NHTSA Complaint #10371614 — 2011 FORD FIESTA

THIS VEHICLE, BOUGHT NEW IN SEPTEMBER, 2010, HAD LOUD SOUNDS COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. FORD HAS PUT 2 NEW TRANSMISSIONS IN IT. THE 3RD REPAIR ATTEMPT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A PROBLEM THAT "ENGINEERING HAS TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION". FORD, ON TWO OF THE 3 REPAIR ATTEMPTS, SENT OUT A FIELD ENGINEER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST ENGINEER (ON THE 2ND REPAIR ATTEMPT) SAID TO PUT ANOTHER NEW TRANSMISSION IN THE VEHICLE, (THE 2ND NEW TRANSMISSION TO BE PUT IN THE VEHICLE). THIS STILL DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM, ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER (ON THE 3RD REPAIR ATTEMPT, 2 AT ONE DEALER, AND THIS 1ST ATTEMPT AT ANOTHER DEALER, - THIRD OVERALL) SAID "IT'S THE CLUTCH. WE TOOK OTHER CARS OUT, AND WITH THE LAPTOP, WE WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE IT ON EVERY ONE OF THEM." THE DUPLICATION HE WAS SPEAKING OF INVOLVES THE TRANSMISSION AND IT'S CLUTCH SYSTEM, JUST INTRODUCED THIS MODEL YEAR OF 2011 BY FORD. IT IS THE 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, WITH A DUAL CLUTCH. THE SITUATION IS THAT WHEN YOU COME TO A SUDDEN STOP, THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT DOWNSHIFT TO A LOWER GEAR FAST ENOUGH. WHEN YOU TRY TO ACCELERATE, AFTER A SUDDEN STOP, THE VEHICLE SEEMS STUCK IN A HIGHER GEAR. THE CAR MOMENTARILY STALLS BEFORE TAKING OFF. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN TRYING TO CROSS LANES OF A HIGHWAY AT BUSY TIMES. WE DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN IT. WE WERE TOLD, IN AN EMAIL, BY A FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER, "AS I EXPLAINED TO YOU ON THE PHONE THE FORD ENGINEERS ARE AWARE AND ARE RESEARCHING A SOLUTION TO YOUR VEHICLE'S CONCERN. YOUR VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE SO YOU MAY CONTINUE TO ENJOY IT WHILE WAITING TO BE CONTACTED BY (NAME WITTHELD) SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER AND MYSELF".