2005 Ford Focus

ON MANY OCCASIONS THE REAR HATCH (ZXW WAGON) HAS OPENED ON ITS OWN. I'VE ALWAYS ASSUMED I MUST NOT HAVE CLOSED IT PROPERLY AS IT ALSO HAS NOT LATCHED ON MANY OCCASIONS WHEN CLOSING IT. SOMETIMES IT CAN TAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, CLOSING IT FIRMLY. ONE THE MOST RECENT OCCASSION OF THE HATCH OPENING WHILE DRIVING OUR DOG WAS IN THE CAR BAG CARGO AREA, SO YOU CAN IMAGINE MY ANGER AT THE LATCH. ANOTHER ISSUE HAS BEEN THE LICENCE PLATE LIGHTS NOT ILLUMINATING THE PLATE AT NIGHT, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN A STOP BY AN OFFICER. YESTERDAY, MAY 18TH 2017, THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES ON MY DRIVE HOME, THEN WENT OFF. WHEN I GOT HOME I PUT A METER ON THE BATTERY WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND GOT 12.04-12.7 VOLTS. WHILE SEARCHING YOUTUBE FOR SOME HOW-TO ALTERNATOR VIDEOS I STUMBLED ACROSS A VIDEO THAT SPOKE OF THE WIRING IN THE HATCH AREA. I REMOVED THE BOOT AND SURE ENOUGH, HALF OF THE WIRES HAD DAMAGED JACKETS AND A FEW WERE EXPOSED. I'VE MADE TEMPORARY REPAIRS AND AS NOW THE VOLTAGE READS 14.5 OR MORE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. ALSO, THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS ARE WORKING AGAIN. THIS REPAIR IS SURELY GOING TO BE TEMPORARY AT BEST AS I SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS FOR A REPAIR FACILITY TO DO THE WORK AND I HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES. I COULD NOT SELL THE CAR WITH CLEAR CONSCIENCE WITHOUT DISCLOSING MY DISCOVERY WHICH SURELY MEANS MOST PEOPLE ARENT GOING TO WANT IT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY RECALL FOR THIS, CONSIDERING IT COULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE MANY MALFUNCTIONS IN THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY AS WELL THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS, CARGO AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROADWAY. THIS LATCH POPPING ISSUE HAS HAPPENED IN PRETTY MUCH EVERY CONDITION.....MY DRIVEWAY, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THE HIGHWAY ETC.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MIDDLE BRAKE LIGHT STOPPED WORKING DUE TO THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE HATCHBACK. ALSO, THE LOCK ON THE HATCHBACK DID NOT WORK PROPERLY AND THE HARNESS LEADING TO THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE FAILURE WITHIN THE HATCHBACK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND REPAIRED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE HARNESS FOR BOTH THE BATTERY AND HATCHBACK NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE MIDDLE BRAKE LIGHT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 187,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE DOOR AJAR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH NO INDICATION AS TO WHICH DOOR WAS AFFECTED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT ALL DOORS WERE PROPERLY CLOSED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE PULLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER DOORS FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR FAILED TO OPEN. THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE WAS SLIGHTLY DETACHED. THE ELECTRICAL WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. A CERTIFIED MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TIE RODS AND WHEEL WELL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THE RACK AND PINION TIGHTENED. THE TIE ROD AND WHEEL WELL WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FOCUS. WHILE STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND LOST ALL POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE STEERING RACK. THE CONTACT CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SHOOK THE BATTERY A COUPLE OF TIMES. THE CONTACT DROVE HOME. THE FAILURE RECURRED A FEW DAYS LATER AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V030000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. UPDATED 04/22/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE RADIO WOULD INTERMITTENTLY TURN ON THEN OFF, THE BATTERY CABLE MUST BE TOUCHED IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE, AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. *JS

THE FORD ZXW WAGON'S LIFTGATE WIRING HARNESS HAD FRAYED INSIDE THE RUBBER HOUSING AT THE JUNCTION WHERE THE GATE PIVOTS BETWEEN THE CAR BODY AND LIFTGATE. THE WIRES SHORTED WHICH CAUSED THE ELECTRIC GATE RELEASE TO OPEN AT 70MPH, WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A FREEWAY. THE LIFTGATE ROSE UP, OPENING THE BACK OF THE CARGO AREA TO TRAFFIC. LUCKILY FREEWAY SPEED WINDS KEPT IT FROM COMPLETELY OPENING, BUT WHEN SLOWED TO 30MPH IT WENT STRAIGHT UP. I'M LUCKY I HAD NO CHILDREN OR ANIMALS IN THE BACK CARGO AREA. AND THE FELLOW DRIVERS ON THE ROAD WERE LUCKY NOTHING SHIFTED AND FELL OUT. THE LIFTGATE REFUSED TO LATCH AFTER THIS POINT, MAKING DRIVING THE CAR SAFELY IMPOSSIBLE. IN RESEARCHING THE CAUSE AND REPAIR, I NOTICED SEVERAL FORUMS WHERE AN IDENTICAL PROBLEM WITH FORD'S DESIGN WAS POSTED. THE REPLACEMENT BILL AT A FORD DEALERSHIP WAS AROUND $1,200, NOT INCLUDING MY TIME LOST TO RESEARCH, REPAIR, OR FINDING ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION FOR MY BUSINESS PURPOSES. THIS IS DANGEROUS, POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING, AND UNFORTUNATELY, NOT FIXED. THE MECHANICS AT FORD SAID THE REPLACEMENT PART IS THE SAME AS WHAT WAS ORIGINAL. THIS WILL LIKELY HAPPEN AGAIN.

BOTH THE FRONT AND BACK DRIVERS SIDE DOORS CAN BE LOCKED EITHER ELECTRONICALLY WITH THE REMOTE OR MANUALLY BY HAND. THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE WONT OPERATE FROM THE OUTSIDE. IT HAS BEEN FIXED TWICE ALREADY AND NOW BROKEN FOR A THIRD TIME. THIS SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEMS WITH THE 02-08 FOCUS. A LITTLE GOOGLING WILL SHOW JUST HOW OFTEN THIS HAPPENS. *TR

WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND BROKE DOWN. CAR TOWED TO GARAGE AND ALTERNATOR REPLACED ALONG WITH THE BATTERY. THE CAR RAN FINE FOR ABOUT 1 WEEK WHERE AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN. AGAIN HAD IT TOWED TO THE GARAGE AND THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. A WEEK LATER THE CAR DID IT AGAIN AND AGAIN THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. I TOOK THE CARD TO MY FORD DEALERSHIP AND HAD AN ELECTRICAL CHECK DONE AND THE ELECTRICAL TEST CAME BACK THAT THE BATTERY THAT WAS JUST PUT IT WAS LOW AND THE ALTERNATOR HAD TESTED FINE. CHANGED THE BATTERY AGAIN..YUP YOU GUESSED IT...IT DIED AGAIN. CHANGED THE BATTERY AGAIN AND THE CAR HAS NOW BEEN RUNNING FOR 2 WEEKS NOW. CALLED FORD'S HOME OFFICE AND FILED A COMPLAINT NOT THAT IT WILL DO ANYTHING. *TR