2002 FORD FOCUS Suspensionrear Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED, THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE REAR COIL SPRING WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR BEARINGS SEIZED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED SIX TIMES. ON ONE OCCASION THE CONTACTS REAR PASSENGER WHEEL BROKE OFF CAUSING THE CONTACT TO REPLACE THE CONTROL ARM. THE DEALER DID NOT DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE, BUT STATED THE FAILURE OCCURRED FREQUENTLY WITH THAT MODEL YEAR VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL BANGING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TRAILING ARM WAS FRACTURED AND STRIKING AGAINST THE BRAKE LINE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. UPDATED 04/05/11*LJ UPDATED 04/05/11

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MY BRAKE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON AND IT FELT LIKE MY BACK END WAS FISHTAILING. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND CALLED AAA. AS AAA WAS TOWING MY VEHICLE, THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL CAME OFF. THE WHEEL COULD NOT BE LOCATED AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE DID NOT CAUSE ANY ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES TO OTHER VEHICLES. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REAR WHEEL BEARING HAD FAILED AND THE REPAIR BILL WAS IN EXCESS OF $2,900, INCLUDING THE DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED TO THE REAR SPINDLE, CONTROL ARM AND SUSPENSION. MY VEHICLE IS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE PREVIOUS 2 MODEL YEARS WERE RECALLED FOR REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. *NM

DT:THE TIRES ON THE CONSUMER'S 2002 FORD FOCUS 2002 WERE SHOWING SEVERE SIGNS OF WEAR AFTER ONLY 17000 MILES. THE FIRST SET OF TIRES WERE REPLACED AT 5000 MILES DUE TO WEAR. AFTER ABOUT 12000 MILES THE SAME WEAR PATTERN REAPPEARED. THESE TIRE WERE RATED AS 60000 MILE TIRES. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY ON IT'S THIRD SET OF TIRES. ONE OF THE TIRE WAS TAKEN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN #.03-13-5 ON FORD'S COMPUTER THAT COVERED ALL MODELS OF FORD FOCUS 2000-2004 THAT EXPERIENCED INNER TIRE WEAR. THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS OF THIS MODEL WERE ENGINEERED INCORRECTLY CREATING ADVERSE CAMBER TO THE REAR TIRES. THE REMEDY WAS A RESTRUCTURED CONTROL ARM:UPPER ARM KIT. THE NEWLY RESTRUCTURED CONTROL ARM :UPPER ARM KIT WOULD ONLY BE SENT TO THOSE WHO WERE ELIGIBLE UNDER THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY,3 YEAR, 36,000 MILES. CONSUMER FELT THE VEHICLE...

REAR INNER TIRE WEAR. THE CONTROL ARMS ON TOP WAS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING THE TIRE TO RUB AGAINST THE BODY AND REAR TO SWIRVE WHEN RIDING OVER A BUM OR POT HOLE. *AK

PURCHASED CAR NEW MAY 2002. FOCUS ZTS. IN AUGUST TOOK CAR TO ONTARIO CANADA ON ROADTRIP FROM MISSOURI. WAY BACK FROM TRIP, NOTICED VIBRATIONS FROM BACK OF CAR AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT BECAUSE OF SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WITH ESCORT. TOOK CAR ON TRIP TO MYRTLE BEACH IN MAY 2003 AND THE VIBRATION WAS MORE THEN OBVIOUS AT 55MPH. WHEN RETURNED FROM TRIP TOOK CAR IN FOR SERVICE. DRIVER SIDE REAR BUSHING ON TIRE ARM WAS WORN. WHEEL WAS TILTED AND TIRE WAS WEARING WRONG. DEALERSHIP REPLACED ARM AND TIRE. TOOK CAR ON ANOTHER TRIP MARCH 2004 NOTICED EXTREME VIBRATION STILL COMING FROM SAME SIDE/BACK OF CAR. SHAKES PLASTIC BAGS IN BACKSEATS. VIBRATES DRIVER SEAT AND STEERINGWHEEL. BECAUSE MOST OF MY DRIVING IS ON REGULAR ROADS IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT BECOMES OBVIOUS RIGHT AWAY. WILL BE TAKING CAR IN AGAIN ASAP. ALSO HAD A PROBLEM RIGHT AFTER PURCHASING...

FROM A CONSUMER PROTECTION SECTION OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. CONSUMER WAS EXPERIENCING NOISE WHILE DRIVING AND ROUNDING CURVES. DEALER FOUND NOTHING. TOOK TO A DIFFERENT DEALER AND FOUND TIRES WERE WORN AND LOOSE REAR SWAY BAR. *LA ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED AND ALIGNED. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE REIMBURSEMENT FOR COST OF TIRES AND THE ALIGNMENT. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER THINKS FORD SHOULD CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS DEFECT AND CORRECT IT. *PH

