NHTSA Complaint #10692416 — 2009 FORD FUSION

I HAVE TWICE NOW EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE/POWER TRAIN FAILURE WHILE AT SPEED AND IN TRAFFIC. WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT ANY PRIOR NOTICE, MY CAR IMMEDIATELY SHUTS DOWN. DURING WHICH THE ENGINE STALLS, POWER BRAKES FAIL, AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKS. LUCKILY I WAS IN A POSITION IN TRAFFIC WHERE I COULD QUICKLY ENGAGE THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND ALLOW PLENTY OF REACTION TIME FOR OTHER DRIVERS TO AVOID ME. AFTER THE CAR HAS STALLED AND LOST ALL POWER, THAT IS WHEN THE WARNING LIGHTS (ENGINE AND WRENCH) COME ON THE DASH. EACH TIME IT HAS TAKEN NO LESS THAN 5 MINUTES, WHILE SITTING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, TO RESTART THE CAR. WHEN THE CAR RESTARTS IT WILL DRIVE LIKE IT DID PRIOR TO THE FAILURE BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL REMAIN ON. THIS TIME I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR TO THE LOCAL FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE THEM DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. AFTER A FULL DAY OF TRYING TO RECREATE THE ISSUE (25 MILE TEST DRIVE) THEIR RECOMMENDATION WAS TO TAKE THE CAR AND CONTINUE TO DRIVE AS NORMAL UNTIL IT HAPPENS AGAIN. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS SITE AND SEVERAL OTHERS, I HAVE FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY FUSION OWNER WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. I BROUGHT SEVERAL DOCUMENTS TO PROVE THE ISSUE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY FORD (CSP 13N03) AND THERE IS A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. DUE TO THE BUREAUCRATIC NATURE OF THE CONFLICTUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, I AM NOW LEFT WITH A BLUNT REFUSAL TO REMEDY THE ISSUE WITH MY CAR FROM THE FORD DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I DO NOT OWN A 2010 FUSION BUT RATHER A 2009. A MODEL YEAR PRIOR TO WHAT FORD RECOGNIZES HAS ISSUES BUT I IN FACT HAVE TWICE EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SYMPTOMS THAT FORD OUTLINED IN THEIR CSP 13N03 DOCUMENT. AT THE END OF THE DAY I STILL HAVE A VERY UNSAFE VEHICLE THAT IS NOT FIT TO BE ON PUBLIC ROADS BECAUSE OF THE MASS SAFETY RISK IT POSES TO IT'S OCCUPANTS (MY CHILDREN) AND OTHER MOTORISTS. *TR