2006 Ford Focus Electrical System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. IN ADDITION, THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR WOULD ENGAGE WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE. AS OF FEBRUARY 14, 2008, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 430,000.

I PURCHASED A 2006 FORD FOCUS ON 12/3/05, IT HAD 4 MILES ON IT WHEN I DROVE OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP. ON THURSDAY MAY 3, 2006, IT CAUGHT FIRE IN MY CARPORT. THE MILEAGE IS BETWEEN 2,000-3,000 MILES, I BELIEVE. I ARRIVED HOME FROM A MEETING AT A LOCAL BANK, HAVING DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES. I PARKED THE CAR IN THE CARPORT, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND ENTERED THE HOUSE. I DID NOT NOTICE ANY STRANGE NOISES OR ODORS. MY HUSBAND ARRIVED HOME ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES LATER. HE BEGAN TOOTING THE HORN ON HIS VEHICLE TO GET MY ATTENTION. WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR, HE YELLED "GET YOUR KEYS." I COULD SEE FLAMES UNDER MY CAR AND SMOKE SEEPING OUT THE SIDES OF THE HOOD. I THREW HIM THE KEYS AND RAN FOR THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. HE ENTERED MY FOCUS GOT THE ENGINE STARTED AND BACKED THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE CARPORT AND AWAY FROM THE HOUSE. AS HE BACKED UP THE VEHICLE, FLAMING PARTS BEGAN FALLING OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR ONTO THE CONCRETE FLOOR. HE GOT THE CAR BACKED UP ABOUT 10 FEET AND THE ENGINE QUIT AND WOULD NOT RESTART. HE EXITED THE CAR AND TRIED TO OPEN THE HOOD. THE HOOD WAS VERY HOT TO THE TOUCH BUT HE GOT IT OPENED. THE FLAMES WERE ABOUT A FOOT HIGH AT THE BACK OF THE ENGINE AREA ON THE LEFT SIDE. WE WERE ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES WITH THE EXTINGUISHER. WE THEN EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES ON THE PIECES THAT WERE LYING ON THE CARPORT FLOOR. BOTH CONTINUED TO SMOKE FOR SOME TIME BUT THE FIRE DID NOT RE-IGNITE. WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARED AND WE FELT IT SAFE TO APPROACH THE VEHICLE, WE COULD SEE THE CHARRED REMAINS AND MELTED PARTS. IN RETROSPECT I REMEMBER ON TWO OCCASIONS SEEING THE BATTERY ICON LIGHTED ON THE DASH WHILE A SAT OUTSIDE MY OFFICE WAITING FOR THE BANK TO OPEN WITH THE CAR IDLING AND THE RADIO ON. BOTH TIMES I REVVED THE ENGINE AND THE LIGHT WENT OUT. *NM

ON FRIDAY THE IGNITION ON MY CAR DID NOT IMMEDIATELY TURN. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT AT THE TIME. SATURDAY AFTERNOON IT REFUSED TO TURN AT ALL. THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER. IT FIT AND WAS REMOVABLE BUT JUST WOULDN'T TURN. THE CAR WOULD NOT THEREFORE, START. I WAS LEFT STRANDED IN A PUBLIC PLACE PREGNANT WITH MY 3 YEAR OLD CHILD FOR SO LONG DRUG DEALERS STARTED SHOWING UP. I HAD TO PAY FOR A TOW TRUCK WHEN IT FINALLY ARRIVED. THIS IS IN A 2003 FORD FOCUS ZTW WAGON. IT IS 3 YEARS OLD WITH 50,000 MILES ON IT. I SPENT ALL DAY TUESDAY ON THE PHONE SPEAKING WITH VARIOUS LEVELS OF MECHANICS AND MANAGEMENT. THEY ALL AGREED THAT FORD IS NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT. ONE OPERATOR DID NOT EVEN RECORD MY PHONE CALL. FORD IS RECALLING DIFFERENT MODEL VEHICLES FOR IGNITION CYLINDER PROBLEMS. THEY HAVE NOT SET UP ANY PUBLIC REIMBURSEMENT OR REPAIR FOR THIS SPECIFIC YEAR AND MODEL VEHICLE. I HAD TO PAY A PRIVATE LOCKSMITH TO COME TO MY HOUSE AND BUILD A NEW CYLINDER AROUND MY KEY BECAUSE I COULD NOT AFFORD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED AGAIN AND PAY THE EXORBANT DEALER PRICE. I WAS WITHOUT MY VEHICLE FOR SATURDAY, SUNDAY, MONDAY AND THE TUESDAY SURROUNDING LABOR DAY WEEKEND. THE PRIVATE LOCKSMITH REPAIRED IT WEDNESDAY IN A TIMELY MANNER. I HAVE NOT BEEN OFFERED TOWING REIMBURSEMENT, A RENTAL VEHICLE, A REPAIR REIMBURSEMENT OR AN APOLOGY. THE OLD PART (WHAT WAS LEFT AFTER DRILLING IT OUT PER FORD INSTRUCTIONS) WAS NOT SAVED. *NM

ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS MY CAR, WITHOUT FOREWARNING, CUT OFF WHILE IN MOTION AND AT VARIOUS RATES OF SPEED. THE CAR IS NOW BEING SERVICED FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR THE THIRD TIME IN THE TWO MONTHS THAT I HAVE HAD IT. THE CAR ALSO HAS A PROBLEM WITH NOT STARTING, FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *JB