NHTSA Complaint #10641645 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

FOR SEVERAL MONTHS I NOTICED SIGNIFICANT SHUTTERING OF THE TRANSMISSION WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP INTO LOW GEARS. TOOK THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, PER WARRANTY EXTENSION PROVIDED BY FORD (FIELD SERVICE ACTION NUMBER 14M01). SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THAT COMPLETED SERVICE, THE ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON -- AND WAS ON AND OFF OVER A PERIOD OF APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK. THE CAR ALSO PERIODICALLY JERKED FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE ACCELERATING IN LOW GEARS, AND THE SAME UNEXPECTED MOVEMENT HAPPENED OCCASIONALLY WHEN IN REVERSE. I MADE A FOLLOW UP SERVICE APPOINTMENT DURING THIS TIME. THEN TWO DAYS BEFORE THE SERVICE APPOINTMENT, AFTER FILLING THE CAR WITH GAS, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. WHEN TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE CAR SHUTTERED VIOLENTLY WITH A GREAT DEAL OF NOISE. AFTER CALLING A TOW TRUCK AND RESTING THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR, THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER WAS ABLE TO GET THE ENGINE STARTED -- COMMENTING THAT FIRST AND REVERSE GEARS FELT UNSTABLE AND UNSAFE. CAR HAS SINCE BEEN TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A SECOND ROUND OF SERVICE. PROBLEM AND SOLUTION ARE YET TO BE DETERMINED. *TR