NHTSA Complaint #10779739 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

I HAD BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH MY CAR LOSING POWER WHEN ACCELERATING AND SHUDDERING REALLY BADLY. A MONTH BEFORE THE RECALL LETTER CAM OUT FOR THE TCM (TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE) I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE CAR. AFTER I GOT THE RECALL LETTER I WENT BACK FOR A FREE DIAGNOSTIC AND INFORMED THEM OF THE WARNING LIGHT THAT WAS OFTEN APPEARING THAT SAID "STEERING ASSIST FAULT SERVICE REQUIRED". THEY SAID IT WOULD BE A SEPARATE $145 TO DIAGNOSIS THAT PROBLEM. AFTER TAKING NEARLY 4 MONTHS TO GET THE PART IN MY CAR WASN'T ABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR DRIVING HOME ONE NIGHT FROM WORK SO I HAD TO FIND ANOTHER DEALERSHIP TO TAKE IT TO. THEY WERE ABLE TO REPLACE THE RECALLED PARTS WITH IN 1 WEEK AND THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE STEERING THAT I HAD DESCRIBED TO THE PREVIOUS DEALERSHIP I ALSO INFORMED THEM ABOUT. WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP MY CAR THEY TOLD ME I SHOULDN'T HAVE THAT SAME PROBLEM WITH THE MESSAGE "STEERING ASSIST FAULT SERVICE REQUIRE" AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP. 3 WEEKS AFTER GETTING MY CAR BACK ONE NIGHT MY HUSBAND AND I GOT IN THE CAR TO DRIVE TO A RESTAURANT AND COULD EVEN LEAVE THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE THE SAME MESSAGE APPEAR AND MY CARS POWER STEERING IS NOW JUST COMPLETELY OUT. BEFORE IT WOULD CORRECT ITSELF AFTER I TURNED THE CAR OFF BUT NOW ITS JUST STUCK AND I CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR. FORD CORPORATE BASICALLY TOLD ME SINCE THERE ISN'T A RECALL IT ISN'T THEIR PROBLEM. AND THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY WOULD TOW IT AND RUN A DIAGNOSTIC AND IF IT ISN'T RELATED TO THE RECALL REPAIR I'M RESPONSIBLE TO THE COST OF TOWING AND REPAIR. ONLINE THIS REPAIR APPEARS TO BE $2,000ISH DOLLARS AND I DON'T HAVE THAT. SO BASICALLY FORD TOLD ME I WAS SOL....