NHTSA Complaint #10616239 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

PURCHASED VEHICLE IN JUNE 2012 AND TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SHAKY, SLIPPING, STUTTERING, JERKING, STALLING ON ACCELERATION, OVERHEATING, ROLLING BACK ON HILLS, NO ACCELERATION ON HILLS, AND GRINDING EVER SINCE. HAD CLUTCH SEAL REPLACED WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS FROM PURCHASE WHICH THEY CLAIMED CAUSED THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM PERSISTED BUT THEY TOLD ME TO GIVE IT TIME TO ADJUST TO THE REPAIR. I TOOK IT BACK IN AT 11,000 AND THEY REPLACED ONE OF THE CLUTCHES. PROBLEM PERSISTED ONLY THEN THE CAR'S SYSTEM INDICATED THE TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHEATING (WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY) AND INDICATED ON THE CONSOLE THAT I NEEDED TO WAIT UNTIL THE CAR COOLED DOWN. THE TEMP ON THE CAR WAS IN NORMAL RANGE. I WAS 3 HOURS FROM HOME WITH SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND LEFT ON THE SIDE OF A MAJOR HIGHWAY BECAUSE MY CAR'S SYSTEM SAID THE TRANNY WAS OVERHEATING. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY SAID IT WAS A GLITCH; NO CONCERN NECESSARY. I COMPLAINED AGAIN ABOUT THE JERKING IN THE TRANSMISSION AND THEY SAID I NEEDED TO GIVE THE CAR SOME TIME TO ADJUST TO THE REPAIR AT 11,000. AT 24, 000, I WAS FED UP FROM WAITING AND TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT I NEEDED THE ENTIRE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY REPLACED BUT THEY WERE ON BACK-ORDER. CONTACTED FORD FOR A BUY BACK AND THEY SAID "NO, THAT'S HOW THE CAR DRIVES - IT'S NORMAL" CAR IS NOW AT 50,000 WITH SAME PROBLEMS. CURRENTLY WORKING WITH AN ATTORNEY ON A SUIT AGAINST FORD. *TR