NHTSA Complaint #10526350 — 2013 FORD FOCUS

WHILE DRIVING RESIDENTIAL STREETS AT APPROXIMATELY 25MPH, THE CAR SOUNDED AN UNFAMILIAR WARNING TONE ALONG WITH THE MESSAGE "STOP SAFELY NOW" - AT WHICH POINT, I COASTED THE CAR TO A STOP (UNFORTUNATELY THIS HAPPENED TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION). EVEN THOUGH I HAD NO THROTTLE CONTROL AT THIS POINT, THE CAR REFUSED TO SHUT DOWN AFTER MULTIPLE PRESSES OF THE "START" BUTTON. I EVENTUALLY TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, HIT "START" AGAIN, OPENED THE DOOR AND THIS SEEMED TO CYCLE THE CAR TO "OFF" MODE. I THEN TRIED AGAIN TO START THE CAR AND IT WORKED - AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS OF DRIVING THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" ERROR CAME ON AGAIN. I PULLED OVER THIS TIME AND SHUT THE CAR DOWN FOR 10 MINUTES - I WAS ABLE TO LATER DRIVE THE CAR HOME. WAITED AN HOUR AND DECIDED TO HAVE MY WIFE VIDEO TAPE ME WHILE DRIVING INCASE THIS HAPPENED AGAIN.. THE ERROR OCCURRED 3 MORE TIMES AND IS ALL ON TAPE - ALL WHILE COMING TO A STOP OR ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THIS OCCURRED ON MY NORMAL COMMUTE ON THE CARPOOL LANES OF THE 405 OR 110 -OR WORSE, DECIDED TO POWER DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEFT HAND TURN!- THIS WOULD BE A HUGE LIABILITY AND SAFETY RISK FOR MYSELF AND FAMILY. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY WITH FORD AND I'M IN A RENTAL UNTIL WE HAVE A RESOLVE - I DIDN'T FIND OUT UNTIL AFTER SIGNING A 3 YEAR LEASE THAT THIS IS NOW A WELL KNOWN ISSUE (AT LEAST TO THE NHTSA AND ON MANY FORD FORUMS AND IN ARTICLES ON THE INTERNET) IT'S AN AMAZING CAR AND I HOPE FORD FIGURES THIS OUT VERY QUICKLY. *TR