2009 Ford Focus

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A STRONG BURNING ODOR INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE SPEED WAS REDUCED AND THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE COMPLETELY DEFLATED. THERE WAS NO FLAMES PRESENT. THE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE TIRE WITH A SPARE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER THREE TIMES FOR THE SIMILAR. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE DEFECT WAS RELATED TO FAULTY SUSPENSION. THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WHICH CONSISTED OF REPLACING THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM, FRONT RACK AND PINION. IN ADDITION, A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND CAMBER KIT INSTALLATION WAS PERFORMED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER THE REPAIRS. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF SIX SET OF TIRES REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I HAVE CHANGED TIRES ON THIS CAR 3 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT IT APRIL 5, 2010. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN TO OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME THE LAST TIME I PUT TIRES ON THE CAR THAT THE FOCUS CARS HAVE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. I ASKED HOW THEY COULD FIX IT AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE THE REAR CONTROL ARMS AND REPLACE THEM, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T ADJUST THE ARMS TO ALIGN THE CAR PROPERLY AND IT WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM IF WE DON'T CHANGE THE CONTROL ARMS ON THE CAR, THE COST OF REPAIR QUOTED WAS $600.00. AFTER PUTTING $600.00 WORTH OF TIRES ON I COULDN'T AFFORD TO HAVE THE CONTROL ARMS CHANGED. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A MANUFACTURES PROBLEM. *TR

TOOK MY 2009 FORD FOCUS TO DEALER FOR OIL CHANGE; TOLD DEALER I HAD LUMPY LEFT REAR TIRE; WAS TOLD I DIDN'T ROTATE MY TIRES; ASKED HOW OFTEN I SHOULD ROTATE; DEALER SAID WHENEVER OIL CHANGED; DEALER COST WAS $25 FOR TIRE ROTATION; I DID IT MYSELF; NEXT DAY PUT CAR UP ON HOIST, ROTATED THE TIRES, AND DROVE; FRONT END SHOOK AND WAS UNCONTROLLABLE; WENT BACK TO SHOP AND PUT TIRES BACK AS THEY WERE; VIBRATION WAS MINOR IN LEFT REAR CORNER; AT 12000 MILES TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR OIL CHANGE; WAS TOLD I NEEDED TIRE ROTATION; TOLD THEM I TRIED @ 6000 MILES AND FRONT OF CAR SHOOK SO HAD TO PUT TIRES BACK WHERE THEY WERE; DEALER SAID TOO MUCH IN CAR AND WAS THROWING ALIGNMENT OFF; THAT NEEDED TO BUY NEW TIRES & WOULD TAKE CARE OF SHAKING IN BACK; SINCE PURCHASE, CAR WAS NEW I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH WHITE KNUCKLES AT A VERY SLOW SPEED IF THE ROAD IS WET OR HAS SNOW ON THE ROAD . AFTER 1/4" OF DRY POWDERY SNOW THE CAR IS ALL OVER THE ROAD AND CAN'T DRIVE OVER 25MPH WITHOUT THE BACK OF THE CAR SWAYING BACK AND FORTH. I HAVE NEVER DROVE ANY CAR IN MY LIFE I AM SO AFRAID TO DRIVE IN ANY AMOUNT OF SNOW OR RAIN. AT 20000 MILES I HAD TO PUT ON 4 NEW TIRES . THE SALESMAN TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE EXCELLENT ON SNOW AND RAIN . I TOOK OFF FOR HOME AND THEY WERE THE SAME. AT 30000 MILES I COMPLAINED AGAIN AND THEY SAID I NEEDED TO ROTATE THE TIRES MORE OFTEN BECAUSE THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS CUPPING. AT 40000 I BOUGHT 2 TIRES AND PUT THE FRONT TIRES ON THE REAR AND THREW THE LEFT REAR TIRE AWAY. I TOOK TO DEALER AND INSISTED IT CHECK ALIGNMENT WITH WHATEVER WAS IN THE CAR; TECHNICIAN CHECKED & SAID LEFT REAR CONTROL ARM MUST HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY HITTING CURB WHICH WAS NOT TRUE; TOLD NEEDED TO SPEND $530 TO CORRECT (WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT); COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM WHEN UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

