Focus LX V4

• Automatic transmission
• 40,000 miles

Not one, but both of the casings for our rear/brake signal lights melted. That meant that the lamp assembly, or hole, that the light bulb socket goes into, melted in both the left and right rear lights even though we never changed the bulbs before. The casing, or lamp assembly, became warped after melting so that we couldn't even twist the light bulb socket to change the bulb.

This is incredibly frustrating. It should have taken us no more than $4 to buy and change a light bulb. Instead it took the Ford dealership $181.89 to replace the left casing (lamp asy), bulb and socket asy. I'll have to pay that much to replace the right one as well.

I contacted the Ford's customer relation's division. They say they are sticking with the dealership's explanation that this is not covered by our warranty because it's due to stop-and-go traffic. My question is this, even if this is do to stop-and-go traffic, why is Ford putting in plastic parts that can't withstand the heat generated from light bulbs in stop-and-go traffic? I don't even drive as much as I used to in other cars. I never had melting problems with the lighting before. Does this mean that Ford Focus' can not be driven in city traffic where there is inevitably stop-and-go traffic? I am extremely frustrated both with the problem and with Ford's response to it.