NHTSA Complaint #10262436 — 2002 FORD FOCUS

2002 FORD FOCUS ZX3 FRONT PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING FAILURE...TOP 7" OF SPRING SNAPPED OFF MAKING THE CAR DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. INCIDENT OCCURRED 1 BLOCK FROM HOUSE BUT NOT IMMEDIATELY INVESTIGATED UNTIL I FOUND BROKEN SPRING PIECE IN THE ROAD AFTER WORK. HIGHWAY TRAVEL TO AND FROM WORK COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A BAD CRASH DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. I PURCHASED REPLACEMENT PARTS (FORD SVT SUSPENSION KIT 397-M-3000-ZX3) AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE BECAUSE I DO NOT TRUST THE REMAINING UNBROKEN SUSPENSION PARTS. CAR HAS ONLY ABOUT 50000 MILES AND IS NOT ABUSED. FAILURE APPEARS TO BE DUE TO EXTENDED FATIGUE CRACK PROPAGATION INSTEAD OF AN ISOLATED CATASTROPHIC EVENT. THERE IS OLD RUST ON THE SPRING BREAK POINT SURFACE ALONG WITH FATIGUE CRACK STYRATIONS INDICATING A LONG FAILURE TIME. POSSIBLE CAUSE WOULD BE SUB-STANDARD MATERIAL OR HEAT TREATMENT. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE IN A VEHICLE OF THIS AGE AND MILEAGE. FORD WOULD HAVE HAD A HUGE LAWSUIT IF THIS FAILURE RESULTED IN MY INJURY OR DEATH. *TR