NHTSA Complaint #10594969 — 2009 FORD FOCUS

AFTER BREAKING MY LEG AS A RESULT OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITH MISALIGNED WHEELS ON SNOWY/ICY ROADS AND THEREBY LOSING CONTROL (REPORT FILED), I HAVE GONE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO HAS ALLOWED ME TO VISUALLY INSPECT OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. WHAT I HAVE FOUND HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY 4 DIFFERENT MECHANICS IN 4 DIFFERENT REPAIR FACILITIES. THE WHEELS ON A 2009 FORD FOCUS PHYSICALLY CAN NOT BE PUT INTO ALIGNMENT. THE ADJUSTER ARMS ARE TOO SHORT. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THE WHEELS, WHICH "TOE IN", FIGHT AGAINST EACHOTHER FOR ROAD CONTROL. THIS CAUSES PREMATURE TIRE WEAR, AND ON ICE AND SNOW WILL CAUSE A VERY RAPID LOSS OF CONTROL AT ANY SPEED. THE DEGREE OF THAT LOSS OF CONTROL WILL VARY DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF "TOE IN", BUT NEEDLESS TO SAY EVEN A LITTLE LOSS OF CONTROL ON A SLIPPERY ROAD IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE FACT THAT THE ADJUSTER ARMS ARE TOO SHORT TO PROVIDE TRUE ALIGNMENT INDICATES A DESIGN FLAW. THE FACT THAT IT CAN, AND HAS, CAUSED ACCIDENTS INDICATES THAT IT IS A DANGEROUS ONE. THE FACT THAT NO ONE HAS BEEN KILLED DRIVING ONE OF THESE DEATH TRAPS ON A SNOWY ROAD IS NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE. PLEASE MAKE FORD DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED!! *TR