Faults:

Front Rotors very warped at 38,000 miles.

The heavy-duty suspension was supposed to be a good thing, but the strut plates have been loose and rattling since 40,000 miles. I can't afford to get it fixed.

A bad fuel sensor caused the engine light to go on (according to the dealer). It cost $450 to fix, even though the car seemed to be running fine.

A wheel bearing went bad at 45,000 miles.

The windshield-wiper switch is malfunctioning since 39,000 miles causing the wipers to turn on by themselves intermittently, often with the turn signal. This seems very dangerous in slushy weather and should have been a recall item in my opinion.

At 64,000 miles the transmission totally failed, completely without warning, even though it had been properly serviced, most recently at about 60,000 miles.

General Comments:

When I spent $22,000 on this car it was my hope that I would have dependable transportation for several years after the car was paid for.

None of the repairs have been covered under the standard warranty.

I have one car payment left and the car is unusable now with the transmission failed.

Ford offered to pay for half of the transmission repair. I have no way to come up with even half the money for this repair. I now must ride my bike to work until I can pay off the car and save up some money for this latest repair.

Ford Motor Company should not be allowed to get away with building such poor quality vehicles and not standing behind them.

Faults:

Windshield cracked from end-to-end, on three separate occasions, during normal defrosting procedure, between 53-54,000 miles.

Interior light remains on for days on end.

Door ajar light frequently comes on during driving, without incident, causing doors to unlock.

Windshield wipers come on unexpectedly, (usually 1 pass per 2 weeks).

Interior cabin air filter makes the interior smell like a skunk every 8,000 miles.

Electronic speed sensor failed at 68,000 miles, causing the transmission to stick in first gear. (a $380.00 non-warranty repair)

Power steering pump and rack failed at 72,000 miles, causing loss of power steering and excessive fluid leakage. (a $1150.00 non-warranty repair)

Oxygen sensor failed at 80,000 miles. (a $200.00 non-warranty repair)

Coolant system was partially blocked, the thermostat was replaced, and the heater core completely clogged, at 81,000 miles. This resulted in an unheated passenger compartment in the winter. (a $350 non-warranty repair)

General Comments:

This car was relatively dependable during my first year of ownership.

However, I currently have little faith in driving out of town in this car, as the frequency of repairs is ever-increasing.

Also, the engine/transmission (3.0L/4-speed auto/overdrive) are not mated well to each other, or as a pair to the car. The result of this underpowered drive train is premature shifting into overdrive (4th gear) at 35 mph/1000rpm, at which point there is so little torque available, that merely touching the accelerator results in a jerky downshift into 3rd gear.

Additionally, the cabin ergonomics did not seem well thought out: Uncomfortable seats on long rides (20 min or more) ; disproportionate arm/leg reach to steering wheel/pedals; very high dashboard creates a hazardous near-object viewing obstruction for driver (i.e., less than 10 feet in front of you)

Finally, climate-control/radio knobs are just far enough out of reach to make you sometimes divert your attention from driving in order to lean toward the center console.