2007 Ford Focus

WHEN I FIRST NOTICED, IT WAS AROUND THE 45 MPH WHEN I FELT THE JERKING OF THE VEHICLE. AS TIME WENT ON IT STARTED TO DO THAT AT 35 AND (SOMETIMES OR) 45 MPH. THIS PAST TUESDAY 3RD OF JUNE 2014 IT STARTED TO DO THIS AT 15, 25, 35, AND 45 MPH FROM SITTING AT THE RED LIGHT AND MOVING FORWARD. AFTER GETTING A TUNE-UP.. IT IS A LITTLE BETTER BUT IT STILL DOES THAT AT 35 AND SOME TIMES AT 45. *TR

NHTSA 10023297 CONTENTS RE: NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE CORROSION, SUBSEQUENT HEAVIER GAUGE REF. P/N 14300 / 14301 OEM HISTORY OF ALTERNATOR/BATTERY REPLACEMENT BEYOND NORMAL DUE TO CORROSION OF CABLING FOIA THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, OR FOIA (5 U.S.C. 552, AS AMENDED), GENERALLY PROVIDES ANY PERSON WITH THE STATUTORY RIGHT, ENFORCEABLE IN COURT, TO OBTAIN ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT INFORMATION IN EXECUTIVE BRANCH AGENCY RECORDS. THIS RIGHT TO ACCESS IS LIMITED WHEN INFORMATION IS PROTECTED FROM DISCLOSURE BY ONE OF FOIA?S NINE STATUTORY EXEMPTIONS. FEDERAL REGISTER PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING THE FEDERALREGISTER.GOV WEBSITE AND THE VARIOUS EDITIONS OF THE DAILY FEDERAL REGISTER, THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR), FEDERAL REGISTER/CFR INDEXES, AND THE PUBLIC LAWS POSTED ON THE FEDERAL DIGITAL SYSTEM (FDSYS.GOV) ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE REQUEST FOR RECORDS PROVISIONS OF THE FOIA. UNDER THE FOIA, OUR PUBLICATIONS ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH NUMEROUS SOURCES, INCLUDING THIS WEBSITE, GPO?S FDSYS.GOV WEBSITE, THE GPO BOOK SALES PROGRAM, AND NEARLY 1,250 GOVERNMENT DEPOSITORY LIBRARIES LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE NATION. FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REFERENCE GUIDE. THIS GUIDE PROVIDES INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBTAINING INFORMATION FROM US (FOR BOTH OPERATIONAL AND HISTORICAL RECORDS) USING THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR FOIA REGULATIONS (36 CFR 1250). READ THE TEXT OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (5 U.S.C. 552). *TR

WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY 2007 FORD FOCUS, I NOTICED THAT IT WAS MAKING UNUSUAL NOISES BUT DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT UNTIL THE NOISES GREW PROGRESSIVELY LOUDER AND MORE ALARMING. INITIALLY I THOUGHT THAT I WAS PERHAPS IN THE WRONG GEAR SO WHEN I CAME TO A STOP LIGHT, I PUT MY CAR IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF, THEN BACK ON AGAIN. THAT SEEMED TO ALLEVIATE THE SOUNDS MOMENTARILY AND I DROVE A DISTANCE BEFORE THE SOUNDS STARTED TO OCCUR AGAIN. AS I STARTED TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THESE NOISES, I NOTICED THAT THE GAS PEDAL WAS TREMBLING SO I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY AND CONTACTED MY UNCLE, WHO IS A FISHERMAN BY TRADE. HE HAS DONE A LOT OF MECHANICAL WORK ON THE ENGINES INSIDE OF HIS 32-FOOT, COMMERCIAL-SIZED FISHING BOAT, SO I FRANTICALLY ASKED HIM WHAT I SHOULD DO. HE HAD ME DO A SERIES OF CHECKS INCLUDING CHECKING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVELS, THE COLOR, AND THE ODOR. I REPORTED TO HIM THAT THE FLUID LEVELS SEEMED ADEQUATE AND THE COLOR NORMAL BUT THERE WAS PERHAPS A SLIGHT BURNT SMELL. THE ?OD IS OFF? LIGHT WAS ALSO FLASHING AND SO HE THOUGHT IT WAS MOST LIKELY A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM BUT THAT IT COULD BE A BELT ISSUE AS WELL. HE SAID THAT IT WOULD BE SAFEST TO GET BACK INTO THE CAR AND OFF THE FREEWAY, ONTO SURFACE STREETS AND RETURN HOME UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE CAR INTO THE FORD DEALERSHIP TO CHECK IF THE TRANSMISSION COULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. HE THOUGHT IT WAS QUITE STRANGE THAT I WAS HAVING THESE ISSUES AND I WAS ONLY AT 86,000 MILES. I CAUTIOUSLY DROVE THE WHOLE WAY HOME, NOT QUITE SURE IF I WAS GOING TO MAKE IT BACK. I THEN ARRANGED AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE MY CAR SERVICED BY THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND CONTACTED AAA. *TR

