This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The consumer was backing the vehicle of out a parking space when the accelerator pedal became stuck resulting in a collision with 2 other vehicles. The dealer could not determine the cause.
While backing vehicle into the driveway, the engine surged and the vehicle shot back toward the house hitting it. The vehicle then shot forward bending a metal fence. Consumer suffered injuries to the neck, also, in the accident the front seat broke, putting consumer into a 45 degree angle.
The vehicle surges while in 3rd and 4th gear, around 35-40mph. It has stalled out three times. We have taken it to a dealer to be repaired after telling them on several occasions that something was wrong and the problem has never been completely resolved.
Car hesitates while at steady throttle and stalls while idle unless I turn off air conditioner and stereo (sometimes stalls anyway). Dealer has been non responsive to the problem, stating it needs routine main tenance flushes, which have cost hundreds of dollars with less than 25, 000 miles on the car. The problem only continues to get worse. The stalling makes me fear for my safety. Also, the dealer cannot service my vehicle in less than two. Weeks when I call for an appointment. I had the vehicle looked at today by anot her mechanic who told me in his opinion, these flushes had not ever been done and that the car was badly in need of such. I have the invoice from the dealer stating that they performed the fuel injector cleaning and the throttlebody combustion chamber cleaning (at my expense) at 25,482miles. On several occasions, the car has not started immediately in the morning as well.
- Washington, NJ, USA
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When returning from being out owner was backing vehicle into driveway when it suddenly accelerated rearward. Vehicle struck the wall, and then bounced back into street, hitting a pole. Driver's seatback collapsed in the process.
While attempting to park, the vehicle took off and accelerated without any warning. The vehicle took off going through the back wall of the garage. The air bags did deploy. On another occasion, the vehicle was serviced for check engine light which was on. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and a chip was replaced. However, while driving, the vehicle accelerated out of control again up to 100 miles per hour. Consumer was able to stop the vehicle by turning off the engine. Dealer found throttle was stuck wide open.
While driving on highway engine started to accelerate without warning. Consumer almost had an accident. Vehicle repaired by dealer, who determined that map sensor failed. On 08/05/02, engine accelerated without warning again. Vehicle taken back to dealer, who installed a flt recorder in car to detect where problem existed. On 08/09/02, engine accelerated without warning again. Consumer was very concerned about family safety in vehicle.
Vehicle is subject to stalling/stop, lunge forward or hesitate with no warning while in motion. Dealership has had vehicle several times with no change in condition. Owner also stated that she had some sort of fluctuation with the RPM gauge, sporaticully.
Vehicle has a tendency to jump/lunge or hesitate and stall completely. Dealership unable to detect failure, even with vehicle repaired 15 inconsecutive days.
Was driving home from work last Thursday (10 minutes on the interstate, 97 degrees, full ac), when the car started to lose power followed by transmission lurching and engine trying to die. Pulled the remaining block into my apts and opened hood expecting to find overheated engine, and ended up see a bunch of flame and signing my thumb. Got fire extinguisher and put it out, and called fire dept. No work was done to engine other than a new air filter 4000 miles ago. So far the Ford dealer wants to write it off as complete loss and leave it to my insurance. Took out my air intake, melted battery, melted battery wires, ruined hood, scroched headlight, smoked interior, and who knows what got sucked into engine through the intake. Dealer wouldn't tow because "warranty tows have to be called in through Ford customer service". photos are up at www.geocities.com/archangel_jjn. contact me for more information.
Three times I have had the throttle stick even though I have let off the gas. Once when I had less than 5,000 and again at the end of last year. Once when I parked the car and once while I was stopping at a light. Both times I had to shut-off the vehicle and re-start it to cure the failure. I did not report it to the dealership but it did it again last week while I was driving.
While driving 65 mph consumer applied brake, vehicle did not slow down. Consumer had to shut off engine to stop vehicle. This happened 4 times. Dealer replaced servo speed control.
While driving at 60 mph using the cruise control, all of a sudden vehicle lost power and stalled out with all lights in instrument panel coming on. Contacted dealer, and the dealer could not find the problem.
While driving engine check light would come on and show vehicle surging forward. Dealer was not notified at this time. Feel free to provide any further information.
When engine was started and gear shift was put into drive position vehicle started rolling backwards unexpectedly. Dealership examined vehicle for this problem, and replaced throttle. After dealership made these repairs and drove on highway brakes failed to stop vehicle when pressure was put on brake pedal. Driver for tow truck examined vehicle and determined there was no brake fluid in the vehicle (this diagnosis was confirmed by the dealership. Please provide any additional information / documentation.
The car veered to the left on its own and began to accelerate with foot of gas and when the brake was applied the car began to slide and roll over a total of three times brfore coming to a stop.
I was traveling northbound on ga hwy 400 at 7:30 a.M. traffic was lighter than normal, so I decided to use my cruise control. I set the cruise at 70 mph & drove it for approx 5 miles. When I approached my exit, I pressed on the brake to disengage the cruise. The cruise light went off, but the cruise did not disengage. I fought it all the way up the ramp. I was very fortunate that the light was green & there were no cars ahead of me (normally extremely busy intersection). I exited at a high rate of speed as I continued to pump the brake. I got the car off to the side of the road, put it in neutral & once it was almost stopped, put it in park & turned it off. Every time I turned it back on, the engine revved back up like it was trying to reach the 70 mph speed in park. I had it towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed as a bad servo. This could have been potentially fatal to me & others, had the normal traffic backup been at the off ramp. I could have slammed into one or more other cars trying to get mine stopped. I understand there are recalls on the 2000 Focus cars, due to defective cruise controls, but have seen nothing on the 2001 vehicles. Needless to say, although I paid extra for cruise control, I will never be able to trust it enough to use it again.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Winchester, MA, USA