Ford Motor Co to recall over 3.5 lakh Ford Focus cars in the US

By Our Corporate Bureau | 09 Feb 2005

Detroit: Ford Motor Co is recalling 358,857 Ford Focus cars because of a rear door defect due to which, the rear door can swing open while the vehicle is moving.

The recall affects four-door and five-door Focus car models from the 2000 to 2002 years. All the vehicles sold or are registered in 20 Eastern and Midwestern states in the US.

The ''national highway traffic safety administration'' of the US said that it had received 33 complaints and report of one injury resulting from the defect.

The company has begun recalling the models from buyers. According to the company the defect was caused by corrosion of the latch due to which the door becomes difficult to open and close, and eventually may not close at all.

Ford will start notifying customers about the recall on March 1 this year and company dealers would replace corroded latches for free or will clean and lubricate unaffected latches to prevent corrosion. The company declined to name the makers of the defective parts. A couple of years earlier also Ford had to recall its model, Focus, after reports of the right and rear wheels falling off the 2000 models. Earlier, some 350,000 pieces of the 2000 Focus models were recalled because their roof pillars caused head injuries in crashes. Other problems have included airbags that deployed inadvertently, engine compartment fires and engine stalling.