NHTSA Complaint #10343092 — 2007 FORD FOCUS

THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY ON MY 2007 FORD FOCUS SE THAT HAS 27,783 MILES ARE DEAD. I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTAINED ON TIME. BROUGHT THE CAR IN TODAY FOR OIL CHANGE AND 30,000 MILE REQUIRED INSPECTION AND MAINTAINED. I DROVE THE CAR ABOUT 40 MILES ROUND-TRIP AND STOPPED AT THE LIBRARY. I TRIED STARTING THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT TURN ON. ALL THAT HAPPENED WAS THE OIL LIGHT WENT ON BUT THE CAR MADE NO SOUNDS AND ENGINE WAS NOT EVEN TRYING TO TURN OVER. HAD CAR TOWED BACK TO DEALER AND AFTER AN HOUR WAS TOLD THAT THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WERE BOTH DEAD. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THIS COULD OCCUR FORM THE DEALER AND THE CAR ACTED PERFECTLY FINE. THE ONLY REASON I KNEW ANYTHING WAS WRONG WAS BECAUSE THE CAR WOULDN'T START. THE NIGHT MANAGER AT THE FORD DEALER SAID THAT DUE TO THE ALTERNATOR FAILING THE CAR RAN ON 12VOLTS OF POWER FROM THE BATTERY AND NOW THE BATTERY IS DEAD AND CANNOT BE RECHARGED. HE ALSO SAID THAT YES, THE ALTERNATOR DOES GO OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND THAT IT IS COMMON TO NOT KNOW IT HAD DIED UNTIL THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPS WORKING. THE CAR WARRANTY EXPIRED 3 MONTHS AGO IN APRIL AND THE DEALER EXPECTS $645 TO REPAIR THE ISSUE. I FEEL THIS IS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE FIXED BY FORD. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH TONIGHT, AND LEARNED THAT IT IS COMMON FOR FORD FOCUS CAR TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY DIE AT ABOUT 3 YEARS OF AGE. I WAS DRIVING DURING RUSH HOUR ON SEVERAL EXPRESSWAYS TODAY, HAD THE ALTERNATOR DIED 10 MINUTES SOONER, I COULD HAVE BEEN DEAD OR SERIOUSLY INJURED IN A CAR CRASH. 1. NO WARNING BEFORE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY DIED. CAR WAS PARKED AND WOULD NOT TURN ON. CAR WAS AT DEALER TODAY FOR 30,000 OIL CHANGE/ MAINTENANCE CAR HAS LESS THAN 28,000 MILES. 2. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE ALTERNATOR OR BATTERY HAS DIED. 3. DEALER SAID THE CAR NEEDS NEW ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY. WOULD NOT OFFER ANY DISCOUNT FOR REPAIR. *TR