NHTSA Complaint #10072578 — 2002 FORD FOCUS

ON THURSDAY 5/6/04 THE 2002 FORD FOCUS WAS BEING DRIVEN WHEN THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY BROKE OFF UNDER THE DASH BOARD, DISABLING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE COASTED OFF THE ROADWAY, AND TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE BROKEN PIN WAS FOUND ON THE FLOOR UNDER THE CLUTCH PEDAL. IT COULD EASILY BE DETERMINED THAT THE PIN BROKE OFF SOME TYPE OF BRACKET. YOU COULD SEE THE WELDING AND WHAT APPEARED TO BE PART OF THE BRACKET. THE PIECE WAS GIVEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS ALSO INFORMED NOT TO DISCARD ANY PARTS. THE NEXT DAY WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY (UNFORTUNATELY THE VEHICLE WAS JUST OVER THE ALLOWED WARRANTY MILEAGE) HOWEVER, I INQUIRED AS TO HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN TO A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY TWO YEARS OLD UNLESS IT WAS DUE TO SOME MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT HELP ME SINCE THERE WERE NO OTHER REPORTS OR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. I INFORMED THEM THEM THAT I WOULD BE FOLLOWING UP WITH FORD MOTOR CO. I WAS LATER INFORMED THAT THIS REPAIR WOULD COST ME MORE THAN $600. I CONTACTED FORD AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. FORUNATELY THERE WAS NO INJURY, HOWEVER, I DREAD TO THINK WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THE CAR WAS BEING FRIVEN ON AN INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH OR MORE WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE IRONIC THING ABOUT THIS WHOLE ORDEAL IS THAT THE ONLY PART I WAS TOLD THEY NEEDED WAS THE PIN THAT BROKE, BUT THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE PIN WAS TO GET THE WHOLE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY, AND GUESS WHO PAID FOR THAT? I AM HOPING TO GET SOME SATIFACTORY FEEDBACK RE: THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU.*AK