NHTSA Complaint #10209095 — 2005 FORD FOCUS

I OWNED A 2005 FORD FOCUS STATION WAGON AND SUFFERED A REAR END COLLISION WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT. AS A RESULT OF THE POOR SEAT CONSTRUCTION, MY LUMBAR SPINE WAS WEDGED IN THE GAP BETWEEN THE SEAT CUSHION AND THE BACK CUSHION DURING THE IMPACT. AT THE TIME, I HAD THE SEAT LOWERED FOR COMFORT. UNFORTUNATELY, AS YOU LOWER THE SEAT, YOU ALSO CREATE A GAP BETWEEN THE SEAT CUSHION AND THE BACK CUSHION, EXPOSING THE LUMBAR SPINE TO THAT GAP. THIS IS WHERE MY LOWER SPINE WAS WEDGED AS A RESULT OF THE REAR-END COLLISION. THE BACK CUSHION HAS TOO LITTLE SUPPORT TO KEEP THE SPINE FROM BUCKLING AND WEDGING ITSELF, BUTT FIRST. NOW, THE GAP WASN'T THAT BIG FOR ME, ONLY ABOUT AN INCH OR SO, BUT THE SEAT PADDING AROUND THE GAP IS UNSUPPORTED AND FLEXIBLE. IMAGINE NOW A REAR END COLLISION WITH A TALL PERSON SITTING IN THAT SEAT, WHERE THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE GAP BETWEEN THE SEAT CUSHION AND THE BACK CUSHION, SAY MAYBE TWO OR MORE INCHES. IN A REAR END COLLISION, WITH THE FRONT BRAKES APPLIED, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ACTUALLY BUCKLES UPWARD AND FORWARD, WHILE THE BODIES IN THE CAR MOVE DOWN AND BACK, AS IN MY CASE (SINCE OBJECTS AT REST [MY BODY] RESPOND ONLY AFTER THE IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE). JUST WATCH ALL THOSE DUMMY COMMERCIALS... THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IF YOU MANIPULATE THE LEVER TO LOWER THE SEAT CUSHION. FACT: THE EUROPEAN FORD FOCUS DRIVER SEAT MOVES AS AN ENTIRE UNIT (BOTH SEAT CUSHION AND BACK CUSHION MOVE TOGETHER AS A UNIT, NEVER CREATING SUCH A GAP) FACT: THE U.S. MODEL IS THE CHEAP ALTERNATIVE TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION OF AN ADJUSTABLE SEAT. INSTEAD, THE LEVER LOWERS AND RAISES ONLY THE SEAT BUCKET PORTION FOR THE DRIVER, WHILE EXPOSING A GAP BETWEEN IT AND THE BACK CUSHION. THE BACK SUPPORT STAYS IN THE SAME PLACE ANOTHER FACT: ALL EUROPEAN MODELS HAVE HEADRESTS IN THE BACK SEAT ANOTHER FACT: AL U.S. MODELS HAVE NO HEADRESTS IN THE BACK SEAT. *TR