NHTSA Complaint #10126461 — 2002 FORD FOCUS

THE DAY WAS VERY HOT, 90+ DEGREES. I HAD THE AIR CONDITIONING ON WHILE DRIVING AND HAD TO TAKE MY HUSBAND TO A DENTIST APPOINTMENT. I LEFT THE CAR RUNNING WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING ON FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, THEN SHUT THE CAR OFF. AFTER ANOTHER 5 MINUTES, I RESTARTED THE CAR, WITH AIR CONDITONING ON AND WAITED FOR MY HUSBAND TO RETURN. THE CAR WAS RUNNING FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 25 MINTUES WHILE PARKED. MY HUSBAND RETURNED AND WE PROCEDED TO GO OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN TO GET SOME DINNER. IT WAS 4:30 PM AT THIS TIME. ON OUR WAY, THE CAR STARTED TO 'JERK' FORWARD AND BACKWARD AND I HAD NO ACCELERATION AT ALL. I STEPPED ON THE GAS AND ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENED. I MANAGED TO GET OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHEN THE ENGINE JUST DIED. I TRIED TO START IT SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. WE WAITED SEVERAL MINUTES AND I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. WE DROVE ON, WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON FOR ABOUT 6 MORE MILES WHEN THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I MANAGED TO GET OFF THE ROAD, BUT NOT BEFORE THE ENGINE DIED. MY HUSBAND CALLED A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND WE WERE TOLD IT SOUNDED LIKE THE FUEL PUMP MIGHT NEED REPLACING. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, NOT THE ONE WE HAD CALLED, AND WERE TOLD THEY WOULD GET TO IT THAT NIGHT YET. THEY CALLED US AT 8:30 PM AND HAD NOT GOTTEN AROUND TO DOING THE DIAGNOSTICS AS YET. THEY CALLED BACK WITHIN 30 MINUTES AND TOLD US THAT THE FUEL PUMP WILL PROBABLY NEED REPLACING, BUT THEY WILL CALL US AS SOON AS THEY KNEW FOR SURE. AT 11:30 PM, THEY CALLED TO SAY THAT THE DIAGNOSTICS HAD SHOWN NOTHING AND THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE CAUSE MAY HAVE BEEN AND WERE SHOCKED THAT SUCH A THING COULD EVEN HAPPEN TO SUCH A NEW CAR. THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. WE PICKED THE CAR UP THIS MORNING AND ARE PRAYING TO GOD THAT WE CAN GET HOME THIS EVENING WITHOUT THE PROBLEM HAPPENING AGAIN.