NHTSA Complaint #10899074 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION IN MY FORD HAS STOPPED FUNCTIONING AND LEFT ME SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE MANY TIMES. I HAVE BEEN LUCKY IN THAT I HAVE ONLY BEEN STRANDED IN A TRAFFIC LANE ONCE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO FORD AND GONE THROUGH THE SAME THINGS THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY STATED: FIRST THEY BLAMED IT ON INSUFFICIENT ELECTRICAL GROUNDS, THEN THEY CHARGED ME $200 TO REPROGRAM THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. THE TRANSMISSION THEN FAILED IN THE DEALERS LOT. I FINALLY HAD THE TCM REPLACED UNDER RECALL IN FENRUARY 2015 AND HAVE BEEN LUCKY WHEN COMPARED TO MANY OTHERS. THE VEHICLE HAS RECENTLY BEGUN SHAKING VIOLENTLY, LURCHING FORWARD, AND SOMETIMES NOT MOVING FORWARD AT ALL. I NEVER KNOW WHAT GEAR I WILL GET WHEN I PRESS THE ACCELERATOR OR IF I WILL GET A FORWARD GEAR AT ALL. THE MOST DANGEROUS THING IS THE UNPREDICTABILITY. IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS BUT CITY DRIVING IS INTOLERABLE. THE FORD MECHANIC TOLD ME I NEED A NEW TCM (AGAIN?), BOTH CLUTCHES, AND THE SLAVE CYLINDER REPLACED. I ASKED HOW LONG I COULD EXPECT THAT REPAIR TO LAST. HE ADMITTED - AWAY FROM OTHER EMPLOYEES - THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED ON THE ROAD BECAUSE IT IS TOO DANGEROUS. THE FORD SERVICE CONSULTANT ADVISED ME TO PARK THE CAR AND TO SELL IT BUT MY CONSCIENCE WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO PUT SOMEONE ELSE AT RISK BY DRIVING IT. I HAVE PARKED THE FOCUS AND WILL NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO DRIVE IT. A USED CAR LOT EMPLOYEE TOLD ME ON 27 AUGUST THAT SHE REFUSES TO SELL THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO DANGEROUS. A BRIEF SEARCH OF THE NET REVEALS LAWSUITS IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, ILLINOIS, AND CALIFORNIA ALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS. THESE VEHICLES MUST BE RECALLED AND THE TRANSMISSIONS MUST BE REPLACED WITH A SYSTEM THAT ACTUALLY WORKS, NOT WITH THE SAME BAD SYSTEM. IT IS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE ONE OF THESE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS GETS SOMEONE KILLED.