NHTSA Complaint #10137238 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

DT:THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL ON THE DECK LID WIRE HARNESS, THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED AT A FORD DEALERSHIP IN 2001. THIS RECALL REPAIR DID NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM, THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND LICENSE PLATE LIGHT FAILED AFTERWARDS. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER, THERE WERE SOME REPAIRS, BUT THE CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW WHAT REPAIRS WERE EXACTLY MADE AT THAT TIME. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WENT OUT BECAUSE THE CONSUMER WAS PULLED OVER BY AUTHORITIES FOR NOT HAVING BRAKE LIGHTS. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND PAID FOR THE REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET. THE NEXT OCCURRENCE RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER SMELLING SMOKE FOR WHICH SHE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. SHE PULLED OVER FOR A MOMENT, AND BEGAN TO PULL OUT TO DRIVE TO THE DEALER, AND A PASSERBY HONKED THE HORN. THE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FORM THE TRUNK COMPARTMENT. THE CONSUMER SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, AND WHILE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO PUT THE FIRE OUT, BLACK SMOKE BEGAN TO ERUPT FROM THE TRUNK. UPON INSPECTION, THE FIRE HAD EXTINGUISHED BY ITSELF AND THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE WIRING. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO WANTED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE FURTHER. THE DEALER SPLICED THE WIRES UP INTO THE AREA WHERE THE FIRE WAS ,AND NOW CONSUMER IS CONCERNED A FIRE MAY AGAIN OCCUR. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED FORD AT THIS TIME. *AK