NHTSA Complaint #10503201 — 2003 FORD FOCUS

BOUGHT THE 2003 FORD FOCUS NEW FROM MALLON FORD (CURRENTLY LAKEWOOD FORD), IN TACOMA, WA. CAR ADVERTISED AT 27 TO 36 MPG. ACTUAL MILEAGE ON HWY WAS 42 MPG. YESTERDAY (MARCH 14, 2013) CAR OWNER, [XXX], SAID CAR HAD STOPPED AND WAS MAKING LOT OF NOISE. I TOLD HER NOT TO TRY AND START IT ANYMORE BUT THAT I WOULD BE THERE IN 30 MINUTES. SO I ARRIVED AND RESTARTED THE CAR. I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND RAISED THE HOOD. I FOUND A CONNECTION TO THE AIR FLOW SENSOR DISCONNECTED. RE-CONNECTED IT AND THE ENGINE RAN BUT LOTS OF NOISE IN VALVE TRAIN. LIKE SPARK KNOCK ON STEROIDS. CHECKED WITH STETHOSCOPE WHERE THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM. IT WAS EMANATING FROM THE TOP OF #1 AND 2 CYLINDERS. ENGINE OIL IS CLEAN AND FULL. SO, AS A LONG TIME MECHANIC, I AM REASONABLY CERTAIN THAT THE VALVE SEATS DROPPED AND WHERE BROKEN BY THE VALVES IN EITHER NUMBER ONE OR NUMBER TWO CYLINDER. THAT MEANS THE ENGINE MIGHT BE TOAST OR IT COULD BE THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD IS TOAST- - ENGINE HAS NOT BEEN DISMANTLED BUT I AM ALMOST CERTAIN THAT THE VALVE SEATS HAVE DROPPED ON ONE OR MORE CYLINDERS ON THE 2003 FORD FOCUS SOHC 2.0 LITER ENGINE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD MAN OR WOMAN UP AND FIX THESE FACTORY DEFECTS.LOCAL FORD SERVICE MANAGERS TOLD ME IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THAT ENGINE. IN MY OPINION, THAT IS A DANGEROUS FACTORY DEFECT DESIGNED TO CAUSE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SIMPLE TO EITHER PIN THE VALVE SEATS OR USE ANOTHER RMETHOD (SUCH AS SCREW IN AND PINNED) TO MAKE SURE THE SEATS STAY IN PLACE. THIS CAR USED NO OIL, GOT GREAT MILEAGE AND WAS OTHERWISE DEFECT FREE. IT IS ABOUT TIME THAT FORD DOES SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE FILES A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR