Other Restraint System Info: manual seat belt at all designated seating positions
Plant Company Name: Wayne
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: SEL
TPMS: Direct
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2004
TIRES
JUNE 2004, I PURCHASED A NEW 2004 FOCUS WITH P195.60.15 GOOD YEAR EAGLE RSA TIRES. I ASSUME THIS IS A STANDARD TIRE USED BY FORD FOR THIS MODEL, AS I WAS NOT ASKED BY THE DEALERSHIP IF I WOULD LIKE TO UPGRADE OR CHANGE THE TIRES. I NEVER DREAMED A CAR WOULD BE SOLD IN THIS AREA WITHOUT AN ADEQUATE FUNCTIONAL TIRE ON. I AM UNABLE TO CONTROL THIS VEHICLE IN WINTER WEATHER. WITH NO WARNING, THE CAR WILL VEER OUT OF CONTROL. I HAVE DRIVEN IN THIS TYPE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR YEARS, BUT NEVER HAVE I EVER HAD A CAR WITH THIS TYPE OF HANDLING PROBLEM. I DO NOT HAVE ANY DIFFICULTY WITH IT IN RAIN OR DRY CONDITIONS, SO IT IS NOT A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE FAILURES IN DECEMBER & JANUARY. I WAS TOLD BY GOOD YEAR TIRE DEALER THAT THE TIRES ARE A HIGH-PERFORMANCE TIRE AND ARE NOT MEANT FOR WINTER DRIVING. THERE ARE NO GRIPPING TREADS FOR SNOW AND ICE. I HAVE TO REPLACE THE TIRES ON THIS CAR WITH 5,600 MILES ON THEM FOR SAFETY PURPOSES SO THAT I DO NOT RISK INJURY OR DEATH TO MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE. I JUST DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY FORD HAS PUT THIS TYPE OF A TIRE ON THE VEHICLE. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD BY FORD THE TIRES ARE NOT ADEQUATE FOR CERTAIN CONDITIONS. I AM VERY UPSET THAT I HAVE TO REPLACE A SET OF NEW TIRES ON A NEW VEHICLE SO THAT I CAN FEEL SAFE AND NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO INCORRECT TIRES. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR, HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT BEING VERY COOPERATIVE WITH MY COMPLAINT. THE ONLY EXPLANATION I RECEIVE FROM THEM IS THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT, OR THEY HAVE NEVER HAD THAT KIND OF A COMPLAINT, OR I AM USING BAD DRIVING JUDGMENT FOR THE CONDITIONS. *NM
2009
WHEELS
PURCHASED VEHICLE LESS THAN A YEAR AGO, FROM A DEALERSHIP. NEW TIRES WERE PUT ON AT THAT TIME. MILEAGE WHEN PURCHASED WAS 29000. WHILE DRIVING ON SNOW AND ICY ROADS IT WOULD WOBBLE AND GET SQUIRRELLY, WHICH I ATTRIBUTED IT TO THE LIGHTNESS OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR ME TO SUSPECT THE TIRES AS I HAVE THEM ROTATED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER SPECS, AND NO ABNORMALITIES HAVE BEEN MENTIONED TO ME BY THE DEALER. HOWEVER, LAST WEEK I HAD AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF A WORN OUT TIRE BLOWING OUT ON A SNOWY ROAD. INSPECTION DETERMINED THAT ALL THE TIRES WERE UNEVENLY WORN, AND THAT THE CAUSE WAS THAT THE ARMS WHICH MAINTAIN TIRE ALIGNMENT WERE PHYSICALLY INCAPABLE OF DOING SO. THIS IS NOT A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, IT IS A *DESIGN FLAW*, WHICH RESULTED IN PERSONAL INJURY (BROKEN ARM, FACIAL CONTUSIONS). *TR