NHTSA Complaint #10692210 — 2013 FORD FIESTA

ON 02/27/2015 MY FORD FIESTA WITH 20,904 MILES WAS TAKEN IN FOR A TRANSMISSION ISSUE THAT BECAME POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING. WHEN MY WIFE APPROACHED AN INTERSECTION TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN AND CAME TO A STOP THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SHUTTER AND BOG DOWN. THE IDLE PICKED UP BUT THE ENGINE ALMOST STALLED. WHEN TRAFFIC CLEARED MY WIFE ATTEMPTED THE APPLY PRESSURE TO THE THROTTLE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE ONLY MOVED FORWARD AT ABOUT 2MPH. WITH MORE TRAFFIC HEADED TOWARD US (35MPH ZONE) ABOUT 50YARDS AWAY. MY WIFE LIFTED TO HER FOOT OFF THE THROTTLE TO APPLY AGAIN, THE CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD WITH MY WIFE'S FOOT OFF THE PEDAL. THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON WINDY MOUNTAIN ROADS. THE VEHICLE WILL BECOME HESITANT THE LURCH OR BOG DOWN.WE HAD THIS VEHICLE IN FOR THE SAME FIX ON 09/09/2013. THE DEALERSHIP TOOK THE VEHICLE ON A ROAD TEST AND DIAGNOSED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED A SOFTWARE UPGRADE. THE CARS TRANSMISSION STILL HAD MINOR PROBLEMS THAT THE DEALERSHIP STATED AS "NORMAL". THE DIAGNOSIS OF MY VEHICLE NOW IS THAT THE CLUTCH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BUT A ROAD TEST WASN'T EVEN DONE TO THE VEHICLE. A FORD "SPECIALIST" DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM WITH A COMPUTER STATING HE COULD ONLY GET THE ENGINE TO SHUTTER. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW A PROPER DIAGNOSTIC CAN BE DONE IF THE CAR IS NOT DRIVEN ON THE ROAD. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT CANNOT TELL ME WHEN THE VEHICLE WILL BE FIXED AND TOLD I CAN PICK THE CAR UP AND DRIVE IT UNTIL THE CLUTCH COMES IN. OBVIOUSLY NOT CARING ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS SAFETY AND THE FACT WE TOLD THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THE POTENTIALLY DEADLY SITUATION THAT OCCURRED A RENTAL VEHICLE WAS NOT OFFERED CAUSE THEY FEEL THE CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE. *TR