NHTSA Complaint #10158472 — 2002 FORD FOCUS

A YEAR AGO, THE DRIVER'S SIDE TURN SIGNAL LIGHT ON MY 2002 FORD FOCUS WAGON BURNED OUT. IN TRYING TO REPLACE IT AT A LOCAL AUTO PARTS PLACE. THE SOCKET WAS SO TIGHT IN THE LENS/REFLECTOR ASSEMBLY THAT IT COULD NOT BE REMOVED. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER, KAIN FAMILY FORD IN LONDON. I LEARNED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE FITTING FOR THE SOCKET HAD WARPED FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT, APPARENTLY. THE DEALER SEARCHED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN AND FOUND ONE INSTANCE IN WHICH A PIZZA DRIVER IN A SIMILAR VEHICLE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM. THEY WERE ABLE TO PULL THE LIGHT OUT AND WITH A POCKET KNIFE MAKE THE NEW SOCKET FIT IN THE ASSEMBLY, AND CHARGED ME THE HOURLY RATE FOR THE WORK. I SUSPECT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD OF TWO OTHER INSTANCES IN THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE IN THIS AREA WITH THE SAME RESULTS. I RECENTLY REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLAMP AND FOUNT THE SAME WARPING. I HAVE YET TO TAKE IT TO MY DEALER, BUT WILL. IS THERE A WAY TO SEARCH REPAIR RECORDS FOR THIS VEHICLE TO DETERMINE IF THIS IS A DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED? I LEARNED OF THIS SITE FROM CLICK AND CLACK ON NPR'S CARTALK. *NM