NHTSA Complaint #10490976 — 2007 FORD FOCUS

DASHBOARD AND RUNNING LIGHTS GOING OUT. REPLACED BLOWN FUSE AND THEN FUSE BLOWS AGAIN. OPENING AND CLOSING THE HATCHBACK THE LIGHTS CAME ON AND THEN OFF AGAIN AND THE REPLACED FUSE WAS BLOWN. LOCATED A BUNDLE OF WIRES WITHIN A RUBBER HOSE THAT RUNS FROM THE INTERIOR ROOF HEADLINE OUTER RIM OF THE VEHICLE ACROSS TO THE INTERIOR TOP OF THE HATCHBACK. WE PULLED DOWN THIS RUBBER PROTECTOR TO FIND TO OUR COMPLETE AMAZEMENT THAT THE BUNDLE OF WIRES THAT RUN TO THE HATCHBACK BRAKE LIGHT AND THE HATCHBACK WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS BROKEN AND BURNT. THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBLE LOOSE CONNECTION THAT JUST NEEDED TO BE SNAPPED BACK TOGETHER, BUT ONLY TO FIND A BUNDLE OF BROKEN AND BURNT WIRES WRAPPED TIGHTLY TOGETHER, PLUS THERE WAS NO BLACK WIRING TAPE AROUND THE WIRES FOR EXTRA PROTECTION. JUST THE WIRES TIGHTLY BOUND TOGETHER. LITTLE TO NONE FLEXIBILITY FOR THE BENDING OR MOVEMENT FOR THESE WIRES. THESE WIRES ARE LOCATED IN AN AREA WHERE THERE WOULD BE MOVEMENT DUE TO OPENING AND CLOSING THE HATCHBACK. CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE STATED THAT THE WIRE BUNDLE HAVE BEEN MADE SHORT IN SOME VEHICLES. OUR CONCERN:POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD AND STILL MAYBE UNTIL FIXED; CONCERN ARE FOR OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY OWN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE THAT MAY BE TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS (TO INCLUDE CHILDREN IN CAR SEATS) IN THE BACK SEAT (WHICH THERE IS NO BACK SIDE PASSENGER DOORS) THAT COULD HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME EXITING THIS VEHICLE SHOULD IT GO ON FIRE DUE TO THESE BUNDLE OF WIRES POSSIBLY CATCHING ON FIRE AND IGNITING THE INTERIOR ROOF HEADLINER OF THE VEHICLE. WE HAVE NOT TAKEN OUR VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP AS WE ARE WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. ADDITIONALLY, THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY A PORTION TO REPAIR (WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE A FAULTY DESIGN AND DEFECT) TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. PICTURES AVAILABLE. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##