1999 Ford Focus

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WAS RESTARTED BUT STALLED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND LATER DRIVEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 11/14/2006 - THE FAILURE A AY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS DONE ON THE VEHICLE. THE CODES INDICATED THAT THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR, VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR, AND O2 SENSOR WAS OUT, AND THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL SWITCH WAS OUT OF RANGE. *NM

HEAD IMPACT TUBES (OFLEX TUBES) ARE BEING INSTALLED THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME BY HAND ON HEAD LINERS AT FORMER EMPLOYER GRUPO ANTOLIN-WAYNE 47440 MICHIGAN AVE. SUITE 130, CANTON, MICHIGAN 48188. THE HEAD IMPACT TUBE ARE TO BE MEET FEDERAL REGULATED SAFETY STANDARDS, THEY ARE TO BE PUT ON BY A FIXED FIXTURE THAT I BROUGHT TO THE COMPANY'S ATTENTION. THE COMPANY HAS NO MASTER TOOLING TO CHECK SPECIFICATIONS FOR FINISHED PRODUCT. *NM

THE ENGINE MELTED COMPLETELY WITHOUT ANY WARNING. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THIS WAS DUE TO A FAILED IMPELLER IN THE WATER HEATER. IT WAS ON ITS WAY INTO THE SHOP FOR THE USUAL REPEAT PROBLEM WITH THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER (THAT IS WHY THE READING IS 11,000 BUT THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 99,000 MILES). SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT OF THE ENGINE AND IT STOPPED COMPLETELY. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE IMPELLER BROKE, CAUSING THE WATER PUMP TO FAIL AND THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND MELT INSIDE. THE ENGINE IS NOW USELESS. THE CAR IS SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP IN PARTS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT IT IS WORTHLESS NOW AND THAT EVEN A REBUILT ENGINE COSTS MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH. THE ENGINE DID NOT SHOW THAT IT WAS HOT (HOWEVER, THIS IS ON THE SAME INSTRUMENT PANEL AS THE MALFUNCTIONING ODOMOETER/SPEEDOMETER). THERE WAS NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. IT IS UNSAFE FOR ENGINES TO SUDDENLY MELT WHILE ONE IS DRIVING. THE CAR HAS HAD ALL REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND RECALLS. THIS IS INEXCUSABLE FOR A CAR THIS AGE. THE $3,600 PROPERTY DAMAGE EXTIMATE IS MY ESTIMATE OF THE VALUE OF THE CAR. I SEE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS TO NHTSA REGARDING THE SAME PROBLEM. IS FORD FIXING THIS OR NOT? CONTOUR OWNERS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE THAT THEIR ENGINES MAY SUDDENLY MELT, OR THE IMPELLERS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD LOOK INTO THIS FOR THE SAFETY OF THOSE DRIVING CONTOURS AND THOSE DRIVING BEHIND THEM. IF YOU WOULD LIKE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT MY CAR, IT IS AT PALMER MOTORS IN PIECES.