NHTSA Complaint #10851717 — 2013 FORD FOCUS

70 AMP FUSE BLOWS WHILE DRIVING, SEEMINGLY AT RANDOM TIMES. THIS FUSE FEEDS POWER TO A FUSE PANEL LOCATED IN TRUNK. WHEN THIS FUSE BLOWS THE RADIO, POWER WINDOWS, POWER LOCKS, POWER SEATS AND HEATED SEAT FUNCTION, PARKING AID SYSTEM, AND SMART KEY SYSTEM DO NOT FUNCTION. DUE TO THE SMART KEY NOT WORKING IT MAKES THE CAR EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO RESTART IF IT HAD BEEN SHUT OFF. IF THE ISSUE HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WILL CONTINUE TO RUN NORMALLY OTHER THAN THE NOTED SYSTEMS. I HAD THE CAR AT THE DEALER TWICE FOR A TOTAL OF TWO WEEKS, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE AFTER REPLACING THE FUSE AND DRIVING THE CAR AROUND TOWN. I GOT THE CAR HOME TODAY AFTER IT'S SECOND TRIP TO THE DEALER AND TOOK APART A PANEL IN THE TRUNK THAT COVERS THE SUSPECT FUSE PANEL AND WIRING. I FOUND THAT THE WIRE BUNDLE FOR THIS FUSE BOX RUNS THROUGH A PLASTIC GUARD UNTIL ABOUT A FOOT AWAY FROM THE FUSE BOX, WHEN THE WIRES EXIT THIS GUARD THEY RUN TIGHT AROUND THE EDGE OF THE TRUNK AND COME INTO CONTACT WITH A SHARP METAL EDGE, THIS EDGE HAD CUT THROUGH THE INSULATION OF THE MAIN POWER FEED AND SHORTED OUT. I HAVE ATTACHED PICTURES OF WHAT I FOUND. WHILE THE CIRCUIT WAS PROTECTED BY A 70 AMP FUSE, IT STILL MUST HAVE CREATED A GOOD AMOUNT OF HEAT DURING THE TIME IT WAS SHORTED, AND THERE IS A FELT PANEL NOT A FEW INCHES AWAY.