NHTSA Complaint #10504060 — 2011 FORD FIESTA

WHILE ACCELERATING TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR LOST POWER AND I HAD TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING IT GOT IT TO RE-ENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT IT IS A BAD TRANSMISSION, THAT I WAS LOOSING ONE OF THE CLUTCHES (THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC, DUAL-CLUTCH TRANSMISSION). WHILE FORD OFFERED ME $600 OFF A NEW TRANSMISSION, I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PUT A NEW TRANSMISSION IN, AND I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR. ON MARCH 4TH, WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH IN TOWN, THE CAR AGAIN LOST POWER. I COASTED TO THE SHOULDER, PARKED THE CAR AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART IT. THIS TIME IT WOULD NOT START AND COULD NOT BE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK. AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR, THE CAR MADE SOME MYSTERIOUS CLICKING SOUNDS AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM, BUT DECIDED TO REPROGRAM THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WITH AN UPDATE. EXACTLY A WEEK LATER (MARCH 11TH), THE CAR LOST POWER WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, LEAVING ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF A 3-LANE MAJOR CITY ROAD AT RUSH HOUR. I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND PUSHED THE CAR OUT OF THE STREET. ONCE AGAIN, IT REFUSED TO RESTART AND ONCE I PLACED IT IN PARK, THE TRANSMISSION WAS STUCK THERE. IT NEVER DID RECOVER AND HAD TO BE DRAGGED ONTO THE TOW TRUCK BED. THIS TIME THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THAT NOT ONLY ARE THE TRANSMISSION CLUTCH PLATES BAD, BUT NOW THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE IS ALSO DONE. THE CAR HAS 92,000 MILES ON IT NOW, THE MAJORITY OF WHICH (85% OR SO) ARE HIGHWAY MILES (I LIVE OVER 70 MILES FROM WHERE I WORK). I AM WAITING FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION TO COME FROM THE FACTORY. I WAS TOLD YESTERDAY (3/20/2013) THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS ON BACKORDER. I CAN ONLY CONCLUDE THAT EITHER THE NEW TRANSMISSIONS ARE BEING RETOOLED BEFORE BEING RELEASED, OR THERE ARE SO MANY FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS, THEY CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND. *TR