NHTSA Complaint #10155279 — 2001 FORD FOCUS

2001 FORD FOCUS WAGON SE: [XXX] INTERMITTENT PROBLEM: REAR HATCH OPENS WHEN CAR IS STARTED. REAR HATCH CANNOT BE CLOSED WHEN CAR IS RUNNING. WHEN I JIGGLE THE WIRING HARNESS AT THE TOP OF THE HATCH, I HEAR CRACKLING NOISES. EVENTUALLY, AFTER JIGGLING THE HARNESS, I CAN GET THE PROBLEM TO GO AWAY. I ALSO HAD THE FUSE BLOW FOR THE REAR LIGHTS A WHILE BACK, BUT REPLACED IT WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS, THINKING NOTHING OF IT. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 00V411000 ADDRESSES A PROBLEM WITH THE DECK LID WIRING HARNESS SHORTING OUT WHERE IT BENDS, AND DEVELOPING BROKEN WIRES. LOSS OF TAIL LAMPS IS ONE OF THE CONSEQUENCES. I BELIEVE THE HATCH OPENING IS A RELATED PROBLEM TOO, ALTHOUGH THE RECALL DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTION IT. THIS RECALL IS FOR YEAR 2000 FOCUS WAGONS. MINE IS A 2001, BUT ITS MANUFACTURE DATE IS 2000. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING FOR ME, SAYING THAT THE VIN IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. MEANWHILE, I AM DRIVING AROUND WITH THIS ELECTRICAL ISSUE. YOU WOULD THINK THAT FORD WOULD TREAT CUSTOMERS BETTER, RATHER THAN JUST SAYING THEY DO ON THEIR COMMERCIALS. I HAVE NEVER HAD THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE SAY "YES" TO ANY OF MY ISSUES. THEY JUST RECORD THE COMPLAINT AND HAPPILY ASK IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THEY CAN "DO" FOR ME. THEY ALSO SAY THAT EVEN IF THE CAR WERE COVERED, ITS MILEAGE IS TOO HIGH. IS THERE A MILEAGE LIMIT ON THIS RECALL? I DIDN'T SEE IT. PLEASE SEE IF YOU CAN GET THESE SLIGHTLY-LATER-MANUFACTURED FOCUS WAGONS ADDED TO THE RECALL. THANK YOU FOR YOU HELP! *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)