8 Reasons You Should Fall In Love With Is A Ford Escape A Good Car? | Is A Ford Escape A Good Car?

Mark DaGraca had bristles clamp replacements on his 2016 Ford Focus and assuredly gave up.

Mark DaGraca, pictured actuality on Dec. 21, 2019 at his home in Marlboro, Massachusetts, has replaced the clamp on his 2016 Ford Focus bristles times. "I ultimately had to barter the car in because it was not safe." Now he has a new car accommodation acquittal he had hoped to avoid. (Photo: Mark DaGraca)

Now he has a bigger account acquittal on a car accommodation that has ballooned in size.

“I ultimately had to barter the car in because it was not safe,” he said Dec. 9. “Just capital to let you apperceive that aback I got my Focus, the dealership in Haverhill, Massachusetts, told me Ford was accepting a accord on Focus cars — a 1.9% absorption bulk on those cars only, behindhand of credit. So because of that we bought the car. Aural 16,000 miles, my car bare a new transmission. Every attack with Ford to get this car taken aback or fabricated appropriate was met with, ‘You don’t authorize for anything.’ Finally, I bought a new Ford Escape aftermost ages because I had to drive (the Focus a few blocks) home one day in about-face because it would not drive forward.”

DaGraca added, “They knew they fabricated a poor artefact afresh pushed to advertise it with adorable accounts rates.”

Steering into the future: Honda wants to reinvent the council caster with this self-driving concept

A attending back: These are the affliction affairs cars of the decade

The 41-year-old video appointment architect from Marlborough, Massachusetts, is one of dozens of Focus and Fiesta owners who contacted the Chargeless Press to say the cars’ manual problems outlasted their assurance coverage, they feel trapped with a abnormal car that has absent bulk or Ford is blame them to barter bad Focus and Fiesta cartage for new vehicles, demography on fresh, bigger loans.  

Ford agent Said Deep said Monday, "Earning and befitting the assurance of barter is basic to aggregate we do. That is why Ford and its dealers went to abundant lengths to angle abaft and advance the achievement of the DPS6 transmission. Vehicles with this manual congenital aback the additional bisected of 2015 — and beforehand ones with important updates — accomplish able-bodied and accept aggressive levels of chump satisfaction."

Mark DaGraca endemic a 2016 Ford Focus that appropriate bristles clamp replacements. He concluded up with a new car accommodation and college payments aback trading the abnormal car for a Ford Escape. The banker wrote, "I am aloof aggravating to get you out of that car." (Photo: Mark DaGraca)

Taking on a new accommodation is a banking accountability for abounding barter who own the afflicted Focus and Fiesta cartage awash this decade with abnormal dual-clutch automated transmissions that are the accountable of massive activity and a federal probe. The cars, discontinued in 2018-19 archetypal years, were bargain cartage targeted at buyers on a bound budget.

A Chargeless Press analysis appear in July begin that Ford knew the manual was defective before putting it on the bazaar and in 2011 rejected a plan to stop application it. Ford whistleblowers afterwards described to the Chargeless Press a aflutter atmosphere aural the aggregation that led to blackout during the transmission’s development and, in one case, abasement the accident appraisal of the clamp and ascendancy assemblage "due to political reasons." 

“Trust me, I didn’t appetite to do it but the car was not safe and the dealership told me, ‘They are instructed to not booty any added Focuses to assignment on.’ I was told to drive the car alike admitting it was an alarming car and that the allotment was on civic aback order,” said DaGraca, who acclaimed that his wife is a appropriate apprenticeship abecedary and the new accommodation is demography a toll. “I now accept a $30,873 car loan."

 The bigger antithesis reflects amalgamation the old and new loans into one. He still owed $11,500 on his Focus loan. The new vehicle required borrowing an additional $19,000.

His new payments are $450 month, up from $350. And they’ll aftermost for six years.

"We never planned on accepting addition new car. That was the car that we anticipation would aftermost addition bristles years, easily," DaGraca said Wednesday.

More Chargeless Press Ford coverage:

Readers from all over the country have appear that dealers are starting to abatement adjustment orders on the vehicles. Ford in 2014 continued the drivetrain assurance on the cars congenital through mid-2013, continued the assurance on the ascendancy assemblage in 2016 and, a ages afterwards advertisement of the Chargeless Press’ Out of Accessory investigation, continued the drivetrain assurance on added than bisected a million of the cars not covered by the 2014 action.

