2002 Ford Focus

MY HUSBAND AND I BOUGHT A 2002 FORD FOCUS. WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR TO GO TO WORK THIS MORNING, THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN ALL THE WAY TO START THE CAR. THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE FOCUS MODEL. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET THEREFORE, THIS SHOULD BE A MANUFACTURER DEFAULT AND SHOULD BE FIXED. THE DEALERS ARE CHARGING $450 TO FIX THE PROBLEM THAT WASN'T OUR FAULT.*AK

AFTER WORK ON THE EVENING OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2004, I GOT IN MY VEHICLE AND PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY AS TO START THE CAR. I THOUGHT MAYBE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED IN PLACE FUNNY SO I WIGGLED THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE TRYING TO TURN THE KEY AND STILL NOTHING. I FELT SICK BECAUSE I HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO DO. LUCKILY THERE WERE STILL CO-WORKERS IN THE BANK WHERE I WORK SO I WAS ABLE TO USE THE PHONE. FIRST I CALLED THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE DEPT. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM IN ABOUT THREE SECONDS. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE. THEY SAID THE ONLY THING I COULD DO WOULD BE TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THEM AND IT WOULD COST AROUND $400.00. I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST DIE. I AM A SINGLE PARENT ON A VERY TIGHT BUDGET. I HAVE VERY LITTLE ROOM FOR SUCH REPAIRS BEING THAT I AM MAKING PAYMENTS ON A CAR I BOUGHT NEW TO TRY AND AVOID REPAIRS ON AN OLD VEHICLE. I HAD TO WAIT FOR A FRIEND OF MINE TO DRIVE OUT FROM IRVINE, CA (ABOUT 70 MILES AWAY) TO HELP ME. HE HAD AUTO CLUB SO I WAS ABLE TO TOW MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DRIVER OF THE TOW TRUCK INFORMED ME THAT HE TOWS AROUND 12 TO 15 OF THE SAME CARS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ONCE A MONTH. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP TO NOT WORK ON IT IF IT WAS GOING TO COST ANYTHING BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD HOLD OFF TO SEE WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO. OVER THE WEEKEND I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEMS OTHERS WERE HAVING WITH THEIR FORD FOCUS. THERE ARE COUNTLESS WEBSITES WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WRITING WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM I AM HAVING. YOU CAN CALL ANY FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT AND INQUIRE ABOUT THE IGNITION PROBLEM AND BEFORE YOU CAN FINISH THEY TELL YOU HOW COMMON THIS PROBLEM IS AND THAT IT WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED FOR ABOUT $300.00 TO $400.00. *AK

DURING THE RAIN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN THROUGH A PUDDLE, THE STEERING WOULD BECOME DIFFICULT. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO TURN AND UNMANAGEABLE. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT THE CURB. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS COULD POSSIBLY BE CAUSED BY THE BRAKES, WHICH WERE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM REMAINED. *PH *SC *JB

THE MILEAGE ON MY FOCUS WAS 47000 KM AND THE COST WAS $5500.00. THE DATE WAS JULY BUT I AM AT WORK AND NOT SURE OF EXACTLY WHAT DAY. MY FOCUS WAS MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND SIMILAR IN NATURE TO TRACTION CONTROL KICKING IN. IT WAS IN TO BE SERVICED ON A FRIDAY AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT REPEAT THE SOUND. ALSO AT THAT TIME IT WAS HAVING REGULAR MAINTENANCE TIRE ROTATION AND OIL CHANGE. ON THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY DRIVING IN THE TOWN I LIVE IN (LUCKILY THE SPEED LIMIT IS ONLY 30 KM/HR) I EXPERIENCED THE STEERING WHEEL PULL TO THE RIGHT AND I HAD HIT A PARKED CAR. HAD I BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY ME AND MY 2 CHILDREN WOULD HAVE BEEN A FATALITY. THE COST QOUTED TO YOU OF 5500.00 IS NOT INCLUDING THE COST TO FIX THE OTHER VEHICLE. AS WELL FORD MOTOR CO. IS TAKING NO RESPONSILBILTY WHATSOEVER AND I NEED PROOF TO GET MY INSURANCE CO TO FIND FAULT TO SOMEONE OTHER THAN MYSELF.

PROBLEM I'M STILL HAVING AND WAS REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP IS CAR PULLS TO LEFT, ( NOT CORRECTED) BACK END OF CAR OR TIRES BOUNCE ON ROAD AND ESPECIALLY WHEN HITTING A BUMP, CANNOT STAY ON ROAD IN SLUSH OR SNOW, BACK END IS ALL OVER ROAD, ( NOTHING DONE) TIRES ARE COMPLETELY GROVED IN MANY SPOTS ON THE TIRES, CAUSED BY REAR END BOUNCING ON ROAD, FIRESTONE WON'T REPLACE THEY SAY IT IS FOCAS'S REAR END AND IT WEARS OUT THE TIRES, DEALER OR FORD WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT REAR END OR TIRES, CAR VIBRATES BADLY, REAR DOORS BARLEY OPEN ARE SO STIFF, LOOKS LIKE DOOR LOCKS ARE COROADED NOTHING WAS DONE BY DEALERSHIP EVEN THOUGH THEY SAID THEY LUBRICATED, NOTHING IS ON THE LOCKS TO SHOW LUBRICATION OF LOCKS.

I HAVE HAD THE CAR. FOR ONLY 4 MONTHS. I HAD PROBLEM WITH IT IN OCTOBER IT WAS THE CAR MOVING WHEN I AM DRIVING IT MOVES LIKE A SWERVING MOTION AND THEN IN DECEMBER 13, 2002. I TOOK IT BACK IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM OF THE BACK SWAYS WHEN HITTING BUMPS AND THE TIRE ROD WAS LOOSE. THE REPAIR WAS 1,140 ON A NEW CAR. I HAD WATER COMING IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THEY SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM. ON DEC 31, 2002 IT RAINED AND MY WHOLE FLOOR IS WET. I AM VERY DISCUSSED WITH THIS CAR. BECAUSE IT IS A BRAND NEW CAR. AND I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM OUT OF IT GOING ON TWO TIMES WITH THE WATER, TWO TIMES WITH THE HITTING OF BUMPS AND THE CAR MOVING SIDE WAYS ALMOST INTO ANOTHER LANE ,AND ONE MORE THING I TOOK THE CAR IN TO FORD ON 12/26/02 TO TALK TO THE SALES PERSON ABOUT MY PROBLEMS I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH AND HOW VERY DISSATISFIED I AM THE CAR HAS BEEN STILL SWAYING WHEN I AM DRIVING AND COMING ACROSS BUMPS RAILROAD TRACKS AND ON THE EXPRESSWAY. THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO PUT MONEY DOWN FOR ANOTHER CAR, WHICH IS SO UNFAIR BECAUSE IT IS A NEW CAR AND THEY SHOULD PUT ME IN ANOTHER CAR IF THEY SEE THE PROBLEMS. I WILL NEVER SEND ANY ONE TO BUT A CAR FROM THEM BECAUSE THEY SHOULD STAND BEHIND THERE PROMISE WHEN THEY EXPRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF CUSTOMER SATIATION WHEN THEY SEE THAT THE CAR IS A PROBLEM