NHTSA Complaint #10716512 — 2013 FORD FOCUS

THE CAR WILL NEARLY STALL (AS IF TRANSMISSION SLIPPED/DISENGAGED), ENGINE SPUTTERS, TRANSMISSION GRINDS AND JERKS THEN GEARS CATCH AND CAR LURCHES FORWARDS AND SPEEDS OFF AS IF IT IS POSSESSED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ENTER MOVING TRAFFIC AND ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN CROSSING MULTIPLE LANES OF TRAFFIC OR IF THE DRIVER IS LESS EXPERIENCED OR ISN'T AWARE THAT HE/SHE NEEDS TO ACCOMMODATE IT. THE MORE MILES ACCUMULATED, THE WORSE AND MORE PRONOUNCED THE ISSUE. FORD "REPROGRAMMED" MY TRANSMISSION JULY 2013 (11,000 MILES) WITH NO RESULTS. FORD'S RESPONSE, "SHUDDER" IS NORMAL AND THE INTENTIONAL DESIGN OF THE CAR. THE ISSUE WORSENED TO THE POINT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DISENGAGE WHILE CLIMBING HILLS ( WORSE ON MODERATE TO STEEP GRADES) AND RELIABILITY OF THIS CAR DETERIORATED TO THE POINT I WAS ROLLING BACKWARDS DOWN A HILL I HAD ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB AT 50-55MPH BECAUSE THE CAR JUST STOPS MOVING FORWARD THEN THE CAR WILL GRIND, BANG SHAKE, JERK THEN LURCH FORWARD AND SPEED OFF LIKE IT FINALLY GOT GAS AND FOUND THE GEARS (MAY 1,2015). OCTOBER 22, 2014, I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, WITH THE FORD LETTER IN HAND AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK MY CAR AGAIN. PARTS WERE ORDERED AND IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL THEN BUT, IF I WAS LEFT STRANDED TO CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. FORD IS STALLING PROGRESS & REPAIR OF THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THEY INTEND TO AVOID LEMON LAW. MY COMPLAINTS WENT UNDOCUMENTED ON SERVICE REQUEST PAPERWORK BECAUSE "SHUDDER IS NORMAL/INTENTIONAL OPERATION" AND SUBSEQUENT COMPLAINTS WERE IGNORED/UNDOCUMENTED BECAUSE THERE WERE NO PARTS TO REPAIR IT. RESALE & TRADE-IN VALUE IS LOW, DEPRECIATE AT A FASTER RATE AND ARE GENERALLY UNSAFE . FORD NEEDS HELD ACCOUNTABLE, REMEDY THE ISSUE IN A TIMELY MANNER TO MINIMIZE LOSS, INVESTMENT AND POTENTIAL DANGER TO THOSE WHO UNFORTUNATELY PURCHASED THIS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. THIS CAR IS UNRELIABLE & DANGEROUS!