NHTSA Complaint #10597744 — 2013 FORD C-MAX

THE LOSS OF POWER INCIDENT OCCURRED ON MAY 27, 2014, WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH IN THE FAST LANE OF THE 405 FREEWAY AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE 405 AND 5 FREEWAYS IN LOS ANGELES, CA. THE FORD C MAX 2013 SUDDENLY DROPPED FROM 70 MPH TO LESS THAN 5 MPH. THE CAR WARNING MESSAGE ON THE DASH READ: "STOP SAFELY". DUE TO THE COURTESY OF THE MANY DRIVERS ON THE FREEWAY AT 7 IN THE MORNING, THE CAR CROSSED 4 TO 5 LANES OF FAST MOVING TRAFFIC, IN A LIMITED OPERATING MODE AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES AN HOUR, ENDING AT THE ON-RAMP FOR CARS ENTERING THE FREEWAY. THE CAR WAS STOPPED BUT NOT TURNED OFF. AT THAT POINT THE FUEL HISTORY DISPLAY WAS BLANK FOR THE LAST FIVE MINUTES. AFTER WAITING APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 5 MINUTES, THE CAR WAS RESTARTED AND APPEARED TO RUN NORMALLY. IMMEDIATELY, THE CAR WAS DRIVEN TO THE NEAREST FORD SERVICE CENTER, GALPIN FORD IN SHERMAN OAKS, CALIFORNIA FOR ASSISTANCE AND DIAGNOSIS. THE GALPIN SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT LOCATE A COMPUTER CODE THAT RELATED TO THE PROBLEM. AFTER LEAVING GALPIN FORD, THE CAR WAS DRIVEN 350 MILES TO WALNUT CREEK, CA WITH NO POWER ISSUES. THE NEXT DAY, THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS CONTACTED AT WALNUT CREEK FORD (WHERE THE CAR WAS LEASED ON MARCH 27, 2014). THE SERVICE MANAGER THERE INDICATED IF THERE WAS NO COMPUTER CODE FOR THE PROBLEM, NO DIAGNOSIS COULD BE MADE UNTIL THE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED AGAIN. AS OF JUNE 11, 2014, THE LOSS OF POWER ISSUE HAS NOT RECURRED. *TR