NHTSA Complaint #10598522 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

APPROACHED STOP LIGHT ON A ROAD WITH STEEP INCLINE. CAME TO COMPLETE STOP BEHIND SEVERAL CARS WITHOUT INCIDENT, BUT WHEN PRESSED GAS TO MOVE AT GREEN LIGHT, GEAR (DESPITE BEING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) SLIPPED AND STAYED IN NEUTRAL, REVVING BUT NOT ENGAGING. CAR BEGAN QUICKLY ROLLING BACKWARDS. I WAS ABLE TO YANK EMERGENCY BRAKE JUST BEFORE HITTING THE CAR APPROACHING MINE FROM BEHIND. SIMILAR INCIDENCES HAVE OCCURRED WITH REGARD TO INCORRECT/ DANGEROUS AUTOMATIC GEAR CHANGES -- SUDDEN LOSS OF NEEDED GEAR CHANGE TO ENTER HIGHWAY FROM RAMP (FLAT LAND) AND ALL KINDS OF GEAR CHANGING PROBLEMS (STUCK IN GEAR SEVERAL GEARS TOO LOW OR TOO HIGH) IN HILLY TERRAIN. THIS CAN RESULT IN LURCHING AS WELL. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS NORMAL OPERATION AND SAYS THE CAR ISN'T GENERATING HELPFUL CODES AS A RESULT. *TR