This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
As I was traveling down the highway the throttle suddenly and unexpectedly stopped working.(thankfully I was not in heavy traffic at the time.) I coasted the car over to the side of the highway. The car remained idling, however I still had no throttle control. The wrench light was on. I turned the car off, waited a few minutes and restarted the car. The wrench light was off and I once again had throttle control. I eased the car back onto the highway but noticed the car had difficulty holding a constant and steady speed. There were intermittent subtle surges and pauses in the speed. Once I reached my destination I had a Ford dealership run a diagnostics on the car and they could not find any codes or problems with the car. I thoroughly researched this issue and found others were having similar problems and it was related to the throttle sensor. I had contacted a number of national parts suppliers and they could not sell me just the sensor but would have to sell me the entire throttle body. I contacted the Ford dealer and they had a throttle position sensor. Since replacing the throttle sensor I have put over 1200 miles on the vehicle and have had to this point no more problems with throttle control.
Wrench light came on when starting...and went off..gradually came on and stayed on until I turned off engine and restarted...bob ridings Ford here in Decatur said they could not check it unless the wrench light stayed on...which never happened...gradually the light would come on when car was being driven...and stalled down at a place I could not get off road to restart...luckily not in heavy traffic which could have caused an accident. Next the wrench light went off and the engine light came on...before I could get it to the garage to be checked, all the lights went off...said palmer from palmer tire and auto checked it and got one code which he tried to get Ford to help him with..before he could hear back (if ever he would have) I took it to bob ridings in taylorville (I had bad experience with one in Decatur)and they called said to get his diagnosis..and discussed the fact that both had replaced throttle control on other Focus cars which Ford motor did not recommend doing! this cost me $569.10 which I believe would have been under warranty if it had been repaired in 2011; and this should have been a recall as it is a dangerous condition when driving in traffic., I think Ford owes me...and probably others...and is a problem warranting a recall! I guessed at mileage and time but know this problem occurred the year after I bought the car and it only had 9000 miles on it when I purchased it...making it have around 15,000 when problem began.
While transitioning from one road to another, the vehicle suddenly lost power. When trying to accelerate, the vehicle reached approximately 5000 rpms and did not reach a speed above 20mph. This continued to occur at each stopping point. The engine would then "kick" and normal driving capabilities would be restored briefly.
While driving at a steady speed the car lost power, the tach dropped to 1,000 RPM. The yellow wrench light came on. Car started slowing down. Pressed accelerator and nothing happened. Car would not respond at all. Pulled off the road into a parking lot. Took car out of gear and the idle started to vary from 500 to 1500. Shut the car off. A few seconds later started it up and was able to drive home without incident. It has occurred on four more occasions since then. Most recently 2 weeks ago.
On the freeway going approx 45 mph in the pouring rain; changed lanes, brake a bit to 35. Happened as I sped back up, orange wrench appeared and car began to slow down to about 10 mph till I got to a service station directly off the freeway. Sat for about 8 min. Started up and drove home with no incident. Two days later happened again. This time inching along trying to change freeways. Got to emg lane and sat about five min. Started up and got home with no problem. Only 16 miles between home and work - all freeway.
- Houston, TX, USA
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Last year during the summer I would be driving and the engine and wrench lights would come on and I would lose power. Pressing the accelerator did nothing, no response. This has continued to happen occasionally but in the last couple of weeks it has been a daily thing and it happens numerous times each day. I live in Virginia and it has not happened in the winter or early spring when the temps are cooler. I drive about 60 miles round trip and the majority of it is on the highway. This is a dangerous situation. I get to the side of the road and turn the car off, let it set for a minute or less and then start it again and it runs. I don't have to let it stay off for any amount of time, I can start it shortly after shutting it off with no problem. The tach jumps up between 2000-3000 rpms and then settles down. I don't have my foot on the gas when this happens. Sometimes it won't happen again for the rest of the trip but sometimes I drive only a couple miles before the situation repeats. When I'm parked with the car running I can watch the tach falter and drop below 1000 rpms but it catches itself and returns to normal. This is getting old and is nerve wracking while driving on the highway waiting for it to happen.
