Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING - COLUMN LOCKING - ANTI-THEFT DEVICE | |||||
| 16032 | 07/01/2002 | 636224 | Information on north american built vehicles which were not equipped with a perimeter / active anti-theft alarm system. *tt | 11/06/2002 | |
| 15402 | 07/01/2002 | 636196 | Subject regarding north american focus not equipped with active anti-theft alarm system. *tt | 11/06/2002 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 11/01/2012 | 30422 | ||
| This is our first year driving this focus in the snow, we bought it in 2011. we had a snow fall on 11/1/2012 and we took the car out for a drive. any speed above 35 mph and the rear of the car floats (wiggles) back and forth up to a foot. it is completely unstable on snow or ice. i did some research online, and ford apparently knows the problem,: defective rear upper control arms, since they did a silent recall on these in 2006. nhtsa should investigate this since there are many more focus's out there like ours, and ford should have to recall and replace the control arms on all of these units from 2000-2004. i have over 35 years of winter driving experience and i have never had a vehicle (even the old rear wheel drive models) behave so dangerously on snow and ice, even with all season tires on it. i contacted ford motor company and they said there is nothing they have to do since the car is out of warranty. here is an attached article i found on line. october 03, 2006 ford motor company told dealers that they may need to replace the rear upper control arms on ford focus models. the models include: 2000 through 2004 focus sedan, wagon, zx3 and zx5 series. ford will check the rear camber and, if possible, make an adjustment. if an adjustment to the vehicle's rear camber is necessary beyond the negative end of specification, then the dealership will need to source replacement rear upper control arm(s). this is considered a silent recall where upon ford may not notify owners of this condition. . | |||
| 03/28/2012 | 82356 | ||
| The front subframe is rusted through and has a hole about 8 wide. scary that this holds the vehicles steering system and the entire front of the vehicle together. how many people will need to get hurt? how many cars will fall apart before something is done? why recall the windstar and not the focus? | |||
| 06/13/2010 | 124000 | ||
| The ignition on my 2002 ford focus will not work and my understanding that this is happening to many people also. this issue will leave you stranded and unable to leave your current destination. in the event of an emergency it is unreliable. i work for a fire and rescue agency which requires me to make quick response and with this defect i cannot. imagine if a female is in a domestic issue and need to get away or is out shopping late and need to leave the area she is left vulnerable and alone with no way of leaving. this defect need to be addressed asap. i have researched this issue and found that after replacing the defected part you still will have the same issue because of poor design. your attention to this matter will be greatly appreciated. | |||
| 06/29/2009 | 70000 | 1 | |
| Driving and the car started to make noise when the wheels were turned. checked the power steering fluid and belt, and added more power steering fluid. the problem still continued. the power steering line was rubbing on the frame of the car, and rub open causing a leak in the line. this stopped the power steering from working. we took the line out, with a lot of effort, and time. then bought a new part for $55 and then had to put it in. although we have not got the part yet, but it seems as if putting it back in will not be easy. *tr | |||
| 04/11/2009 | 82333 | 1 | |
| The key will not turn in the ignition, with the steering wheel locking up. no amount of jiggling can fix it. so car is unable to start. (4 times in a row - final time, not started after hours of trying). *tr | |||
| 03/31/2009 | 60000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. while driving approximately 40 mph on normal road conditions, the steering wheel loosened without warning. the steering began to wander and failed to respond normally. immediately, the vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and inspected. the vehicle was driven cautiously to an authorized dealer and they tightened the adjustment screw and re-tightened the lock nuts on the steering wheel column. the manufacturer has been notified of the malfunctions. the vin was unavailable. the failure and current mileages were 60,000. | |||
| 01/17/2008 | 65000 | 1 | |
| It was 11 o'clock at night in freezing weather when i had gotten into my car that had been sitting all day.(which i had started with ease 13 hours before) the key would not turn in the ignition. i tried turn the key back and forth for an hour before my boyfriend's mom came to pick me up at 1:00 in the morning. if she wouldn't have been there for me i would have had to walk 10 miles in dangerous cold to get home, because i didn't have any money on me for a cab. i paid $450 to tow the car 4 miles to the closest dealership and replace the ignition cylinder. the part is under a one year warranty. since december 20, 2008, my ignition cylinder has not been working properly with my key. i insert the key and i have to wiggle the key to turn, insert, and remove it from the ignition. i will be visiting the dealership where i had it replaced last year this week. at least this time it showed signs of malfunction probability. this should be considered a safety issue. if someone is driving the car and it stalls on a railroad track (or any other hazardous location) and cannot restart or move the car because the ignition won't turn. there could be deadly consequences for the driver, passengers, and others close by. *tr | |||
