Both back door mechanisms failed due to what looked to be corrosion ultimately causing the door to fly open while driving - my eight year old daughter fell out of the car, luckily sustaining no injury, aside from sheer terror. I attempted to get assistance from Ford, both dealership and Ford credit, however, I was given the excuse that because I missed a service check on my vehicle, they were not responsible for the repairs, in part or in whole. I faxed, emailed and snail mailed letters to every department, but because of the "missed check up", which would have only been six months since the last one, I am now stuck with having to repair the doors...over four hundred dollars in parts for the latch/mechanism inside the both doors...and lord only knows what the expense is for labour.

- Passekeag, UN, USA

When driving the car it goes into neutral then back into gear when backing up the car it grinds the non-drivers side floods everytime it rains windshield wipers were no good both back doors make loud noises when opening and closing there are dents on the non-drivers side below the doors engine light goes on once in a while when driving car sometimes jumps into gear.. (scary) and others I asked the car dealer before buying the car if this car had been in any accidents.. he said.. michele, we do not sell cars that have been in accident. After some of these problem had occured I checked the VIN# and it said that this car had atleast 12 problems before I bought

- Bedford, MA, USA

My Focus (manufactured October 1999) has had several problems with rusting paint. The first, reported in July was covered under the 36K bumper-2-bumper warranty. The latest (reported January '03), will not be. My zts sedan is rusting on the rear two doors on the inside about 1 1/2 inches up from the bottom of the door (where the metal is crimped). With less than 3-4lbs of force, I can take off portions of metal. This is not good business or engineering! in two years, I will have a hole in my door and I will be sending Ford the repair bill and it will be paid for by Ford.

- St. Charles, MO, USA