NHTSA Complaint #10818287 — 2013 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT

AFTER LIGHT FREEZING RAIN, I WAS UNABLE TO GET TRACTION GOING UP A SLIGHT HILL THAT IS USUALLY NOT A PROBLEM. I WAS TRYING TO GO 20-25 MILES/ HOUR ON A TWO LANE STREET. I DOWN SHIFTED, I TRIED LESS GAS, I TRIED MORE GAS, NOTHING HELPED. I WAS PASSED BY APPROXIMATELY 50 CARS, 4 OF THEM WERE TOYOTA PRIUSES. NONE OF THEM HAD SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTY GETTING TRACTION. I EVEN BEGAN TO SLIDE BACKWARDS AT ONE POINT. IT TOOK ME APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES TO GO APPROXIMATELY 1/8TH OF A MILE. I COULD NOT EVEN GET OUT OF THE WAY. I FINALLY MADE IT TO A DRIVEWAY WITH A COUPLE INCHES OF SNOW, AND WAS ABLE TO GAIN ENOUGH TRACTION TO PROCEED SLOWLY. I HAVE THE BEST STUDLESS SNOW TIRES AVAILABLE THROUGH A REPUTABLE TIRE COMPANY. THE PRESSURE WAS JUST CHECKED YESTERDAY TO ENSURE THAT THERE WAS NOT A TIRE ISSUE. I CALLED THE DEALER AFTER REVIEWING THE MANUAL, AND ASKED IS A SWITCH TO DISENGAGE THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM COULD BE ADDED. HE UNDERSTOOD IMMEDIATELY, AND STATED THEY WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM.... HE MADE SOME PHONE CALLS AND CONFIRMED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THIS IS A TERRIBLE SAFETY ISSUE. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY, IN AN INTERSECTION, OR CROSSING A HIGHWAY, I WOULD HAVE BEEN A SITTING DUCK. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED, AND THOSE TRYING TO AVOID ME COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED.