NHTSA Complaint #10250355 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

STARTING 2 YEARS AGO REAR HATCH WOULD INTERMITTENTLY UNLOCK WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. PROBLEM WAS WORSE IN COLD WEATHER. WITHIN LAST TWO WEEKS, REAR BRAKE LIGHTS NO LONGER WORK WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, AND THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. ALL SYMPTOMS POINT TO A FAILURE IN THE WIRING HARNESS LEADING FROM THE CAR BODY TO THE REAR HATCH LID. ONLINE FORUMS OF FOCUS OWNERS DOCUMENT BROKEN INSULATION AND WIRES IN THIS WIRING HARNESS. A SIMILAR PROBLEM WAS THE TARGET OF A NHTSA RECALL OF FOCUSES FROM THIS MODEL YEAR, BUT APPARENTLY ONLY APPLIED TO THE SEDANS. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY FORD DEALER TO REPAIR, BUT WITHOUT A RECALL I WILL BE FORCED TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND REPORT A RECALL SOON IF APPROPRIATE. THE BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE AND SPONTANEOUS OPENING OF THE REAR HATCH WHILE DRIVING ARE SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARDS. HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF OTHER OWNERS REPORTING THIS PROBLEM ONLINE: HTTP://FORUMS.FOCALJET.COM/TEAM-PIT-STOP/457417-ALL-ZX3-OWNERS-PLEASE-READ-POTENTIAL-SAFETY-HAZARD.HTML. *TR