NHTSA Complaint #10343808 — 2007 FORD FOCUS

STEP-DAUGHTERS TOOK A LOAN FOR THE LOW MILEAGE ECONOMY CAR TO COMMUTE TO COLLEGE AND PART-TIME JOB. STARTING HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BATTERY. REPLACED IT. WIFE TRIED TO TAKE IT TO THE MARKET AT DUSK WHILE HER DAUGHTER WAS AWAY JUST TO KEEP THE CAR FROM SITTING. FOUR MILES DOWN THE TWO LANE THE ELECTRICS STARTED FAILING. CAR DIED AND WOULD NOT CRANK. SHE WAS ABLE TO COAST PART WAY ONTO A SIDE ROAD. AS IT GOT DARK SHE SAT AND WAITED EXPOSED TO TRAFFIC ON A 50 MPH ROAD WITH NO SHOULDERS ON A CURVE. LUCKILY SHE WAS OUT OF THE CELL PHONE DEAD SPOT. I BLOCKED THE SIDE ROAD WITH MY TRUCK SO I COULD HOOK UP CABLES. STARTED CAR. CHECKED WITH METER. ONLY BATTERY VOLTAGE. SAT FOR 15 MINUTES WITH CABLES CONNECTED TO CHARGE UP THE BATTERY. SENT WIFE HOME IN THE DARK RUNNING FLASHERS AND HOPED FOR NO DEER CROSSING. PULLED ALTERNATOR WHICH IS JUST ABOUT AS HARD TO GET OUT IS IT COULD BE ABLE TO BE ( I WORK ON EQUIPMENT FOR A LIVING). TOOK ALTERNATOR TO TEST MACHINE. IT FAILED. REBUILT ALTERNATOR IS OVER $200 AND I WOULD RATHER NOT PUT A REBUILT IN A LOW MILEAGE LATE MODEL, ESPECIALLY SINCE ITS SO HARD TO GET IN AND OUT. THEN AGAIN MAYBE THEY ARE FINDING THE FAULT DURING THE REBUILD AND UPGRADING THE FAILED COMPONENT. FORD AND THE OTHERS BUILD CARS WITH COMPONENTS THAT THEY PURCHASE. SOMETIMES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH A BATCH OF COMPONENTS. IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THEIR REPUTATION AND BE ABLE TO REPRESENT THAT THEY ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO PROTECT THE CUSTOMER THEY ISSUE A LETTER AND FIX THE PROBLEM. IF THERE ARE 20 PEOPLE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO COMPLAIN HERE THERE ARE HUNDREDS MORE AND ENOUGH OF THESE HAVE HAPPENED UNDER WARRANTY THAT FORD IS FULLY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE BEST OF THE BIG THREE IS NOT LIVING UP TO ITS STANDING IN THIS CASE AND THAT THIS IS HAPPENING IN A LOW END CAR BRINGS UP RECOLLECTIONS OF THE EXPLODING PINTOS. PROBABLY NOT A LOT OF FOLKS WITH ACCESS TO EXPENSIVE LEGAL ASSISTANCE DRIVING THE FOCUS. *TR