NHTSA Complaint #10153270 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, WHEN I WOULD GO TO START MY FORD FOCUS (2000 SE), I WOULD FEEL A SMALL AMOUNT OF TURBULENCE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. TODAY, AS I DELIVERED MY NEWSPAPER ROUTE, THE ENGINE HAD A LOUD UNRYTHMIC TICK TO IT. BY THE AFTERNOON, WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON THE CAR, THE ENGINE SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND MADE A TERRIBLE 'CLANKING' SOUND THAT ECHOED LOUDLY FROM WITHIN THE CHAMBERS OF THE ENGINE. I HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART MY VEHICLE, BECAUSE MY MECHANIC WARNED THAT HE HAS WORKED ON THREE OTHER FOCUS MODELS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. TWO OF THOSE VEHICLES EXPERIENCED AN EXPLODING OF THEIR ENGINES. MY VEHICLE WILL COST ANYWHERE BETWEEN 500$ AND 1000$ TO REPAIR, BUT EVEN THEN THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL BE REMEDIED. THE MECHANIC BELIEVES THAT THE PROBLEM EXISTS WITHIN THE FOURTH CHAMBER'S BEARINGS, WHICH - IF OUT OF ALIGNMENT - CAUSES THE SHAFT TO LOSE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE (HENCE THE VIOLENT SHAKING). *NM