NHTSA Complaint #10582850 — 2001 FORD FOCUS

RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD. THE BROKEN SPRING PENETRATED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND IMMEDIATELY DISABLED THE VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SPRINGS WERE MANUFACTURED IMPROPERLY AND DO NOT RESIST CORROSION. FORD HAS RECOGNIZED THE PROBELM THROUGH SEVERAL TSBS AND EVEN HAD A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 03M02 WITH AT LEAST 2 SUPPLEMENTS CONCERNING THE ISSUE AND REPLACEMENT OF THE FAULTY PARTS. I SPOKE WITH A LOCAL FORD DEALER (HONDRU) AND THEY TOLD ME THE PROGRAM EXPIRED AND THE CAR IS NO LONGER COVERED. I THEN SPOKE WITH A FORD REPRESENTATIVE THROUGH DIRECT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY CONFIRMED THIS WAS THE CASE. THEY CONFIRMED THE CONVERSATION WITH NUMBER CAS4271469-Z6W0F2. THE REPRESENTATIVE'S NAME WAS KENDRA. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK TO ME AN MY FAMILY. THE COIL SPRING IS A SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT OF THE SUSPENSION, AND WHEN IT BRAKES THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO CONTROL THE CAR IS EXTREMELY COMPROMISED. TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, THE BROKEN SPRING DESTROYS THE TIRE IMMEDIATELY, FURTHER REDUCING THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THE CAR. SINCE IT WAS DOCUMENTED THAT THERE WAS A FAULT IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS, AND FORD AND NHTSA KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM, THESE PARTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED UNDER A RECALL DUE TO THE SAFETY CONCERNS. *TT