NHTSA Complaint #10563997 — 2010 FORD FUSION

EVERY TIME ENGINE STARTS, FORD FUSION DASH DISPLAYS TWO (2) FAULT CODES: CROSS TRAFFIC SYSTEM FAULT, AND CHECK REAR PARK AID. BOTH FAULT ALERTS CLEAR AFTER PRESSING CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. HOWEVER, BOTH, THE REAR PARK AID, AND THE CROSS TRAFFIC SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING. EACH PROVIDES UNIQUE AUDIBLE BUZZING' ALERTS WHEN AUTO IS IN REVERSE TO WARN OF AN IMPENDING CRASH/CONTACT WITH A PERSON OR OBJECT. TWO SAFETY SYSTEM FEATURES THAT NO LONGER WORKED. THE 2010 FORD FUSION WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, (4 YEARS OLD, LESS THAN 8,500 MILES ON ODOMETER) SO I HAD TO PAY THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT $150.00 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A BROKEN, AND NON-WORKING SPEAKER IN THE TOP OF THE REAR SEAT. THE COST TO REPLACE THIS SPEAKER WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY, $350.00, AND THERE WOULD BE NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL FIX THE 2 PROBLEMS, ALTHOUGH THE MECHANIC SAID HE WAS 98% SURE THE DIAGNOSTIC WAS CORRECT. FORD MOTOR COMPANY OFFERED TO PAY $200 TOWARD THE REPAIR. RESULT: TWO SAFETY SYSTEMS ARE NOW WORKING, BUT I HAD TO PAY $300.00 OF THE $500.00 COST TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR THESE SAFETY SYSTEM FEATURES. A SPEAKER IN THE TOP OF THE REAR SEAT' IS A PART OF AN AUTO THAT AN OWNER EXPECTS WOULD LAST FOR THE LIFE OF THE AUTO, AND CERTAINLY MORE THAN 8,500 MILES ON AN ODOMETER. SINCE THIS SPEAKER IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF BOTH SAFETY SYSTEMS, NOT SUBJECT TO ANY WEAR AND TEAR, ITS FAILURE TO WORK/OPERATE AS DESIGNED IS AN OBVIOUS DESIGN OR PRODUCT FAULT, AND SOMETHING THAT FORD MOTOR SHOULD REPAIR AT ITS EXPENSE. *TR