NHTSA Complaint #762822 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

SINCE THE PURCHASE OF MY FORD FOCUS 2000, IT HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO RECALLS FOR WHEEL BEARINGS, PANELING, AND THE MASTER CYLINDER. ADDITIONALLY, THE TRUNK LATCH HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THE COMPUTER REPROGRAMMED. SINCE LATE SEPT. 2000, THE ENGINE DIES AT APPROX. 45/MPH WHEN I PRESS THE CLUTCH TO DOWNSHIFT FROM 5TH GEAR, SLOWING FROM A HIGHER SPEED. ON AUG. 21, 2001, I TOOK THE THE CAR TO MAROONE FORD IN MARGATE, FLORIDA BECAUSE IT HAD STALL (DIED) TWICE IN ONE DAY. THE MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AND SAID THAT I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE IT PROPERLY. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARD AND THEY CAME OUT AND DROVE WITH ME. THE CAR DID NOT STALL AT THAT TIME, AND HE ADVISED ME THAT I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE THE CAR! I BELIEVE I HAVE BEEN LIED TO BY FORD AND BY THEIR REPRESENTATIVE, MAROONE FORD, MARGATE. I HAVE COPIES OF LETTERS THAT I SENT TO MAROONE FORD, AND TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT MAROONE FORD AS WELL AS A COPY OF THE INITIAL DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARD APPLICATION. I HAVE COMPLAINED OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT I FEAR FOR MY SAFETY, AND THAT I WANT FORD TO EITHER FIX MY VEHICLE OR GIVE ME A SAFE CAR. I WAS A FULL-TIME NURSING STUDENT AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY IN BOCA RATON, FLORIDA WHEN THIS STARTED, I AM NOW A REGISTERED NURSE STILL DRIVING AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR HELP.*AK