| 08/12/2008 | 44586 | 1 | |
| My car has frequent problems with the steering column, ignition locking which became problematic when i stalled in traffic and nearly caused a multi car accident because i could not start the car. *tr | |||
| 05/14/2004 | 34000 | 1 | 09/01/2002 |
| Dt: the consumer stated while driving at 35 mph the vehicle began to vibrate. the steering wheel was hard to turn and the consumer lost control of the vehicle. the vehicle fish tailed across the road and struck a mail box. at some point during the skid or impact with the mail box, both rear wheels dislodged from the vehicle. additionally, the bolts holding the rear seat dismembered and the rear seat was ejected from the vehicle. one of the vehicle occupants died as a result of the accident and another was injured. a police report was taken at the scene. the vehicle was deemed a total loss. *jb | |||
| 12/09/2004 | 1 | ||
| The consumer was pulling inside of the garage to park the vehicle when he noticed the steering wheel would move in a circular motion, but the steering wheel failed to move the tires. the consumer contacted the dealer. the dealer informed the consumer that the warranty had expired. please fill in additional information. *jb | |||
| 03/17/2003 | 5 | 05/17/2002 | |
| Problems with 2002 ford focus steering and suspension.*mr *cb | |||
| 07/12/2004 | 62000 | 1 | 03/20/2002 |
| I had to make a sharp maneuver to avoid a car changing lanes. my car a 2002 ford focus zx5 went into wild oscillations across 3 lanes. back and forth. it took 3/4 of a mile to bring the car under control. this has never happened to any cat i ever drove before. it was only luck there was no accident. *la | |||
| 05/17/2003 | 4 | 05/17/2002 | |
| 2002 ford focus displaying steering problems. *mr approximately nine months after purchase, they began having problems with the steering system. the car has been serviced 4 times and problem the was still not fixed . if the vehicle was not corrected in 30 days the consumer was going to request that the vehicle be repurchased. *cb the rear gate did not open properly. *jb | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 0 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 10/15/2002 | 15002 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 01/15/2003 | 0 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 12/15/2002 | 0 | ||
| This problem just happened yesterday. my daughter was making a turn, and the cvc joint completely fell apart. she lost all steering causing her to hit a curb. we had the car towed to the dealer where we bought it only a month ago. they are refusing to fix the car saying that she was in an accident causing the joint to fall apart. this is not the case. we are not sure what to do, and need help. this is a terrible defect, and if she hadn't have been going slow, she could have been killed. is there anyone who can help us, as were not sure what steps to take to get the public attention about a possible killer. | |||
| 11/15/2002 | 0 | ||
| Involved in a crash friday where car seem to dive to the right and in to a parked car. driver has a good driving record and was not distracted while driving. | |||
| 11/15/2002 | 0 | ||
| Fuel pump was replaced twice from january to june sterring wheel and car shake while stopping and driving at 50 mph or above brakes have been checked 3 times finally had replaced and rotors, no change in performance | |||
| 11/15/2002 | 5000 | ||
| My 2002 ford focus started having problems after 5000 miles. it started with a noise coming from the front left wheel area. from there the steering seemed shakey at times at highway speeds. once, the car pulled to the left suddenly on the highway. the dealership has changed the transmission, front bearing, and knuckle, on the car in the past two months. the car is still not fixed. the most noticeable problem is the howling grinding noise coming from the front left wheel. it can be heard mostly around 50 to 60 mph. it is still unknown what is wrong with the car. | |||
| 7000 | 1 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 04/26/2003 | 1 | ||
| While driving the steering wheel vibrated heavily. *nlm | |||
| 01/28/2003 | |||
| While driving at any speed and without warning the steering wheel locked up causing a accident. dealer notified. ts | |||
| 11/10/2002 | |||
| Consumer stated that when making a turn the steering wheel would lock up causing a distraction to the consumer. dealer notified. ts | |||
| 05/01/2002 | 1 | 03/08/2002 | |
| At 60 mph consumer turned steering wheel, no response, vehicle hit a concrete wall head on. passenger suffered knee and chest injuries. the vehicle was totaled.*ak | |||
| 05/01/2002 | 1 | 03/08/2002 | |
| The vehicle experienced loss of steering ability, as a result the vehicle hit a concrete jersey wall head on at 60 mph, neither airbag deployed, passenger suffered knee and chest injuries, the vehicle was totaled. * mj | |||
| STEERING - COLUMN | |||
| 05/04/2004 | 106500 | 5 | 12/14/2001 |
