM

CONSUMER STATE AFTER PARKING VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY INDICATION ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER SERVICE VEHICLE AND NOTICE WIRE HARNESS NEED TO BE REPLACE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, THERE WAS A CRASH IN WHICH ONE PERSON WAS INJURED, CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THIS VEHICLE. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED VEHICLE WILL STALL WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. MECHANIC HAS SERVICED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES; HOWEVER, CANNOT SEEM TO FIND OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON TURNPIKE AT 55 MPH, VEHICLE HESITATED MOMENTARILY AS THOUGH A SPARK PLUG WAS MISSFIRED. OWNER WILL SEND DETAILS AFTER FORD INSPECTS VEHICLE.*AK

LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WOULD CAUSE WHEEL TO WOBBLE AND WANDER. HAD IT REPLACED 3 TIMES FOR PROBLEM. INFORMED BY MECHANIC TO REPLACE WHEEL BEFORE EVENTUALLY IT DISCONNECTS BY ITSELF.*AK *YD

DURING THE RAIN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN THROUGH A PUDDLE, THE STEERING WOULD BECOME DIFFICULT. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO TURN AND UNMANAGEABLE. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT THE CURB. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS COULD POSSIBLY BE CAUSED BY THE BRAKES, WHICH WERE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM REMAINED. *PH *SC *JB

ONE OF THE FRONT BALL JOINTS CAME APART AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A DITCH. FORD IS SENDING A TECHNICIAN TO ASSESS THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM

CONSUMER HAD CONCERNS ABOUT HER VEHICLE. *PH THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A FUEL PUMP RECALL LETTER THAT WAS FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. *SC THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IN THE PAST.*JB

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ENGINE LOST POWER, NEARLY RESULTING IN A REAR END COLLISION. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE TACHOMETER WOULD SUDDENLY RACE UP TO 7000 AND THE WHEELS LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL, AFTER 15-30 SECONDS OR DOWNSHIFTED TO 2ND GEAR, THE VEHICLE RE-ENGAGES AND THE WHEEL POWER WAS RESTORED. THIS WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. FORD WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. A FLIGHT RECORDER WAS INSTALLED TWICE. THE ENGINEERS REVEALED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE SPEED SENSORS AND INPUT SHAFT SENSORS. THE CONSUMER'S HUSBAND EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE MOVED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. THE LOSS LASTED 10 SECONDS, THE GEAR WAS PLACED INTO 2ND GEAR, THEN BACK TO DRIVE AND THE POWER STEERING WAS BACK ACTIVE. THIS PROBLEM RETURNED TWO MORE TIMES. ON ONE OF THE INCIDENCES, THE TACHOMETER HAD GONE OVER 7 THEN DROPPED. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTERMITTENTLY. *SC

CONSUMER STARTED UP THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED GAS SMELL. CONSUMER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE, LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE, AND NOTICED GAS LEAKING. IMMEDIATELY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. *AK

VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN DUE TO A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP.*AK