NHTSA Complaint #10789796 — 2014 FORD C-MAX

EXCESSIVE TORQUE IS TOO EASILY APPLIED TO THE WHEELS WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP CAUSING UNEXPECTED TRACTION LOSS AND TIRE SPIN EVEN UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING. WHEN DRIVING AT SPEED WHILE PASSING OR OTHERWISE USING CLOSE TO OR FULL POWER (IN A STRAIGHT LINE), THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY PULL TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER UNEXPECTEDLY. ANY NECESSARY STEERING CORRECTION CAUSES THE CAR TO PULL TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE AND OFTEN CAUSES THE CAR TO WANDER ACROSS THE LANE BACK AND FORTH AS I TRY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. THESE ISSUES SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THE HIGH TORQUE OF THE ELECTRIC MOTOR AS WELL AS THE ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED "TORQUE VECTORING" DIFFERENTIAL. AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT I'VE NOTICED IS, WHEN COMING TO A STOP, SOMETIMES THE ELECTRONICS CONTROLLING THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION MOTOR GET CONFUSED, POWER IS APPLIED TO WHEELS IN A STUTTERING FASHION, REQUIRING EXTRA FORCE TO BE APPLIED TO THE BRAKES UNTIL THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN (AS IT NORMALLY DOES WHEN COMING TO A STOP). DESPITE THE REQUIRED DATE OF INCIDENT FIELD BELOW, THIS IS NOT A ONE TIME INCIDENT AND COMMONLY HAPPENS ON A DAY TO DAY AND/OR INTERMITTENT BASIS.