NHTSA Complaint #10704650 — 2011 FORD FIESTA

JUST ABOUT A MONTH AGO, AFTER BEING IN THE CAR ABOUT AN HOUR, WE STARTED GETTING A STATIC POP ON THE FACTORY STEREO SYSTEM. IT WOULD INTERRUPT WHATEVER WAS ON MOMENTARILY AND WOULD CONTINUE EVEN IF YOU SWITCHED SOURCES. MOST ANNOYINGLY, THE STATIC POP STAYS EVEN AFTER SHUTTING THE CAR OFF. IT WORRIES ME THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS PRECURSOR TO SOME SORT OF GENERAL ELECTRONIC FAILURE, BUT WITH THE CAR OUT OF WARRANTY, MY HANDS ARE TIED. HALF HOUR DRIVES ARE NOT YET A PROBLEM. IT HAPPENS AFTER AN HOUR OR SO, AND EVEN IF YOU TURN THE STEREO OFF, IT JUST CONTINUES TO POP. THERE IS A 6 PAGE THREAD ON THE PROBLEM HERE, (AND I'M SURE MANY OTHER PLACES OF THE WEB): HTTP://WWW.FIESTAFACTION.COM/FORUMS/THREADS/42105-RADIO-CUTTING-OUT-INTERMITTENTLY-WITH-POPPING-SOUND/PAGE6?HIGHLIGHT=STATIC IN OTHER WORDS, I AM NOT ALONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER STATED ONE DAY IN LATE OCTOBER, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WHILE ON HIS WAY TO WORK. HE WAS ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER WAITING A FEW MINUTES, HE DECIDED TO TRY AND START THE VEHICLE, AND IT STARTED AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO DRIVE FOR ANOTHER WEEK WITH NO STALLING PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, HE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE STEREO. ONE EVENING, THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED HE HAD NO HEADLIGHTS. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A SERVICE STATION WHERE THE OWNER SHOWED HIM THE FUSES WERE BADLY CORRODED AND THEY COULD NOT BE REMOVED IN ONE PIECE. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUSE BOX APPEARED AS IF THERE HAD BEEN A FLOOD. UPDATED 05/12/16.*JB