NHTSA Complaint #10490424 — 2012 FORD FIESTA

THE "AFFECTED PART" IS THE TRANSMISSION. THE "INCIDENT" THAT OCCURRED IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE POWER SHIFT TRANSMISSION. WHEN THE CAR'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS IN "DRIVE" OR "REVERSE", AND THE DRIVER TAKES HIS FOOT OFF THE BRAKE OR ACCELERATOR, THE CAR ACTS AS THOUGH IT IS IN NEUTRAL FOR ABOUT 1 SECOND. IF THE CAR IS ON A HILL, THE CAR WILL ROLL DOWNHILL DURING THAT BRIEF PERIOD WHEN THE BRAKE/ACCELERATOR IS NOT APPLIED. ALTHOUGH THIS HAS NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT DRIVING THE CAR YET, I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARDS THIS COULD CAUSE. IF THE CAR IS STOPPED ON A HILL AND THE DRIVER LETS OFF THE BRAKE/ACCELERATOR, DESPITE ANY ACTION OF THE DRIVER, THE CAR MAY ROLL DOWNHILL AND HIT A CAR BEHIND IT. ADDITIONALLY, PARALLEL PARKING IS VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION REMAINS IN NEUTRAL FOR THAT 1 SECOND, AND EVEN ON A SLIGHT HILL THE CAR WILL ROLL. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO MY FORD DEALERSHIP TO ALERT THEM OF THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IS NORMAL FUNCTIONING OF THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE NEVER DRIVEN A CAR THAT, WHEN IN DRIVE, ROLLED BACKWARDS WHILE I WAS ON A HILL. IF THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE NORMAL FUNCTIONING OF THE TRANSMISSION, THEN THE TRANSMISSION HAS A FAULTY DESIGN. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE HAZARDS THIS TRANSMISSION MAY CAUSE, SINCE IF A CAR IS CLOSE BEHIND ME WHILE I AM PARKED ON A HILL, MY CAR MAY ROLL BACK AND HIT IT OUTSIDE OF MY CONTROL. IN A TYPICAL MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR, THE DRIVER IS ABLE TO CONTROL THIS ROLLING WITH THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE. BECAUSE THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, THE DRIVER IS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE ROLLING. *TR