2007 Ford Focus

ON OCTOBER 14, 2008, ODI OPENED PE08-060 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CRACKED AND LEAKING SNAP-IN TIRE VALVES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY.THE VALVES WERE SUPPLIED TO FORD BY TOPSEAL AUTO-PARTS, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SHANGHAI BAOLONG AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION IN CHINA.VALVES MADE BY TOPSEAL FOR AFTERMARKET SALE WERE THE SUBJECT OF TWO RECENT SAFETY RECALLS BY TECH INTERNATIONAL (08T-018) AND DILL AIR CONTROLS (08T-028), THE LATTER OF WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY ODI IN PE08-036 AND EA08-022.THE DEFECT CONDITIONS ADDRESSED BY THE AFTERMARKET TIRE VALVE RECALLS BOTH INVOLVED INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE SUPPLY OF ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS TO TOPSEAL FOR A PERIOD FROM JULY TO MID-NOVEMBER 2006.THE AFTERMARKET VALVES WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A BLEND OF EPDM AND NATURAL RUBBER, USING A RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF EPDM (EPDM PROVIDES INHERENT RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING).HENCE, THE NEED FOR ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS AND THE PROBLEMS WITH CRACKING WHEN THOSE CHEMICALS WERE MISSING OR OUT OF SPECIFICATION IN SOME LOTS OF VALVES.BOTH RECALL CAMPAIGNS INVOLVED INSPECTION PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY AND REPLACE VALVES WITH VISIBLE SURFACE CRACKING.ALTHOUGH THE TOPSEAL VALVES SUPPLIED TO FORD ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ANTI-OZONANT SUPPLY ISSUES IN MID TO LATE-2006, FORD INDICATED THAT ITS VALVES WERE MADE AT A DIFFERENT TOPSEAL PRODUCTION LINE AND WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF EPDM RUBBER TO MEET MORE STRINGENT SPECIFICATIONS FROM FORD.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED BY FORD SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH CRACKED TIRE VALVES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FOR MY 2007 VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007.FORD RESPONDED BY IMPLEMENTING CHANGES IN ITS MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SNAP-IN RUBBER TIRE VALVES AND ALSO INCREASING THE QUALITY AND ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS FOR VALVES IMPORTED FOR USE IN ITS VEHICLES.WHILE THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM RATES ARE ELEVATED FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007, THE RATES OF LEAKING VALVES ARE WELL BELOW ONE PERCENT OF PRODUCTION FOR EACH OF THE PEAK MONTHS FOR ALL OF THE AFFECTED MODELS.A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS (TPMS) WHICH WARN THE DRIVER WHEN ANY TIRE PRESSURES DROPS BELOW 25 PERCENT OF RECOMMENDED INFLATION PRESSURE. AS OUTLINED IN A LETTER TO ODI DATED APRIL 6, 2009, FORD HAS AGREED TO SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS OF CERTAIN MY 2007 AND 2008 FORD, LINCOLN AND MERCURY VEHICLES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRACKING CONCERN. LETTERS WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 2006 THROUGH MAY 2007.OWNERS CAN OPT FOR A FREE DEALER INSPECTION.VALVES EXHIBITING SURFACE CRACKS OR AIR LEAKAGE RELATED TO OZONE ATTACK WILL BE REPLACED BY FORD UNDER ITS NORMAL WARRANTY TERMS.FORD EXPECTS TO SEND THE LETTER BY APPROXIMATELY MID-MAY 2009. BASED ON THE USE OF TPMS IN THE MAJORITY OF SUBJECT VEHICLES AND THE RELATIVELY LOW RATES OF REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING VALVES AND RESULTANT TIRE DAMAGE, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE ACTIONS FORD HAS AGREED TO TAKE WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND EXPEDITIOUS RESOLUTION FOR VEHICLES THAT WERE BUILT DURING THE PERIOD WHEN VALVES WITH INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING WERE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN USED IN VEHICLE PRODUCTION.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO

Tire completely blew out under normal driving conditions on [XXX] between [XXX] in Roseville California. The tire was size 205 /45 r17 one of a matching installed set from America's Tires in Antelope California. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11633439

Incident

Jul 24, 2024

The contact owns a 2007 Ford Focus. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at an undisclosed speed and turning, the steering wheel became stiff, and the contact heard scraping sounds emanating from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the residence and inspected. The contact observed condensation on top of the power steering pump and the ground underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was inspected, and a power steering fluid was added to the vehicle. The vehicle was then taken to three independent mechanics where it was diagnosed twice that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 198,000.

NHTSA ID

11596456

Incident

Dec 29, 2022

Mileage

198,000 mi

The contact owns a 2007 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, a vehicle crashed into the front of the contact’s vehicle. Additionally, two other vehicles crashed into the side and rear of the contact's vehicle; however, the air bags failed to deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact and the passenger sustained injuries and received medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not totaled. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 104,000.

