NHTSA Complaint #10262242 — 2002 FORD FOCUS

ON 3/12/09, WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 FORD FOCUS SE WAGON ON MAIN STREET (RI-3) IN ASHAWAY, RHODE ISLAND, AT ABOUT 35 MPH, HIT A SMALL BUMP WITH THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. A LOUD SCRAPING NOISE IMMEDIATELY ENSUED. WAS ABLE TO STOP WITHIN A FEW FEET. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT BOTH MOUNTING STUDS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE ENGINE MOUNT FOR THE TRANSVERSELY MOUNTED ENGINE HAD BROKEN OFF ALLOWING THE ENGINE TO DROP DOWN ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE DRIVE AXLE. THE CAR WAS FLATBED TOWED 5 MILES TO MY MECHANIC. HIS INSPECTION SHOWED THAT ONE OF THE STUDS HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR SOME TIME, WHILE THE SECOND SHOWED A FRESH BREAK. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF CORROSION, OR THAT THE STUDS HAD EVER BEEN REMOVED AND REPLACED. I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN THIS FAILURE OCCURS, BUT THE TOW OPERATOR AND BOTH MECHANICS AT THE SHOP HAD NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE THAT THE CAR BECOMES INOPERABLE WITHOUT CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE. THE RESULT AT HIGHWAY SPEED COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED BY REPLACING THE BROKEN STUDS WITH NEW FACTORY PARTS. I HAVE THE TWO BROKEN STUDS IN MY POSSESSION. *TR