Was driving on cruise control on the interstate and moved to pass a semi-truck. I noticed that when pressing the accelerator, nothing would happen, no response. I then lost cruise control and the orange wrench light turned on. I was able to (thankfully and by the grace of god) pull back inbetween two semi-trucks and pull over to the shoulder. I turned the car off then back on again. I was able to drive to work the rest of the way at 75 mph. I was also able to return home 50 miles safely. Later that night I was driving across the neighborhood and the same problem happened again at 20 mph after just a block of driving. I took the car to the dealership and after 2 days they are 'unable to replicate the problem' and with no computer code or "proof" that the light turned on there is nothing they can do. With the high traffic volume on the interstate and the large number of semi's I hope I survive the next time this is bound to happen to me on my commute to work.
On October 1 2012 I was driving down my street at aprox 45 mph when the car suddenly lost power and would not accelerate. Luckily I was close to home and about to coast down hill to my driveway. When I pulled into my driveway the car was still running but not quietly, it sputter and was quite loud. I let it sit for a day and started it back up all light are off, however while driving (I live 50 miles, one way all highway driving at high speeds) to my place of employment this morning October 03 2012 I noticed at if I were driving at anything less then 60 where my foot wasn't on the gas I could feel what seem like the tran slip.. I hope my children are not in the car with me should this happen again. And im praying it doesn't!
I was driving home Friday and I notice a light on the left side of the dash and it look like a wrench, so after about 10 minutes the car began to slowdown, so I pressed the acceleration but the car would not speedup and it acted as tho the transmission was slipping so I was able to coast to the right lane and over to the side off, the freeway after I stop the car, then I turn the engine back on and the car would drive normal, if I accelerated slowly it acted like the trans was slipping, and after I got home I was going to back the car but it would not move when I placed the transmission in reverse it would not move., this is a 2009 Ford Focus, and after reading the reviews on line I see that I am not the only that this have happen to, and this is a very dangerous place to be in on the freeway doing 70mph. And this happened Ford should recall this mod of vehicles.
As I was driving on the freeway at 70 mph in the middle lane, the vehicle lost acceleration power and the "wrench" light came on. While the car was slowing, I had to make several lane changes across heavy, fast moving traffic before I was able to stop along the shoulder. Upon restarting the car, the light was no longer on and the car resumed normal acceleration. The vehicle is currently being assessed at the dealership, as this issue could result in a major collision if it were to recur, potentially causing the car to stall in high-speed traffic without the ability to get to the shoulder.
On a Saturday, May 5, 12 I was driving home after driving about 30 miles. We came on our St. Picture of a wrench came on. Car started to putt putt and finally made it into driveway. Turned off engine. Looked up in manual and said throttle control transmission. Call dealer immed. The only dealer opened w/in miles and aaa bought it there. Dealer checked computer stuff, unable to duplicate problem. No codes in modules. Person said suspect customer hit tcs button by accident. Employee told customer everything looked fine and I could take car home. I paid for 1/2 hr of work when there was supposedly an hr. Of checking done. However since nothing found I was only charged 1/2 hr. Picked car drove approximately 20+ miles home and it was fine. Sunday- drove approximately 40 miles without incident. Wrench came on and I pulled into parking lot. I turned engine off waited and turned engine on. I drove home without incident. If I was on a highway it would have caused an accident. I have a witness who was in the car with me both times.
After driving only a couple miles from my place of departure, speed 45 mph, my car suddenly began to decelerate (and the check engine light, the "wrench" light, came on. When I pressed the accelerator nothing happened, my car continued to decelerate. I pulled over to the far right lane (no shoulder), braked and the car jerked to a stop; I put my hazard lights on. I tried putting the car in neutral and then back in drive, but the car still would not accelerate. I turned the car off. When I restarted, the wrench light was no longer on and the car ran normally. This happened again on the same road, at about the same place (a couple miles from work) a month later on January 18, 2012. Then it happened a 3rd time February 13, 2012 about 3 miles from home. Each time it happened the same way--after driving only a few miles (5-10 minutes running time) there is sudden, uncontrollable deceleration (when I am trying to accelerate between 40-50 mph), wrench light comes on, no response to pushing the gas pedal, I pull out of traffic just in time while continuing to decelerate (had about 30 seconds to make this happen), brake to complete the stop, the car shudders to a halt, I shut the car off, restart and the car acts perfectly normal again.
