NHTSA Complaint #10549817 — 2013 FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC

THIS IS FOR THE FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC. DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE OF A 4 LANE ROAD IN MODERATE TRAFFIC, MY WIFE WAS SLOWING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO A 4 LANE HWY. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE CHIMED ONCE, SHOWED AN ORANGE CAUTION SIGN IN THE LEFT INFO DISPLAY THAT READ "PLEASE STOP SAFELY NOW," AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN MECHANICALLY. SHE INSTANTLY LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING, BRAKES OR ENGINE AND THE CAR CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP NEARLY CAUSING A COLLISION. SHE PUT THE CAR INTO PARK AND TRIED TO TURN IT OFF (THE INTERIOR ELECTRONICS THAT ARE POWERED BY THE STANDARD LEAD ACID BATTERY WERE ALL STILL ON AND FUNCTIONING) AND RESTART THE MOTOR, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN OFF. IT WAS LUCKY IT STOPPED BEFORE THE INTERSECTION, IF IT HAD HAPPENED 3 SECONDS LATER IT WOULD HAVE BEEN PERPENDICULAR TO TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY THAT'S MOSTLY TRAFFICKED BY BIG RIGS AND DELIVERY TRUCKS AND SHE VERY WELL COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THERE WAS NO WAY FOR HER TO SAFELY GET OUT OF THE CAR, THERE WAS ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND WHEN THERE WASN'T THERE WERE CARS HONKING AND SWERVING TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. IT WAS A FAILED COOLING PUMP SO THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN THE BATTERY PACK AND EVERYTHING DRIVEN BY IT (IE STEERING BRAKES AND THE MOTOR) TO PREVENT OVERHEATING. THIS HAS NOT BEEN THE ONLY CAUSE OF THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" SIGN AND SHUTTING DOWN THE CAR. INSTANTLY CUTTING OFF THE DRIVER FROM ALL THE BASIC CONTROLS OF A VEHICLE IS A VERY DANGEROUS WAY TO DEAL WITH FAULT CODES. *TR