NHTSA Complaint #10102208 — 2001 FORD FOCUS

VEHICLE FIRE SUSTAINED ON 2001 FORD FOCUS AFTER REPLACEMENT OF A VALVE GASKET COVER AT HOLLINGSWORTH RICHARD FORD IN BATON ROUGE LOUISIANA. FOLLOWING REPLACEMENT OF GASKET, SMOKE WAS NOTED FROM THE HOOD. DEALER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT SMOKE WAS DUE TO A CLEANING SOLVENT USED AFTER SERVICING THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD STOP IN ABOUT TWO DAYS. THE FOLLOWING DAY (AFTER SERVICE), THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHERE THE FIRE HAD TO BE EXTINGUISHED BY THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT. MY SON AND I WERE IN THE VEHICLE AND BEARLY ESCAPED BEFORE THE FRONT OF VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. REPORT HAS BEEN FILED WITH DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A MATTER THAT SHOULD BE HANDLED BY THE INSURANCE. FORD DEALER SHOWED NOR INDICATED THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF ANY LIABILITY REGARDING THIS ISSUE. RESEARCH HAS INDICATED MANY CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS OF VEHICLES FIRES CENTERED AROUND THIS YEAR OF FOCUS.*AK