MY 2009 FORD FOCUS HAS HAD OBVIOUS SUSPENSION ISSUES SINCE 6000 MILES. REAR TIRES ALWAYS SLIP IN WET CONDITIONS FROM A STOPPED POSITION DURING A NORMAL INITIAL ACCELERATION. FURTHERMORE AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN (>) 60 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES AND THE CAR SHAKES. I AM A FAIRLY GOOD DRIVER AND IN COUNTLESS "NORMAL" DRIVING CONDITIONS MY CAR HAS GOTTEN INTO AN "OUT OF CONTROL STATE" LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO RECOVER. I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO A FORD DEALERSHIP TO BE TOLD THE TIRES WERE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I REPLACED TIRES, HAD AN ALIGNMENT PERFORMED AND AGAIN IN SHORT ORDER (LESS THAN 6000 MILES DRIVEN) THE ISSUES CAME UP AGAIN. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE. FIRST OF ALL THE NEED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT YOUR BACK TIRES AND REAR OF VEHICLE SLIDING/SHIFTING SIDE TO SIDE IS ESSENTIAL. FURTHERMORE, A CAR SHOULD NOT VIBRATE AND RATTLE VIOLENTLY AT SPEEDS OF ONLY 55 MPH. I FEAR THAT IF I CONTINUE DRIVING THIS CAR IN IT'S CURRENT STATE, I RUN THE RISK OF GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. *TR

CAR PURCHASED NEW FROM OUT OF AREA DEALER IN DECEMBER 2008 - NO ACCIDENTS OR POTHOLE CONTACT. AT 10090 MILES, HAD RIGHT REAR TIRE BLOWOUT, TIRE WAS REPLACED. SIX MONTHS LATER, REPLACED BOTH REAR TIRES DUE TO UNEVEN WEAR, COMPETED ALIGNMENT AT QUALITY PROVIDER WITH NO PROBLEMS NOTED. DID NOT USE DEALER FOR THE ALIGNMENT BECAUSE OF LOCAL DEALER'S POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND INTEGRITY REPUTATION. DECEMBER 2010, NOTICED SAME PROBLEM - SEVERE DIAGONAL CUPPING OF REAR TIRES. THIS TIME WE TOOK TO DIFFERENT TIRE PLACE AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT DO 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT DUE TO A REAR SUSPENSION COMPONANT ISSUE. IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER WHERE PURCHASED, GOT EXCELLENT SERVICE HOWEVER, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT ALLIGN EITHER, PROBABLY BECAUSE WE RAN SOMETHING OVER, WHICH WE KNEW WE DID NOT. WE WERE NOT SATISFIED SO THEY KEPT THE CAR CLOSE TO A WEEK FOR TESTING, MEASURING, CALIBRATION ETC. THEY FINALLY SAID UPPER REAR CONTROL ARMS WERE WRONG SIZE (I THINK THEY SAID TOO SHORT), WHICH THEY REPLACED AT NO CHARGE FOR THE PARTS, AND SAID THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THE ALIGNMENT, WHICH COST $240. NOW SEPTEMBER 2011, 41000 MILES, AND AGAIN THERE IS SEVERE DIAGONAL CUPPING OF THE REAR TIRES, WHICH HAVE TO BE REPLACED. WE WILL TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER PURCHASED FROM AND UPDATE THIS COMPLAINT LATER. *TT

