NHTSA Complaint #725785 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN ON 07/17/00 FOR MAKING A LOAD SQUEAKING NOISE EVERYTIME YOU COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CAR WAS RETURNED THE SAME EVENING BUT UPON INSPECTION THE SQUEAKING NOISE HAD NOT BEEN FIXED. THE MECHANIC EXPLAINED THAT THEY HAD BEEN SEEING ALLOT OF FOCUS'S WITH SQUEAKY BRAKES AND HE HAD DEGLAZED THE REAR DRUMS AND CHAMFERED THE BRAKE PADS FOR A CORRECTIVE ACTION. HE SAID THAT IF I DRIVE THE CAR FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS THE NOISE MAY GO AWAY AFTER WHAT HE HAD DONE. AND IF THE NOISE DID NOT GO AWAY COME BACK IN AND THEY WOULD REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS. THE NOISE DID NOT GO AWAY AND I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 07/20/00 AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY A WEEK BEFORE I WOULD GET MY CAR BACK. THE DEALERSHIP REPRESENTATIVES ALSO TRIED TO TELL ME THAT WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS BASICALLY COSTUMER P.R. AND THAT IF THE NOISE DOESN'T GO AWAY I MAY JUST HAVE TO PUT UP WITH IT. AS THIS ISSUE IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE BRAKE PADS BEING MADE OF NEW METAL ALLOYS INSTEAD OF ASBESTOS. MY RESPONSE WAS:" THAN WHY AREN'T ALL OF YOUR CARS ON THE LOT SQUEAKING WHEN THEY STOP AND WHY DON'T I HEAR OTHER NEW CARS MAKING THE SAME NOISE."? I GOT NO REAL RESPONSE TO MY INQUIRY OTHER THAN THE SAME STATEMENT THAT THERE MAY NOT BE ANYTHING THEY CAN DO. I AM CONERNED THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG AND I COULD EXPERIENCE SOME TYPE OF BRAKE FAILURE LATER ON IF THEY DON'T FIX THIS PROBLEM. *AK