NHTSA Complaint #10535912 — 2007 FORD FUSION

I HAD PURCHASED MY 2007 FORD FUSION NEW AND HAD A FEW ODDITIES DURING THE COURSE OF OWNERSHIP. WITHIN TWO YEARS OF OWNERSHIP I HAD A BATTERY SHORT OUT. AT THREE YEARS I HAD TO HAVE A HEFTY BRAKE SERVICE DONE BECAUSE OF A CLICKING NOISE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. I NOTICED AT FOUR YEARS THAT WHEN I WOULD REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND OPEN THE DOOR, THE CAR WOULD CHIME AS IF THE KEY WAS STILL IN IT. THE DEALER HAD NO IDEA WHAT CAUSED THE CHIMING AND IT HAPPENED SPORADICALLY. THE BIGGEST ISSUE WAS IN LATE NOVEMBER OF 2011, I WAS MERGING ON TO THE HIGHWAY AND GOING TO PASS A VEHICLE; MY CAR BEGAN TO REV REALLY HIGH, BUT I WAS NOT ACCELERATING THAT MUCH. I SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL THEN BACK TO FIFTH GEAR STILL NO ACCELERATING. AT THAT MOMENT THE CHECK ENGINE CAME ON AND I NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS DEAD AND COSTING. AFTER I STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR WOULD NOT START AT ALL. HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHERE THEY SPENT TWO WEEKS OF TEARING APART MY MOTOR. THEY DETERMINED THAT A BOLT CAME LOOSE RELEASING MY TIMING BELT DESTROYING MY ENGINE. I PURCHASED AND EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH SAVED ME $7500 IN REPLACEMENT COST. AFTER TWO MORE WEEKS I HAD THE CAR BACK. I NOTICED BELT NOISE WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AND THE ENGINE WAS LOUDER THAN THE ORIGINAL ENGINE. WITHIN A MONTH THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THE CHIP IN THAT KEY WENT OUT, AND WHEN I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE CHIMING AND THE BELTS. THEY INFORMED ME; THE KEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (COSTING $300 DOLLARS), MY BELTS WERE FROM THE ORIGINAL ENGINE AND NOW STRETCHED OUT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THE STARTER WAS GOING OUT. THE MYSTERY OF THE CHIMING WAS FINALLY SOLVED. FORD OFFERED ME EMPLOYEE PRICING ON A NEW CAR BUT WOULD NOT BY BACK MY FUSION. THE DEALERSHIP OFFERED ME NOTHING. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED AND EXCLUSIVELY SERVICED THERE. *TR