NHTSA Complaint #10150517 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

I HAVE A 2000 FORD FOCUS SE. THE VEHICLE HAS POWER LOCKS. OVER THE COURSE OF A WEEK, EVERY TIME I WOULD HIT THE BUTTON TO UNLOCK/LOCK THE DOOR IT WOULD REACT VERY LAZY UNTIL FINALLY THE BUTTON STOPPED WORKING. ONCE THE POWER LOCKS STOPPED WORKING, I WAS UNABLE TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DRIVER DOOR AND NOT ONLY THAT BUT I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR BECAUSE IT WAS FROZEN IN THE LOCK POSITION. I HAD TO CLIMB OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE. EVEN IF I PULLED THE HANDLE ON THE INSIDE OF THE CAR ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR, IT WOULDN'T OPEN. THE FUSE HAD BLOWN AND IT WASN'T UNTIL I REPLACED THE FUSE THAT THE DRIVERS DOOR WOULD OPEN AGAIN. WHEN THE POWER LOCKS ARE WORKING THE DRIVER'S DOOR WILL OPEN WHEN I PULL THE HANDLE, BUT THE FUSE BLEW AGAIN TWO DAYS AGO AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED, THE DOOR IS STUCK IN THE LOCK POSITION AND I HAVE TO CRAWL OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE. THIS IS POTENTIALLY A DANGEROUS CONDITION BECAUSE IF I HAD TO GET OUT OF THE CAR QUICKLY I COULDN'T BECAUSE IT WON'T LET ME OUT OF THE CAR. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT SOMEHOW THE DRIVER DOOR IS THE MASTER MECHANISM AND THAT IS WHY IT HAPPENS ONLY TO THE DRIVER DOOR. HE THINKS THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND IF POSSIBLE I WOULD LIKE IT ADDRESSED. *JB