NHTSA Complaint #763077 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

THIS PROBLEM STARTED HAPPENING AROUND 12,000 MILES, AND WHILE THIS FORM ASKS FOR A FAILURE DATE, IT DOES IT SO MUCH IT IS HARD TO SAY, I PUT AN APPROXIMATE DATE OF THE WORST OCCURRENCE BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. I REALIZE THERE IS ALREADY AN INVESTIGATION ABOUT THIS, I JUST WANTED TO ADD ANOTHER TESTIMONY. WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS LESS THAN HALF FULL, AND THE CAR TAKES RIGHT-TURNS, ESPECIALLY LONG, SWEEPING TURNS, SUCH AS HIGHWAY ENTRANCE/EXIT RAMPS, THE CAR WILL JERK AND LURCH VIOLENTLY, REFUSING TO ACCELERATE, AND WILL STALL IF PROVOKED ENOUGH. IF I BACK OFF THE GAS, IT RECOVERS, BUT TWICE IT HAS COMPLETELY STALLED OUT, REFUSING TO TURN BACK ON FOR A FEW HOURS, ONE OF THESE TIMES WAS IN HEAVY HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, I COASTED AT ABOUT 25MPH SINCE IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, THEN IT EVENTUALLY DIED. THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT, MY DEALER FILLED THE TANK WITH GAS (WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THE PROBLEM TO OCCUR, KIND OF STUPID OF THEM), AND THEN DROVE IT AROUND, BUT WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO SHOW THEM HOW TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I MUST NOW KEEP MY GAS TANK MORE THAN HALF FULL, BECAUSE OF THE DANGERS IN GETTING ON AND OFF THE HIGHWAY. IT EVEN DOES IT AROUND TOWN NOW, AT TIMES. THE DEALER SAYS IT IS A RESULT OF A FUEL FILTER GETTING CLOGGED AND THEY WOULD JUST CLEAN IT OUT, BUT OTHER FOCUS OWNERS I ASSOCIATE WITH (WWW.FOCALJET.COM) HAVE REPORTED THAT THIS IS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX. OTHERWISE, I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS CAR, AND I APPLAUD FORD FOR THE RECALLS, THEY MAY MAKE OUR CAR LOOK BAD BUT IT SHOWS FORD IS ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILTY FOR DEFECTS, AND TRYING TO IMPROVE ON THEM. *AK