NHTSA Complaint #10482879 — 2012 FORD FIESTA

OCTOBER 24, 2012 I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. I ACCELERATED VERY GINGERLY (THE POWERSHIFT IS EFFECTIVELY TWO THREE SPEED MANUALS SO YOU CAN'T JUST JAB IT) TO PASS. THE CAR GEARED INTO A LOWER GEAR AS EXPECTED AND THE ENGINE RPM'S SPIKED AS EXPECTED. THE LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION WAS TURNING RED SO I BRAKED EASILY TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. AT THIS POINT THE CAR WAS HOLDING THE LOWER GEAR AND REVVING OUT OF CONTROL. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR (AS IT WAS TRYING TO OVERPOWER THE BRAKES) AND PLACE IT INTO NEUTRAL WHICH STOPPED THE PROBLEM. THE CAR THEN DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES. I RESTARTED THE CAR. AS I WAS GETTING OFF THE INTERSTATE, I WAS MERGING INTO TRAFFIC THE TRANSMISSION GEARED DOWN AGAIN. THE PROBLEM REPEATED. I TRIED PLACING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AGAIN, HOWEVER, THIS DID NOTHING. I CUT THE CAR OFF COMPLETELY AT 50 MPH. MY STEERING GOT REALLY HEAVY. I USED THE BRAKES AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO SLOW THE CAR AND STRONG ARM THE WHEEL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE TRANSMISSION IS JUNK AND THE DEALERSHIP IS REPLACING MANY PARTS INCLUDING A COUPLE CLUTCHES (IT ONLY HAS TWO I BELIEVE) AND SOME OTHER INTERNALS. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE. IT ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO COMMANDS FROM THE GEAR SELECTOR. I POWERED OFF THE CAR TO AVOID FURTHER DAMAGE OR ACCIDENT. *TR