2009 DEMO CAR Consumer Complaints Now Loaded

CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10229898

Component: EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:JACKS

Details: TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A SPARE TIRE, JACK, AND/OR LUG WRENCH AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLES DO NOT COME WITH SPARE TIRES, JACKS OR LUG WRENCHES. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE A JACK, SPARE TIRE, AND WRENCH, BUT THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT DESIGN A SPARE TIRE OR JACK FOR THE TWO DOOR FORD FOCUS. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104. UPDATED 07/07/08. *LJ UPDATED

Occurrences: 1	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 06/03/2008	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 6/4/2008 [FILE] your own complaint on this model car.

CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10259459

Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Details: TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION, BUT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY A SOLUTION. CURRENTLY, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 15,000.

Occurrences: 1	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 01/31/2009	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 2/20/2009 [FILE] your own complaint on this model car.

CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10242994

Component: STEERING

Details: SINCE I PURCHASED MY 2008 FORD FOCUS SES ON APRIL 30 2008 I HAVE FELT THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ALIGNMENT OR STEERING. WHEN LETTING GO OF THE WHEEL IT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WILL HEAD FOR THE DITCH. AT 300 MILES I REQUESTED A WARRANTY ALIGNMENT, DEALER SAID THEY WOULD NOT DO ONE UNTIL AT LEAST 500 OR 1,000 MILES. AT 1,200 MILES I REQUESTED THE SAME AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULDN'T DO ONE UNTIL AT LEAST 5,000 MILES, REASONING WAS THAT THE SUSPENSION NEEDED TO LOOSEN UP DUE TO BEING TIED DOWN IN SHIPPING. CALLED CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY INFORMED ME THERE WAS NO MILEAGE LIMIT. INFORMED DEALER AND THEY DID AN ALIGNMENT AND DID FIND IT WAS OFF. DROVE THE CAR AND STILL FEEL SOMETHING IS OFF. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IS THE WAY THE CAR IS, I TOLD THEM IF THAT IS THE WAY THE CAR IS IT IS THE WORSE CAR I'VE DRIVEN NEEDING TO ADJUST THE WHEEL CONSTANTLY TO DRIVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE IN 32 YEARS OF DRIVING. I DROVE ONE ON THE LOT THAT WAS NOT AS BAD AS MINE BUT STILL IT WOULD DRIFT ON A STRAIGHT ROAD AFTER LETTING GO OF THE WHEEL IN A VERY SHORT DISTANCE. TIRED OF FIGHTING WITH THE DEALER BUT STILL NOT LIKING THE WAY I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY ADJUST MY STEERING WHEEL TO DRIVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE. AT 7,800 MILES I HAD MY 7,500 MILE MAINTENANCE DONE. NOW THE CAR WILL DRIFT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY TO LEFT AND AT TIMES FEEL LIKE IT IS WOBBLING LEFT AND RIGHT. I HAVE MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A DIFFERENT DEALER TO SEE IF THEY CAN FIND WHAT IS WRONG. IF NOT I WILL GET RID OF THE CAR BECAUSE I FEEL IT IS DANGEROUS AND WILL BE EVEN MORE SO WHEN THE SNOW STARTS TO FLY. *TR

Occurrences: 1	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 05/01/2008	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 9/20/2008 [FILE] your own complaint on this model car.

CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10284788

Component: STRUCTURE:BODY

Details: CONCERNING A '08 FOCUS, 4 DOOR SE. CAR IS APPROXIMATELY 18MONTHS OLD AND HAS COVERED 38,000 APPROX.. REAR PASSENGER DOOR FAILED TO OPEN. WHEN USING POWER LOCKS, THE DOOR BUTTON WOULD FAIL TO MOVE. ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS (LUCKY) THE DOOR COULD BE OPENED. THEN THE SAME HAPPENED TO THE OTHER REAR DOOR. SO NOW BOTH REAR DOORS WERE INOPERABLE. CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL MONTANA FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS EXPLAINED. CAR WAS KEPT IN SHOP FOR FOUR DAYS WHILST BITS WERE ORDERED, AND PROBLEM RECTIFIED. WAS CHARGED $100 AND TOLD THIS WASN'T COVERED BY THE WARRANTY (ALTHOUGH A RENTAL CAR WAS PROVIDED FOR THIS PERIOD). IN HINDSIGHT I SHOULD HAVE CHECKED BOTH DOORS, AS LATER I FOUND OUT THAT THE OTHER DOOR HADN'T BEEN FIXED. CAR NOW HAS TO GO INTO SHOP FOR FURTHER RECTIFICATION. I REALIZE THAT IN '05 FORD RECALLED APPROX 359,000 01-02 FOCUS FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH OTHER DOOR LATCHES ON VARIOUS VEHICLES. FOR THIS TO HAPPEN ON A 08 FOCUS, WHICH HAS BEEN DRIVEN CAREFULLY BY ONE OWNER, FAIL TO SEE HOW THE FORD DEALER CAN SAY IT'S NOT A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT? ARE THEY WORRIED THAT IT'LL COST MORE FOR A RECALL THAN ANY LAWSUITS? *TR

Occurrences: 1	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 08/08/2009	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 9/21/2009 [FILE] your own complaint on this model car.

CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10281600

Component: TIRES

Details: ON 4/9/09 I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND I NOTICED SLIGHT VIBRATION COMING FROM THE LEFT REAR PIRELLI P6 TIRE ON MY 2008 FORD FOCUS. I CHECKED THE TIRE AND DID NOT NOTICE ANY VISIBLE SIGN OF DAMAGE. ON THE WAY HOME THE VIBRATION GOT MORE SEVERE. ON ARRIVING HOME I CHECKED THE TIRE AND FOUND ONE SPOT THAT WAS COMPLETELY BALD. FROM WHEN I CHECKED THE TIRE AT WORK TO WHEN I ARRIVED AT HOME I HAD DRIVEN A TOTAL OF LESS THAN 90 MILES FOR THE TIRE TO GO COMPLETELY BALD IN THAT SPOT. BOTH PIRELLI AND 2 FORD DEALERS CLAIM THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRE, THAT THE DAMAGE WAS DUE TO A IMPROPER USE OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, IMPROPER ALIGNMENT OF THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE, THE TIRE NOT BEING BALANCED OR FAILURE TO ROTATE THE TIRES. I HAD THE TIRES REPLACED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC. *TR

Occurrences: 1	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 04/09/2009	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 8/24/2009 [FILE] your own complaint on this model car.

CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10260807

Component: TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

Details: TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM FAILED TO WARN OF LOW PRESSURE IN RIGHT REAR TIRE CAUSING THE TIRE TO FAIL, RESULTING IN INABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE AUTO HAS NO SPARE, ONLY AN INFLATION SYSTEM, WHICH DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. *TR

Occurrences: 1	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 03/02/2009	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 3/5/2009 [FILE] your own complaint on this model car.

CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10223217

Component: VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

Details: FAULTY WINDSHIELD ON 2008 FORD FOCUS SES 4DR SEDAN BLURRY AT BOTTOM OF WINDSHIELD SERVICE MGR SAID NOTHING CAN BE DONE TILL FORD RECALLS CONDENSATION INSIDE THE WINDSHIELD TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO CORRECT THEY REPLACED WINDSHIELD WATER LEAKING IN ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDES NOT SEALED CORRECTLY. *TR

Occurrences: 1	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 12/30/2007	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 4/3/2008 [FILE] your own complaint on this model car.