NHTSA Complaint #10098661 — 2001 FORD FOCUS

IN JUNE 2004, I TOOK MY 2001 FORD FOCUS INTO SUNSET FORD IN WESTMINSTER, CALIFORNIA COMPLAINING ABOUT A VIBRATION AND RATTLE IN THE FRONT END OF MY CAR. THEY CHARGED ME $80 AND TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. AGAIN, ON AUGUST 12, 2004, I TOOK MY 2001 FORD FOCUS INTO SUNSET FORD COMPLAINING THAT THE VIBRATION AND RATTLE WERE STILL THERE AND GETTING WORSE. THEY AGAIN CHARGED ME $80 FOR A DIAGNOSTIC AND TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. IN THE EARLY MORNING ON OCTOBER 2, 2004, I STARTED TO SLOWLY ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP AND MY CAR FOR NO REASON AT ALL TURNED SHARPLY AND STRUCK A CURB. THERE IS NOW MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO MY CAR THAT WILL COST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR. THE ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIRS POINT TO THE SAME TYPE OF PARTS AS ANOTHER RECALL MADE BY FORD FOR THIS SAME YEAR OF THE FOCUS. I CONTEND THAT THIS MAJOR DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY FORDS NEGLIGENCE IN NOT FINDING AND FIXING THE ORIGINAL MECHANICAL DEFECT THAT I REPORTED TO THEM TWICE. I ALSO CONTEND THAT THE SYMPTOMS MY CAR WAS EXHIBITING WERE THE SAME AS DESCRIBED IN YOUR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #02V289000. (PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM RE-ENTERING THIS COMPLAINT AS I INCORRECTLY STATED THE YEAR OF THE FORD FOCUS AS 2000 INSTEAD OF 2001 IN COMPLAINT #10093930.)*JB