NHTSA Complaint #10544188 — 2011 FORD FUSION

WHILE DRIVING IN THE CENTER LANE ON THE SOUTHBOUND I-5 FREEWAY MY 2011 FORD FUSION BEGAN TO FEEL LIKE IT WAS DRIVING THROUGH MUD AND LOST ACCELERATION. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO COMPENSATE BY ACCELERATING THE CAR, IT RESISTED AND CONTINUED TO SLOW SIGNIFICANTLY. THANKFULLY TRAFFIC WAS NOT EXTREMELY HEAVY AT THE TIME AND I WAS CLOSE TO A FREEWAY EXIT. I PULLED TO THE RIGHT, AVOIDING ONCOMING TRAFFIC (BARELY) AND COASTED DOWN THE OFF RAMP. BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE OFF RAMP (ABOUT 10 SECONDS) THE CAR HAD GONE FROM 65 MPH TO LESS THAN 5 MPH. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE MOMENTUM OF THE VEHICLE I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT AND WOULD HAVE BEEN AT A DEAD STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC (AND SEMI TRUCKS) GOING BETWEEN 60 AND 75 MPH. THE ENGINE WAS THROBBING, THE CAR WAS SHAKING, AND I HAD NO ACCELERATION CAPABILITY AT ALL. I HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM ON THE OFF RAMP DOWNSLOPE TO TURN RIGHT AND STOP MY VEHICLE AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. I WAS TOLD THE THROTTLE WAS THE PROBLEM AND IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. HAD TIMING NOT BEEN EXACTLY RIGHT, THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE CAUSED A VERY SERIOUS OR EVEN DEADLY ACCIDENT FOR ME AND FOR OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED ABOUT THIS ONGOING ISSUE ONLINE AND WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM AND KNOWN HOW / THAT I COULD SUBMIT A CONCERN TO THE NHTSA.