I was driving on the freeway at approximately 65mph, when the car lost power. Stepping on the gas pedal had no response. I put the car in neutral and coasted out of traffic and onto the shoulder. When I stopped on the side of the road, the car was shaking violently as if it was getting ready to stall. I tried repeatedly to step on the gas but there was no response. I turned the car off for approximately 30 seconds and tried to restart it. It started right up and the throttle was acting normally. Since that first incident, over a year ago, this has happened six more times with the last one being on 11/14/11. I was traveling at 70 mph on interstate 15 going North up the hill from baker, ca when this happened. Trying to Dodge the other motorists and the big rigs to even get to the shoulder was very scary. I have researched this problem and apparently it is not unique to my vehicle. Someone is going to get seriously injured if this issue is not resolved. As other complaints have stated there is no code left on the computer after I restart the car so my mechanic wants to drive my vehicle until it happens, but it only happens every couple of months. I can't be without my car for that length of time so I am very frustrated.
I was driving my Ford Focus on the highway, running approx. 55 mph. All at once a wrench light came on in my car, and my car decelerated to approx. 10 mph. I pulled it off of the road shut the car off and restarted it, and the car ran fine the rest of the way home. Since then it has happened multiple times, without warning. I took the car to my Ford dealer shortly after the first occurrence, and was told that since the wrench light wasn't on they couldn't tell me what the problem was. Yesterday, the car did it again, but this time the engine light came on and stayed on. I took it to advance to have the code read, and was told it coded out a (tac) throttle actuator control failure. I have several friends that also drive Focus' and they all tell me that theirs is doing the same thing. I was wondering if you could get Ford to recall this problem. I have also researched on the internet and found that they are also having this issue with the mustang, F-150, and F-250 to name a few. Thanks for your help.
This is the second time the car lost power and the wrench light came on. The first time the dealer replace a part on the motor. I do not think that Ford has any idea why this happens. My wife drives mostly on 4 lane roads, at high speeds, and sense this is not a one time problem, then Ford should take these cars off the road before some one gets kill, or is that what it takes for the something to be done, and done right and not I think it might be this part or that. I did not see any where Ford has fixed this problem, so they should remove said cars from the highway. The two times this happen to my wife it was light traffic and she could pull off the road, we purchase this car because of the long drive and the fuel mileage. If this happens in traffic will you know what the out come can be, at the speed they drive. Heaven help us if something is not done!
While driving my 2009 Ford Focus on a trip the car lost power and coasted to a stop. The engine began to violently shake the car. The wrench light came on. We shut the car off and restarted it. It worked fine. On the return trip home the car did the same thing. We took it to the dealer, phil long Ford in Colorado springs, co. They said nothing was wrong with the car. It's still under warranty and they refuse to repair the car or look further as they told me they are losing money to do so. The mechanic doesn't get paid nor the dealership, it's a lose-lose for us - "they aren't part of Ford" was also in their response. Sorry, but you're out of luck. I've sent a letter to the president of phil long and Ford Motor Co. I was told a service manager would call and help after this. 10 days have passed and nothing has happened. The car issue is dangerous as it almost caused an accident. Further non work on this may cause loss of life or an accident yet. I believe Ford and the dealership should take this seriously. The car again is under warranty and no one is willing to assist because their computers don't register an issue.
I drive a 2009 Ford Focus. While driving down the highway I will have the wrench light come on. I take it to the dealer and they find nothing wrong. When the light comes on the car loses power. I turn the car off, wait about a minute and turn the car back on. At that time the fault clears and the car drives like normal. This typically happens when I've driven for about 25 to 40 miles. This has happened several times per day, and with the car being out of warranty due to miles, but under and extended warranty I'm having to pay to find nothing wrong. I know that something is wrong with the car though. It looks like others may have had the same problem as well.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Weston, WI, USA