NHTSA Complaint #10045994 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH FOCUS. BOUGHT CAR IN 2001. SINCE THE DAY THAT I DROVE OFF THE LOT I HAD SQUEAKY BRAKES. TOOK TO SERVICER AND WAS TOLD DUST ON BRAKES & IT WAS NORMAL. AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS, THEY CHANGED PADS & ROTORS. NOW I HEAR THE SQUEAK AGAIN. CAR CUT OFF WHILE GOING UP A HILL. WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICER THAT IT HAPPENED BECAUSE THE WEATHER HAD RECENTLY GOTTEN HOT AND IT "SHOCKED" THE CAR. KEY WOULDN'T ENTER THE IGNITION. HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO SERVICER. CAR SHUTS OFF IF UNDER HALF A TANK. SERVICER TOLD ME " KEEP THE GAS OVER HALF A TANK". SOMETIMES I SMELL SOMETHING BURNING WHILE HEAT ON IN CAR. ON 2 OCCASSIONS SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE VENTS WHILE A/C ON ( DIDN'T TAKE TO SERVICER FOR THESE PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY NEVER OCCURED AGAIN). TODAY 11/10/03 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR STARTED SHAKING AND STALLING EVENTUALLY CUTTING OFF. TOOK TO THE SERVICER AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM, WITHOUT EVEN MENTIONING THE MAKE AND MODEL OF MY CAR THE TECHNICIAN SAID, " YOU MUST HAVE A FOCUS". NO LONGER UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY AND CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR THESE DEFECTS THAT FORD IS VERY MUCH AWARE OF. ALSO, THE CAR NO LONGER HAS VALUE. TRIED TO TRADE IT IN BEFORE FACTORY WARRANTY RAN OUT LAST YEAR, AND WAS TOLD CAR ONLY WORTH $4,000 WHILE I STILL OWED $10,000, WHICH MEANS I WOULD HAVE HAD TO COME UP WITH THE $6,000 DIFFERENCE TO BE FREE FROM THE CAR. THE CAR WAS ONLY 2 YRS OLD WHEN I TRIED TO TRADE IT IN! SO, I FEEL I GOT RIPPED OFF WITH A LEMON THAT I CAN'T EVEN GET RID OF. I AM SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING CALLING THE FINANCE COMPANY AND VOLUNTARILY GIVING THE CAR BACK, BUT THEN MY CREDIT WILL SHOW A REPOSSESSION, WHICH IS NOT FAIR BEING THAT THE CONSUMERS WERE NEVER TOLD ABOUT THE HISTORY OF PROBLEMS WITH THE FOCUS BEFORE WE BOUGHT THEM.*AK