My daughter’s 2010 v6 Fusion has stalled twice (without warning) in the last month at 65+ mph. The dealer reported that since no fault codes were set, there were no repairs they could make to correct this very dangerous situation from recurring. Has anyone else experienced this problem? And if so, what repairs were made to correct the problem. The car has only 23k miles and has been well maintained at the dealer.
While it may already be too late, I would suggest that you immediately begin educating yourself about the terms of the Lemon Law in your state. In most cases, the dealership only gets three chances to fix a major problem like this before you are eligible for a claim under that law–so one more strike and Ford is “out”, so to speak.
In some states, a Lemon Law claimant is eligible for a comparable replacement vehicle, while in others you can receive a full refund.
The only complication is that you have to file your claim within the elapsed time and odometer mileage limits for your state, and you have to precisely follow the prescribed methods for filing that claim. Go to www.carlemon.com to read the details for your state.
I’d Bet That Your Daughter Is Rightfully Afraid To Drive Her Car.
You can go online to the NHTSA site and check complaints filed. I did an took a look at the 273 complaints involving 2010 Ford Fusions and nothing jumped out at me that this is a common problem. File a complaint there.
Be sure and have the complaints documented in writing and always get service receipts (Repair Orders).
Back to the problem : How often have these stalls occurred ? Are they recent, over several thousand miles, several days/weeks/months apart ? Did your daughter take the car to the dealer almost immediately following a stall ? Was the “Check Engine” light ever illuminated ?
You’ll need to go higher up the “food chain.” I’d ask to speak to a dealer owner/principal and ask for help. I’d arrange to meet with the Ford Service / Parts Zone Representative or have them check the car while it’s at the dealer. I’d ask for a loaner car while they sort things out. You could try calling Ford Corporate and ask for help from their technicians.
I wonder if there is some onboard equipment that could be installed in the car, temporarily that could help record data and zero in on the problem if and when the next glitch occurs ?
Is this a relatively small dealer or a large, high volume dealer ? Sometimes calling and checking with the Service Manager / Service Director of some larger, high volume dealers and explaining your situation will find some help. These dealers generally see problems of this nature early on just because of the volume of cars they deal with every day. Perhaps you’ll find a dealer that has worked through this problem if it involves more than one car.
This type problem can be very difficult to fix, can be dangerous, and can be very frustrating for all involved.
CSA
CSA has also given you some good advice, and you might want to combine my advice and his as follows:
Phone the Ford’s Customer Service staff at the corporate level. Contact info can be found in your Owner’s Manual. Explain the situation–calmly but firmly. (People who come across as unreasonable nut-cases are much less likely to receive real help)
Whatever you do, DO NOT tell them that you will never buy another Ford vehicle, as that removes much of their incentive to satisfy you. Emphasize both your disappointment in the vehicle and the dealership’s reponse to the problem and your feeling that this problem represents a significant safety hazard.
Request a visit by the Ford Zone Representative in order for that person to oversee the next repair attempt. And–mention that you do intend to file a claim under your state’s Lemon Law if repair attempt #3 is unsuccessful. Ask for the address to which you should address your Lemon Law Claim, and then follow up your conversation with a confirmation letter.
The above tactic is what I used on behalf of a friend, who was having major problems with his Rav-4. In a few weeks, the Toyota Regional Service Supervisor came to the dealership, accompanied by a Japanese engineer, they met with us, and then within a few hours they proceeded to diagnose and fix the problem that had eluded the dealership’s mechanics for several months. I REALLY doubt if their efforts would have been this strong if not for a letter informing them of the intent to file a Lemon Law claim if the 3rd repair attempt was not successful.
But–don’t delay taking action, as the clock is ticking. Don’t let your ability to seek resolution under the terms of the Lemon Law evaporate because too much time has elapsed or too much mileage has accumulated!