NHTSA Complaint #10021319 — 2001 FORD FOCUS

THE CAR STARTING HAVING PROBLEMS AT 7000 MILES. FRONT END JUMPING. I HAD A TIRE GO BAD AND REPLACED IT. HAD THE TIRE ROTATED AND THE FRONT END LINED UP. THEN, THE NOISE AND THE CAR STILL DID NOT FEEL RIGHT. I TOOK IT BACK TO FORD AND THE RIM IS BENT. REPLACED THAT. SO FAR I AM OUT 250.00 FOR THE TIRE AND 298.00 FOR THE RIM/. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED, BUT BY 15000 MILES THE CAR WAS JUMPING, FRONT END PROBLEMS. HAD THE TIRES ROTATED AND THE CAR LINED UP AGAIN. I HAVE THE PROBLEMS STILL. ( I WAS TOLD(WAY I DRIVE, CURVES,THE WAY I TAKE THE CORNERS, ) WELL, # ONE I AM 43 YRS OLD AND THIS IS NOT MY FIRST CAR. I HAVE HAD MUSTANGS BEFORE AND NEVER ROTATED THE TIRES OR CHANGED MY DRIVING HABITS. ( WHAT EVER). AT 15000 THE BRAKES STARTED TO SQUEAK ALL THE TIME (WET, COLD, MOISTURE, DRY). PER THE MANUAL THIS WILL HAPPENED. I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS COMMON WITH FOCUS. I HAD A ESCORT FOR OVER 4 YRS AND THEY NEVER DID WHAT THIS CAR HAS. WITH THE FRONT AND BACK THE RECALL 02S42/01B85 WAS DONE FINALLY IN MARCH. THIS RECALL STATED PINCH BOLT THAT RETAINS THE STEERING KNUCKLE TO THE LOWER BALL JOINT ON YOUR VEHICLE MAY NOT HAVE THE PROPER TORQUE. ****** ( THIS CONDITION EXISTS, YOUR VEHICLE MAY EXPERIENCE VIBRATION OR NOISE... THIS COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO BALL JOINT SEPARATION WITH A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH,) THIS IS WHAT I WAS TOLD FORD DEALERSHIP WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR SINCE AUGUST. I FEEL THAT THE RECALL CAME TO LATE AND NOW MY TIRES ARE DESTROYED. ONE TIRE IS WORST THAN THE OTHERS. REMEMBER THAT ONE TIRE IS BRAND NEW ( 7000 LESS MILES).... THE BRAKE PEDAL IS STILL MAKING A NOISE WHEN I RELEASE IT AT THE PARK MODE OR STOP TURN AROUND STOP AT LIGHT OR WHENEVER. THEY HAVE ADJUSTED IT 3-4 TIMES. AND WITH IN MINS. OF THEM ADJUSTING IT, IT IS BACK TO THE SAME THING. THIS IS A ON GOING PROBLEM, WASTED TIME AND TROUBLES. I DO NOT WANT EVERYBODY TO NOTICE WHEN I HAVE MY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR OR I GET HURT IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS IMPORTANT YOUR REPLY HELP DEBRA.W. *JB