NHTSA Complaint #10008404 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

I SENT THIS LETTER TO FORD IN MAY OF 2000 I PURCHASED A FORD FOCUS, THINKING IT WOULD BE A SAFE, LOW MAINTENANCE CAR, CONSIDERING IT HAD BEEN IN EUROPE SINCE 1997. I WOULD THINK THIS WOULD BE PLENTY OF TIME TO WORK OUT ANY BUGS YOU MAY HAVE. OR, SHOULD I CALL THEM RECALLS. I THINK A CAR THAT HAS 16 RECALLS, MOST OF THEM WHICH I WOULD CONSIDER SAFETY ISSUES, SHOULD BE RECALLED ENTIRELY. I HAVE HAD OTHER ISSUES WITH THIS CAR AS WELL. MY KEY WOULD NOT TURN, SEAT BELTS LOCKING FOR NO REASON, DOOR HANDLES NOT OPENING THE DOOR (THIS IS ALL HAPPENING AGAIN). AND ONE THAT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED, BRAKES. I AM NOW ON MY THIRD SET OF FRONT ROTORS SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THE CAR. THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED EVERY TIME. THE DRIVER SIDE ROTOR AND PAD WILL WEAR COMPLETELY DOWN YET THE PASSENGER SIDE WILL BE JUST FINE. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER FOCUS OWNERS AND THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING. I STILL HAVE MY LAST SET OF ROTORS JUST TO PROVE IT. I GOT SMART THIS TIME AND BOUGHT REPLACEMENTS THAT WERE NOT MADE BY YOU. STOP TECH CROSS DRILLED ROTORS AND EBC GREENSTUFF KEVLAR PADS. I ALSO REPLACED THE DRIVER SIDE CALIPER WITH A NON-FORD REPLACEMENT. I WANT OUT OF THIS CAR BECAUSE I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO WARN OTHER FOCUS OWNERS THAT THIS CAR IS UNSAFE. YOU ALSO HAD BETTER NOT SEND ME TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN. WHAT DOES THE DEALERSHIP HAVE TO DO WITH THE PRODUCTION OF AN UNSAFE CAR? NOTHING, EXCEPT THAT THEY SELL IT. I AM NOT PUTTING UP WITH FORD PUSHING ME AROUND OR GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND EITHER. THIS CAR IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD. I DID NOT DO THIS BEFORE BUT THIS TIME YOU LEAVE ME NO CHOICE. THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT TO AS MANY BAD PRODUCT WEBSITES AS I CAN FIND. IT WILL ALSO BE SENT TO NHTSA, CONSUMER REPORTS AND THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. YOU DID NOT DO ANYTHING WITH MY PREVIOUS COMPLAINT AND NOW THERE ARE MORE ISSUES WITH THIS PRODUCT THAT NOT ONLY CONCERN SAFETY, BUT THE LIFE OF THE CAR. SOMETHING WILL BE DONE.*JB