NHTSA Complaint #10730178 — 2013 FORD FIESTA

I PURCHASED A 2013 FORD FIESTA IN JULY OF 2013. THE FIRST TWO WEEKS I WAS DRIVING IT, I NOTICED JERKING, LUNGING, AND SHUTTERING WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM LOW SPEEDS OR FROM A STOPPED POSITION. SOON THEREAFTER, A METAL NOISE STARTED FROM THE ENGINE AREA. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE "CLUTCH" IN THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. IT TOOK A WHILE (11 DAYS) TO GET THE PART IN, BUT THE WORK WAS DONE. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER THE PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN. I DROVE THE CAR AS IT WAS BECAUSE I NEEDED IT FOR MY BUSY JOB. WHEN I TRANSFERRED TO HOUSTON IN THE FALL OF 2014, I HAD IT SERVICED AGAIN AT THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WAS GETTING WORSE. THEY HAD MY CAR FOR 3 DAYS AND ALL THEY SAID WAS IT "NEEDED AN UPDATE." UPDATE OR NOT, THE PROBLEM WAS AND IS STILL THERE. THE LUNGING, AND MIS-SHIFTS HAVE NEVER BEEN WORSE. I PUT UP WITH IT UNTIL THIS WEEK WHEN I ACCELERATED IN HOUSTON TRAFFIC AND MY FIESTA WOULD NOT GO. I COULD HAVE CAUSED A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AND INJURY TO MYSELF AND OTHERS DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE SHUTTERING IS SO BAD THAT IT SEEMS AS IF THE CAR'S BACK BRAKES ARE LOCKED UP AND THE CAR IS DRAGGING ITS BACK END. I HAVE A NEW APPOINTMENT ON 6/29/15 WITH THE SAME DEALERSHIP THAT DID THE "UPDATE." THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TIME I HAVE HAD A DEALERSHIP ATTEMPT TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.