NHTSA Complaint #10544806 — 2013 FORD FOCUS

THIS APPLIES TO A FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC, NOT A GASOLINE MODEL. WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN "STOP SAFELY NOW" INDICATOR APPEARED. VEHICLE SLOWED AND CAME TO STOP WITHIN A FEW SECONDS WHILE STILL IN TRAFFIC LANES. I PLACED THE CAR IN PARK AND SWITCHED THE SYSTEM OFF, THEN ON AGAIN. IT STARTED NORMALLY AND DROVE NORMALLY FOR APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES WHILE I WENT HOME. THERE IS NO APPARENT VALID REASON FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP ITSELF. UNDER OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES THIS COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. CHECKING REPORTS ON THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON, AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED REPEATED OCCURANCES OF THIS PROBLEM. WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS MODERATE (70 TO 75 DEGREES F). THIS IS A NEW CAR (TWO WEEKS OLD, APPROXIMATELY 1350 MILES) WHILE I DON'T SUGGEST THAT THE FOLLOWING ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, I LIST THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE UNUSUAL FOR ME AND THIS MAY BE HELPFUL TO REVIEWERS LOOKING FOR COMMON CIRCUMSTANCES: 1. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN GIVEN A LEVEL 1 (120 VOLT) CHARGE EARLIER IN THE DAY, BRINGING THE STATE OF CHARGE FROM APPROXIMATELY 60% TO 70%. THIS IS UNUSUAL BECAUSE I USUALLY USE LEVEL 2 (240 VOLT) CHARGING. 2, THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SWITCHED "ON" WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER OPERATING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR BUT WITHOUT DRIVING ANYWHERE. THE PROBLEM OCCURED SHORTLY THEREAFTER, AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES. 3, NO OTHER UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES WERE NOTED. CAR DROVE NORMALLY BEFORE AND AFTER THIS INCIDENT.