2013 Ford Transit Connect

I PURCHASED A 2013 TRANSIT CONNECT FROM A FORD DEALER THIS FALL. STILL UNDER FORD WARRANTY AND PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY THROUGH FORD. TODAY WE GOT OUR FIRST SNOW AND WHILE DRIVING THE TCS KICKED IN AND BASICALLY DISABLED THE VEHICLE. I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE, SO WHILE I HAD MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR THE VEHICLES TVS LIGHT WAS ON BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. I OPENED THE OWNERS MANUAL AND LOOKED FOR THE TCS SHUT OFF BUTTON LISTED IN THE MANUAL AND MY VEHICLE DOES HAVE ONE. SO NOW I REALIZE I AM IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE I CANNOT MOVE AND OTHER VEHICLE INCLUDING TWO WHEEL DRIVE CARS ARE DRIVING AROUND ME. I JUST INVESTED $20,000 IN A VEHICLE FOR MY BUSINESS ( HEATING/COOLING/ELECTRIC) AND I CANNOT EVEN GET TO THE CUSTOMERS HOUSE WITH AND INCH OF SNOW ON THE GROUND. I WAS ABLE TO FINALLY REVERSE TO A DRIVEWAY AND AFTER 30 MINUTES GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE DOWN THE SMALL GRADE. I LITERALLY WAS ABLE TO DRIVE A 14 YEAR OLD HONDA CIVIC THAT COST $3200 UP THE SLIGHT SLOPE THAT A LIKE NEW WITH ONLY 32K MILES ON IT TRANSIT CONNECT WOULD NOT GO. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. SO FAR THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND FORDS CUSTOMER CARE LINE HAVE NO ANSWERS FOR ME. WHY IN THE OWNERS MANUAL IS THERE A LISTED TCS SHUT OFF BUTTON AND A LOCATION ON MY DASHBOARD FOR IT BUT NO PART # OR OPTION TO ADD IT TO MY VEHICLE. I INVESTED IN THIS FORD FOR MY BUSINESS AND NOW I CANNOT EVEN GET TO CUSTOMERS HOMES. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT NOW AND NOT SURE WHAT TO DO SINCE THE DEALER HAS NO ANSWERS AND FORD HAD NONE EITHER. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THE ENGINEERS AT FORD MOTOR COMPANY DID NOT THINK TO OUT THIS TCS OFF BUTTON ON ALL VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH TCS AND THAT THE NHTSA HAS NOT FINED FORD MOTOR COMPANY THEY HAVE NOT ISSUED A RECALL. , HOW CAN ENGINEERS DESIGNE A VEHICLE FOR THE USA THAT WILL NOT MOVE IN AN INCH OF SNOW?

AFTER LIGHT FREEZING RAIN, I WAS UNABLE TO GET TRACTION GOING UP A SLIGHT HILL THAT IS USUALLY NOT A PROBLEM. I WAS TRYING TO GO 20-25 MILES/ HOUR ON A TWO LANE STREET. I DOWN SHIFTED, I TRIED LESS GAS, I TRIED MORE GAS, NOTHING HELPED. I WAS PASSED BY APPROXIMATELY 50 CARS, 4 OF THEM WERE TOYOTA PRIUSES. NONE OF THEM HAD SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTY GETTING TRACTION. I EVEN BEGAN TO SLIDE BACKWARDS AT ONE POINT. IT TOOK ME APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES TO GO APPROXIMATELY 1/8TH OF A MILE. I COULD NOT EVEN GET OUT OF THE WAY. I FINALLY MADE IT TO A DRIVEWAY WITH A COUPLE INCHES OF SNOW, AND WAS ABLE TO GAIN ENOUGH TRACTION TO PROCEED SLOWLY. I HAVE THE BEST STUDLESS SNOW TIRES AVAILABLE THROUGH A REPUTABLE TIRE COMPANY. THE PRESSURE WAS JUST CHECKED YESTERDAY TO ENSURE THAT THERE WAS NOT A TIRE ISSUE. I CALLED THE DEALER AFTER REVIEWING THE MANUAL, AND ASKED IS A SWITCH TO DISENGAGE THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM COULD BE ADDED. HE UNDERSTOOD IMMEDIATELY, AND STATED THEY WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM.... HE MADE SOME PHONE CALLS AND CONFIRMED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THIS IS A TERRIBLE SAFETY ISSUE. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY, IN AN INTERSECTION, OR CROSSING A HIGHWAY, I WOULD HAVE BEEN A SITTING DUCK. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED, AND THOSE TRYING TO AVOID ME COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO MOVE FROM THE DRIVE GEAR TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT THE SHIFT INTERLOCK BUTTON BEING DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

AS A BUSINESS WE OWN (2) FORD TRANSIT 2013 VEHICLES. BOTH THESE VEHICLES HAD LARGE CRACKS TO APPEAR IN WINDSHIELDS WITH NO REASON. WHEN THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THEY HAD EXPERIENCED COMPLAINTS OF THIS TYPE BUT HAD NO RECALL ON FILE AND THEREFORE HAD NO OTHER RESPONSE. HAVING HAD (2) SUCH INCIDENTS, WE FEEL STRONGLY, THERE IS A DEFINITE DESIGN DEFECT WITH THESE WINDSHIELDS AND SOME COMPENSATION SHOULD BE MADE TO THE CONSUMER. THE MILEAGE ON THESE VEHICLES WAS BETWEEN 47,000 AND 50,000 MILES AT THE TIME THESE CRACKS APPEARED. THE VIN #'S FOR BOTH VEHICLES IS AS FOLLOWS: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

VEHICLE STOPS WHEN BRAKE PEDAL APPLIED, THEN MOVES FORWARD WHILE BRAKE PEDAL IS HELD DOWN. VEHICLE THEM MOVES FORWARD ON ITS OWN,AGAIN, REQUIRING ADDITIONAL PEDAL PRESSURE UNTIL PEDAL NEARLY AT FLOOR. NUMEROUS DRIVERS IN THE OFFICE HAVE EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO DEALER (JONES FORD) WHO SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG - THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE SINCE AT LEAST FOUR DIFFERENT DRIVERS EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE BALANCED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,100.

THE AUTOMATIC TRACTION CONTROL IS TOO SENSITIVE AT LOW SPEEDS AND CUTS ENGINE BACK AND BRAKES THE TIRE WHERE VEHICLE IS STUCK IN SNOW. NO OFF BUTTON EVEN THOUGH OPERATORS MANUAL INDICATES AN OFF BUTTON IF EQUIPPED IS NEEDED UNDER THESE VERY CONDITIONS. LOCAL FORD DEALER CLAIMS ALL NORTH AMERICAN VEHICLES COMES WITH NO OFF SWITCH. THE ELECTRONICS IS GREAT NORMALLY, BUT NOT SO UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. HAVE TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE AS TO NOT CAUSE A TRAFFIC JAM IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. I DO NOT WANT TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE!!!!!