NHTSA Complaint #10676916 — 2010 FORD FOCUS

I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR THE 120K SERVICE. THE SERVICE WAS COMPLETED. A WEEK LATER I TOOK THE CAR BACK AND ASKED THEM THE CHECK A YELLOW CRUSTING UNDER THE DASHBOARD IN THE FRONT PASSENGER FOOTWELL. THEY DID AND SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS OR WHAT WOULD CAUSE IT. A WEEK LATER WE NOTICED A SMELL IN THE CABIN. THE CAR WAS NOW 3 YEARS OLD AND WE HAD A SIMILAR SMELL 18 MONTHS PRIOR THAT COST US $1800 TO REPLACE THE AC CORE. SURELY THIS COULD NOT BE ANOTHER AC CORE PROBLEM. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THEM AND THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG...EVEN THE SMELL HAD GONE. I TOOK THE CAR AND ON THE WAY HOME I NOTICED THE CAR WAS BEGINNING TO OVERHEAT...FORD WAS ALREADY CLOSED. I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED THE RADIATOR. I TOPPED IT UP AND IT TOOK A GALLON OF WATER. I WATCHED THE LEVEL FOR A FEW MINUTES AND IT DIDN'T MOVE. I DROVE HOME OK AND RECHECKED THE RADIATOR...SAME LEVEL. IT DROVE THE FOLLOWING DAY OK TOO. THEN IN THE EVENING I NOTICED IT WAS GETTING HOT AGAIN. THIS TIME I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 70MPH AND IT SUDDENLY CUT THE POWER ON THE ENGINE. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND HAD TO DODGE TRAFFIC TO COAST TO A HALT ON THE SHOULDER WITH THE ENGINE AT IDLE SPEED AND NO POWER. THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE AND MY FOOT WAS FLOORED, BUT THE ENGINE PRODUCED NO POWER WHATSOEVER...DIDN'T EVEN REV HIGH. WHEN I CHECKED THE RADIATOR AGAIN IT WAS VERY LOW AND TOOK ANOTHER GALLON OF WATER. I MANAGED TO DRIVE HOME AGAIN BUT NEITHER THE AC NOR THE HEATER WOULD WORK. WE ALSO NOTICED THE CARPET IN THE PASSENGER FOOTWELL WAS NOW WET AND THE SMELL WAS BACK WITH A VENGEANCE. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO FORD AND THEY TOLD ME THE HEATER CORE WAS THE PROBLEM AND HAD CUT THE POWER TO THE ENGINE BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING AND TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. IT COST ME ANOTHER $1800 FOR THE HEATER CORE AND THE CARPET TO BE REPLACED. *TR