NHTSA Complaint #11416765 — 2014 FORD FUSION

MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER CONTACTED ME SAYING HER CAR WOULD NOT 'GO', THAT SHE WAS DRIVING AND IT JUST DROPPED DOWN TO 20MPH AND ALTHOUGH SHE WAS ACCELERATING, NOTHING WAS HAPPENING, THE RPMS WERE NOT INCREASING. SHE TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND THEN TESTED DRIVING THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE HOME AS SHE WAS IN ANOTHER CITY. EVERYTHING SEEMED WELL SO SHE BEGAN HER JOURNEY BACK HOME, ONLY TO MAKE IT ABOUT 2 MILES AND THE CAR WAS LOSING THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AGAIN. SHE WAS ABLE TO PARK IT IN A NEIGHBORHOOD AND WAS GIVEN A RIDE HOME. WE THEN WENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED AND UPON ARRIVING, I NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED, BUT THE CAR WAS OFF. I DECIDED TO TRY TO DRIVE IT HOME SO THAT I COULD CONFIRM AND EXPERIENCE WHAT SHE DESCRIBED. I MAINTAINED A LOWER RATE OF SPEED, AROUND 40MPH. I DECIDED TO TRY TO PUT ON CRUISE CONTROL, BUT IT WOULD NOT WORK. AT ONE POINT WHERE THE CAR WAS LOSING THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AND WAS ACTIVELY DECELERATING, I PULLED IN TO A CONVENIENCE STORE. I THEN NOTICES A 'HILL PARK ASSIST' WARNING LIGHT COME ON. I DID FINALLY DRIVE IT THE REMAINDER OF THE WAY HOME. ONCE HOME, I BEGAN RESEARCHING THE POSSIBLE ISSUES AND FOUND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORDS. THERE WAS A SUGGESTION TO LOOK AT THE FLOOR BOARD, UPON DOING SO, I FOUND BROKEN PIECES OF A SILICON TYPE BUSHING. IN SUMMARY: THE 'BRAKE SWITCH ENGAGEMENT BUSHING' BROKE AWAY. THIS CAUSES THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED, THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT ENGAGE, HILL PARK ASSIST WARNING LIGHT COMES ON, BUT MOST CONCERNING IS THE VEHICLE STOPS ACCELERATING AND LOSES THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN SPEEDS ABOVE 20-40MPH, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A DANGEROUS SCENARIO IF TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE.