NHTSA Complaint #10715891 — 2014 FORD FOCUS

AFTER DRIVING INTO HOUSTON LAST YEAR, CAME TO A STOP LIGHT ON THE TOLLWAY. THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE ENGINED REVVED HIGH FOLLOWED BY A METAL "CLAPPING/CLANKING" NOISE WHEN VEHICLE CHANGED GEARS. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR, BUT CAR STILL ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. I ENDED UP RUNNING INTO A CURB TO KEEP FROM HITTING OTHER VEHICLES. THE NEXT DAY, GOING UP A PARKING GARAGE AT 2-5MPH, TRANSMISSION EXHIBITED ERRATIC MOVEMENT AND HAD A SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN REVERSE (GEARSHIFT WAS IN THE "DRIVE" SLOT). A GIRL WAS PASSING BEHIND ME AND WAS STRUCK AS I WAS REACTING TO THE SUDDEN CHANGE IN DIRECTION TRYING TO BRAKE. SHE PUT HER HANDS OUT TO PUSH HERSELF AWAY AND HER RING SCRATCHED MY BACK BUMPER AND HER HAND DENTED IN MY BACK LICENSE PLATE. HER HAND WAS TURNING RED AND BRUISED, BUT SHE REFUSED TO LEAVE HER INFO WITH ME (SHE LOOKED TO BE ABOUT 15). SERVICE DEALERS IN HOUSTON COULD NOT "REPLICATE" PROBLEM AND SAID THIS IS "NORMAL." AFTER THIS INCIDENT, MY HIGHWAY MPG'S HAVE DROPPED FROM 35-42MPG TO NO MORE THAN 27MPG. CITY WENT FROM 26-30 TO NO MORE THAN 24MPG. DROVE TO AUSTIN IN APRIL, STRONG HESITATION AND "STUTTERING" FROM A COMPLETE OR NEAR STOP. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, IT FEELS JUMPY. VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN BETWEEN 5-20MPH, AND 45-55MPH. I DRIVE ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS WHERE SPEED IS 20MPH AND I WILL HAVE TO PUT CAR INTO NEUTRAL TO KEEP IT FROM ACCELERATING. I TOOK THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AT AROUND 100 MILES - THEY GAVE ME A PRINTOUT FROM FORD SHOWING WHY THIS BEHAVIOR IS "NORMAL" AND WILL GET BETTER WITH MORE MILEAGE. AT AROUND 6000 MILES AT THE DEALERSHIP IN HOUSTON AFTER INJURING SOMEONE, THEY SAID IT WAS "NORMAL" FOR THIS VEHICLE TO EXHIBIT "UNDESIRABLE CONDITIONS" AND I JUST NEED TO FURTHER BREAK IN THE TRANSMISSION. NOW THE PROBLEM IS EVEN WORSE, AND MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAYS IT WILL TAKE AT LEAST 2 WEEKS IN THE SHOP.