NHTSA Complaint #10078344 — 2004 FORD FOCUS

WHEN THE CAR HAD ~ 3000 MILES ON IT, WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN IT SUDDENLY BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND SHIMMY LIKE IT HAD MULTIPLE FLAT TIRES. WE PULLED OFF AND LOOKED FOR PROBLEMS BUT THE TIRES WERE FINE AND NOTHING WAS OBVIOUS. WHEN WE BEGAN DRIVING AGAIN THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN AND WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THEY FOUND FEATHERING ON ALL TIRES AND REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES AND REBALANCED THEM. ABOUT A WEEK LATER WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY A LOUD BANG SOUNDED IN THE REAR OF THE CAR AND IT AGAIN BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND SHIMMY. AGAIN AFTER GETTING OFF THE ROAD AND LOOKING IT OVER, THE CAR SEEMED OK. WE AGAIN TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND REBALANCED THE FRONT TIRES. ABOUT 2000 MILES LATER AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE LOUD BANG AND VIBRATION RE-OCCURRED. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE CAR ALMOST WENT OUT OF CONTROL, SLIDING AND FEELING LIKE IT WOULD TIP OVER. WE AGAIN TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THIS TIME THEY DID NO WORK AND SAID THERE WAS NOT AN IDENTIFIABLE PROBLEM WITH IT. WE INFORMED FORD MOTOR OF THE PROBLEMS AND ARE WORKING WITH A LAWYER ON A LEMON LAW COMPLAINT AS THE CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE.*AK