WHILE DRIVING REAR WHEEL BEARING VIBRATED,MAKING A LOUD NOISE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

PREMATURE REAR TIRE WEAR. 6 TIRES WERE REPLACED BEFORE 27,000 MILES. DEALER SAYS ALIGNMENT IS AT FORD SPECIFICATIONS. DEALER SAID ROTATION AT 3000 MILES IS REQUIRED ON THIS VEHICLE TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM. OVERHEARD TECH TELLING SERVICE MANAGER THAT THESE CARS DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ADJUSTMENT FOR CAMBER. TIRES CAN NOT BE ROTATED AFTER 5000 MILES BECAUSE THEY CUP OUT AND WHEN MOVED TO THE FRONT CAUSE SEVERE VIBRATION.*AK

LEFT REAR WHEEL TIPPING IN AT TOP SO MUCH THAT YOU COULD SEE IT BEFORE 3500 MILES. THIS CAUSES THE REAR END TO BE MUCH "LOOSER" THAN IS NORMAL OR ACEPTABLE. FORD PROVIDES NO ADJUSTMENT FOR CAMBER IN REAR AND THIS CAUSED LEFT REAR TIRE TO HAVE A CUPPING PATTERN ON THE INSIDE EDGE. APPARENTLY IF THE CAMBER ISN'T CORRECT TO BEGIN IT WILL THROW OFF THE WHOLE ALIGNMENT. ONE DEALER CHECKED AND SAID IT WAS IN SPEC. AT 15,000 MI. FOUND DEALER WHO UNDERSTOOD THE PROBLEM AND INSTALLED A JUST RELEASED SHIM KIT. FORD REFUSING TO COVER KIT, ALIGNMENT, OR TIRE UNDER " BUMPER-TO-BUMPER" WARRANTY (TRYING TO CLAIM IT IS A NORMAL WEAR ITEM, OR A TIRE PROBLEM, OTHER TIRES ARE FINE!). HAD TO PAY $142 + TIRE SO THAT THE REAR END DOESN'T COME AROUND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.*AK

I HAVE DRIVEN MY FORD FOCUS SE WAGON NOW FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS. IT IS A COMPANY CAR FOR WHICH I DRIVE APPROXIMATELY 50,000MILES PER YEAR. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR TIRES THREE TIMES SINCE RECEIVING THE VEHICLE DECEMBER 2001. EVERY 20,000 MILES THE REAR ALIGNMENT GETS LOOSE AND ESPECIALLY IN WINTER DRIVING ON WET PAVEMENT, I FEAR FOR MY LIFE BECAUSE WHEN I CANNOT TRAVEL AT THE SPEEDS OF SURROUNDING TRAFFIC FLOW. THERE IS A VIBRATION IN THE REAR TIRES CAUSED POSSIBLY TO A BENT FRAME OR POOR DESIGN. I HAVE NEVER REPLACED THE FRONT TIRES OR EVEN ROTATED THEM SINCE NEW! THEY ARE STILL PLENTY ADEQUATE FOR TRACTION. THE REAR ALIGNMENT PROBLEM SEVERELY HAMPERS THE FUEL ECONOMY OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT FEELS AS THOUGH I AM DRAGGING THE REAR END AROUND EVERYWHERE I GO. I AM TURNING THE VEHICLE IN THIS NEXT MONTH FOR A...

THE VEHICLE HAD A NOISE IN THE REAR END, DUE TO TIRE CUPPING. WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THE REAR SUSPENSION NOT SETTLING AND NOT BEING ALIGNED. *JB THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT FORD HAD AN A CAMBER KIT TO INSTALL TO SOLVE THE SETTLING. *SCC

THE VEHICLE LOSES CONTROL WHERE IT PULLS TO THE RIGHT SIDE, ESPECIALLY FROM THE REAR WHEN DRIVING OVER A ROUGH ROAD OR ON A SMOOTH ROAD UPON DRIVING OVER A SLIGHTLY RECESSED MANHOLE COVER. VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER 2 TIMES FOR 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT, WHEEL BALANCE AND REPLACEMENT OF REAR SHOCKS. NO IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDITION AFTER BOTH VISITS. ALIGNMENT DATA SHOWS THE REAR WHEELS ARE AT HIGHER LEVELS OF NEGATIVE CAMBER, WHICH IS NOT ADJUSTABLE, AND TOE. DRIVING VEHICLE IN ICY, RAINY WEATHER IS UNSAFE IF CURRENT HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS ARE NOT, OR CAN NOT BE CORRECTED. DT

BACKED OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND REAR WHEEL BUCKLED. NOW RUBBING ON FRONT OF FIREWALL. *AK

I HAD NOTICED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION OF MY CAR WAS VERY WOBBLY AND ALL OVER THE PLACE WHEN DRIVING. REAL BAD GOING AROUND CURVES ON FREEWAYS. DO NOT FEEL SAFE. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY DID A "REAR" ALIGNMENT. IT'S NOT ANY BETTER, AFRAID TO DRIVE CAR ESPECIALLY ON MICHIGAN'S BAD ROADS. PASSENGERS IN BACK SEAT SAY THEY'RE THROWN ALL OVER THE PLACE.*AK

REAR END VERY UNSTABLE IS SNOW-MORE THAN NORMAL. DEALER SAID HE HAS HAD 3 OTHER COMPLAINTS - DEALER SAYS DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. *AK