NHTSA Complaint #10186152 — 2005 FORD FOCUS

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2005 FOCUS WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO 1ST GEAR. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED IT UNDER WARRANTY DURING 7 - 16 MARCH 2007. WHILE DOING THE WORK THEY NICKED THE BRAKE LINE JUST ENOUGH TO CREATE A SLOW LEAK. THE LOCATION OF THE LEAK WAS NEAR THE FRONT LEFT TIRE. AFTER ONE DAY OF DRIVING, ALL THE FLUID LEAKED OUT AND THE BRAKES FAILED WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IT. THE DEALERSHIP ARRANGED TO PICK UP THE FOCUS WITH A TOW TRUCK. THEY REPAIRED THE BRAKES (19-23 MAR). ON 23 MAR, MY WIFE PICKED UP THE FOCUS. APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE FROM THE DEALERSHIP, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE SHE WAS TURNING LEFT. THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT PUSHED HER LEFT ARM DOWN AND TO THE RIGHT, PULLING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT, CAUSING HER TO HIT THE CURB. NO OTHER VEHICLE WAS NEARBY OR INVOLVED. SHE WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE FOCUS INTO THE PARKING LOT OF A MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITY, WHERE SHE WAS TREATED FOR CERVICAL INJURY. THE DEALERSHIP PICKED UP THE FOCUS WITH A TOW TRUCK. AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY PUT THE FOCUS UP ON A LIFT AND I INSPECTED THE UNDERCARRIAGE ALONG WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AND MECHANIC. THE BRAKE ROTOR WAS COMPLETE SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS BENT AT ABOUT A 20 DEGREE ANGLE FROM NORMAL. THE WHEEL WAS NOTICEABLY SCRATCHED AND THE TIRE WAS CUT. THE SERVICE MANAGER SUGGESTED THAT MY WIFE HIT THE CURB CAUSING THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. MY WIFE IS ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED CAUSING HER TO HIT THE CURB.*AK