NHTSA Complaint #10244568 — 2005 FORD FOCUS

NOTICED ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK ON FRIDAY THAT WHEN I CLICKED ON THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL, IT WENT IN A "FAST BLINK" WHICH USUALLY MEANS A BURNED OUT BULB, SHORT, OR BLOWN FUSE, BUT USUALLY JUST A BURNED OUT BULB. ONCE I GOT HOME IN THE DRIVEWAY, I GET OUT AND TEST THE LIGHTS AND SEE THAT THE FRONT LEFT TURN SIGNALS ARE FLASHING FAST, AND THE BACK LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS NOT FLASHING AT ALL. I'M STILL HOPING FOR A BURNED OUT BULB AT THIS POINT. I MAKE A NOTE TO CHANGE IT OUT IN THE MORNING. ON SATURDAY OCT 4TH I PULL OFF THE LEFT REAR LIGHTING ASSEMBLY, CONSISTING OF TWO SCREWS HOLDING IT TO THE CAR, AND I FIND TWO BULB CONNECTIONS; THE BOTTOM ONE (BRAKE LIGHTS) HAS A NORMAL QUARTER TURN AND PULL OUT CONNECTOR TO GET TO THE BULB. ONLY THAT BULB IS FINE. THE TOP ONE ALSO HAS ONE OF THOSE "QUARTER-TURN-AND-PULL" CONNECTORS, ONLY IT DOES NOT "PULL" HECK IT DOESN'T EVEN QUARTER TURN, IT'S FROZEN IN PLACE, AND THE BACK SIDE OF THIS LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS MELTED INTO AN EGG SHAPE (SUPPOSED TO BE ROUND). NOW I'M NOT INTO JUST A BULB ANY MORE. IT'S SATURDAY, AND MY NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP IS ON M-F BANKERS HOURS, SO I ORDER A REPLACEMENT FROM AUTOZONE FOR $100 WHICH SHOULD BE HERE THIS WEEK. I SEE FROM NHTSA WEB SITE THAT THERE ARE NO EXISTING RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE, HOWEVER SOMEBODY ELSE APPARENTLY HAS ALSO SUBMITTED THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I WILL BE ASKING MY FORD DEALER ABOUT IT THIS COMING WEEK, BUT I AM ALSO FILING THIS COMPLAINT TO DOCUMENT A PART FAILURE ON A CAR THAT IS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD, AND WHATEVER THE REASON; THIS FAILURE INVOLVES ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, EXTERNAL LIGHTING, MELTING PLASTIC PARTS, AND FAILED SAFETY EQUIPMENT. I LEAVE IT UP TO YOU TO DETERMINE IF FURTHER ACTION IS REQUIRED. *TR UPDATED 02/19/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE ISSUE WITH THE MELTED ASSEMBLY AROUND THE BRAKE LIGHT SOCKET WAS NOT LIMITED TO THE BACK LEFT, BUT ALSO PRESENT IN THE BACK LIGHT TAIL LIGHT OF HIS 2005 FORD FOCUS STATION WAGON. UPDATED 02/19/10.*JB UPDATED 08/20/10*JB