NHTSA Complaint #11235052 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

THE RADIO IN MY 2012 FORD FOCUS SE HAS MALFUNCTIONED. WHILE DRIVING ONE DAY, I HEARD A LOUD POP AND THEN STATIC. IT WAS SO LOUD IT SCARED ME AND I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT. IT HAS DONE THIS NUMEROUS TIMES, EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND THE KEY IS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. UPON CHECKING SOCIAL MEDIA AND COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB, THIS HAS HAPPENED TO QUITE A FEW 2012 FORD FOCUS VEHICLES. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING IS TO REMOVE THE FUSE FOR THE RADIO FROM THE FUSE BOX LOCATED UNDER THE GLOVE BOX ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. FORD HAS REFUSED TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS AT THEIR COST AND I FULLY BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE LOUDNESS OF THE POPPING AND CRACKING. I HAVE NOW BEEN WITHOUT A RADIO IN MY CAR FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. AFTER SPEAKING WITH SOME AUDIO EXPERTS, THE ONLY SUGGESTED SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE HEAD UNIT FOR THE RADIO. THESE COST MORE THAN $200.00 ALONE, NOT INCLUDING THE LABOR TO INSTALL THE HEAD UNIT.