NHTSA Complaint #10000523 — 2001 FORD FOCUS

THE FIRST THING THAT I NOTICED WITH MY CAR WAS THE STALLING OF THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE NEXT THING THAT HAPPENED WAS THE CAR WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 50-55 MPH. AT 12036 MILES, I TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP AND WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THEY TOLD ME CAR NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. IT ALSO NEED THE ROTORS TURNED AND THE TIRES ROTATED BECAUSE AT 12000 MILES THEY WERE STARTING TO WEAR. THEY GAVE ME A BILL FOR $101 THEY STATED THESE ITEMS WERE "WEAR" ITEMS AND WERE MY RESPONSIBILITY. I QUESTIONED WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING AT 12000 MILES. HE TRIED TO PUT THE BLAME OFF ON ME SAYING I BRAKE TOO HARD. YOU KNOW THAT IS REALLY FUNNY SINCE I HAVE A 1995 FORD ESCORT. I BOUGHT IT NEW. IT NOW HAS 170,000 MILES. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ESCORT. THE REASON I BOUGHT ANOTHER FORD WAS BECAUSE I WAS SO PLEASED WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ESCORT. ABOUT THE STALLING, THEY SAID THEY PUT IT ON THE COMPUTER AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. BUT THEY WENT AHEAD AND REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS. WELL, ABOUT A MONTH AGO, I BEGAN TO NOTICE THE SHAKING AGAIN. THEN ABOUT A WEEK AFTER THE SHAKING BEGAN, I HAD A FLAT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME THE NEW TIRE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAD THE ONE TIRE REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. THE TIRE BUSINESS TOLD ME THE TIRE WAS SO WORE ON THE INSIDE (WHERE YOU CAN'T SEE) THAT THE WIRES WERE SHOWING. ABOUT 2 WEEKS AFTER THIS INCIDENT, I HAD ANOTHER FLAT. SAME THING. THE TIRE WAS SO WORE THE WIRES WERE SHOWING. I HAD TO HAVE ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED. $300.00. THE CAR IS STILL STALLING. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. I AM AFRAID THE CAR WILL STALL IN TRAFFIC WHILE I HAVE MY TWO YEAR OLD CHILD IN THE CAR. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO FORD AND THEY CONTINUE TO SAY THESE THINGS ARE MY RESPONSIBILITY. BUT I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY IF A DEFECT IN THE CAR IS CAUSING THESE THINGS TO HAPPEN. TS