NHTSA Complaint #726173 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

INSTALL AN AFTER-MARKET OIL RECHARGABLE AIR FILTER (IMPROVES AIR FILTRATION AND TRAPS MORE DIRT THAN OE FILTERS). TRIED TO START CAR THIS MORNING AND ENGINE WOULD NOT MAINTAIN REV'S... AND WOULD EVENTUALLY DIE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. THEY STATED THAT THE MASS AIR FLOW (MAF) SENSOR WAS NOT DEFECTIVE, BUT WAS MADE INOPERABLE BY OIL DEPOSITION RESULTING FROM THE OILED AIR FILTER THAT I HAD INSTALLED (AND THAT ALL SERVICE WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY). SERVICE REP ALSO SAID THAT THEY HAD A TECH SERVICE BULLETIN STATING THAT OIL RECHARGABLE FILTERS SHOULD NOT BE USED IN THE FOCUS (EVEN THOUGH AFTER MARKET PRODUCTS DESIGNED FOR THE FOCUS ARE AVAILABLE). EXCESS OIL IS USUALLY 'BURNED OFF' WHEN RUNNING THE CAR. IN THE FOCUS CASE, THE MAF IS IN SUCH A PLACE THAT IT COLLECTS THE OIL OR ANY OTHER PRODUCT COMING THROUGH THE INTAKE AND COULD BE RENDERED DEFECTIVE BY THE MERE FACT THAT THE ELECTRONICS ARE EXPOSED. OIL CHARGE FILTERS HAVE BEEN USED FOR MANY YEARS. OE MANUFACTURERS ARE AWARE OF THEM... AND IF THEY ARE A PROBLEM, THEY SHOULD BE WARNING CONSUMERS IN THE OWNERS MANUAL NOT TO USE THEM. RESULT OF THIS ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE ON AIR FILTRATION WILL BE OVER $300.00 SINCE THE ADDITION OF THIS COMPONENT 'RUINED' A FORD COMPONENT. SERVICE TECH SAID THAT IF THIS HAD BEEN A MAP SENSOR RATHER THAN A MAF SENSOR, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO PROBLEM. FORD NEEDS TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF THIS 'POTENTIAL PROBLEM' AS OIL CHARGE FILTERS ARE AVAILABLE IN ANY AFTER-MARKET STORE (AUTO ZONE, PEP BOYS. ETC)... AND ARE ACTIVELY BEING SOLD.*AK