| Steering wheel locked and it was difficult to unlock it on five different occasions. dealer refused to examine the vehicle, but instead quoted prices to the consumer. *ak *nm | |||
| STEERING - COLUMN LOCKING - ANTI-THEFT DEVICE | |||
| 01/03/2008 | 1 | ||
| I could not but the key in the ignition and the steering column is locked up. it seems like it is stuck in the start position. so now i have to get the car towed. *cn | |||
| 10/12/2007 | 74500 | 2 | 05/12/2004 |
| Have a 2002 ford focus that has had the steering wheel locked up again. last time i was able to turn the wheel hard enough to get the key to turn and start the car. this time no such luck. right now it's sitting in the parking garage at work. guess i'll have to call sam packs ford to come fix $$$$$. *jb | |||
| 10/15/2004 | 55000 | 1 | 08/15/2003 |
| Locking device locked up on the streering column for the second time it was necessary to tow the car and damage occured because towing co towed incorrectly.parts were replaced and techs in the vehicle shop say this is a problem that occurs frequently . *ak | |||
| 11/13/2003 | 38000 | 1 | |
| The ignition lock cylinder locked up, making it impossible to start the car.the ignition key will not turn the lock.if the car is towed in it creates a problem in that the car stays in park and if towed incorrectly will damage the transmission.ford motor views this as natural wear and tear. *ak | |||
| 10/26/2004 | 1 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 10/24/2004 | 1 | 03/01/2003 | |
| When i put the key in the ignition, it would not turn. the steering wheel locked and the ignition switch froze. i had to have it repaired for $300. apparently the locksmith is making a fortune off the ford focus with this problem. *ak | |||
| 09/30/2004 | 47700 | 1 | 06/25/2002 |
| 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 | |||
| 06/17/2004 | 1 | ||
| When turning the steering wheel towards the right steering wheel locked up, causing consumer to lose control of the vehicle. *ak | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||
| 08/09/2002 | 9600 | 1 | 06/01/2002 |
| Steering wheel lost control while driving at normal speed. as result, lower and upper ball joints and brake were damaged. dealer notified. *ak updated 1/11/2006. there was popping and clicking in the steering wheel while turning. this caused the consumer to lose control and hit a curb. the impact resulted in a blown tire. *nm | |||
| 06/01/2002 | 03/01/2002 | ||
| Fingers bent and twisted index and middle fingers are bent and twisted towards the baby fingers of both hands. shoulder pain is present and wrist and elbow. thumbs are bent away from the hands. information submitted by mike tomich on behalf of mrs. green 989-665-2311. dt | |||
| 07/07/2002 | 05/01/2002 | ||
| Travelling interstate at 60 mph, went around turn in highway, steering did not respond, hit left front on guardrail and slid along the guardrail for about 100 ft, car totalled. *ak | |||
| 05/14/2002 | |||
| While driving 65-70 mph consumer heard a pop from right front of vehicle, consumer lost control, and vehicle rolled over. consumer suffered broken ribs, and vehicle was totalled. *aki | |||
| 05/01/2002 | 1 | 11/10/2001 | |
| The original firestone tires (205/50r16) wear out prematurely. the vehicle becomes unsteady on bumpy, wet or snow covered roads, causing the driver to lose control. the rear tires vibrate and chatter when driving on wind roads and on open roads at highway speeds, also the rear tires were showing irregular and premature wear. the manufacturer representatives stated that improper factory alignment specification were the cause of the problems. auto door locks malfunctions. the rear hatch door was misaligned and would not close properly, the rear window washer would not spray properly and the rear window washer nozzle failed, there was an odor coming from heating or a/c system, the power steering line was leaking. the transmission was difficult to shift into 2nd gear and reverse when it was cold, the child restraint brackets was putting dents in the rear seat *yh | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES - KNUCKLE - SPINDLE - ARM | |||
| 11/18/2005 | 40500 | 1 | 07/16/2003 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving at highway speed the left rear wheel bearings came loose. the vehicle physically felt as though there was a flat tire. the contact pulled over and parked the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop. the independent repair shop personnel replaced the rear spindle assembly, the left rear wheel bearings, as well as the hub and drum of the suspension. *nm the contact's mechanic called ford beforehe did work on vehicle. it was a metal to metal sound. this could have easily been deadly. however, contact was in right slow lane an dwas able to pull off the highway. *ak | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES - TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | |||
| 03/16/2007 | 1 | 10/31/2002 | |
| Tl*- the contact stated that the 2002 ford focus was iinvolved in a crash on 03/2006, which had the passenger front strut previously repaired. the vehicle now had a noise coming from the front of the vehicle. the contact replaced all tire. he took the vehicle to the dealership, and they informed him that the tie rod had backed itself out of its position. the dealership stated that they could not understand what caused the tire rod to slip. he did have the stabilizing link repaired after the crash. *ak | |||
