NHTSA Complaint #765147 — 2002 FORD FOCUS

WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH OF OWNERSHIP WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SHUDDERS AND WENT INTO A STALL. I THOUGH I DID SOMETHING WRONG AND DIDN'T REPORT IT. AT 1800 MILES I DROVE HOME FROM WORK MADE A BRIEF STOP AND WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART MY CAR NOTHING WORKED. THE DASHBOARD WHEN BLANK. VEH HAD TO BE TOWED & WAS KEPT FOR 5 DAYS A FUEL PUMP WAS PUT IN. AT 2874 MILES A MONTH LATER I STOPPED FOR GAS AND VEHICLE AGAIN WOULDN'T START DASH BOARD WENT BLANK. VEH TAKEN BACK TO DEALERSHIP & KEPT 3 DAYS. A NEW STARTER WAS PUT IN. JULY 15 ENGINE LIGHT & GAS LIGHT WOULDN'T GO OFF (WAS TOLD NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT KEEP ON DIRIVNG) TOOK VEH FOR REPAIR LIGHT WENT OFF. 8/2/02 WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, RUSH HOUR ON INTERSTATE 295 AT 60 MPH. DASH BOARD WENT DEAD ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON & VEH LOST ALL POWER. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAIT AND FEW MINUTES. HAD NO CELL PHONE & WAS IN A DANGEROUS ON RAMP I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEH MOVING. AGAIN AFTER A SHORT DISTANCE EVERYTHING WHEN DEAD. I WAITED AND AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO MAKE IT HOME. I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME AND CALL DEALERSHIP. I ATTEMPED TO GET VEH TO DEALERSHIP, BUT VEHICLE AGAIN DIED IN THE ROAD. ALL LIGHTS CAME ON THE VEH WOULD START. AFTER WAITING I WAS EVENUTALLY ABLE TO GET CAR TO DEALERS. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. I FEEL I AM PUTTING MY LIFE AND OTHERS AT RISK WITH THIS CAR ON THE ROAD. I AM HANDYCAPPED AND PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FOR SAFETY REASONS. IT HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE. HOW CAN I GET RID OF THIS VEHICLE AND GET IT REPLACED? I AM TRUELY CONCERNED FOR MY LIFE IN THE CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED, BUT I FEEL THEY JUST FIX THINGS BUT DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT IS WRONG. WHERE DO I GO FOR HELP?*AK