NHTSA Complaint #10512600 — 2011 FORD FIESTA

ALL THREE OCCURRENCES REQUIRING MY CAR TO BE TAKEN TO A SHOP FOR REPAIRS INVOLVED THE VEHICLE MOVING AT HI-WAY SPEEDS. WHILE TRAVELLING AT 65MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL CUT OUT AND ENGINE DIED, SO I HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. EVENTUALLY IT RESTARTED AND I GOT HOME. THE ISSUE WAS ELECTRONIC IN NATURE ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR, AND TOOK IT FOR SERVICE. THE PART WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE AND WHEN ASKED, THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL THE PART CAME IN. THE REPAIR WAS MADE UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND PROBLEM WAS VERY SIMILAR TO THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, AND THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT WAS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM, BUT WAS NONETHELESS ELECTRONIC IN NATURE. THE REPAIR WAS MADE UNDER WARRANTY. THE THIRD AND MOST RECENT ISSUE INVOLVES THE TRANSMISSION. ON MY DAILY COMMUTE, CRUISE SET AT 65MPH, THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED. THERE WAS NO POWER TO THE DRIVETRAIN. WHEN I COASTED TO THE SHOULDER, NO GEAR COULD BE ACHIEVED. WHEN SHUT OFF, THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. AFTER ABOUT TEN MINUTES, AFTER MANY CLUNKING AND CLICKING NOISES HAD OCCURRED UNDER THE HOOD, THE CAR STARTED AND I CONTINUED. IT HAPPENED AGAIN...AND AGAIN. THIS OCCURRED FIVE TIMES IN 30 MILES, AND FINALLY THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. THIS WAS ABOUT FIVE MILES FROM HOME AND MY CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE CAR IS TWO YEARS OLD WITH 85,000 MILES. ALL MILES ARE HI-WAY MILES. ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN PERFORMED WITH RECEIPTS. THIS VEHICLE IS A SAFETY HAZARD, FOR INTERMITTENT, TOTAL LOSS OF POWER AND CONTROL ON THE HI-WAY, AS WELL AS LEAVING THE OCCUPANTS STRANDED AT RISK, ON THE SHOULDER OF SAID HI-WAY. FORD DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE PUBLICALLY THAT THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM (I.E. RECALL). *TR