NHTSA Complaint #10545461 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

THERE WAS AN INCREASING VARIATION IN SPEEDS AS I TRIED TO ACCELERATE FOR MERGING ONTO MAJOR HIGHWAY. THOUGHT THE FLOOR MAT WAS STUCK UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT IT WAS NOT. PROBLEM CONTINUED AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND DIFFERENT SPEEDS. *JS WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE ON 9/20/13, I DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM TO THE SERVICE REP. HE TOLD ME FIRST THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE ALERT FOR THIS PROBLEM AND WOULD REQUIRE 3 HOURS FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO BE RE-PROGRAMMED. I AGREED TO WAIT WHILE THE WORK WAS DONE. HE RETURNED SHORTLY TO INFORM ME THAT THERE WAS A MORE RECENT SERVICE ALERT FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO RETURN AT ANOTHER TIME AND LEAVE THE CAR FOR AT LEAST THREE DAYS BECAUSE IT WAS LIKELY THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REMOVED AND RE-BUILT! AND A RENTAL CAR FOR THAT PERIOD WOULD BE AT MY EXPENSE SINCE THIS IS NOT AN "OFFICIAL RECALL".THIS DESPITE MY HAVING ALSO PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY PLAN FROM FORD. I LEFT THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP ON 9/25/13 AND GOT A RENTAL CAR AT MY OWN EXPENSE. LATER THAT DAY, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SERVICE DEPT. INFORMING ME THAT NOT ONLY WOULD THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION HAVE TO BE REMOVED AND REPAIRED BUT THE CLUTCH WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. IT WOULD TAKE "AT LEAST 2 ADDITIONAL DAYS" FOR THESE REPAIRS", "IF WE GET THE PARTS IN" . I AM NOW WAITING TO SEE HOW LONG IT WILL BE BEFORE I GET MY CAR BACK, WHILE I PAY FOR A RENTAL CAR IN THE MEANTIME.