NHTSA Complaint #10454428 — 2009 FORD FOCUS

AFTER DRIVING ONLY A COUPLE MILES FROM MY PLACE OF DEPARTURE, SPEED 45 MPH, MY CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DECELERATE (AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE "WRENCH" LIGHT, CAME ON. WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR NOTHING HAPPENED, MY CAR CONTINUED TO DECELERATE. I PULLED OVER TO THE FAR RIGHT LANE (NO SHOULDER), BRAKED AND THE CAR JERKED TO A STOP; I PUT MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON. I TRIED PUTTING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THEN BACK IN DRIVE, BUT THE CAR STILL WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF. WHEN I RESTARTED, THE WRENCH LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ON AND THE CAR RAN NORMALLY. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN ON THE SAME ROAD, AT ABOUT THE SAME PLACE (A COUPLE MILES FROM WORK) A MONTH LATER ON JANUARY 18, 2012. THEN IT HAPPENED A 3RD TIME FEBRUARY 13, 2012 ABOUT 3 MILES FROM HOME. EACH TIME IT HAPPENED THE SAME WAY--AFTER DRIVING ONLY A FEW MILES (5-10 MINUTES RUNNING TIME) THERE IS SUDDEN, UNCONTROLLABLE DECELERATION (WHEN I AM TRYING TO ACCELERATE BETWEEN 40-50 MPH), WRENCH LIGHT COMES ON, NO RESPONSE TO PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL, I PULL OUT OF TRAFFIC JUST IN TIME WHILE CONTINUING TO DECELERATE (HAD ABOUT 30 SECONDS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN), BRAKE TO COMPLETE THE STOP, THE CAR SHUDDERS TO A HALT, I SHUT THE CAR OFF, RESTART AND THE CAR ACTS PERFECTLY NORMAL AGAIN. *TR