Good Day,

 

Hope someone can give an "expert opinion"....

 

I own a Ford Focus SE Flex 2.0 Car, USA origin, with 50.000 km (31.068 miles). It is in excellent condition because I am a very strict owner. I also don't use it a lot, due to the fact I always drive my Company cars.

 

Even though I think it's a great car, I don't know if it is bad luck (very) or only this Ford model is full of "bugs":

 

1.- A/C System failed two years ago. Dealer told me the reason for the failure were rats that "cut" the wires. When I asked for the wires, they told me that they used them again to repair the System (?¡). I had to pay 300 dollars to repair it.

 

2.- Without even touching it, all Defrost Lines from the rear windshield, fell down, losing all visibility during winter and rain. The only way to "repair" it is throwing a brick to the windshield and using an insurance company to replace it. I havent done that, so I bought a very expensive rear cam so as to have visibility again. I paid Amazon more than 300 dollars for that cam system.

 

3.-During April of this year, suddenly the "Check Engine" light turned on, and I lost control of the automatic and manual shift...no reverse, random gears up and down, etc. TCM Module (Automatic Control Transmission Module) was a failure with a repair cost of 1.800 Dollars.Thanks God (at last!!!) there was a 10 year warranty extension for this Module due to Factory Failure. But I also  have to pay for rear middle light replacement because it also failed.

 

4.- Until now, since April, my car has been in the Dealers Facility waiting for the TCM replacement from Ford. Eight months and NO WORD from Ford... NO ANSWER to my calls, letters, etc. I am even studying legal actions against Ford.

 

Now..about the problem I need advice... Last year, the Co Pilot Seat belt Warning Chime and Light stopped working when a person sit down and didn't use the Seatbelt. The Pilot warning light and chime works without problem..it is only the Copilot one. I always explained this failure thinking about the cleaning company I periodically send the car to (using the cleaning vacuum under the Copilot Seat must have damaged a wire or the sensor).

 

During last year Maintenance (the car has all of them up to date) the Dealer said "there was no time to check the problem". This year, with the Focus more than 8 month with the Dealer, I asked to check the problem again.

 

Two days ago, at last the TCM Module arrived...and now the car is ready to be "withdrawn" by me after paying this year's maintenance which cost 450 dollars for a car not used during all this time. But the Seat belt problem was again not checked, so I demanded, before paying, a diagnostic about this failure.

 

Today, I received a call from the Dealers Chief Plant saying that the cost of the repair is no less than 700 dollars (again I cannot avoid thinking that the car is cursed). After insisting what caused the problem he only mentioned the RCM Module. So I asked what module was an RCM one...He answered "let me google it (???¡¡¡¡¡¡)...ahhh it says it is the Restraint Control Module (SRS)...an Airbag Control Module)". I was absolutely sure he didnt know a thing about this Module, and a little bit upset I told him about it. He excused saying that this was what the "expert'' had said after a really professional examination, "pin by pin" of the Module and even though it said an airbag module, it was a whole computer that interconnects Airbags with Seat belts. He wasn't able to answer the following doubts:

 

1.- The RCM is only one for all the airbags and the Copilot/Pilot Seat belts? If that is true, why, if that Module failed, the Airbargs still work well (no warning light about that or Scan Code) and also the Pilot Seat Belt Warning Chime is ok?

 

2.- Due to the "safety" importance of that module is it not logical to think that a car that even shows a burnt bulb, must show this problem?

 

3.- What about some wires under the Copilot Seat or a problem with the pressure sensor?

 

The Chief only answered that the RCM was a very complex module, and the diagnostic made by the expert was very accurated. But he also added..."there is no need to repair it and spend all that money" because the only failure of the RCM was the Copilot Seatbelt Warning light and chime....no more than that.``...

 

So I ask for expert opinions in this Forum... Is the diagnosis a logical one? Can that module fail only about Warning Chime and Light of Copilots solely Seatbelt and not the Pilot one, or even Airbags?...and more importantly, is that Module responsible for launching that Warning?

 

I told him that to be honest the diagnosis generated more doubts than explanations, and that I wasn't very convinced. I need a second opinion of an independent expert but here it is not easy to find one.

 

It must be understood that the car is in the Dealer Facilities for more than eight months, and now that the TCM arrived and is installed, they only want to get rid of the car.

 

Of course I wont pay 700 dollars besides the 450 dollars of this year's maintenance, before getting another opinion, but some help here would be appreciated. 

 

Sorry for the lenghty post...Best Regards...

2 hours ago, rgalindov said:

I own a Ford Focus SE Flex 2.0 Car, USA origin, with 50.000 km (31.068 miles). It is in excellent condition because I am a very strict owner....

Good to read your car is in excellent condition LOL 🤣

Sounds like it might have Bats in the Belfry 🤣

4 hours ago, rgalindov said:

USA origin, with 50.000 km

The USA measure distance in Miles

All that appears to be wrong is that if the passenger does not put their seat belt on then nothing tells them to do it. If that’s the only problem I would live with it. Is such a warning required by law in that country. I’m not sure if you are saying your car is in usa or you took if from usa to another country.  You could put a sticker on dashboard to say put seat belt on. Or a metal spike - that might focus the passengers mind on the seat belt. I don’t know the technicalities of the electronics so can’t really answer the question in the way you want it answered.

 

6 minutes ago, isetta said:

 You could put a sticker on dashboard to say put seat belt on. Or a metal spike - that might focus the passengers mind on the seat belt. I don’t know the technicalities of the electronics. 

Must be a common issue - Ebay sell a metal spike that would suffice LOL

 

 

I recall years ago someone saying to me that the biggest contribution to road safety would be a big metal spike sticking out the centre of the steering wheel. It would make the driver go slower and be more careful

I would forget about the warning lamp and just get your car back.

Looks like we scared the OP off LOL We really should be kinder to newbies... 😂