NHTSA Complaint #10626130 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

WHEN PULLING OUT ONTO A RURAL HIGHWAY FROM A STOP SIGN, MY CAR HESITATED BETWEEN 2-3 SECONDS AFTER MOVING PARTWAY INTO THE INTERSECTION. THE FEEL WAS DISTINCTLY LIKE CLUTCH SLIPPAGE, AND THE CAR REFUSED TO MOVE FORWARD DESPITE ME APPLYING ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR. AFTER ALMOST 2 SECONDS OF VERY SLOWLY (2-3 MPH) CRAWLING INTO THE INTERSECTION THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED ABRUPTLY AND I RESUMED MOVING INTO MY LANE. I FREQUENTLY EXPERIENCE THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM, DESPITE TWO DEALERS OVER 4 TRIPS ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR IT, AND HAVE A GOOD FEEL FOR HOW TO MODULATE THE THROTTLE TO WORK THROUGH THE STALL. HOWEVER, THIS TIME IT NEARLY RESULTED IN ME BEING T-BONED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR BY AN 18-WHEELER TRAVELING 55 MPH. FORTUNATELY THE TRUCK WAS ABLE TO BYPASS ME IN HIS LEFT LANE. I WILL BE TAKING IT BACK TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR MY FIFTH TRIP, THIS TIME HOPEFULLY TO RECEIVE CLUTCH REVISION "F" AND TRANSMISSION SHAFT SEAL "D". WHY THE CARS BUILT WITH THE DPS6 TRANSMISSION HAVEN'T YET BEEN RECALLED IS A MYSTERY TO ME. I CAN ONLY GUESS THAT (HOPEFULLY) NO ONE HAS DIED WHEN FACED WITH A CIRCUMSTANCE SIMILAR TO MINE. *TR