2002 Ford Focus Lighting Problems

TAIL LIGHT CONNECTION MELTS DUE TO BULB GETTING TOO HOT. IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE CONNECTOR TO REPLACE BULB. HAVE TO REPLACE ENTIRE LENS. MANY, MANY REPORTS ONLINE OF THIS HAPPENING. FORD DENIES AND REFUSES TO REPLACE. EXPENSIVE REMEDIES FOR CUSTOMERS. THIS HAPPENS ON FOCUS WAGONS AND MANY OTHER FORDS.

REAR DOOR WONT LATCH RIGHT AND DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT WONT WORK. *TR

DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT. THE HOUSING IS SHAPED SO THAT YOU CAN'T TAKE THE LIGHTBULB OUT W/O BREAKING IT. I TOLD THEM TO DO WHATEVER TO MAKE IT WORK CAN'T AFFORD $118.00 TO REPLACE A MANUF DEFECT PART. *TR

A YEAR AGO, THE DRIVER'S SIDE TURN SIGNAL LIGHT ON MY 2002 FORD FOCUS WAGON BURNED OUT. IN TRYING TO REPLACE IT AT A LOCAL AUTO PARTS PLACE. THE SOCKET WAS SO TIGHT IN THE LENS/REFLECTOR ASSEMBLY THAT IT COULD NOT BE REMOVED. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER, KAIN FAMILY FORD IN LONDON. I LEARNED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE FITTING FOR THE SOCKET HAD WARPED FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT, APPARENTLY. THE DEALER SEARCHED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN AND FOUND ONE INSTANCE IN WHICH A PIZZA DRIVER IN A SIMILAR VEHICLE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM. THEY WERE ABLE TO PULL THE LIGHT OUT AND WITH A POCKET KNIFE MAKE THE NEW SOCKET FIT IN THE ASSEMBLY, AND CHARGED ME THE HOURLY RATE FOR THE WORK. I SUSPECT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD OF TWO OTHER INSTANCES IN THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE IN THIS AREA WITH THE SAME RESULTS. I RECENTLY REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLAMP AND FOUNT THE SAME WARPING. I HAVE YET TO TAKE IT TO MY DEALER, BUT WILL. IS THERE A WAY TO SEARCH REPAIR RECORDS FOR THIS VEHICLE TO DETERMINE IF THIS IS A DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED? I LEARNED OF THIS SITE FROM CLICK AND CLACK ON NPR'S CARTALK. *NM

THE HOUSING ON THE LEFT REAR TAIL LIGHT MELTED WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THE LIGHT BULB OVERHEATING. THIS CAUSED THE BRAKE LIGHT TO FAIL. CONSUMER INFORMED OTHER DRIVERS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS COMING TO STOP, WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.*AK