NHTSA Complaint #10186721 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

I DROVE A 2000 FOCUS ZX3 FOR 3 YEARS WITHOUT A SINGLE PROBLEM. ON MARCH 2007 (90000 MILES) THE CAR STALLED AND DIED COMPLETELY IN THE MIDDLE OF A CALIFORNIA FREEWAY. AFTER 5 MIN I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND DRIVE TO MY MECHANIC (NOT A FORD DEALER). COMPUTER ANALYSIS SHOWED A FAULTY MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. HE REPLACED IT ($450). TWO DAYS LATER, THE CAR STALLED AGAIN IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA (20 MPH AND FULL TANK OF GAS). THE CAR RESTARTED AND I DROVE BACK TO SAME MECHANIC. HE DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND SUGGESTED I SHOULD DRIVE TO A FORD DEALER. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE AT NO COST BECAUSE OF FORD RECALL #03N01. AFTER THAT THE CAR STALLED (AND DIED) AGAIN WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT (5 MPH AND FULL TANK). FORD TECHNICIANS DROVE THE CAR FOR 150 MILES WHILE HOOKED UP TO A "FLIGHT RECORDER" AND FOUND NOTHING. I DROVE IT FOR 20MI WITH A "FLIGHT RECORDER" AND IT STALLED RIGHT AWAY. I TRIED RESTARTING IT AND IT STALLED AGAIN (4 TIMES IN A ROW). I WAS ABLE TO RECORD THE DATA USING FLIGHT RECORDER. FOR THE FIRST TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON (CODE P1237). THE FORD DEALER INSPECTION ALL THE ELECTRICAL WIRES LOOKING FOR A FAULTY CONNECTION GROUND. AFTER RE-WIRING THEY TEST-DROVE THE CAR AGAIN. THEY THINK THE CAR IS OK NOW. THIS HAS BEEN MY THIRD WEEK WITHOUT A CAR. I WAS RENTING A CAR IN ORDER TO GO TO WORK (PAYING TO GO TO WORK). I CAN'T AFFORD TO SPEND MORE MONEY ON MORE SURPRISES. I HAVE BEEN STRESSED EMOTIONALLY AND FINANCIALLY. EVEN IF THE CAR IS OK NOW, I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT (OR ANY OTHER FORD). AT THIS POINT I DECIDED TO SELL THE FOCUS TO THE SAME FORD DEALER. I'M COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FORD FOCUS AND FORD IN GENERAL (AS A CORPORATION AND A BRAND) FOR ALLOWING SUCH A FLAW TO BE SOLD TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. I HAVE BEEN VERY WELL TREATED BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE FORD DEALER. *JB