NHTSA Complaint #10632412 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

ON AUGUST 24TH, WHEN DRIVING ON A MAJOR HOUSTON HIGHWAY AT 64MPH, I LOST ALL DRIVE-TRAIN POWER. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND DRIVE STATUS INDICATOR IMMEDIATELY STARTED BLINKING, AND I HAD NO RESPONSE FROM MY THROTTLE. I WAS SIMPLY COASTING. THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY TAKE AN EXIT RAMP AND PULL INTO A RELATIVELY SAFE LOCATION OFF THE MAJOR HIGHWAY. I WAITED SOME TIME WITH THE CAR SHUT OFF, AND AFTER STARTING IT BACK UP, THE CEL CLEARED ITSELF AND CAR WAS FUNCTIONAL AGAIN AFTER LEAVING MY CAR AT TOMBALL FORD FOR A WEEK, THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE, AND FOUND NO RECORD OF THE CEL IN THE SYSTEM. I WAS FORCED TO PICK THE CAR BACK UP FROM THE DEALERSHIP, AND UPON REPEATED INQUIRIES FROM MY WIFE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, THE SERVICE TECHNICIANS WOULD NOT TELL HER IT WAS SAFE. ON SEPTEMBER 7TH, ONLY A FEW SHORT DAYS AFTER PICKING THE CAR BACK UP, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN DURING BUSY WEEKEND TRAFFIC WITH MY PREGNANT WIFE AND BABY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY HOUSE, AS THE DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSED (IT WAS A SUNDAY). UPON STARTING THE CAR LATER THAT DAY IN MY DRIVEWAY, THE CEL AGAIN, CLEARED ITSELF. I DROPPED THE VEHICLE OFF AT THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN, AND THE SERVICE ADVISER INFORMED ME, THAT ONCE AGAIN, THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THIS CAR HAS NOW SHUT-DOWN TWICE ON ME, WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR, ON VERY BUSY HOUSTON HIGHWAYS. I FEEL INCREDIBLY UNSAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, AND QUESTION MY DEALERSHIP'S ABILITY TO FIX THE ISSUE AFTER THEY WILLINGLY ADMITTED THEY'VE "NEVER SEEN THIS FAILURE BEFORE." I MANAGED TO RECORD THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON VIDEO, WHICH CAN BE SEEN HERE: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=JHXELGQMK1M. *TR