NHTSA Complaint #11253443 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

MY 2012 FORD FOCUS HAS RECENTLY BEGAN MAKING A GRINDING, RATTLING NOISE DURING ACCELERATION, AND SOMETIMES SHUDDERS OR JERKS ON ACCELERATION FROM A STOP OR WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS WHITE DRIVING. THESE SYMPTOMS ARE MOST SEVERE WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP OR TRANSITIONING FROM CITY STREET TO HIGHWAY SPEED. THE CURRENT SYMPTOMS CAUSE MY VEHICLE TO BEHAVE UNPREDICTABLY IN TRAFFIC. MY FORD DEALER DIAGNOSED THIS AS A FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH, COMMON IN POWERSHIFT TRANSMISSIONS FROM THIS ERA. OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF EVEN MORE DANGEROUS SYMPTOMS, SUCH AS VEHICLES SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING WHILE ON HIGHWAYS.DESPITE WIDELY-REPORTED DEFECTS IN THESE TRANSMISSIONS, FORD IS NOT WILLING TO COVER ANY REPAIRS TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF MY VEHICLE.