NHTSA Complaint #10542669 — 2002 FORD FOCUS

WHILE WAITING AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE THE ENGINE DIED AND WOULD NOT START (THE ENGINE INDICATOR LIT). THE BRAKE LIGHTS, POWER WINDOWS, AND REAR HATCH RELEASE ALSO FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE PERSONAL MECHANIC REPORTED THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS TO THE REAR HATCH HAD FAILED WHERE IS PASSED BETWEEN THE BODY AND THE HATCH DOOR. THE HARNESS ELECTRICAL INSULATION WAS CRACKED ON THE ENTIRE BUNDLE OF WIRES AND SHEDDING FRAGMENTS CAUSING SOME WIRES TO SHORT, THE 15 AMP FUSE FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS HAD EVIDENCE OF HEATING, BUT DID NOT BLOW, RATHER, WIRES LEADING TO THE BRAKE PEDAL SENSOR, THE 15 AMP FUSE, AND ALONG THE HARNESS BACK TO THE SHORT IN THE REAR WIRING HARNESS NEAR THE CENTER BRAKE LIGHT HAD DISCOLORED AND WERE MELTED IN SOME SEGMENTS. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID TO CONSULT A FORD SERVICE CENTER TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE FORD SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID HE HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE AND SAID IT WAS NOT A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, RATHER IT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT THAT OCCURS AFTER 10 YEARS OR MORE. *TR