NHTSA Complaint #10817140 — 2014 FORD FIESTA

IN SEPTEMBER OF 2015 I WAS SITTING IN MY FORD FIESTA (18K) ENGINE RUNNING AND IN PARK AND ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON THE DASH AND THE CAR SHUT OFF. I TRIED TO START THE CAR BY PUSHING THE PUSH TO START AND THE FIRST TIME IT DID NOT WORK BUT THE SECOND TIME THE CAR STARTED AND I WAS ON MY WAY. IN OCTOBER 2015 I WAS DRIVING BACK FROM A JOB INTERVIEW AND DOING 40 MPH ON A TWO LANE ROAD. I WAS GOING TO MAKE A SWEEPING RIGHT TURN AND THE CAR SHUT COMPLETELY OFF CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK. I LOST CONTROL AS I COULD NOT TURN THE CAR WENT ACROSS A LANE OF TRAFFIC AND HIT A CURB AT ABOUT 30 MPH. MAJOR FRONT RIGHT DAMAGE. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR ABOUT 5 MILES TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER. THEY INTERVIEWED ME TWICE ON WHAT HAPPENED (STATING THAT THEY BELIEVED MY ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED) AND GAVE ME A CAR TO DRIVE WHILE FORD CORP. WAS INVESTIGATING. FORD CAME BACK AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AND THAT THERE WERE NO CODES BUT THE TRANSMISSION CODE(A KNOWN PROBLEM) I STATED THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY CODES IF THE IGNITION SHUT OFF BUT MY COMPLAINTS FELL ON DEATH EARS AS THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE FORD CORP MADE THEIR DECISION. I STATED THAT I DID NOT WANT THE CAR BACK (IT WAS A LEASE) THAT I WOULD NOT DRIVE A CAR THAT FORD COULD NOT ASSURE ME THAT THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. FORD KNOWS THEY HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE FIESTA THAT IS WHY THEY ARE WILLING TO GIVE YOU EXTRA INCENTIVE $$ TO LEASE SOMETHING ELSE. IN THE END I HAD TO PAY 4K FOR THE REPAIR AND I WAS 5K UPSIDE DOWN ON THE TRADE (WHICH I APPLIED TO THE NEW LEASE). FORD CORP DID NOT STAND BEHIND THE PRODUCT NOR DID THEY OFFER TO HELP IN ANYWAY. I DID LEASE A FORD FOCUS BECAUSE I HAD TO HAVE A CAR AND DID NOT HAVE 9K TO WALK AWAY FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY.THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. DO NOT BUY A FORD FIESTA. *JS