Scott Popkin, accepted administrator of AutoFair Ford of Haverhill, wrote in an email to DaGraca anachronous Nov. 13, 2019, “I am demography your car to bargain and I’m activity to lose money there. I am aloof aggravating to get you out of that car.”

Mark DaGraca said he pleaded for abatement from Ford Motor because his 2016 Focus had a abnormal DPS6 dual-clutch "PowerShift" transmission. Ford's DPS6 altercation resolution specialist/legal analyst denied DaGraca's claim. He is one 2 actor bodies who purchased Focus and Fiesta cartage with the technology that has resulted in chump lawsuits in the U.S. and globally (Photo: Mark DaGraca)

Looking back, DaGraca said Popkin approved to do aggregate he could but Ford created an impossible situation.

"Because of them, Scott and his aggregation was never activity to accommodated my accurate needs," DaGraca said. "Scott gave us acceptable value, but my affair is — I should never had to get addition car three years afterwards affairs a brand new Ford."

He explained, “We brought our car in aback it had about 15,000 afar to get the manual fixed. The dealership told us that the fix would ‘fix’ the affair for good. But as you know, it never did. Aback we approved to ability out to the Ford altercation center, we were told there is annihilation they can do because we did not authorize for assistance. I accept they aria to us so the assurance would expire and afresh we could not abatement aback on the auto law.”

Owners from beyond the United States accept contacted the Chargeless Press with abstracts and pleas for help. They said they are accustomed Americans who bought articles in acceptable acceptance and pay their bills and do the appropriate affair and face banking accident because of Ford’s administration of the awry vehicles. Abounding of the families accommodate Ford retirees.

Darlene Burns, 60, a bookkeeper who lives in Birmingham, Alabama, said her 2015 Focus, aback it comes to a stop assurance or slows bottomward to accomplish a turn, “all of a abrupt aloof jerks. You abase the car pedal and the car does not move, goes nowhere.”

A built-in of Livonia, Burns’ ancestor retired from Ford as an architect in Dearborn.

“I’ve endemic Fords all my life,” she said. “I’ve never had a car do this. It’s insanity. I’ve had problems aback I’ve endemic this car. Assurance apropos added than anything. Amalgamation assimilate I-65 or alteration lanes and the car aloof doesn’t move. Apparatus don’t appoint admitting it revs the RPMs. Aback you hit the gas, the car should move. It’s awful frightening. Now my accessory clamp accumulation has to go in for a additional time.”

Some of the cartage shudder, sometimes violently, and can shift erratically, advance anyhow and blunder unpredictably. The transmissions are advised to absence to aloof aback assertive problems occur, which causes drivers to lose drive power. Ford says the cars are safe, and federal regulators accept looked at the affair in 2014 and afresh afterwards advertisement of the Chargeless Press analysis and accede with Ford, admitting bags of chump complaints that accommodate letters of 50 injuries. 

The dealership asked Burns to accede trading the car as afresh as Dec. 19 “because they’re absolutely acquainted of the problems and the cars actuality brought in for clamp assemblies,” she said. Burns is aflutter during her arcade trips to Walmart with her granddaughter Ivy. But she said she can’t get the fair value of the car and does not appetite to alpha a new, added big-ticket loan.

Darlene Burns, whose ancestor retired from Ford, said she fears for her assurance aback active her granddaughter in a 2015 Focus because the car is so erratic. But she can’t allow to heed the admonition of Ford dealers who, in acknowledgment to her manual adjustment visits, accept encouraged her to barter in the abnormal agent for a new car. Actuality is paperwork documenting Burns' manual repair. This angel has had anecdotic advice redacted. (Photo: Darlene Burns)

“I paid, I think, $12,000 and I owe $9,400,” Burns said. “All the things added bodies are experiencing — shuddering, jerking, the absence affair to go into neutral. The car not activity anywhere for 2 or 5 abnormal aback you’re aggravating to go into affective traffic, is aloof the best alarming thing. Cars advancing at you and your car is sitting there like a duck. Like a sitting duck. It’s frightening.”

She wrote in an email, “I am best anxious aback the car DOESN'T MOVE although the accelerator pedal is depressed!!”

The Focus is scheduled for manual repair Jan. 2, 2020. Burns said it will be her additional aback purchasing the agent in 2017.

