NHTSA Complaint #10184033 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED: FORD FOCUS SE YEAR 2000. PURCHASED FROM OMAR CAR SALES IN FREMONT (510)-770-0107 I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY. WHEN I CAME OUT OF RALEY'S AT ABOUT 4:50 PM, I COULD NOT START MY CAR. IT WAS MAKING A CLICKING SOUND ONLY. (1) JUST HAD MAJOR WORK SOME OF THE TIMING BELT, A MOTOR MOUNT, AND SPARK PLUGS, ALL NEW FORD PARTS WERE USED AS REPLACEMENTS. THE CAR HAD BEEN IN EXCELLENT CONDITION BEFOREHAND. I HAD ONLY PURCHASED THE CAR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO FROM OMAR CAR SALES FOR $6,000.00, AND IT WAS RUNNING FINE TILL 3 MONTHS AGO, WHEN THE TIMING BELT WENT THEN GOT FIXED IN ONE WEEK. ONE MINOR PROBLEM WITH AN IGNITION SWITCH WAS FOUND WHEN I 1ST BOUGHT THE CAR, ALSO VERY MINOR. (2) BUTCH'S AUTOMOTIVE INC IN FREMONT, 510-793-9883 FOUND PROBLEM, (THE VALVE SEAT INSIDE THE ENGINE COLLAPSED AND FAILED, PISTONS CAME DOWN, RUINED MY ENTIRE MOTOR INCLUDING OIL ON PARTS IN PROCESS) I REPORTED IT TO NHTSA, THEY SAID I ALSO NEEDED TO CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP, AND MANUFACTURER OF WHICH I DID. NHTSA SAID THAT IF THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T DO ANYTHING, TO FILE A COMPLAINT. I SPOKE WITH JOSE IN SERVICE AT FREMONT FORD WITHIN 24 HOURS. HE SAID CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THE MANUFACTURER TRIED TO CLAIM THAT THERE WEREN'T ANY RECALLS. I THINK THERE ARE, AND IF NOT, I WOULD LIKE A DISCREET RECALL STARTED. (3) BUTCH SAID THE COST OF REPAIR WILL BE $5,200.00 FOR ALL THE DAMAGES ENGINE WISE, PLUS A RE-BUILT ENGINE BEING INSTALLED. I WOULD LIKE ALL COSTS REIMBURSED TO ME, AS THIS WAS A SAFETY HAZARD. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY, I MIGHT HAVE DIED WHEN OTHER CARS CRASHED INTO MY STALLED VEHICLE. I HAD RECALLS DONE AT FREMONT FORD, AND MY RECALLS WERE UP TO DATE. BUTCH SAYS HE WAS ABLE TO GET A NEWLY REBUILT FORD ENGINE TO NEWARK , CA DEALERSHIP, AND MY MALFUNCTIONED ENGINE WAS RETURNED TO THAT DEALERSHIP. (510)-651-5600. I ALERTED RESPONSIBLE PARTIES OF THIS MATTER IN FORD, LOCAL AND FACTORY WIDE.