NHTSA Complaint #10511151 — 2010 FORD FOCUS

THE DRIVER DOOR AJAR ALARM SWITCH SUDDENLY THINKS THAT THE DRIVER'S DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE 1) THE CAR LEAVES THE DOME AND MAP LIGHTS ON FOR A FEW MINUTES UNTIL THEY FADE OUT, EVEN WHILE DRIVING, WHICH IS HAZARDOUS AT NIGHT AND 2) THE CAR WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY LOCK THE DOORS WHEN THE CAR STARTS MOVING, AND IF I LOCK THEM MYSELF THEY INSTANTLY UNLOCK SINCE THE CAR THINKS THAT THE DRIVER'S DOOR IS OPEN. I WENT TO THE FORD DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT SINCE I HAVE OVER 36,000 MILES THEY WILL NOT FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY. INSTEAD, IT WILL BE $182 FOR THE PARTS AND ABOUT $150 FOR THE LABOR SINCE THE 2010 FOCUS HAS HAD A LOT OF REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM AND FORD HAS REDESIGNED THE DOOR LATCH MECHANISM SO YOU NOW HAVE TO REPLACE FIVE PARTS (DOOR LATCH, DOOR AJAR SWITCH, SEVERAL RODS AND PLATES) INSTEAD OF JUST THE DOOR AJAR SWITCH. THE FORD PARTS DEPARTMENT MANAGER SAID THAT I AM NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM TO THEM, BUT THAT FORD HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL OR TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS PROBLEM SO IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR A FIX. THIS JUST DOES NOT SEEM RIGHT. FORD SHOULD RECOGNIZE THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE AND ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS ITEM. *TR