Shake, Rattle, and Roll?

It was just a few days before Thanksgiving 2016 when I purchased a brand new 2015 Ford Focus from Donnell Ford in Youngstown, Ohio.

It was just a few weeks after purchasing the 2015 Ford Focus that the shaking and shuttering began.

Naturally, I was very alarmed.  It was a brand new car!

It was shortly after that - when the check engine light came on and the first RECALL came in the mail.  Perfect, I thought, two birds (maybe 3?) with one stone.  I scheduled a trip to the Service Department of Phil Fitts Ford in New Castle, PA.

So, I drop it off expecting:

1. Diagnose shuttering, shaking, and erratic acceleration from a stop and low speed driving.
2. Diagnose Check Engine Light.
3. Perform RECALL notice service.

What I get:

1. Cannot replicate transmission problem.
2. Check Engine Light still on.
3. Recall puts some plastic doo-dah on back doors to prevent kids from falling out of the vehicle while driving down the highway at 70 mph.

While, I am a firm believer that kids shouldn't fly out of your vehicle at high speeds, I was a little disappointed that my other concerns were ignored.  But, . . . there was an interesting first clue to the primary issue.

I was told that they could not replicate the "transmission" issue.  Hmmm?  The shaking and shuttering was a "Transmission" issue.

As it turns out; over the course of the next few years:

• A whistleblower would emerge from the shadows of Fords Engineering Department
• Hundreds of Thousands of consumers would report the same transmission problems with the Ford Focus.
• A class action lawsuit would be formed.
• A judge would rule for the class action suit against Ford Motor Company.
• Arbitration would begin.

Here I am days away from the deadline for the  . . . . .

NOTICE OF INTENT TO PROCEED TO ARBITRATION

I will chronical the events to come, the history of the Erratic Engineering Disaster, and the results of my attempts to either get my car repaired or find satisfaction through arbitration and settlement.