NHTSA Complaint #10106097 — 2001 FORD FOCUS

MY 2001 FORD FOCUS ZX3 (ZETEC) WAS TRAVELING ON FREEWAY, AND THE REAR END BEGAN TO WOBBLE, FISH TAIL SIDE TO SIDE, SPARK, AND SMOKE. THE REAR PASSENGER BEARING WAS DESTROYED, AND I WAS STRANDED WHILE ON LEAVE FROM MY DUTIES AS A MARINE. I PURCHASED A NEW BEARING AND FITTED IT MYSELF. I RECALL A "RECALL" NOTICE I RECEIVED, AND I REMEMBER TURNING IN THE VEHICLE TO HAVE THE DEFECT CORRECTED, BUT IT OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT. I NO LONGER HAVE THIS NOTICE. I SPOKE WITH A LOCAL DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN, I TALKED TO SAID THAT THEY HAD REPLACED ALL THE REAR BEARINGS IN THE FORD FOCUSES THAT THEY HAD SOLD MANY MONTHS AGO. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, WE FOUND THAT THE HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLIES THAT I HAD AND THE NEW ONE THAT FORD HAD ON HAND WERE DISSIMILAR IN THAT THE NEWER ONES HAD A SEALING FLANGE ATTACHED TO THE INSIDE OF THE BEARING. I'M TAKING THE VEHICLE ITSELF TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT SUPPOSEDLY EXAMINED THE PART BEFORE FOR FURTHER SCRUTINY AND RECONSIDERATION FOR MY BILL. *AK