NHTSA Complaint #10233124 — 2002 FORD FOCUS

I DRIVE A 2002 FORD FOCUS WAGON, MILEAGE 85,578. TWO DAYS AGO I HAD TROUBLE STARTING IT. I DID GET IT STARTED BUT EVERYTIME I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR THE ENGINE STALL. THERE WAS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WARNING PRIOR TO THIS OR DURING THE EVENT. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR HOME, BUT HAD TO RESTART IT EACH TIME I HAD TO STOP. THE NEXT MORNING IT DROVE FINE BUT I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A FUEL PUMP FAILURE AND IT COST ME OVER A $1000 FOR REPAIR. (PARTS LISTER WERE SENDER, GASKET, KIT, TUBE, GASKET, FILTER). IN RESEARCHING RECALLS I FOUND THAT MODEL YEARS 2000-2001 WERE HAVING THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEMS AND A RECALL WAS DETERMINED FOR THIS. I DO NORMAL DRIVING - 70% HIGHWAY, 30% IN TOWN. MY CAR IS JUST OVER 5 YEARS OLD, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR SHOULD CAUSE THE FUEL PUMP TO FAIL. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS SOME KIND OF DEFECT IN THE ORIGINAL PART OR ASSEMBLY. *TR