NHTSA Complaint #10633581 — 2014 FORD FOCUS

WHILE IN A MEDIAN TURN LANE, I ACCELERATED FORWARD TO TURN LEFT FROM A COMPLETE STOP. AS SOON AS I REACHED THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, THE AUTOMATIC CAR SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND IN TO NEUTRAL, LEAVING ME AT ALMOST A DEAD STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY, UPHILL ROAD. WHILE TRYING TO GET THE CAR BACK IN GEAR, I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY TWO CARS COMING UP THE HILL. LUCKILY THEY WERE PAYING ATTENTION, BUT HAD TO SWERVE IN THE NEXT LANE TO AVOID ME. I PUT MY CAR IN "SELECT SHIFT" MODE AND MANUALLY SWITCHED TO 2ND GEAR. IT WAS THE ONLY WAY THE CAR WOULD GO BACK IN GEAR. THE FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS IT NOW, NEEDLESS TO SAY, AS I DON'T FEEL SAFE. I HAVE ALSO BEEN EXPERIENCING A GRINDING NOISE AND SHAKING/SURGING WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP IN THIS VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THIS IS RELATED TO THE INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED. *TR