NHTSA Complaint #10937336 — 2015 FORD FOCUS

THERE IS EXTREME DISTORTION OF THE IMAGE ON THE INSIDE MANUAL (NON-ELECTRONIC) REAR-VIEW MIRROR WHEN THE MIRROR IS SET TO THE "NIGHT" POSITION. THE MIRRORS ARE OK WHEN SET TO THE "DAY" POSITION. I HAVE OBSERVED THIS DEFECT IN THE MIRROR OF MY PERSONAL FORD FOCUS 2015, AND IN OTHER FORD VEHICLES I HAVE EXAMINED ON FORD DEALER LOTS. WHEN SET TO THE NIGHT POSITION, ANY MOVEMENT OF THE DRIVER'S HEAD RELATIVE TO THE MIRROR CAUSES SEVERE DISTORTION OF THE IMAGE WHETHER THE MOVEMENT IS IN THE VERTICAL OR HORIZONTAL PLANE (HOWEVER, MOVEMENT IN THE HORIZONTAL PLANE APPEARS TO CAUSE WORSE DISTORTION THAN IN THE VERTICAL). THIS DISTORTION IS MOST DISCONCERTING TO FOLKS WHO DRIVE AT NIGHT, AND COULD CAUSE THE DRIVER TO PERCEIVE THAT ANOTHER VEHICLE IS CLOSER/FARTHER BEHIND THAN IT ACTUALLY IS, OR TO PERCEIVE THAT IT IS IN A LANE OTHER THAN WHERE IT ACTUALLY IS. WHEN I DEMONSTRATED THIS TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER SERVICE MANAGER AND TRIED TO MAKE A WARRANTY CLAIM, HE PERMITTED ME TO OBSERVE THE MIRROR IN OTHER VEHICLES ON THE LOT, ALL OF WHICH DEMONSTRATED THE SAME DEFECT. HE CLAIMS THAT IF A "DEFECT" APPEARS ON OTHER COMPARABLE VEHICLES, IT IS NOT REALLY A DEFECT AND IS "NORMAL." ANYONE WHO SUBSCRIBES TO SUCH NONSENSICAL LOGIC MUST SURELY BE LIVING IN A PARALLEL UNIVERSE!