WITHOUT ANY INDICATION OF A LOW BATTERY, THE CAR BEGAN TO LOSE ELECTRICAL POWER WHILE DRIVING. AT FIRST, I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN I NOTICED MY RADIO STOPPED PLAYING. UPON LOOKING AT MY RADIO, I REALIZED THE LIGHTS WERE COMPLETELY OFF, INCLUDING THE CLOCK--WHICH STAYS ON EVEN IF I TURN THE RADIO OFF. I NOTICED I WAS VERY COLD, AND MY DEFROST HAD STOPPED WORKING. THINKING IT WAS HOPEFULLY JUST A BLOWN FUSE, I CONTINUED ON MY WAY TO WORK, DRIVING CAUTIOUSLY. MY CAR DID SOUND LIKE IT WAS NOT SHIFTING GEARS AS MUCH AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. I MADE IT TO WORK FINE, AND EVEN CHECKED ON IT DURING MY LUNCH HOUR--IT STARTED UP FINE, LIGHTS AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING, WITH NO INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATING ON THE DASH. THINKING IT WAS FINE, I DROVE HOME THAT NIGHT WITH THE INTENTION OF BRINGING IT TO THE SHOP TO CHECK THE BATTERY OVER THE WEEKEND. WHILE DRIVING HOME (IN THE DARK) THAT EVENING, I MADE IT ALMOST TO MY APARTMENT. I NOTICED AGAIN THAT MY RADIO SUDDENLY STOPPED PLAYING. I LOOKED AT THE RADIO, AT WHICH POINT I SAW THE TEXT DISPLAY "LOW BATTERY." I BEGAN TO NOTICE EVERYTHING DIMMING--THE DASHBOARD, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND EVEN MY HEADLIGHTS. I WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO GET TO MY APARTMENT OK. THE NEXT MORNING I HAD AN APPOINTMENT TO GET TO THE SHOP. AFTER READING THE OTHER COMPLAINTS OF SIMILAR DRIVERS OF 2007 FORD FOCUSES HAVING IDENTICAL ISSUES, I WAS NERVOUS ABOUT DRIVING TO THE SHOP. NOT KNOWING IF MY CAR WOULD SUDDENLY DIE ON ME, AND IF I WOULD BE ABLE TO USE MY HAZARD LIGHTS, OR TURN SIGNALS TO INDICATE TO OTHER DRIVERS IF MY BATTERY STARTED TO GO AGAIN. LUCKILY MY CAR MADE IT THE 3.1 MILES TO THE SHOP, BEFORE GIVING OUT. SAME THING--NO EARLIER INDICATIONS THAT THE BATTERY WAS LOW, THE POWER JUST STARTS SHUTTING DOWN. THIS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS, AND I WAS LUCKY THAT I READ UP ON THE ISSUE AND WAS ONLY DRIVING LOCALLY, AND NOT ON A HIGHWAY. *TR

ALTERNATOR SUDDENLY FAILED WHILE DRIVING. I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CAR WHILE IN TRAFFIC INCLUDING THE STEERING. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS LATER ON JULY 2, 2012, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. SUDDEN ALTERNATOR FAILURE WHILE DRIVING WITH NO ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. BECAUSE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD A TOTAL FAILURE I COULD NOT STEER THE VEHICLE, TURN ON THE HAZARD FLASHERS, OR SIGNAL THE TRAFFIC BEHIND ME THAT I WAS SLOWING DOWN BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD NOT FUNCTION. TERRIBLY DANGEROUS. ON JULY 6, 2013, ALTERNATOR #3 FAILED AND BURNED OUT THE BATTERY AS WELL. FORD MOTOR COMPANY APOLOGIZED FOR THE INCONVENIENCE AND SAID IT WAS MY PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE WAS NO RECALL. INCONVENIENCE? THAT TAKES THE CAKE. I DON'T KNOW WHY THERE IS NOT A RECALL ON THIS DEFECT AND IT IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE. SUDDEN ELECTRICAL FAILURE ON A HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEED WITH NO WAY TO STEER THE CAR OR WARN OTHER DRIVERS MERITS A RECALL. THE WEB IS AWASH WITH COMPLAINTS ABOUT SUDDEN AND REPEATED FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THE 2007 FORD FOCUS. *TR

