NHTSA Complaint #10070137 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

THIS IS A COPY OF THE LETTER I SENT TO FORD PRESTIGE FORD GARLAND TX ATTN: [XXX] DEAR [XXX] RE: FORD FOCUS 2000 VEHICLE ID# [XXX] I BECAME A CUSTOMER OF PRESTIGE FORD 5 YEARS AGO WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT MY 98 ESCORT. I WAS PLEASED WITH THE CAR, NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITHIN THE 2 YEARS I HAD IT ONLY THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. FEB 28TH 2000 I MADE THE STUPIDEST DECISION IN MY LIFE TO TRADE IT FOR A BRAND NEW FOCUS 2000 -I WAS IMPRESSED OF THE REVIEWS OF BEING THE EUROPEAN CAR OF THE YEAR IN 1999. WELL DURING THIS 3 YEARS I HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE AND I JUST RECEIVED ANOTHER SAFETY RECALL. I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER HOW MANY TIMES I'VE TAKEN MY CAR BACK TO FORD FOR SAFETY RECALLS DURING THE LAST 3 YEARS. IN 3 YEARS I HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES 3 TIMES (THAT'S ACTUALLY ONCE A YEAR) REPLACE ROTORS TWICE SOMETHING GOT MESSED UP LAST AUGUST WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND THE STARTER I HAD TO HAVE THAT FIXED. THERE'S ALWAYS NOISE WITH THE BRAKES, I ASKED SEVERAL TIMES AND ALL YOUR STAFF OR THE ONE ON 75 CAN TELL ME IS A "KNOWN PROBLEM" FIRST IT WAS "METAL BRAKES" NO PROBLEM THAT'S NORMAL AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS YOU CHANGED IT TO A "KNOWN PROBLEM"??? I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW MY DISAPPOINTMENT ABOUT THIS STUPID CAR, I SURE DID MADE A BIG MISTAKE WHEN I DECIDED TO BUY IT. ALSO I BOUGHT EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THAT REALLY SEEMS NOT TO BE A BIG BENEFIT SINCE IT HASN'T HELPED A BIT, I STILL HAD TO PAY FOR ALL THIS REPAIRS. AS FAR AS I KNOW THIS ARE THE KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR, SO TELL ME AM I SUPPOSED TO BE A HAPPY CAMPER?? I'M A SINGLE MOTHER, I MAKE MY PAYMENTS ON TIME, I DON'T HAVE THE TIME AND THE MONEY TO KEEP SPENDING IN A CAR THAT WILL BE PAID OFF IN A COUPLE OF YEARS AND THEN I WILL BE LEFT WITH A BIG PEACE OF JUNK. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHEN I CAN TAKE MY CAR TO GET FIXED AGAIN. VERY UNHAPPY CUSTOMER [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR