NHTSA Complaint #10447871 — 2009 FORD FOCUS

TOOK MY 2009 FORD FOCUS TO DEALER FOR OIL CHANGE; TOLD DEALER I HAD LUMPY LEFT REAR TIRE; WAS TOLD I DIDN'T ROTATE MY TIRES; ASKED HOW OFTEN I SHOULD ROTATE; DEALER SAID WHENEVER OIL CHANGED; DEALER COST WAS $25 FOR TIRE ROTATION; I DID IT MYSELF; NEXT DAY PUT CAR UP ON HOIST, ROTATED THE TIRES, AND DROVE; FRONT END SHOOK AND WAS UNCONTROLLABLE; WENT BACK TO SHOP AND PUT TIRES BACK AS THEY WERE; VIBRATION WAS MINOR IN LEFT REAR CORNER; AT 12000 MILES TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR OIL CHANGE; WAS TOLD I NEEDED TIRE ROTATION; TOLD THEM I TRIED @ 6000 MILES AND FRONT OF CAR SHOOK SO HAD TO PUT TIRES BACK WHERE THEY WERE; DEALER SAID TOO MUCH IN CAR AND WAS THROWING ALIGNMENT OFF; THAT NEEDED TO BUY NEW TIRES & WOULD TAKE CARE OF SHAKING IN BACK; SINCE PURCHASE, CAR WAS NEW I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH WHITE KNUCKLES AT A VERY SLOW SPEED IF THE ROAD IS WET OR HAS SNOW ON THE ROAD . AFTER 1/4" OF DRY POWDERY SNOW THE CAR IS ALL OVER THE ROAD AND CAN'T DRIVE OVER 25MPH WITHOUT THE BACK OF THE CAR SWAYING BACK AND FORTH. I HAVE NEVER DROVE ANY CAR IN MY LIFE I AM SO AFRAID TO DRIVE IN ANY AMOUNT OF SNOW OR RAIN. AT 20000 MILES I HAD TO PUT ON 4 NEW TIRES . THE SALESMAN TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE EXCELLENT ON SNOW AND RAIN . I TOOK OFF FOR HOME AND THEY WERE THE SAME. AT 30000 MILES I COMPLAINED AGAIN AND THEY SAID I NEEDED TO ROTATE THE TIRES MORE OFTEN BECAUSE THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS CUPPING. AT 40000 I BOUGHT 2 TIRES AND PUT THE FRONT TIRES ON THE REAR AND THREW THE LEFT REAR TIRE AWAY. I TOOK TO DEALER AND INSISTED IT CHECK ALIGNMENT WITH WHATEVER WAS IN THE CAR; TECHNICIAN CHECKED & SAID LEFT REAR CONTROL ARM MUST HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY HITTING CURB WHICH WAS NOT TRUE; TOLD NEEDED TO SPEND $530 TO CORRECT (WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT); COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM WHEN UNDER WARRANTY. *TR