CAR PURCHASED NEW FROM OUT OF AREA DEALER IN DECEMBER 2008 - NO ACCIDENTS OR POTHOLE CONTACT. AT 10090 MILES IN AUGUST 2009, HAD RIGHT REAR TIRE BLOWOUT, TIRE WAS REPLACED. SIX MONTHS LATER, REPLACED BOTH REAR TIRES DUE TO UNEVEN WEAR, COMPETED ALIGNMENT AT QUALITY PROVIDER WITH NO PROBLEMSIDENTIFIED. DID NOT USE DEALER FOR THE ALIGNMENT BECAUSE OF LOCAL DEALER'S POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND INTEGRITY REPUTATION. DECEMBER 2010, NOTICED SAME PROBLEM - SEVERE DIAGONAL CUPPING OF REAR TIRES. THIS TIME WE TOOK TO DIFFERENT TIRE PLACE AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT DO 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT DUE TO A REAR SUSPENSION COMPONANT ISSUE. IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER WHERE PURCHASED, GOT EXCELLENT SERVICE HOWEVER, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT ALLIGN EITHER, PROBABLY BECAUSE WE RAN SOMETHING OVER, WHICH WE KNEW WE DID NOT. WE WERE NOT SATISFIED SO THEY KEPT THE CAR CLOSE TO A WEEK FOR TESTING, MEASURING, CALIBRATION ETC. THEY FINALLY SAID UPPER REAR CONTROL ARMS WERE WRONG SIZE (I THINK THEY SAID TOO SHORT), WHICH THEY REPLACED AT NO CHARGE FOR THE PARTS, AND SAID THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THE ALIGNMENT, WHICH COST $240. NOW SEPTEMBER 2011, 41000 MILES, AND AGAIN THERE IS SEVERE DIAGONAL CUPPING OF THE REAR TIRES, WHICH HAVE TO BE REPLACED. WE WILL TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER PURCHASED FROM AND UPDATE THIS COMPLAINT LATER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT

CAR PURCHASED NEW FROM OUT OF AREA DEALER IN DECEMBER 2008 - NO ACCIDENTS OR POTHOLE CONTACT. AT 10090 MILES, HAD RIGHT REAR TIRE BLOWOUT, TIRE WAS REPLACED. SIX MONTHS LATER, REPLACED BOTH REAR TIRES DUE TO UNEVEN WEAR, COMPETED ALIGNMENT AT QUALITY PROVIDER WITH NO PROBLEMS NOTED. DID NOT USE DEALER FOR THE ALIGNMENT BECAUSE OF LOCAL ( DEALER'S POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND INTEGRITY REPUTATION. DECEMBER 2010, NOTICED SAME PROBLEM - SEVERE DIAGONAL CUPPING OF REAR TIRES. THIS TIME WE TOOK TO DIFFERENT TIRE PLACE AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT DO 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT DUE TO A REAR SUSPENSION COMPONANT ISSUE. IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER WHERE PURCHASED, GOT EXCELLENT SERVICE HOWEVER, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT ALLIGN EITHER, PROBABLY BECAUSE WE RAN SOMETHING OVER, WHICH WE KNEW WE DID NOT. WE WERE NOT SATISFIED SO THEY KEPT THE CAR CLOSE TO A WEEK FOR TESTING, MEASURING, CALIBRATION ETC. THEY FINALLY SAID UPPER REAR CONTROL ARMS WERE WRONG SIZE (I THINK THEY SAID TOO SHORT), WHICH THEY REPLACED AT NO CHARGE FOR THE PARTS, AND SAID THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THE ALIGNMENT, WHICH COST $240. NOW SEPTEMBER 2011, 41000 MILES, AND AGAIN THERE IS SEVERE DIAGONAL CUPPING OF THE REAR TIRES, WHICH HAVE TO BE REPLACED. WE WILL TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER PURCHASED FROM AND UPDATE THIS COMPLAINT LATER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT

VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED WITH 34,000 MI. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO LOCAL DEALER FOR RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE AT 41,050 MI. AND A COMPLAINT OF WHEEL VIBRATION. DEALER INSPECTED AND FOUND SEVERE CUPPING ON INSIDE OF LEFT REAR TIRE AND RECOMMENDED 2 NEW TIRES AND 4 POINT ALIGNMENT. WE HAD 2 REAR TIRES REPLACED AND 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT BY LOCAL TIRE DEALER. FRONT TOE-IN WAS CORRECTED. THE VIBRATION CONTINUED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TWO FRONT TIRES WERE REPLACED ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER. WE NOW HAVE 4 NEW TIRES AND THE SAME VIBRATION. THE VIBRATION FEELS LIKE A TIRE IS OUT OF BALANCE. *TR