| 08/05/2006 | 47000 | 10 | 07/17/2005 |
| My 2002 ford focus se wagon has had innumerable problems. firstly..melting battery cables due to poor and faulty wiring that could have caused an explosion of the battery had i not had to pay to get it fixed along with purchase of two new batteries thanks to the melting battery cables causing a short in the system. it subsequently killed the alternator which had to be replaced. it also subsequently killed the thermostat and the solenoid switch which caused overheating and dying problems with the car while driving. most recently the passenger side wheel bearing went out and was causing driving problems unable to control car. now more recently, it had to have a faulty tie rod placed which nearly caused me to have an accident. and as of last friday, its back in the shop again this time for engine stalling at 65 miles per hour which nearly caused yet another accident because i was passing another car and mine suddenly began vibrating so bad and then lost power and i had to struggle my way to the median. this car is dangerous and ford refuses to do nothing about it. i have paid out nearly 2000.00 on all these problems which were similar to issues already recalled and yes i am mad. i have called ford and complained but to no avail. *jb | |||
| 01/01/2006 | 26000 | 1 | 01/03/2002 |
| Dt*: the contact stated after driving on bumpy road conditions a clanking noise was coming from the front suspension. the contact inspected the vehicle, and determined the sway bar link wore out, and the tie rod ends cracked. the contact replaced the sway bar link and front tie rod ends. the vehicle was not seen by a dealer. *ak updated 2/7/2006 - *nm | |||
| 06/23/2005 | 5 | 1 | 12/24/2004 |
| Tie rod bolt fractured caused the collapse of the front steering assembly of the driver's side in a 2002 ford focus as described in odi ea02-023. | |||
| 12/14/2002 | 16000 | 1 | 07/04/2002 |
| Front suspinsion bad | |||
| 06/03/2002 | 1 | ||
| Consumer states while driving heard a loud squealing noise, consumer then discovered that the tie rod broke off.*jb | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION | |||
| 07/24/2002 | 2 | 02/01/2002 | |
| Rack and pinion failed twice within 24 hours-once for the owner and once for the dealer after replacing the original.*jb | |||
| 07/24/2002 | |||
| While backing up consumer heard a loud noise from front end, then, lost steering ability. vehicle was towed to dealer, it was determined that rack and pinion had broken.*ak | |||
| STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR | |||
| 04/29/2007 | 38200 | ||
| My 2002 ford focus wagon needed brakes because the front end would shake when i applied brakes. also noticed a whirling noise from the back off car but did not mention that to my mechanic. he took it for a test drive and asked if i noticed the whirling noise too. he said he was concerned and checked that 1st. my right rear tire was frozen and not turning, that's where the noise was coming from. it had to be cut off in order to be replaced. he told me that the wheel could have broke off while driving and could have killed me, i had that repaired, along with front end brakes and replaced warped rotors. then just 2 days later backed out of my driveway and broke a front right coil spring. a year later replaced the alternator. and last week just had to pay for a rebuilt transmission, because would not shift properly, upon observation the transmission had metal chips in transmission fluid and needed to be replaced. i cant believe no recall on this car! | |||
| 01/01/2003 | 6000 | 1 | 09/28/2002 |
| I purchased this vehicle new, took delivery 9/28/02. a few months later, i noticed the material covering the steering wheel had developed some rough spots in the surface. i could not remember doing anything that would have scraped or roughened the surface. the material covering the steering wheel has continued to crumble off until now, large chunks are missing off about 6 of it, with the metal of the underlying steering wheel showing in a couple of spots. another several inches are starting to disinigrate. the wheel does not rub against me while i am driving, but is occurring along the lower 1/3 of the wheel. today, 7/16/03, i took it into the dealership to be replaced under warranty. they eventually agreed to do so, but not before the service technician tried to intimidate me out of replacing it by insisting that i had damaged it myself. i had to argue with both the technician and the service manager before they agreed to replace the wheel under warranty. this is a safety issue, for had they been successful in intimidating me, or other owners with the same problem, a faulty steering wheel unsafe to hold is what the owner would have been left with. i have filed this complaint for statistical purposes and for public information purposes.*ak | |||
| 09/30/2002 | 2 | 05/01/2002 | |
| When applying the brakes in a sudden stop. the steering column locked up so no evasive action to avoid the car in front could be taken. (the ability to steer the vehicle was lost) dt | |||
| 08/19/2002 | |||
| Consumer called completing about a really bad vibration on the steering wheel everytime he apply's the brake pedal he also stated that the vehicle has stall on different occasion while he was driving on the street. dealer has been contacted and stated that the vehicle had problems with rotors but later nothing was found. ts | |||