NHTSA Complaint #10296617 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

FOR THE THIRD TIME SINCE I'VE OWNED THE CAR, THE REAR TAIL 'RUNNING' LIGHTS HAVE BLACKED OUT. AT THE SAME TIME, DASHBOARD LIGHTS DO NOT FUNCTION. NHTSA CAMPAIGN 00V411000 COVERS THIS FOR ABOUT 75,000 FOCUSES IDENTICAL TO MINE, BUT FOR SOME REASON, MINE IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. I'VE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM THREE TIMES. EACH TIME, THE WIRING HARNESS AND FUSES HAVE TO BE REPLACED. ONCE, THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH NEEDED REPLACING, TOO. THE REPAIRS HAVE COST ME NEARLY $1,500. I CONTACTED FORD THE THIRD TIME, BUT THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THERE WAS NOTHING FORD COULD DO TO HELP WITH REPAIR COSTS, AS MY SPECIFIC VIN DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL. MY CONCERN IS THE RANDOM NATURE OF THE TAIL LIGHT LOSS. IT HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT, AND I NEED TO PUT MY HAZARDS ON ANY TIME I DRIVE AFTER DARK. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AND I AM AFRAID OF BEING STRUCK FROM BEHIND. *TR