NHTSA Complaint #10163754 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

THE FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING ON MY CAR SNAPPED AND LODGED IN THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL, CAUSING IT TO SEIZE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CAR CAME TO A RAPID HALT, AND IF I WASN'T IN THE RIGHT LANE WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, AN ACCIDENT MIGHT HAVE RESULTED. A FEW DAYS BEFORE, I HAD HEARD A SNAPPING SOUND FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF MY CAR, BUT I NOTICED NO IMMEDIATE SYMPTOMS. FORD HAS DETERMINED THAT THE COIL SPRING WAS IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED, BUT NO RECALL WAS PERFORMED. FORD'S RESPONSE (CAMPAIGN 03M02, IN RESPONSE TO INVESTIGATION EA 02-023) WAS NOT ADEQUATE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: 1. FORD'S RESPONSE STATES THAT THE SPRING FAILURE WILL CAUSE "SUSPENSION NOISE, POSSIBLY ACCOMPANIED BY SAGGING OF ONE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE." CLEARLY, THE FAILURE THAT I EXPERIENCED WAS NOT CONSIDERED WHEN DETERMINING IF THE SITUATION WARRANTED A RECALL. 2. FORD DID NOT NOTIFY ME THAT IT KNEW THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE DEFECTIVE. THIS LEFT ME WITHOUT THE INFORMATION THAT I NEEDED TO RECOGNIZE THE FAILURE AND PREVENT FURTHER PROBLEMS. 3. THE SPRING WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER 7 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, BUT THE CORROSION WAS NOT SPOTTED. THIS INDICATES THAT THE DEALERS WERE NOT MONITORING THE SPRING, DESPITE THE FACT THAT I LIVE IN A HIGH-CORROSION AREA. *JB