NHTSA Complaint #10823621 — 2004 FORD FOCUS

TAKATA AIR BAG RECALL: I LOOKED UP MY VIN NUMBER ON THE GOVT. WEBSITE MANY MONTHS AGO, AND FOUND THIS CAR HAS POTENTIALLY FAULTY TAKATA AIR BAGS. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MOVE REPLACEMENT FORWARD ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, SINCE FORD HAS YET TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS MODEL. THE DEALER SAYS THEY NEED A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD USA AND WHEN I CALL FORD USA THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO MOVE FORWARD ON A RECALL FOR THIS AIRBAG. THE DEALER ALSO SAID I COULD NOT BE GUARANTEED A SAFE AIR BAG IF THEY JUST REPLACED THE ONE I HAVE, SINCE THE REPLACEMENT MIGHT ALSO BE FAULTY, UNLESS IT WAS A SPECIAL REDESIGNED ONE AS ISSUED IN A RECALL SETTING. I CALLED DTVSH ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF FORD USA AND THEY RECOMMENDED I FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE FTC. THE FTC CONTACT GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER: 69255063. I FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING AROUND IN A CAR WITH A POTENTIAL BOMB IN THE STEERING WHEEL, OR LOANING IT TO FAMILY MEMBERS. THE DEALER EVEN SAID I COULD JUST QUIT USING MY CAR FOR THE YEARS IT MIGHT TAKE TO WAIT FOR THE RECALL (!!!) I THINK THEY SHOULD GIVE ME A LOANER IF THEY THINK ITS THAT SERIOUS, YET THEY DO NOT HAVE THE POWER TO MOVE FORWARD ON STARTING A RECALL. THEY HAVE THREE MODELS OF CARS FROM THE YEAR MINE WAS BUILT THAT ARE UNDER RECALL. PLEASE INITIATE A RECALL ON THE FORD FOCUS WAGON TO ENSURE IT IS REASONABLY SAFE TO DRIVE. THE TYPES OF ACCIDENTS THAT ARE KILLING PEOPLE FROM THE EXPLODING, SHRAPNEL FILLED AIR BAGS ARE LOW IMPACT AND OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE FATAL. I DON'T WANT ME OR SOMEONE IN MY FAMILY DYING BECAUSE FORD IS NOT IN RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR