NHTSA Complaint #11300569 — 2014 FORD FOCUS

I WILL BEGIN WITH MY CONCERN AND THEN PROCEED TO GIVE YOU MY BACK STORY. I WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN A VERY REAL BROADSIDE COLLISION WITH AN 18-WHEELER AND ANOTHER FORD F-150 ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR THROUGH THE TURN. THE BEST WAY I CAN DESCRIBE THIS IS THE FEELING/NOISE WE'VE ALL HAD LEARNING TO DRIVE WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND YOU MISS THE GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS STUCK IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE WAS REACHING THE REV LIMITER. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE. I'M VERY FORTUNATE IN THE FACT THAT THE ONCOMING VEHICLES WERE ABLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I HAD TO PUT MY CAR IN PARK, THEN PUT IT BACK IN GEAR TO GET IT GOING AGAIN.THE CAR JUST REACHED 55,000 MILES AND I'VE HAD TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR WARRANTY WORK ON THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY FIVE TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE VARIOUS SERVICE MANAGERS BOTH TO 'DRIVE THE HELL OUTTA THE THING' TO WEAR IN THE CLUTCH PROPERLY. I'VE BEEN CONVERSELY TOLD TO 'DRIVE LIKE A GRANDMA' IN ORDER TO WEAR IN THE CLUTCH PROPERLY. I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE SERVICE MANAGER ABOUT MY SAFETY CONCERN AND HE STATES THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO 'AT THE DEALERSHIP LEVEL' AND ENCOURAGED ME TO REACH OUT TO FORD CONSUMER AFFAIRS. HIS NEXT OFFER WAS TO 'SIT ME DOWN WITH ONE OF THE SALESMAN' IN ORDER TO 'GET ME INTO SOMETHING BETTER'. I'M NOT IN A FINANCIAL POSITION TO 'GET INTO SOMETHING BETTER'. I HAD PLANNED ON KEEPING THIS CAR FOR ANOTHER 2-3 YEARS AT LEAST. THIS WOULD GET ME THROUGH SCHOOL AND AS MY INCOME POTENTIAL INCREASED, I PLANNED TO TRADE MY FOCUS TOWARDS A LARGER VEHICLE. I WANT TO REITERATE THAT I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY CAR, ESPECIALLY WITH A BABY IN IT. THE CAR CONTINUES TO JUMP OUT OF GEAR, LEAVING THE VEHICLE POWERLESS AT RANDOM TIMES, DESPITE RECENT CLUTCH REPLACEMENTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE COLD WEATHER.