NHTSA Complaint #10209531 — 2007 FORD FOCUS

ON OCTOBER 25 2007 I PURCHASED A FORD FOCUS SEDAN 4 DOOR CAR WITH MORE OR LESS 400 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER I NOTICED THAT WHEN MY DAUGHTER WHICH IS 5 FOOT ONE, 112 LB WAS RIDING IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT, AN INDICATOR LIGHT LIT INDICATING ME THAT THE AIRBAG IS TURNED OFF ( WRITTEN ON THE PLASTIC), TELLING ME THAT AT THIS MOMENT THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF A COLLISION. THIS FEATURE IS SUPPOSED TO ACTIVATE WHEN CHILDREN ARE SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT IN ORDER TO AVOID DEPLOYMENT INJURY. I WENT TO MY DEALER 4 TIMES EXPRESSING MY COMPLAINTS AROUND THIS SAFETY ISSUE. EACH TIME THEY TOLD ME THAT THE UNIT WOULD BE RESET AND ULTIMATELY THEY EVEN EXCHANGED A SEAT CUSHION, ALL OF THIS WITH NO AVAIL. CONFRONTED AGAIN WITH THIS PROBLEM WITH MY WIFE AS A PASSENGER (5FT 3 AND 114LB) I RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPRODUCED THE SITUATION I WAS EXPLAINING WITH A LOCAL THIN PASSENGER. AS A RESULT OF THIS VISIT I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND FILED A COMPLAINT ON 11/19/2007. FORD ADVISED THAT I WOULD RECEIVE A FOLLOW UP CALL IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. TODAY 11/20/2007 FORD CALLED AND TOLD ME THAT ACCORDING TO THEIR ENGINEERS, THE BEHAVIOR OF THE LIGHT WAS "AS DESIGNED" AND AS SUCH I COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. LET ME STATE THAT FORDS EXPLANATION IS RIDICULOUS AND A SEVERE BREACH IN AUTO SECURITY WITH LIABILITY ISSUES. BOTTOM LINE, OCCUPANTS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT ( IN THIS CASE MY DAUGHTER OR WIFE) COULD BE SUBJECTED TO LETHAL INJURIES AS A RESULT ON NON DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG DUE TO A FAULTY MECHANISM WHICH INTERPRETS ERRONEOUSLY THAT SMALL ADULTS ARE CHILDREN EVEN IN THE CASE OF NORMAL SMALL ADULTS. I FIND THIS SITUATION COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AND AWARENESS, IF NOT A CLASS SUIT SHOULD BE INITIATED AGAINST FORD. AS A CUSTOMER, I'M FRUSTRATED AND FEEL AT RISK USING THIS NEW VEHICLE. *TR