NHTSA ID

11527184

Incident

Oct 31, 2020

Mileage

104,000 mi

The driver airbag light keeps going off and on. I went to ford dealer shop to fix it. Only shortly after it came back on. I tried different tricks online and they dont last long. This is a common issue among ford focus owners. The connection plug from airbag to the steering wheel is bad and it just loses connection from time to time. Focus owners cant just DIY sensitive parts like airbag to temporarly fix it nor can we spend big bucks to visit dealersshop everytime. They charged me $140 just look at my car. And told me $700 for airbag replacement, when all that needs replacing is the faulty connecting plug. Ford knows this but is getting away with jeopordizing with customers lives for money. Please make this recall issue so ford will fix for all focus owners before people dies from this well known focus issue because the driverside airbag failes to deploy. Please.

NHTSA ID

11486444

Incident

Sep 18, 2022

The contact stated that her mother-in-law owns a 2007 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her mother-in-law was driving at an unknown speed, the front passenger’s side wheel detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic who diagnosed the failure as a control arm failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that 2 weeks later the driver’s side wheel detached. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic who stated that the control arm had detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that 3 months later while stopped at a traffic light, the driver was unable to control the vehicle as the front passenger’s side wheel detached from the vehicle as well as the transmission slid into the engine. The transmission observation was by the tow truck company. The vehicle was towed to the owner's residence. The failure cause was not diagnosed by the dealer or an independent mechanic. The contact stated that the tow company informed her that the vehicle was unable to be towed on the flatbed due to the fact that the front end of the vehicle might detach. The contact stated that the headlights would also flicker on and off while driving. The contact stated that the independent mechanic replaced the light bulbs however, the failure continued. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11469370

Incident

Jun 15, 2021

Had a car stop suddenly in front of me and I had to apply the brakes hard. The ABS system made a strange sound and the pedal went to the floor. I missed the car in front of me, but now my brakes aren't working properly and there is fluid all over the ABS module assembly.

NHTSA ID

11462876

Incident

Apr 29, 2022

The contact owned a 2006 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to stop and as a result, the contact rear-ended another vehicle. The contact mentioned that when he would depress the brake pedal the faster the vehicle increased in speed. The air bag failed to deploy. The contact’s face was covered in blood, shoulder and hip injuries. The contact received medical attention via ambulance to the hospital. The other driver did not sustain any known injuries. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000. The VIN was not available

NHTSA ID

11453868

Incident

Feb 3, 2022

Mileage

140,000 mi

Console transmission shift lever detents not noticeable in any positon including Park (mushy shifter) and I am unable to remove ignition key in any position, on, off or lock. Therefore the car can be easily stolen by anyone (minor or adult) by simply breaking the window, reaching the unlock and driving off. Shifter, steering column, and key removal malfunction.

NHTSA ID

11451960

Incident

Feb 14, 2022

Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). The Factory Keyless Entry Code application within the diagnostic scan tool will not provide an applicable master code for the accessory wireless keypad. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is not available, the "Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide" can be referenced and provides direction on how to retrieve the master code. This guide is located under the Workshop Manual tab > Accessories > Installation > Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide > PPT C > Step C2.<br /><br /> Note: The only available keypad for some vehicles from the assembly plant is the accessory wireless keyless entry keypad. The integrated wired keypad cannot be installed on vehicles not equipped from the factory with a wired keyless entry k

All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during initial delivery. Unlike the integrated (wired) factory keypad, the accessory keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is lost, follow these steps to recover the code. Dealer Key Code access is granted through the Dealer Program Enrollment System (DPES); dealership management can authorize users. The authorized user must go to FMCDealer.com > Parts and Service > Parts Product Line Information > Keys/Entry Devices > Aftermarket Keyless Entry Keypad Code Access. Follow the instructions on the screen to obtain the master code for the accessory keypad.

The Accessory (Wireless) Keyless Entry Keypad can only be used with vehicles that are factory built with Remote Keyless Entry (RKE). The master code for the Accessory (Wireless) Keyless Entry Keypad can be retrieved from FMCDealer - Parts and Service - Parts Product Line Information - Keys/Entry Devices - Aftermarket Keyless Entry Keypad Code Access. Access to this site is granted through Dealer Program Enrollment System (DPES) and Dealer Principal, General Manager or Parts and Service Director can authorize users. Once authorized the retrieval process for master code can be obtained. The master code for the Accessory Keyless Entry Keypad cannot be retrieved from the body control module(BCM) with a diagnostic tool.

The Accessory (Wireless) Keyless Entry Keypad can only be used with vehicles that are factory built with Remote Keyless Entry (RKE). The master code for the Accessory (Wireless) Keyless Entry Keypad can be retrieved from FMCDealer - Parts and Service - Parts Product Line Information - Keys/Entry Devices - Aftermarket Keyless Entry Keypad Code Access. Access to this site is granted through Dealer Program Enrollment System (DPES) and Dealer Principal, General Manager or Parts and Service Director can authorize users. Once authorized the retrieval process for master code can be obtained. The master code for the Accessory Keyless Entry Keypad cannot be retrieved from the body control module(BCM) with a diagnostic tool.

The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. The IDS has a limited refresh rate when reading these PIDs and cannot display quickly enough to validate a concern. The PCM automatically monitors these inputs more accurately and will set diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) when appropriate. Using these PIDs for diagnostics will lead to inaccurate results and improper ETB replacements. If a concern is intermittent and no DTCs are present, refer to historical DTCs and the PC/ED, Section 3 No DTCs Present Index chart for further information.

FORD: A JOB AID WAS DEVELOPED AND NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE PTU INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL FLUID LEAKAGE FOR ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES. *PE