NHTSA Complaint #758839 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

DRIVER'S AND FRONT PASSENGER'S SEATS: THE BOLSTER SUPPORT BARS (2 PER SEAT) ARE SPOT WELDED TO THE SEAT PAN. THE END OF THE SUPPORT BAR CLOSEST TO THE REAR OF THE SEAT PAN ON BOTH SEATS IS SHARP ENOUGH TO WEAR THRU THE SEAT COVERS AND BECOME COMPLETE EXPOSED TO THE BUTTOCKS OF THE PERSON IN THE SEAT. THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAS WOREN THRU FROM THE INSIDE OUT ALL THE WAY THRU THE SEAT COVER AND HAS CAUSED HOLES IN DRIVER'S PANTS. THIS SAME THING WILL HAPPEN TO THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT SINCE THE TWO ARE MADE THE SAME. THE DRIVER'S SEAT LEFT BOLTER SUPPORT BAR HAS ALSO BROKEN AWAY FROM THE SEAT PAN NEAR THE FRONT OF THE SEAT PAN WHERE IT WAS ATTACHED. I HAVE HAD THE SEAT COVER ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND FOAM REPLACED AND NOW ABOUT 8 MONTHS AFTER THE HOLES APPEARED AGAIN AND THE DEALER LOCAL TO ME - MILLENNIUM WILL NOT FIX IT UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY PERIOD OF THE CAR. THEY SAID THAT IT HAS BEEN FIXED TO MANY TIMES BEFORE. AT THEIR REQUEST I TOOK IT TO AN AUTO UPHOLSTERER AND THE COST TO FIX IT WOULD BE ABOUT $500. THE PROBLEM THO IS INHERENT IN THE SEAT DESIGN AND NOT FIXABLE FOR THE LONG TERM. IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT I COULD POTENTIALLY AND ESPECIALLY IN A FAST STOP OR ACCIDENT DRIVE THAT REAR END OF THE BOLSTER SUPPORT BAR INTO MY BUTTOCKS. ALSO THE FRONT END OF THE SAME BOLSTER BAR HAS BROKEN AWAY FROM THE WELD. FORD MAKES NO CLAIM TO THE FACT THAT WEIGHT IS AN ISSUE. I WIEGH 280 LBS AND AM 6'5" TALL. DUE TO MY SIZE AND SIZE OF MY BUTTOCKS I AM ALWAYS SITTING ON THE BOLSTER BARS AND NOT BETWEEN THEM. WHILE FORD WILL NOT ADMIT TO A WEIGHT AND SIZE LIMIT OF THE SEATS - I FEEL THAT IS AN ISSUE. LEAR CORP. WHO MAKES THE SEAT FOR FORD SAYS THAT THE SEAT IS DESIGNED FOR THE 90-95 PERCENTILE AND IS NOT DESIGNED TO ACCOMONDATE LARGER FOLKS. I AM AFRAID THAT THE BROKEN END OF THE BOLSTER SUPPORT BAR IN AN ACCIDENT OR FAST STOP MAY FIND IT'S WAY INTO MY LEFT THIGH.*AK