NHTSA Complaint #10629387 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION, EVEN AFTER 3 "FIXES" AT A FORD SERVICE CENTER. TRANSMISSION HESITATES, JERKS, AND SHUDDERS IN GEARS 1 THROUGH 3 PRIMARILY, SOMETIMES HARD ENOUGH TO SPILL A DRINK. SLOW SPEEDS AND STOP AND GO SPEEDS RESULT IN HORRIBLE DRIVING CONDITIONS AS THE JERKS/SHUDDERS GET WORSE. IT FEELS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. FOR EXAMPLE, I'LL BE PREPARING FOR A LEFT TURN ACROSS TRAFFIC (WITH MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME TO TAKE THIS TURN), AND THE HESITATION WILL BE SO BAD THAT IT'S UNCLEAR IF I'LL MAKE THE LEFT OR GET HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC FIRST. TRANSMISSION HAS NOW MOVED ON TO A GRINDING SOUND, JERKING MOTION, SOUNDS AS IF SOMETHING'S GETTING STUCK. EACH TIME I'VE TAKEN THE CAR INTO THE SHOP, IT RUNS WELL FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND THEN STARTS THE SHAKING AND HESITATING AGAIN. SLOWLY THE RESULTS COME BACK, AT FIRST SUBTLE SO YOU DON'T THINK TO RUSH TO THE SHOP TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AGAIN (IT COSTS MONEY EACH TIME YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT), AND COME A COUPLE MONTHS THE CAR IS BACK TO HEAVY JERKING AND GRINDING. I FEEL EXTREMELY UNSAFE IN THE VEHICLE, IT'S UNCLEAR IF I'LL MAKE IT PROPERLY ACROSS TRAFFIC AT TIMES, OR BE ABLE TO MAKE TO DESTINATIONS ON LOG CAR RIDES. *TR