NHTSA Complaint #10606042 — 2013 FORD FIESTA

WITHIN 1 MONTH OF DRIVING I KEPT HEARING CRAZY GRINDING NOISES AND IT WOULD BOG OUT BETWEEN 0-30..-RPM WOULD JUMP TO 5 ON SLIGHT ACCELERATION THAN DIVE BACK TO 0; FORD DEALER DID "COMPUTER UPDATE ON ELECTRONICS" - DID NOT FIX PROBLEM; THEY SAID I NEEDED TO "ADAPT TO THE DIFFERENT CLUTCH"; CAR CONTINUED TO HAVE PROBLEMS BETWEEN SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR- TOOK TO DEALER AND ANOTHER "UPDATE" WAS DONE. I WAS DRIVING ON MAJOR HIGHWAY AND HAD TO DROP SPEED FROM 45 TO 30 TO CROSSOVER TO DIFFERENT HIGHWAY AND THE CAR COMPLETELY LOCKED UP AS IF IT WENT INTO NEUTRAL. I MANAGED TO GET CAR HOME WITHOUT HAVING A STROKE AND SHUT IT OFF. WHEN I GOT HOME I CALLED DEALER WHO CAME AND TOWED IT- THE DEALER REPLACED THE CLUTCH. AFTER ABOUT 2 MOS I NOTICED IT WAS NOT SHIFTING RIGHT AGAIN AND BECAME CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY DUE TO PRIOR HIGHWAY INCIDENT. I TOOK IT IN AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETELY REPLACED; ALONG WITH ANOTHER CLUTCH. NOW IT IS MAKING A TICKING SOUND AND I AM CONCERNED OF A GAS ODOR. I WILL BE TAKING IT BACK AGAIN. I FILED LEMON LAW ON IT AFTER THE HIGHWAY INCIDENT. MY GREATEST FEAR IS THAT THIS CAR IS VERY POPULAR FOR MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES LOOKING FOR AN AFFORDABLE CAR FOR THEIR NEW TEEN DRIVER. THE NEW DRIVER WILL NOT BE EXPERIENCED ENOUGH TO REALIZE HOW TO HANDLE THE SITUATION OR KNOW THAT THE CAR IS MALFUNCTIONING. THE 2013 FORD FIESTA NEEDS TO BE RECALLED!!! *TR