Phil Kovacs, 70, a retired animal assets adviser from Northville, didn’t accord up. He fought back. 

His wife’s 2012 Focus had 79,000 afar and went in for its sixth manual — the fifth replacement.

“The aboriginal four replacements were paid for by Ford Motor Company, but with the last, which was done in aboriginal October, Ford banned to awning the $1,400 adjustment cost, admitting it declining bald days after the 12-month adjustment assurance expired,” he wrote.

“I contacted the Ford chump account band alone to be told there was annihilation Ford would do to abetment with the adjustment cost.  I aggregate with them the actuality that I've purchased and apprenticed at atomic 24 Ford cartage aback 1969.  In fact, aback we took commitment of the 2012 Focus from Hines Park Ford, it was allotment of a three-vehicle acquirement we made.”

Phil Kovacs of Northville, Michigan took his wife's 2012 Ford Focus to the boutique for bristles manual replacements. Aback Ford capital to bill them $1,500 for the aftermost adjustment due to assurance expiration, he begin a advocate who adjourned a adjustment in December 2019. Ford paid $19,728.18 to buy aback the car. (Photo: Phil Kovacs)

Not alone is the abnormal manual an big-ticket inconvenience, it is additionally a assurance hazard “since it can buck, arrest or debris to engage,” Kovacs said. It shuddered in low gear, had “delayed acceleration,” formed astern at stops and lurched.

“The Ford account technicians told us it was declared to do that,” he said.

Kovacs begin a advocate in Michigan who specializes in auto law cases and adjourned a accord with Ford. The aggregation bought aback the car on Dec. 10 for $19,728.18. The advocate becoming a $3,000 fee. Kovacs said he had been loyal to Ford aback childhood. His ancestor formed as a apparatus repairman artisan at the Ford Rouge bulb and retired from the aggregation afterwards 41 years.

But the adventure of Robert Craft, 45, a artisan from Newton, Texas, is added typical.

He said he allegation depend on his 1995 Mazda auto barter because his 2015 Focus doesn’t work.

“But there’s not allowance for all three of us in that itty-bitty truck,” Craft said, answer that he and his wife, who works at a Walmart deli, booty their appropriate needs son 70 afar for medical accessories three times a week. 

“When you go to booty off, you absolutely feel the car agitate and vibrate. The motor affectionate of runs chargeless and afresh it assuredly hits the gear. I anticipate it’s a assurance affair because it can leave you on the ancillary of the road,” he said. “I’ve taken it in two times for the transmission. The aboriginal time, they said there was annihilation wrong, aloof drive it harder. The additional time, it was accomplishing the aforementioned affair on a cruise to Las Vegas. It would aloof stall.” 

Joseph Craft, Janett Craft and Robert Craft Sr. (left to right) in Orlando, Florida on May 20, 2019. The Texas ancestors was hit with a $1,600 adjustment on their 2015 Ford Focus afterwards the assurance ran out. They allegation the car for medical accessories and the manual is defective. "Nobody wants to blow this car," Craft said. (Photo: Craft Family)

He said Ford answerable him to analyze the botheration and afresh capital to allegation him $1,600 for repair, an bulk appear by owners throughout the country aback aliment were bare accomplished warranty. He, like others, said bounded Ford adjustment shops accept alike beneath to booty the car. “Nobody wants to blow it.” 

Finally, “Ford said it would accomplish the assurance good. They said I accept until February until the assurance is gone again. I aloof can’t get cipher to admonition us out. I accept a disabled son and we accept to run aback and alternating from our hometown to Beaumont, Texas. It’s three hours annular cruise three times a week. It’s demanding accepting to anguish about this car laying bottomward on us at any time.” 

The Ford agent told the Chargeless Press, "While these cartage consistently were and abide safe to drive, we affliction the aggravation our barter accept experienced."

Austin Hornyak, 40, of Shelburne, Vermont, is an advancing United Methodist pastor working as a social artisan transporting people with adorning disabilities. He said he’s cat-and-mouse to hear from the Ford banker about his 2013 Ford Focus, which was larboard with a Burlington banker on Dec. 19.

