NHTSA Complaint #11203116 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

THE VEHICLE HAS HAD REPEATED ISSUES OVER THE PAST 7 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. THE VEHICLE HAS SHUDDERED UPON ACCELERATION FOR MANY YEARS. A TRANSMISSION RECALL SUPPOSEDLY FIXED THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HAS CONTINUED TO SHUDDER AND ALSO STRUGGLED GOING UPHILL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, AS IT WAS BECOMING DIFFICULT TO DRIVE SAFELY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN GOING UP EVEN A MODERATE INCLINE AND WOULD BEGIN TO SHUDDER AND "REV UP". I WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY UP AN INCLINE WHEN THE VEHICLE STRUGGLED TO ACCELERATE, BEGAN SHUDDERING, AND THE ENGINE BECAME LOUD. I HAD TO MOVE OVER INTO THE FAR RIGHT LANE AND SLOWLY MAKE MY WAY UP THE INCLINE TRAVELING WELL BELOW THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT. THE FORD DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE CLUTCH THAT NEEDED REPLACED. WHEN I QUESTIONED IF THIS WAS RELATED TO ALL OF THE OTHER SHUDDERING PROBLEMS AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD OVER THE YEARS, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AND TOLD THAT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE REPAIRS. A SECONDARY AUTO SHOP SUGGESTED THAT I REACH OUT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP, AS THEY BELIEVED THAT THE NEED FOR THE CLUTCH REPLACEMENT AND PROBLEMS COULD EASILY BE RELATED TO PREVIOUS TRANSMISSION ISSUES. THE FORD CORPORATION WAS CONTACTED AND REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE SITUATION, OTHER THAN DOCUMENTING THE INCIDENT IN MY FILE.