NHTSA Complaint #10536745 — 2013 FORD FIESTA

I PICKED UP THIS VEHICLE BRAND- NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP ON 8/2/13. BY 8/5, THREE DAYS AFTER I GOT THE CAR, THE ENTIRE FRONT END HAD STARTED TO SHUDDER AND CHUG, AND THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. IT FELT LIKE A DEEP-SEATED TIMING ISSUE (THE ENGINE RPMS HAD BEEN A BIT OFF SINCE I PICKED UP THE CAR ON 8/2, AND IT APPEARED TO BE SHIFTING ODDLY, EVEN BEFORE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON). THE CLUTCH ALSO ENGAGED AT ODD TIMES (I BOUGHT AN AUTOMATIC), AND IT DIDN'T APPEAR THAT THE ENGINE RPMS AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTING WERE SYNCHING UP CORRECTLY AT ALL. MY DIAGNOSIS WAS CONFIRMED WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ROMANO FORD IN SYRACUSE, NY, WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE NEXT DAY (8/6), I WAS TOLD THAT A "CAM PHASER" HAD FAILED ON THE ENGINE DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, AND THAT THE ENGINE OIL WOULD NEED TO BE COMPLETELY FLUSHED AND CHANGED. AFTER A BIT OF RESEARCH, I FOUND OUT THAT THE PHASER IS A SMALL GEAR THAT REGULATES ENGINE TIMING....BY BEING CUT INCORRECTLY, METAL SHAVINGS FROM THE GEAR HAD CONTAMINATED MY ENGINE OIL. THIS, OBVIOUSLY, IS NOT AN EASY FIX. BY SCREWING UP MY ENGINE TIMING, THE REGULATION OF MY ENTIRE VEHICLE IS SCREWED UP. THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE SHOP SINCE 8/6 (IT IS NOW 8/22), WITH NO RESOLUTION IN SIGHT. THEY BROUGHT IN A FORD TECHNICIAN FROM GOD-KNOWS-WHERE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO FIX IT; IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FIXED 2 DAYS AGO TO NO AVAIL. I AM NOW CLOSING IN ON THE TIME PERIOD FOR INVOKING THE NY STATE LEMON LAW; I HOPE I CAN GET MY $ BACK AND SEND THIS THING TO THE DUMP! FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THESE CRAPPY THINGS ASAP! *TR