The Ford Focus collided head-on with a Plymouth neon that was on a dark roadway with its lights off after a prior collision. The buckle pretensioner for the Ford driver fired, but the retractor did not lock allowing the driver to strike his head on the windshield. There was material worn away from the B-pillar from the rapid extension of webbing, and latch plate had a channel carved into the plastic, where the webbing rapidly passed through the latch plate. There was not evidence that the seat belt was able to provide any significant restraining force.

- Tempe, AZ, USA

Driving down road after heavy rain, roads wet, rush hour traffic, sun came out glare off street. Car two cars ahead of me stopped suddenly to turn left. Car in front of me stopped. I saw the cars stop and thought I had enough room to stop, but streets were still wet and my tires locked going 25mph 2 car lengths behind car and I skidded into the car in front of me. Little to no damage down to rear bumper or my front bumper however, my airbags deployed shattering my window and locked my seat belt. Causing $800 in parts damage not including labor. First time having problem with airbag deployment, will have insurance repair my car/airbag/seat belt, window, causing my insurance to go up. I had chair positioned all the way back so the airbag did not hit me or protect me from injury (I'm lucky I did not have breathing problems from airbag smoke though) I was probably going 15mph when I hit the other vehicle, if the airbags did not go off I would have affordable insurance and an extra $1000 to my name. Be careful!!!!

- Bremerton, WA, USA

Ignition switch would "stick", since day of purchase...two months later, broken!! all the tumbler springs went out....$300!! to fix and one hour late to work. Passenger outer tie rod boot is shot and the tie rod will not come off!!! $45 to replace!!! seat belt tensioner does not work properly at all!!!!

- Willard, OH, USA

Fatality vehicle fire, Dec. 8 2004. My husband is the original owner of a 2000 Ford Focus, subject to numerous service visits to bill brown Ford, livonia mi for: Ignition, steering column, wheel bearing, brake, rear window control, seat belt &trunk latches, overhead light and engine light. The vacuum line & fuel pump & valve assembly were replaced 2/03, followed by stalling. In 6/03, A/C compressor & manifold line replaced. Fuel line & pump failure in 8/03, resulted in gasoline spill on residential street minutes after parking. Bogging followed repairs, PCM reprogrammed & leaking pvc tube replaced 1/04. Fuel pump again replaced. In 8/04, our 24 year old son took ownership of this problematic car. We are uncertain as to whether vehicle malfunction caused a 35 mph collision with a fire hydrant. An immediate engine explosion and fuel fed fire trapped my son and his passenger. Described by police as a relatively minor crash which would not be expected to claim lives, the subsequent unexplained engine fire claimed two young lives. A malfunctioning driver's airbag was also detected. This incident was originally reported to NHTSA by my husband (#10104088). I am supplying these additional facts for your clarification. Please correct your posting of "0" injuries as there were 2 fatalities. Please take effective action to save lives, as these trouble plagued vehicles seem to become more lethal as they age. Confirmation of receipt of this information is requested.

- Redford, MI, USA

Engine starts to stalls when comming to a stop. They claim it needs a new cylinder head.

- Doylestown, PA, USA

The brakes have been looked at three time because of noise and it's been serviced several times. It's in service right now and has been there for two weeks. I don't know if they are working on it or if they are repairing other things or what. I haven't had heat throughout the coldest part of the winter. The seat belts don't work and the paint is peeling. The car has locked up not letting me start the engine twice, then just out of the blue it decided to start. I tried to turn in and the car dealer at Ford said he wouldn't touch it, didn't want it. We bought it Aug. 9 2000-Ford credit, simple interest 6.5 --first payment September $456.99 a month they say we owe too much to trade in "?"this made no since. Now I know what's been going on. My husband has been out to sea usnavy for almost a year and I'm scared to drive it I'm a nervous wreck about this car and I don't know what to do. There has been is so many recalls on this car I don't know if they have fixed them or not

- Oak Harbor, WA, USA

I have been in the shop about 7 times during the last 3 years due to problems with my new Focus. The clutch failed at 6700 miles, along with the brakes, and things got worse from there. The front windshield leaked water into the roof, the fuse on the fan/air conditioning system melted, and the brake pads were replaced numerous times. Also, the fabric on the seats caused me to get shocked every time I got out of the car. Ford's lack of customer service was painfully obvious as well during these repairs. I ultimately traded in my car for a competitor's car and I'm feeling much better now.

- Fairview, OR, USA

Car has had the brakes serviced a total of five times and the car is stalling during acceleration. This car has been in shops for several recalls as well as twice for ignition lock failure. One of our children was trapped in rear seat by defective seat belt & had to be cut out with a knife. Car stalls after it warms up. Dealer says it's fuel pump but if that were so, wouldn't it stall waarm or cold. I spoke to an employee at another dealer who said Ford was finding problems with sensor connected with cooling system. Who do I believe? they want to charge us $700 to replace fuel pump that probably works fine.

- Murrieta, CA, USA

My complaint is all the problems we have had with the Focus. We have had numerous recalls and work done from the drivers seat collapsing, wiring harness replaced, bearings in front, and rear, brake assembly, sway bar, and have had to replace 3 sets of tires, and line up 3 times because they will not make good and the car eats tires. Now we have 52,000 miles on the car, and a pin has come loose and gone through the transmission, and case. Altough the dealer has been very good, we bought a new car so we would not have this hassle, and that is all we have had.

- Smyrna Mills, ME, USA

I bought the car in June of 2000 since this time the car has had a number of recalls on the car. I feel that the people that bought the 2000 model of this car should not be liable to pay the amount the contact was signed. Due to the fact that at the time the car was bought, the people that bought the car didn't know that most of the car's life would be in the shop being fixed. Also Ford knew that the Focus was prone to this happening.

- Shawnee, KS, USA

While driving at 45 mph, another vehicle ran a stop sign and collided with the right front end of the consumer's vehicle. During the collision, the driver's shoulder belt did not lock properly. The consumer suffered injuries to the her right shoulder.

- Little Rock, AR, USA

The consumer experienced two defects with her vehicle. The back passenger seat belt was placed in backwards per manufacturer, the volume on the radio increased and decreased without control, the gear stick slid off the post, the vehicle stalled when going to a complete stop, the power knob to the radio would become sticky whenever the sun was present, the trunk would not open, the ignition switch jammed twice, the rear view mirror was stuck in the open position, and the steering wheel adjuster did not exist. The consumer requested compensation.

- Hayneville, AL, USA

A truck turned in front of consumer who hit the truck in the right front tire area, the seatbelt strap failed, it extended instead of holding consumer in place, the locking mechanism also pulled out from the catch, the airbags did not deploy until after the consumer's chin hit the steering wheel, consumer was injured in accident, vehicle has $6000 worth of damage.

- Louiville, KY, USA