NHTSA Complaint #10434366 — 2011 FORD FIESTA

EARLY MODEL 2011 FORD FIESTA ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH DEFEAT-ABLE TRACTION CONTROL. LATE MODEL 2011 AND ALL 2012 MODELS HAVE A MENU TO DISABLE THE FEATURE. MODERATE SNOWFALL. APPROXIMATELY 4-6 INCHES. IF VEHICLE IS STOPPED BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC, OR A STOP SIGN OR BECOMES STUCK IN THE SNOW IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO TURN OFF THE TRACTION CONTROL FEATURE ON THE VEHICLE TO GET MOVING AGAIN OR TO GET UN-STUCK. THE TRACTION CONTROL IS SO AGGRESSIVE THAT THE WHEELS WILL LITERALLY NOT TURN IF ANY SLIP IS DETECTED. THIS FORCES THE DRIVER TO EXIT THEIR VEHICLE AND PUSH THE VEHICLE OR SHOVEL DOWN TO THE PAVEMENT, OR WAIT FOR A TOW TRUCK. EITHER WAY THE DRIVER IS EXPOSED TO TRAFFIC IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. YOU CAN SIT IN THE CAR AND HOPE NO ONE HITS YOU WHILE YOU WAIT FOR THE TOW TRUCK. OR YOU CAN GET OUT AND SHOVEL OR PUSH AND HOPE THAT NO ONE HITS YOU. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHOSE ANSWER IS THAT IT IS DEFEAT-ABLE AND THEY CITE A PAGE IN THE OWNERS MANUAL THAT DOESN'T EXIST IN THE EARLY MODEL YEAR FIESTA'S. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO ATTEMPTED TO GIVE ME THE SAME ANSWER. I HAD TO SHOW THEM THAT THE PAGE OF THE BOOK THEY WERE CITING WAS A LATER PRINTING. EXITING YOUR VEHICLE IN A SNOWSTORM OR JUST AFTER A SNOWFALL IS A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION. EVEN STAYING IN YOUR CAR BLOCKING TRAFFIC IN A SNOWSTORM OR AFTER SNOWFALL IS A SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS SITUATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. FORD NEEDS TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM FOR ALL EARLY MODEL YEAR 2011 FIESTA'S. FORD HAS ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGED AN OVERSIGHT WITHOUT SAYING IT BY PUTTING THE FEATURE IN LATTER BUILT 2011'S AND ALL 2012'S. AS THE SNOWY SEASON APPROACHES I AM FACED WITH THE SAME DANGEROUS SITUATIONS THAT I THOUGHT FORD MAY FIX ON THEIR OWN. I NEED YOUR HELP. *TR