NHTSA Complaint #10384246 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED TO BE DRIVEN BY MY DAUGHTER AS A ENTRY LEVEL VEHICLE THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE A SAFE, EFFICIENT AND DURABLE MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. FROM ADVERTISEMENTS I EXPECTED A SAFE AND INEXPENSIVE CAR. DURING A LOW SPEED ACCIDENT THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED CAUSING MORE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE THAN THE ACTUAL ACCIDENT ITSELF. FIRST THE ENGINE WAS DISABLED, THE DASH CRACKED, THE WINDSHIELD COMPLETELY KNOCKED OUTWARD AND THE AIRBAG SYSTEM NEEDING COMPLETE REPLACEMENT. AFTER A LOT OF ONLINE RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT OVER MANY YEARS SENSE 2000 AND 2001,THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME EXACT OUTCOMES. THESE VEHICLES SALES WERE GUIDED TOWARD YOUNGER DRIVERS WHICH WHERE THERE ARE MORE LIKELY LOW SPEED IMPACT ACCIDENTS. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE SAFETY ISSUE AT HAND, THE EARLY DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS AT VERY LOW SPEED IMPACT ACCIDENTS HAS COST OWNERS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES MORE IN REPAIRS DUE TO THE DAMAGES FROM THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT ALONE THAN NECESSARY AND HAVE EVEN CAUSED TOTAL LOSS AT OWNERS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES EXPENSE. AN INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED EARLY ON AFTER THESE ISSUES WERE FIRST DEVELOPING AND THE INVESTIGATION WAS CLOSED QUICKLY WITH THE MANUFACTURE STATING THEY SET A LOW IMPACT DEPLOYMENT SPEED TO SAVE LIVES AND NOT SO MANY VEHICLES EXPERIENCED THESE OUTCOMES. HOWEVER OVER THE YEARS THE RECORDS SHOW THESE LOW SPEED DEPLOYMENTS ARE MORE IN NUMBERS THAN MENTIONED AND EXPECTED AND IS A UNCALLED FOR EXPENSE FOR OWNERS AND THEIR INSURANCE COMPANIES, CAUSING FROM TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLES TO UNAFFORDABLE INSURANCE RATES DUE TO THE ENORMOUS COST TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE AIRBAG SYSTEMS AS WELL AS DASHBOARD AND WINDSHIELD DAMAGES,WHEN THE PASSENGERS LIVES WERE NOT REALLY AT STAKE. IN MY DAUGHTERS CASE,THE AIRBAG NEVER WAS A SAFETY TOOL AS THE AIRBAG NEVER REALLY TOUCHED HER. THEREFORE IT WAS A UN-NEEDED DEPLOYMENT SET BY THE MANUFACTURE WITH DAMAGES AT OUR EXPENSE. THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. DAMAGES US = $3000 OTHER DRIVER $1000. *TR