NHTSA Complaint #11315706 — 2014 FORD FOCUS

CAR EMITS LOUD (HURTING MY EARS) STATIC AND CRACKLING SOUNDS AT THE SPEAKERS HIGHEST VOLUME. THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING AND EVEN WHEN THE KEY IS NOT IN THE IGNITION CAUSING BATTERY DRAINAGE. THE SOUND IS TERRIFYING AND WHEN IT RANDOMLY HAPPENS DRIVING IS STARTLING ENOUGH TO CREATE A JERK REACTION/JUMP THAT COULD EASILY CAUSE A DISTRACTION OR AN ACCIDENT AS A DIRECT RESULT. IT IS NOT JUST STATIC - IT IS SO FRIGHTENING AN LOUD ON MY EARS THAT MY EARS RING FOR A LONG TIME AFTER DRIVING AND I FEEL LIKE THE CAR IS PRETTY MUCH UNDRIVABLE WITHOUT EARPLUGS. NEARBY DRIVERS CAN EVEN HEAR IT WITH MY WINDOWS ALL UP. IT HAS BEEN MAKING POPPING SOUNDS FOR YEARS THAT ARE ALSO TERRIFYING, BUT NOW IT;S SO MUCH WORSE AND HAPPENS EVERYTIME I USE THE CAR. F I WERE TO PULL THE FUSE AND JUST NOT HAVE A RADIO, FORD TELLS ME IT WILL PREVENT ME FROM USING TEMPERATURE CONTROLS AND DOOR LOCKS. FORD SAYS WITHOUT LOOKING AT IT THAT IT WILL COST ME 1100 FOR EACH PART DISFUNCTIONING WHICH IS EITHER THE APIM OR THE AUDIO CONTROL MODULE OR BOTH BUT OF COURSE THEY WILL HAVE TO CHARGE ME TO FIGURE OUT WHICH PARTS NEED REPLACING. ANY SEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING CONSTANTLY TO ALL POOR FORD OWNERS. THIS HAPPENS DRIVING, PARKED, CAR ON/ NO KEY IN IGNITION