NHTSA Complaint #10496695 — 2011 FORD FIESTA

VEHICLE: 2011 FORD FIESTA, MANUAL TRANS., FWD. ROAD CONDITIONS: SNOW COVERED 1-2", NO ICE UNDERNEATH, NO SLUSH BUILDUP. INCIDENT: AT STOP SIGN WAITING TO TURN LEFT ONTO ROAD. ONCOMING TRAFFIC IN EITHER DIRECTION IS THRU, NO STOP. NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. ACCELERATING ACROSS TWO LANES TO TURN LEFT- DIVIDED 4 LANE MUNICIPAL ROAD 40MPH SPEED LIMIT. MIDWAY ACROSS ROAD, FRONT WHEELS BEGAN TO SLIP, TRACTION CONTROL ACTIVATED AND REMOVED POWER. CAR STOPPED IN MIDDLE OF ROAD. WAS UNABLE TO MOVE VEHICLE IN 1ST/2ND/3RD GEAR WITHOUT TRACTION CONTROL REMOVING POWER. IN FIRST INSTANCE, ONCOMING TRAFFIC HAD TO STOP WHILE I EXITED VEHICLE AND PUSHED VEHICLE INTO MEDIAN WHERE TRACTION WAS FOUND. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. AFTER SECOND OCCURRENCE, DETERMINATION WAS MADE TO ONLY TURN RIGHT TO NOT PLACE SELF AT RISK OF ACCIDENT. FOLLOW-UP RESEARCH: EARLY PRODUCTION FORD FIESTA ARE INCAPABLE OF DEACTIVATING TRACTION CONTROL. LATER MODELS DO AND IN THE 3RD PRINTING OF THE OWNERS MANUAL IT IS RECOMMENDED TO TURN OFF TRACTION CONTROL IN SNOW OR MUD. THIS ACTION WOULD ALLOW WHEELS TO SPIN TO PAVEMENT AND GENERATE SUFFICIENT TRACTION TO MAINTAIN OR BEGIN VEHICLE MOTION. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: ABOVE RESEARCH WAS OBTAINED BY DISCUSSION WITH FORD TECHNICAL SUPPORT/ENGINEERING. THEY ALSO ADVISED THAT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO RETROFIT MY VEHICLE WITH THE CAPABILITY TO DEACTIVATE TRACTION CONTROL. I HAVE HAD VEHICLES IN THE PAST OF SIMILAR WEIGHT/POWERTRAIN/PROFILE WHICH WERE EQUIPPED WITH ONE-TOUCH BUTTONS TO DISABLE TRACTION CONTROL WHEN IN THE APPROPRIATE SITUATIONS. THESE CARS WERE VERY CAPABLE IN 1-2" OF SNOW WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL DISABLED. I HAVE ADVISED FORD THAT I INTENDED TO PROVIDE THIS REPORT TO NHTSA AND THEY LIKEWISE SAID THEY INTEND TO SELF-REPORT IT AS WELL. RECOMMENDATION: I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY WHATEVER MEANS NHTSA HAS AVAILABLE. *TR