NHTSA Complaint #10492037 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE AUTOMATIC DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION. LIKE MOST EVERYBODY ELSE, I AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME HESITATION AND SHUDDERING FROM A STOP AND THE SAME "CLUNKING" SOUNDS IN THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE INTO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER, WOODY ANDERSON FORD, FOR A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AND LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, THEY SAID THAT IS A NORMAL DRIVING CHARACTERISTIC OF THE NEW-STYLE TRANSMISSION. WHILE I INITIALLY ACCEPTED THAT RESPONSE, I HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY UNCONVINCED OF THEIR ASSESSMENT AS WHILE TRYING TO MERGE ONTO THE PARKWAY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND TO A DOWNSHIFT AND LOST ALL FORWARD GEARS. IN TRAFFIC, THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND WHEN I MOVED THE GEARSHIFT LEVER INTO THE MANUAL POSITION, IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN ANY GEAR I SELECTED. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY STEER OFF TO THE HARD SHOULDER, PLACE THE CAR IN PARK AND THEN BACK IN DRIVE AND IT WAS ABLE TO ACCELERATE AGAIN...WITH A SHUDDER IN FIRST GEAR, OF COURSE. IT APPEARS THAT FORD DOES NOT HAVE A REALISTIC FIX FOR THIS VEHICLE (UNLESS THE COSTLY SEAL LEAK IS THE ACTUAL CULPRIT) AND THEREFORE, I HAVE NOT BROUGHT IT BACK TO FORD FOR ANOTHER CHECK EVEN THOUGH I DID SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT. THERE APPEARS TO BE A REAL PROBLEM HERE WITH THIS TRANSMISSION AND MORESO, THE LACK OF CONFIDENCE THAT IT'S DRIVERS/OWNERS HAVE IN IT. IT IS A PROBLEM THAT IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED WITH ACTION. LIKE MANY OTHERS, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS TRANSMISSION. *TR