NHTSA Complaint #765611 — 2002 FORD FOCUS

MY FATHER OWNS THIS VEHICLE, BUT HE BOUGHT IT FOR ME FOR SAFETY REASONS, I AM A 16 YEAR OLD FEMALE. TRAVELING AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEED ON A DRY, TWO LANE HIGHWAY WITH NO TRAFFIC AT NIGHT MY 2002 FORD FOCUS LOST CONTROL DUE TO THE FRONT CONTROL ARM FRACTURING. MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE ENDED UP TOTALLY UNATTACHED TO THE CONTROL ARM AND ONLY STAYING ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE BY THE HOLD OF THE TIE ROD. MY VEHICLE SWERVED INTO THE MEDIAN AND INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC (THANKFULLY NO TRAFFIC WAS AROUND). BEING BY MYSELF WITH NO CELL PHONE I WAITED UNTIL SOMEONE STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. A POLICE MAN, OFFICER STROM FROM THE TITUSVILLE POLICE DEP'T STOPPED AND NOTICED THE SKID MARKS AND VERIFIED THE FRONT WHEEL HAD IN FACT COME LOOSE OF THE CONTROL ARM AND CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR, HERB DANIEL'S ALSO VERIFIED THE FRACTURE IN THE CONTROL ARM. I WAS NOT PHYSICALLY INJURED, BUT IT WAS PRETTY EMOTIONALLY TRAUMATIZING. MY DAD LOOKED UP INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND FOUND THAT ACCIDENTS SIMILAR TO MINE HAD BEEN REPORTED BEFORE AND NO RECALLS HAD BEEN MADE. WE HAVE VIDEO FOOTAGE TO SHOW THE SKID MARKS AND SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. AT THIS POINT OUR MAIN CONCERN IS TO KEEP THIS TYPE OF ACCIDENT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN AND TO MAKE SURE THE NEW PART THAT WILL BE ADDED TO THE CAR WILL NOT BE DEFECTIVE.*AK