NHTSA Complaint #11121325 — 2015 FORD FUSION

ON AUGUST 20TH, 2018 I PREPARED TO PARK MY FORD FUSION SE. I PULLED FORWARD ALIGNING THE CAR WITH THE PARKING SPACE. I PLACED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR SHIFT STICK IN REVERSE. I PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDAL. INSTEAD OF THE CAR GOING BACKWARDS IN REVERSE THE CAR MOVED FORWARD AS IN DRIVE. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO PEOPLE OR PROPERTY IN FRONT ME. HAD THERE BEEN A PERSON IN FRONT OF ME, MY VEHICLE WOULD HAVE RUN OVER THEM POSSIBLY CAUSING SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH. THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN AND WAS TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE A MECHANIC STATED THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE BUSHING IN THE TRANSMISSION CABLE THAT HAD TO LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH WEAR TO CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CABLE TO BREAK. FORD PRESENTS THIS AS A BENIGN PROBLEM THAT COULD CAUSE THE CAR TO FAIL TO SHIFT INTO PARK. MY EXPERIENCE WAS THE CAR NOT ONLY FAILED TO SHIFT INTO PARK WHEN I TRIED. MY EXPERIENCE WAS THE CAR WENT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM THE GEAR I SHIFTED IT INTO. AS STATED THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE DEATH, SEVERE INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. I CONTACTED FORD THIS MORNING. THERE WAS RESPONSE WAS "WE ARE SORRY." THERE IS NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ABOUT THE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE INVOLVED. THIS ISSUE IS THE SUBJECT OF A FORD RECALL: 18S20 / NHTSA 18V471. MY FORD DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THERE WAS A RECALL THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN BACK IN JULY BUT HE DID NOT SPECIFY WHAT THE RECALL ISSUE WAS ABOUT. FORD IS DRAGGING ITS FEET ON THIS RECALL. FORD IS DELAYING SOLVING THIS PROBLEM. MY CAR CAN NOT BE DRIVEN. FORD IS STATING I MUST $841.00 IN EXPENSES TO REPAIR THIS RECALL AND I WILL THEN BE REIMBURSED. WHEN CONTACTED BY THE DEALER, MOSSY FORD IN SAN DIEGO, CA ON MY BEHALF, FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE RECALL AND SAID I, THE CUSTOMER WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. WHAT IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE I WAS TRAVELLING 65MPH DOWN I5 IN SAN DIEGO?