2003 Ford Focus Exterior lighting Problems

DUE TO POOR DESIGN THE BULB MELTED THE SURROUNDING HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN THE ENTIRE UNIT HAVING TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

11043991

Incident

Oct 14, 2017

Mileage

197,253 mi

THE BACK DOOR LOCKS ON THIS CAR DO NOT WORK. THEY SAY A LUBRICANT WAS USED TO FIX THE RECALL ISSUE, HOWEVER, IF THAT WAS THE FIX, IT DID NOT WORK AND THE LOCKS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED. THAT FORD WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS IS INSANE TO ME, AS DOOR LOCKS SHOULD NOT JUST GO LIKE THAT. THE "FIX" WAS NOT A FIX AT ALL. ALSO, THE LIGHTS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE HORRIBLE. IT CANNOT BE DRIVEN AT NIGHT IN AN UNLIT AREA. THERE IS NO VISIBILITY. I WAS TOLD ONCE A RECALL WAS PERFORMED IT WAS THEN DONE, HOWEVER, I DO NOT BELIEVE THE LOCK WAS TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY, THEREFORE, I FEEL FORD SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS. I HAVE APPLIED THE LUBRICANT AS THEY INSTRUCTED TO THE DOORS AND THIS DOES NOTHING. NEITHER DOOR WILL STAY CLOSED & OPENS IF DRIVEN.WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME, THERE WAS A CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT. WE WERE VERY LUCKY WE WERE IN A 25 MPH ZONE AND WERE ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER. THE DOORS HAVE TO BE CORDED SHUT UNTIL A LOCK IS INSTALLED. I DO NOT FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO CARRY THE BURDEN OF THIS REPAIR AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THEY SAY A LUBRICANT CAN FIX THIS PROBLEM. IT IS MY OPINION THE LOCKS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED DURING THE RECALL, NOT JUST SPRAYED WITH A LUBRICANT. I CANNOT BELIEVE I'M THE ONLY PERSON WITH THIS ISSUE. I FEEL THAT FORD SAYING THIS RECALL WAS COMPLETED IS FAR FROM INCORRECT AND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THIS RIGHT. AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND ONCE A RECALL IS COMPLETED IT IS CLOSED, HOWEVER, I FEEL YOU SHOULD LOOK INTO FORD HAVING NOT REALLY COMPLETED THIS RECALL, AS THE ISSUE WAS NOT FIXED. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CLOSED. ALL THEY DID WAS PUT A TEMPORARY BAND-AID ON IT AND DID NOT TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY.WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS FORD TOOK THE CHEAPEST WAY OUT AT THE TIME AND DID NOT TRULY FIX THE PROBLEM AND DID NOT TAKE THEIR FULL RESPONSIBILITY. DOORS THAT WERE RECALLED AND ARE NOT WORKING WERE NOT FIXED.I HAVE HAD CONTACT WITH FORD WITH NO SOLUTION

NHTSA ID

11020509

Incident

Sep 1, 2016

Mileage

140,000 mi

MY CAR LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER, BUT WAS STILL RUNNING THEN FINALLY IT DIED. I LOST ALL LIGHTS AND ELECTRIC BATTERY WAS DEAD SO I BOUGHT NEW BATTERY THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN, SO I BOUGHT NEW ALTERNATOR BECAUSE OLD ALTERNATOR WAS BAD, THEN NEW ALTERNATOR DIED WITHIN A MONTH. SAME PROBLEM, THEN I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND A FORUM ABOUT THE HATCH BACK FOCUS AND ITS WIRING PROBLEM INSIDE THE PROTECTIVE SLEEVE. SO I PEELED BACK PROTECTIVE SLEEVE AND SURE ENOUGH THERE WERE EXPOSED WIRES JUST LIKE THE THOUSANDS OF POSTS FROM OTHER PEOPLE, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL MY CAR OFF THE ROAD BEFORE IT DIED, BUT WITH SEVERITY OF THIS PROBLEM THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10871987

Incident

May 21, 2016

Mileage

92,000 mi

WHEN RIDING DOWN THE ROAD THE DOORS WILL AUTOMATICALLY LOCK BY THEMSELVES. THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE YEARS. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR USED, IT CAME WITH MANY KEYS. WELL, THIS TIME WHEN IT LOCKED, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE IGNITION LOCKED AND I HAD TO GET IT TOWED FROM SMITHFIELD NC; APPROXIMATELY AN HOURLY FROM MY HOME. THE MECHANIC CAN NOT GET IT UNLOCKED BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL HAS TO BE TURNED TO UNLOCK IT, VICE VERSA, AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED. ALSO THE LIGHTING IS VERY POOR WITH THE HEAD LIGHTS AND I SEE THIS ON ALL THE VEHICLE FOR THAT YEAR AND MAKE AS I RIDE DOWN THE ROAD. MY CAR IS PARKED BECAUSE I CANT AFFORD TO FIX IT. I HAVE FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS STEERING AND IGNITION LOCK ISSUE. I AM WONDERING WHY THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED FOR THE ISSUE. IT IS A HAZARD. I HAVE CONTACTED THE FORD MANUFACTURER CONCERNING THE MATTER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY CAN'T ASSIST ME WITH IT BECAUSE MY CAR HAS NO WARRANTY. ALSO, THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE REAL DOOR LOCK. FORD DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS REPAIRED BY TEAM FORD DEALERSHIP PRIOR TO ME OWNING THE VEHICLE; I INFORMED HIM THAT THE PROBLEM WAS STILL A ISSUE GETTING THE REAR DOOR TO LOCK SECURELY AT TIMES. HE INFORMED ME THAT IT COULD ONLY HAVE BEEN FIXED ONCE UNDER THE RECALL. THESE ISSUES HAVE OCCURRED REPEATEDLY SINCE I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN 2009. THEY ALL PUT ME AT RISK OF GREAT DANGER.

NHTSA ID

10747450

Incident

Dec 1, 2013

Mileage

185,000 mi

REAR CENTER MOUNTED STOP LIGHT FAILED AND THE TRUNK LATCH MECHANISM WOULD OPERATE WHILE DRIVING. THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS FAILED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE WIRING HARNESS HAS FAILED AT THE TRUNK LID JUNCTION. WIRES ARE SHORTING TOGETHER CAUSING ERRATIC OPERATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10604894

Incident

Mar 30, 2012

Mileage

115,000 mi

BOTH REAR TAIL LIGHTS HAVE MELTED THE BULB SOCKET AND THE LIGHT HOUSING. MY LOCAL FORD DEALER SAYS THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM AND HE HAS NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING. THE VEHICLE'S CHARGING SYSTEM IS PUTTING OUT ABOUT 15.5 VOLTS TO EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL HE ALSO SAYS THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM. ALSO WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE CABIN FILLS WITH THE SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER ALSO AGAIN I WAS TOLD THIS IS NO PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10367954

Incident

Nov 10, 2010

Mileage

115,000 mi

2003 FORD FOCUS SE 4 DOOR SEDAN -- RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL SOCKET HAS MELTED TO TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY WHERE IT CANNOT BE REMOVED. BOTH TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND SOCKET HAVE TO BE REPLACED. LEFT REAR APPEARS TO BE DAMAGED ALSO, BUT BULB IS NOT OUT YET. IS THIS A FIRE HAZARD? IT DOES CREATE A PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S TAKEN MY GARAGE AND THE FORD DEALER 3 WEEKS TO FIND THE CORRECT SOCKET TO FIT THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10335772

Incident

May 15, 2010

Mileage

72,000 mi

TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER THE SAME DAY THE LEFT TAIL LIGHT TURN SIGNAL WENT OUT. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, THEY COULD NOT REMOVE THE BULB BECAUSE WHEN THE BULB "SHORTED," IT MELTED PLASTIC AROUND THE BULB. I HAD TO BUY AN ENTIRELY NEW TAIL LIGHT AND SOCKET ASSEMBLY FOR OVER $100. I WAS TOLD BY HIM THAT THIS HAPPENS "A LOT" ON THE FOCUS WAGONS AND HE HAD REPLACED 6 OF THEM THAT DAY. WHEN I EXPRESSED MY ANGER AND DISBELIEF AT THE COST AND ASKED WHY THIS WASN'T A RECALL ITEM, HE SAID NOT TO BLAME HIM BECAUSE HE DIDN'T DESIGN IT. I AM ANGRY ABOUT THE COST, BUT ALSO WHETHER THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. IT WAS 5 DEGREES THE DAY THIS HAPPENED AND SUCH A "SHORT CIRCUIT" MAY HAVE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10218659

Incident

Feb 19, 2008

2003 FORD FOCUS WAGON, TAIL LIGHTS MELTED BOTH SIDES WHERE YOU REPLACE THE BULB, CANNOT REPLACE THE BRAKE, RUNNING, TURN, BULB BECAUSE YOU CANNOT PULL THE BULB HOUSING OUT OF THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. FORD SERVICE DEPT. SAID TO LONG ON THE BRAKE PEDAL $160 EA. *JB

NHTSA ID

10203707

Incident

Sep 22, 2007

AFTER DRIVING MY 2003 FORD FOCUS 5XW (5 DOOR HATCHBACK) THOUGH HEAVY RAIN ON THE HIGHWAY, THE NEXT DAY I NOTICED ONE HEAD LIGHT AND ONE FOG LIGHT WAS OUT. AFTER INVESTIGATION TO THE CAUSE. MY FOG LIGHT HAD JUST NORMALLY BURNED OUT. BUT THE HEAD LIGHT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WHILE REPLACING THE BULB NOTICED ALL THREE NYLON CONNECTOR COVERS FOR EACH OF THE THREE WIRES HAD MELTED? CHANGING THE LIGHTS AS A SET THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HEAD LIGHT? WITH THE REPLACEMENT BULBS NOW INSTALLED THE DRIVERS SIDE STILL DOES NOT LIGHT , ONLY THE PASSENGERS. THERE IS NO POWER COMING TO THE DRIVERS SIDE HEAD LIGHT FOR NORMAL MODE. IT WILL ONLY LIGHT WITH THE BRIGHTS ON. AS TO THE MELTING OF THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR COVERS I'M SURE THAT IS NOT NORMAL OPERATION.? I AM STILL INVESTIGATING WHERE THE POWER LOSS IS COMING FROM AND WHY THE INSULATION ON THE CONNECTORS OF BOTH HEADLIGHTS MELTED AWAY? FYI

NHTSA ID

10172506

Incident

Oct 8, 2006

Mileage

64,980 mi

HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10054011

Incident

Nov 15, 2003