THE VEHICLE HAD ISSUES WITH THE ENGINE 'SURGING' ON ITS OWN FOR A FEW OF WEEKS. THIS WAS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR BRAKING FOR A TURN. A VISIT TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER DID NOT FIND A SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. EVENTUALLY WHILE ON THE FREEWAY THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE WAS RACING TO OVER 65 MPH WITHOUT ACCELERATING AND THEN IT DIED. IT WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY NOISE CAPACITOR. THEY DID FIX THE PROBLEM BUT IT IS TWO YEARS LATER AND IT IS ALSO EXHIBITING THE SAME 'SURGING' ISSUES AGAIN. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER CAR I HAVE OWNED AND THIS CAN'T BE A NORMAL THING. THANK YOU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED TO THE SHOULDER TO BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PUSHED TO A GARAGE TO PARK IT. THE CONTACT REMOVED THE IGNITION TRANSFORMER CAPACITOR AND THE VEHICLE STARTED AGAIN. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER OR LOCAL MECHANIC. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

DASHBOARD AND RUNNING LIGHTS GOING OUT. REPLACED BLOWN FUSE AND THEN FUSE BLOWS AGAIN. OPENING AND CLOSING THE HATCHBACK THE LIGHTS CAME ON AND THEN OFF AGAIN AND THE REPLACED FUSE WAS BLOWN. LOCATED A BUNDLE OF WIRES WITHIN A RUBBER HOSE THAT RUNS FROM THE INTERIOR ROOF HEADLINE OUTER RIM OF THE VEHICLE ACROSS TO THE INTERIOR TOP OF THE HATCHBACK. WE PULLED DOWN THIS RUBBER PROTECTOR TO FIND TO OUR COMPLETE AMAZEMENT THAT THE BUNDLE OF WIRES THAT RUN TO THE HATCHBACK BRAKE LIGHT AND THE HATCHBACK WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS BROKEN AND BURNT. THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBLE LOOSE CONNECTION THAT JUST NEEDED TO BE SNAPPED BACK TOGETHER, BUT ONLY TO FIND A BUNDLE OF BROKEN AND BURNT WIRES WRAPPED TIGHTLY TOGETHER, PLUS THERE WAS NO BLACK WIRING TAPE AROUND THE WIRES FOR EXTRA PROTECTION. JUST THE WIRES TIGHTLY BOUND TOGETHER. LITTLE TO NONE FLEXIBILITY FOR THE BENDING OR MOVEMENT FOR THESE WIRES. THESE WIRES ARE LOCATED IN AN AREA WHERE THERE WOULD BE MOVEMENT DUE TO OPENING AND CLOSING THE HATCHBACK. CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE STATED THAT THE WIRE BUNDLE HAVE BEEN MADE SHORT IN SOME VEHICLES. OUR CONCERN:POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD AND STILL MAYBE UNTIL FIXED; CONCERN ARE FOR OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY OWN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE THAT MAY BE TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS (TO INCLUDE CHILDREN IN CAR SEATS) IN THE BACK SEAT (WHICH THERE IS NO BACK SIDE PASSENGER DOORS) THAT COULD HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME EXITING THIS VEHICLE SHOULD IT GO ON FIRE DUE TO THESE BUNDLE OF WIRES POSSIBLY CATCHING ON FIRE AND IGNITING THE INTERIOR ROOF HEADLINER OF THE VEHICLE. WE HAVE NOT TAKEN OUR VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP AS WE ARE WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. ADDITIONALLY, THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY A PORTION TO REPAIR (WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE A FAULTY DESIGN AND DEFECT) TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. PICTURES AVAILABLE. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##