NHTSA Complaint #10070089 — 2001 FORD FOCUS

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY FOCUS. ABOUT 3MO AFTER I BOUGHT IT, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO FEEL LIKE IT WAS SLIPPING, AND MAKING A NOISE. I TOOK IT TO THE PURCHASING DEALERSHIP, AND A MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WAS THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LOANER CAR FOR ME, SO I MADE AN AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK. THE NEXT DAY ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK, THE CAR SHUT DOWN. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK, THEY TOOK IT TO THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY, THEY SAID THE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE STUTTER I WAS FEELING IN MY CAR WAS PROBABLY THAT. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE SAME PROBLEM. TOOK IT BACK TO THE SELLING DEALERSHIP, AND THE SHOP SUPERVISOR WENT OUT WITH ME. HE SAID I WAS DRIVING THE CAR OUT OF CONTEXT. WHAT HE MEANT BY THAT, HE WOULDN'T ELABORATE, BUT SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT SINCE, AND THE COMPUTER WILL FADE IN AND OUT, BUT I WON'T LOSE ENGINE POWER. MY CAR HAS TO HAVE NEW BRAKE PADS EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS, NEW TIRES, AND OTHER MAINTENANCE THINGS. AT LESS THAN 40000 MILES, IT NEEDED NEW SPARK PLUGS, AND WIRES, WHICH I HAPPILY BOUGHT. THE DEALERSHIP WANTED $300, BECAUSE THE PLUGS WERE IN THE BACK OF THE MOTOR. I WENT TO MY CAR, POPPED THE HOOD, FOUR SPARK PLUGS LINED THE TOP OF THE HEAD COVER. THERE WAS NO FURTHER EXPLANATION OF THE ATTEMPTED OVER CHARGE. MY CAR HAS SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS. THE POSITIVE CABLE ON THE BATTERY, HAS MELTED BACK, THERE IS A LOUD ROAR IN THE CAB OF THE CAR, AND THREE OF THE FOUR LUG NUTS ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAS SNAPPED OFF. THE EXPLANATION FOR THE LUG NUTS, WAS THAT THE TIRE WAS LOOSE, NOT FASTENED PROPERLY. BUT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED 3-4 MO AFTER I BOUGHT IT. THE TIRES HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN OFF. I AM TO THE POINT WHERE I HATE FORD FOR SELLING ME THIS CAR. I WILL EVER BUY FORD AGAIN, BUT I LOVE THE CONCEPT OF THE CAR