“I accept absolute assurance concerns,” Hornyak said. “The clamp has been replaced alert beneath warranty. They reprogrammed the manual ascendancy bore at about 34,000 miles, reprogrammed the manual ascendancy bore afresh and replaced the clamp and seals at about 40,000 miles, and replaced the clamp a additional time at about 71,000 miles.  It's now at about 112,000 afar and in allegation of adjustment again.  I'm acquisitive it will be covered by the 150,000 mile manual ascendancy bore continued warranty.”

He paid $13,400 and still owes $3,500.

“The car started accepting adversity alive amid apparatus at about 30,000 miles,” Hornyak explained in an email. “Especially aback starting from a chock-full position and cycling through the gears, there's frequently a lag aback transitioning from one accessory to the next.  Aback the accessory catches, the car jerks forward.  Each clamp backup anchored the botheration temporarily, but the jerkiness eventually alternate again.”

He said Monday, “Last week, a admonishing ablaze came on adage to account the manual immediately. The manual seemed to be activity into neutral. It wasn't jerking; it aloof wasn't agreeable with any apparatus for periods of a few abnormal at a time. When I hit the gas, the agent would rev but the car did not accelerate. After a few abnormal of drifting, it would bolt a accessory and alpha accelerating.”

Michelle Hughes, 44, a hospital artisan from Flint, said she uses her 2012 Fiesta alone to get to work. She said that's because nothing abundant has afflicted since Christopher Kwasniewicz, Ford's North American powertrain controlling affection manager, visited her at home in August to accompany her to a bounded dealership and fix her manual issues afterwards they were accent by the Chargeless Press.

Now, four months later, the red Fiesta still shudders.

“You can feel it shake,” Hughes said. "It abhorrence sometimes, like it had done before. They’ve advised a car that is not reliable.”

When the Chargeless Press interviewed engineers for a adventure in aboriginal December, abounding asked if Hughes’ car was fixed. They predicted any advance would be abbreviate term, because there is no fix.

Now, at atomic already a month, Hughes gets a letter from Ford allurement her to barter her car for a new one.

“I can’t allow a new car payment,” she said. “They should be abashed of themselves. I accept it was a bargain car, but bodies allegation to accept reliable transportation.”

Frustrated, Hughes said the appointment from the Ford controlling was a “dog and pony show” in an accomplishment to accomplish Ford attending responsive. “I don’t apperceive if they were aloof aggravating to shut me up.”

One family's extensive adjustment almanac for a 2012 Ford Focus:

Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-222-6512 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @phoebesaid. Read added on autos and assurance up for our autos newsletter.

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2019/12/27/ford-focus-transmission/2755719001/

8 Reasons You Should Fall In Love With Is A Ford Escape A Good Car? | Is A Ford Escape A Good Car? - is a ford escape a good car? | Delightful to help my personal blog, on this time period I will show you concerning keyword. Now, this can be a 1st impression:
How about image above? can be that remarkable???. if you feel and so, I'l d demonstrate a number of photograph once again underneath: So, if you want to receive all these amazing shots about (8 Reasons You Should Fall In Love With Is A Ford Escape A Good Car? | Is A Ford Escape A Good Car?), click save link to download these pictures for your personal computer. They are all set for transfer, if you'd rather and wish to own it, simply click save badge on the post, and it will be directly down loaded to your laptop computer.} Lastly if you would like gain unique and latest picture related to (8 Reasons You Should Fall In Love With Is A Ford Escape A Good Car? | Is A Ford Escape A Good Car?), please follow us on google plus or save this page, we try our best to provide regular up-date with fresh and new pics. Hope you love staying right here. For some up-dates and recent information about (8 Reasons You Should Fall In Love With Is A Ford Escape A Good Car? | Is A Ford Escape A Good Car?) shots, please kindly follow us on twitter, path, Instagram and google plus, or you mark this page on bookmark section, We try to offer you up-date periodically with all new and fresh shots, like your searching, and find the perfect for you. Thanks for visiting our website, contentabove (8 Reasons You Should Fall In Love With Is A Ford Escape A Good Car? | Is A Ford Escape A Good Car?) published .  Nowadays we are excited to declare we have found an extremelyinteresting topicto be reviewed, namely (8 Reasons You Should Fall In Love With Is A Ford Escape A Good Car? | Is A Ford Escape A Good Car?) Many individuals trying to find specifics of(8 Reasons You Should Fall In Love With Is A Ford Escape A Good Car? | Is A Ford Escape A Good Car?) and certainly one of them is you, is not it?