2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid 4 DR FWD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 FORD FUSION HYBRID. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS ENTERING THE HIGHWAY ON RAMP AT 45 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE VEERED INTO THE CONTACT'S LANE. THE CONTACT JERKED THE STEERING WHEEL AND ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO AVOID THE OTHER VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE WHEELS SEIZED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE DROVE OFF ROAD, OVER A CURB, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN LOCATION AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO THE CRASH, THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT FOUND AN UNKNOWN RECALL REGARDING A STEERING COLUMN BOLT, WHICH AFFECTED THE 2014-2018 MODELS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 19,878.

THE DIAL ON THE COUNCIL (INTERIOR) FOR CHANGING, ENGAGING THE GEARS IS PRICKING MY FINGERS. I HAVE CUTS AND LIFTED SKIN WHERE THE DIAL HAS CAUGHT MY FINGERTIPS WHEN USING (TURNING) THE DIAL TO ENGAGE. THE METAL OR MATERIAL IT'S MADE OF IS POKING OUT IN SOME AREAS NEAR THE BOTTOM EDGE. I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE FORD STORE IN MORGAN HILL, CA. AND NOTHING WAS OR COULD BE DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY CAR.

THE RIMS AND MICHELIN ENERGY SAVERS TIRES ARE UNSAFE; TWICE I HAVE TO REPLACE DUE TO SIMPLE ISSUES SUCH AS BUMPING SLIDING OVER THE MEDIAN AT SLOW SPEED AND BACKING UP, TO GET OFF FROM IT. THE LOW PROFILE AND SKINNY WALLS, NO SPARE FOR HYBRID, ARE UNSAFE!

THE WIPERS ON THE 2018 FORD FUSION ARE INCREDIBLY SLOW EVEN AT THE HIGHEST SPEED SETTING. EVEN IN MODERATE RAIN THE HIGHEST SPEED WILL NOT CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD FAST ENOUGH. IN A HEAVY DOWNPOUR EVEN ON CITY SURFACE STREETS (35MPH) THE WINDSHIELD BARELY GETS CLEARED, YOU MAY HAVE A TENTH OF A SECOND TO LOOK THROUGH A POINT OF THE WINDSHIELD TO SEE IN FRONT OF YOU BEFORE IT GETS COVERED IN RAIN AGAIN, THEN HAVE TO WAIT OVER A SECOND BEFORE THE WIPER ARM COMES BACK TO CLEAR THE AREA. THE HIGHEST SPEED ON THIS CAR IS COMPARABLE TO THE LOW SPEED SETTING ON MY F250 WHICH IS ADEQUATE FOR LIGHT CONSTANT RAIN.

2018 FORD FUSION HYBRID. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SAFETY ISSUE WITH VEHICLE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE WAS FOUND DECEASED, WEDGED BETWEEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND THE DOOR POST IN THE DRIVEWAY OF A MOBILE HOME. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN GEAR. IT APPEARED THE VEHICLE ROLLED UP AGAINST THE STEPS OF THE MOBILE HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, BUT THERE WERE NO DISCREPANCIES FOUND. *JS

WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR'S DASHBOARD INDICATES A POWERTRAIN FAULT (VIA AMBER WRENCH SYMBOL). CAR SEEMS TO GO INTO A LIMP HOME MODE THAT HAS SYMPTOMS OF GRABBY BRAKES AND LOWER FUEL ECONOMY. CAR HAS ALSO STALLED OUT WHILE DRIVING, LOSING ALL POWER, AND REQUIRES THE OPERATOR TO FULLY STOP, SHIFT THE CAR INTO PARK, TURN OFF THE CAR, TURN THE CAR BACK ON, AND THEN SHIFT BACK INTO DRIVE BEFORE THE OPERATOR CAN CONTINUE DRIVING. EXTREMELY UNSAFE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY DECELERATES AND THERE IS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE CAR STALLING. THE POWERTRAIN WARNING LIGHT ORIGINALLY OCCURRED ON 15JUN2018 WHILE LEAVING WORK AND TRAVELLING AT ABOUT 25 MPH WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED ON. IT STAYED LIT THE ENTIRE DRIVE HOME (ABOUT 50 MILES) AND WAS STEADY FOR SPEEDS RANGING FROM STOPPED TO ABOUT 70 MPH. DURING THIS EPISODE, THE CAR DID NOT STALL. ON 18JUN2018, WHILE LEAVING WORK, THE CAR ONCE AGAIN ILLUMINATED THE POWERTRAIN WARNING, BUT THEN IMMEDIATELY STALLED AND I DRIFTED TO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. I STOPPED THE CAR, PUT IT IN PARK, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, AND THEN PUT IT BACK INTO DRIVE, WHERE IT FUNCTIONED, BUT WITH THE POWERTRAIN WARNING ILLUMINATED. I DROVE HOME AT SPEEDS RANGING FROM STOPPED TO 70 MPH, BUT WHEN I EXITED THE HIGHWAY AT MY CITY, ON THE SURFACE STREETS THE CAR STALLED OUT 2 MORE TIMES WITH NO WARNING, LEAVING ME TO PUT ON MY HAZARDS AND QUICKLY TRY TO RESTART THE MOTOR. CAR HAD JUST UNDER 5000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER WHEN THIS FIRST OCCURRED. CAR IS A FORD FUSION HYBRID 2018.