NHTSA complaint: 2000 FORD FOCUS — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2000 FORD FOCUS WAGON THAT I PURCHASED IN NOV OF 2003 BURNED IN MY WORK PARKING LOT WITH ONLY 30,000 MILES ON IT WITH NO WARNING, NO SUSPICIOUS NOISES OR PROBLEMS. I DROVE TO WORK, PARKED IN THE LOT, WALKED IN, AND AS SOON AS I LOGGED ON TO MY COMPUTER SECURITY WAS CALLING TO INFORM ME THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE CAR BURNED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE FRONT PASSENGER AREA COMPLETELY WITHIN 15 MINUTES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT IT STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SECURITY SAID FROM THEIR VIDEO THAT IT ALSO SHOWED TO HAVE STARTED IN THE ENGINE. THE FLAMES SHOT UP OVER 10 FEET WITHIN MINUTES OF THE FIRE BEING NOTICED. WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED I REFUSED TO BUY IT WITHOUT A WARRANTY SO THE DEALERSHIP GAVE US A 12 MONTH OR 12,000 MILE WARRANTY (AND WE PURCHASED THE EXTENDED) BUT NOW THEY ARE SAYING THEY HAVE NO RECORD OF ANYTHING BUT THE EASYCARE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WE PURCHASED. WE FIND THIS STRANGE SINCE WE HAVE HAD 2 "WARRANTY" REPAIRS AT NO CHARGE SINCE THE PURCHASE AND THERE WAS NEVER ANY QUESTION BEFORE. THE INSURANCE COMPNAY HAS ASKED THAT WE GO TALK TO THE DEALERSHIP THIS EVENING ONE MORE TIME TO TRY TO STRAIGHTEN THIS OUT BEFORE THEY PAY IT AND WE LOOSE MONEY AS WELL AS HAVING OUR PREMIUMS GO UP. ONE OF MY OTHER BIG CONCERNS IS THAT OUR OTHER VEHICLE IS ALSO A FORD AND IT HAS DEPRECIATED BY SOME 10,000 DOLLARS SINCE WE PURCHASED IT IN JUNE OF 03 NEW SO WE CANNOT TRADE IT IN ANYWHERE OR SELL IT WITHOUT BEING SO UPSIDE DOWN AS TO HURT OURSELVES.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation