NHTSA Complaint #738704 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THEY MAKE A VERY LOUD CONTINUOUS SQUEALING NOISE UNTIL THE CAR COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. EVERY SINGLE TIME THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY MAKE THIS NOISE. AT FIRST IT STARTED OUT AS AN OCCASIONAL LOW SQUEAKING NOISE DURING AUGUST 2000. THEN IT CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. I TOOK THE CAR TO BOB DAVIDSON FORD IN BALTIMORE MARYLAND AND THEY TOLD ME THAT A LOT OF FORD FOCUS OWNERS WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE BRAKES. THEY SAID NOTHING COULD BE DONE AND THAT THE ENGINEERS AT FORD WERE LOOKING INTO THE PROBLEM. THEN I TOOK THE CAR TO TYSONS FORD IN VIENNA VIRGINIA. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS THE BRAKE DUST CAUSING THE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. THEY CHARGED ME $37.00 TO CLEAN THE BRAKES. AS I DROVE OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEY STILL MADE THE NOISE. SO, I CALLED TYSONS FORD BACK AND THEY TOLD ME THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT THE BRAKES BUT IF I WANTED THEM TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE CAR THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHARGE ME AGAIN. IN THE MEANTIME, THE BRAKES ARE GETTING WORSE. THEN I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR (STOKES-CRAVEN FORD/RACEWAY FORD IN DARLINGTON SOUTH CAROLINA). THEY CHECKED THE BRAKES AND TOLD ME THAT THEY TURNED THE ROTORS. SO I PICKED THE CAR UP. THE BRAKES STILL MADE THE NOISE. SO, I CALLED THIS DEALER BACK AND THEY SAID TO BRING IT BACK. SO, THE BRAKES ARE GETTING WORSE AND NO ONE CAN'T SEEM TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.