NHTSA Complaint #11240412 — 2014 FORD FOCUS

POWERSHIFT TRANSMISSION IS CAUSING PROBLEMS. MY 2014 FORD FOCUS HAD A HISTORY OF SLIPPING WHEN SHIFTING, BUT I DID NOT TAKE IT INTO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC UNTIL MY REGULAR MECHANIC NOTICED IT AND RED FLAGGED IT AS A CONCERN WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND PAID $160 TO RUN A COMPLETE DIAGNOSTIC OF THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. THE RESULT OF THAT DIAGNOSTIC WAS THE INTERNAL CLUTCH WAS BAD, AND I WOULD NEED TO DO A COMPLETE REBUILD OF BOTH THE CLUTCH AND THE TRANSMISSION, BECAUSE THE CLUTCH IS LOCATED INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION, AT A COST OF $3,081.77. AFTER RECOVERING FROM STICKER SHOCK, I WAS TOLD IT WAS OK TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THE CLUTCH STOPPED WORKING AS THEY ANTICIPATED FAILURE IN THE LOWER GEARS. AFTER THIS INFORMATION, I REACHED OUT TO TWO TRANSMISSION REPAIR CENTERS FOR A SECOND OPINION, BOTH WHICH TOLD ME THAT FORD HAS BEEN REPAIRING ALL THE TRANSMISSIONS THEY HAVE SEEN WITH THIS PROBLEM AT NO COST TO THE OWNER. IN ADDITION, THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO PURCHASE THE REPLACEMENT PARTS LISTED IN THE DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS BECAUSE FORD IS NOT SELLING THEM TO OUTSIDE REPAIR HOUSES BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF REPAIRS FORD IS MAKING ON THIS TRANSMISSION. TODAY THE CLUTCH FAILED AND I COULD ONLY USE THE LOWER TWO GEARS TO LIMP MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER, AGAIN BEING QUOTED THE ORIGINAL REPAIR PRICE. THE DEALER SERVICE REP IS TELLING ME FORD IS EITHER REPAIRING FOR FREE OR SOMETIMES CREDIT UP TO 50% OF THE REPAIRS, MILEAGE DEPENDANT. WHEN I CALLED THE NUMBER THE DEALER PROVIDED, I WAS ASSIGNED CASE # CAS22256019 AND TOLD 0% WOULD BE CREDITED BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO RECORD OF A PROBLEM. IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS IS AN ON-GOING PROBLEM OF THE DRIVE TRAIN, ALSO THAT FORD IS NOT BEING UP FRONT ABOUT THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THE NHTSA NEEDS TO STEP IN AND WORK WITH FORD TO DEVELOP A CONSISTENT SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE.