NHTSA Complaint #10586939 — 2014 FORD FOCUS

THE 2014 FORD FOCUS S COMES STANDARD WITH TRACTION CONTROL WHICH USES BOTH THE ABS MODULE AND THE PCM TORQUE CONTROL TO CONTROL THE VEHICLES MOTION RELATIVE TO THE INTENDED COURSE. THIS IS DONE THROUGH TWO WAYS: 1) THE ABS MODULE CONTINUOUSLY MONITORS AND COMPARES THE ROTATIONAL SPEED OF THE DRIVE WHEELS IN RELATION TO THE NON-DRIVEN WHEELS. AT THE SAME TIME, THE ABS MODULE CALCULATES HOW MUCH ENGINE TORQUE REDUCTION IS REQUIRED TO ELIMINATE THE WHEEL SLIP. IN SNOWY (+2-3?), ICY OR SLIPPERY SURFACES WHERE BOTH FRONT TIRES ARE EQUALLY IN THE SAME CONDITION, THE ABS MODULE MODULATES BRAKE PRESSURE TO BOTH BRAKE CALIPER (S) TO STOP ANY WHEEL SPIN. 2) AT THE SAME TIME, THE ABS MODULE SENDS A MESSAGE TO THE PCM TO REDUCE THE ENGINE TORQUE TO THE REQUESTED LEVEL. WITH BOTH BRAKES BEING APPLIED AND ENGINE TORQUE REDUCED TO A NEAR ?IDLE? STATE WITH THE ACCELERATOR AT ?FULL THROTTLE?, THE CAR IMMEDIATELY BECOMES STUCK. BECAUSE THE FORD FOCUS S DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO DISABLE THE TRACTION CONTROL, MY WIFE AND KIDS HAVE CONTINUOUSLY BEEN STRANDED IN A CAR THAT WILL APPLY THE BRAKES AND REDUCE THE ENGINE RPM?S RESULTING IN A CAR THAT WILL NOT MOVE IN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE CAR HAS BEEN REQUIRED TO BE TOWED MANY TIMES IN BELOW ZERO CONDITIONS BECAUSE WE ARE UNABLE TO DISABLE THE TRACTION CONTROL. DEATH OR SEVERE INJURY IS OUR CONCERN BECAUSE "BY DESIGN", THE CAR BECOMES DISABLED WHEN SNOWY INTERSECTIONS AND HIGHWAYS ARE ENCOUNTERED. OUR DISABLED VEHICLE COULD RESULT IN ANY ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO SLAM INTO OUR VEHICLE.