NHTSA Complaint #10473215 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

ON 8/27/2012 I DROVE OFF THE CAR LOT WITH 7 MILES ON MY NEW CAR. I NOTICED A LITTLE BIT OF ROUGH SHIFTING AS THE DAY PASSED. ON 8/28 THE CAR STARTED BUCKING AND JERKING DURING ACCELERATION. THERE WAS LITTLE POWER ON INCLINES. THE PROBLEM PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE THROUGH THE DAY. I SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO DROP OFF FOR SERVICE THE NEXT DAY. TOOK IN FOR SERVICE ON 8/29 AND WAS TOLD THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR HAD 187 MILES ON IT. ON 8/30 I WAS TOLD THE CAR WAS FIXED AND I PICKED UP MY CAR. WITHIN A FEW MILES THE PROBLEM WAS BACK, BUT WORSE THIS TIME. I HAD SOME SLIGHT NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHEN THE CAR WAS BUCKING AND JERKING. IT ALMOST STALLED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC SEVERAL TIMES WHILE ON MY WAY BACK TO THE DEALER. IT WAS STRUGGLING. THE CAR IS BACK IN SERVICE WITH 220 MILES ON IT. NOW THEY WANT TO KEEP IT FOR AT LEAST 3-4 DAYS. 8/31 I WAS ASKED TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH THE MECHANIC TO SEE IF PROBLEM WOULD REOCCUR. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A KICK WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP, THE CAR DROVE OK, ALTHOUGH WE ONLY DROVE AROUND A BLOCK TOGETHER. SALES MANAGER SAYS THAT IF THE MECHANIC CAN'T FIND ANY FURTHER PROBLEM, THEN I HAVE TO TAKE THE CAR BACK INTO MY POSSESSION SINCE IT'S MY CAR. HE SAYS THAT SOMETIMES THINGS HAPPEN AND I HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT AND LET THE MECHANICS DO THEIR JOB. I'VE HAD THE CAR IN MY POSSESSION UNDER 30 HOURS SINCE I PURCHASED IT ON 8/27. THE CAR ALSO HAS AN ISSUE WITH ROLLING BACK ON AN INCLINE. *TR