NHTSA Complaint #10703771 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN THE FORD FOCUS HAS A CLUTCH THAT SLIPS WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAR SHUDDERS AND WON'T ACCELERATE. I WAS ALMOST HIT WHEN MAKING A TURN AND THE CAR SHUDDERED AND STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN. ANOTHER DRIVER HAD TO TAKE EMERGENCY EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID HITTING ME. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND FORD SERVICE SAYS THERE IS DEFINITELY A PROBLEM BUT THEY CANNOT FIX IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE PARTS AND DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY WILL GET THE PARTS. FORD ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM IS COMMON AND HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 150K MILES BUT THEY CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM SO THOUSANDS OF FORD FOCUS OWNERS ARE DRIVING UNSAFE CARS. THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES ATTRIBUTED TO THIS PROBLEM BUT YET FORD STILL DOES NOTHING TO CORRECT THE UNSAFE CONDITION. THIS AGENCY SHOULD FORCE FORD TO ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL BEFORE THERE ARE FATALITIES. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE PEOPLE LOSE THEIR LIVES BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT IN A FORD VEHICLE HAS IS AFFECTING THOUSANDS OF OWNERS. EXTENDING THE WARRANTY IS NICE BUT INEFFECTIVE SO A MANDATORY SAFETY RECALL IS GOING TO BE NECESSARY TO MAKE FORD TAKE ACTION. THE SLIPPING IS OCCURRING MORE AND MORE OFTEN YET FORD IS UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM SO I AM FORCED TO DRIVE AN UNSAFE CAR. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE TO PREVENT MORE ACCIDENTS, INJURIES, AND POSSIBLE FATALITIES. *TR