NHTSA Complaint #10559445 — 2008 FORD GT500

2008 FORD SHELBY GT500 - CLUTCH ASSY (AR3Z-7B546-AD) BEGAN SLIPPING BADLY AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 26793 MILES. VEHICLE CAME OUT OF WARRANTY SERVICE / REPLACEMENT WITH A VERY PRONOUNCED VIBRATION IN THE POWER-TRAIN. THE FORD DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS "BREAK-IN" VIBRATIONS FOR THE NEW CLUTCH (SAME PART NUMBER). AT 43719 MILES (AFTER 16926 MILES OF UNABUSIVE AND NORMAL DRIVING / NORMAL WEAR & TARE), THE CLUTCH REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY HAS AGAIN FAILED INTERNALLY, WITH VERY MINIMAL WEAR (HOT SPOTS) EVIDENT ON THE EXTERNAL CLUTCH PLATE SURFACE. I ASKED TO SEE THE CLUTCH BEING REPLACED. AS I EXAMINED IT AND ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PART NUMBERS, THE FORD SERVICE TECHNICIAN ADMITTED TO ME THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY NO LONGER USES THIS SPECIFIC CLUTCH PART NUMBER, DUE TO A NOTED SERIES OF CHRONIC MANUFACTURE AND SAFETY ISSUES WITH THE CLUTCH, AND YET NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED TO DATE. THE FORD TECHNICIAN ALSO SAID THE CLUTCH WOULD BE REPLACED THIS TIME WITH A NEWER CLUTCH (7R3Z-7L596-A) AT CUSTOMER COST (MY COST), BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, ALTHOUGH THERE WOULD NOW BE A 2YR/UNLIMITED MILES WARRANTY ON THE NEW PARTS AND WORK (DO THE MATH: THERE IS A VERY SERIOUS DISPARITY THERE CONSIDERING THERE WERE ONLY 16926 MILES ON THE LAST CLUTCH WHICH REPLACED, AND IS NOW NOT COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY). ADDITIONALLY, THE FORD SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID THAT THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN CHRONIC MAINTENANCE ISSUES WITH THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLIES IN NEWER MODEL YEAR MUSTANGS (2010 TO 2014), AND THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY THAT I AM NOW GETTING AS A REPLACEMENT? THERE IS A SAFETY & MANUFACTURING ISSUE HERE THAT FORD HAS THUS FAR ATTEMPTED TO PASS ALONG TO ITS CUSTOMER, AND THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETELY FIXED, ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION FROM THE LOCAL FORD SERVICE TECHNICIAN I SPOKE WITH, WHO IS NOW WORKING ON MY VEHICLE. ISSUE A RECALL! *TR