NHTSA complaint #11485995

Owner complaint summary

THE BATTERY ENERGY CONTROL MODULE RECALL SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS COMPLETED ON MY VEHICLE ON SEPTEMBER 22ND 2022 AT 1203 PM AT GOSCH FORD OF HEMET. UPON LEAVING AROUND A MILE DOWN THE ROAD I WAS DRIVING AROUND A CORNER. WHILE IN THIS CORNER MULTIPLE THINGS HAPPENED AT THE SAME EXACT MOMENT. MY TRACTION LIGHT MOMENTARILY FLASHED ALONG WITH A SERVICE WRENCH. VEHICLE SKID PARTIALLY OFF-ROAD INTO THE DITCH. I LOST CONTROL FOR A BREIF MOMENT BUT WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL BEFORE CRASHING. MY SPEED WAS DRASTICALLY REDUCED TO ABOUT 1/3 OF ITS NORMAL POWER. THE VEHICLE WOULD STILL DRIVE JUST MUCH SLOWER. UPON THIS HAPPENING I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THIS RECALL WAS VERY VAGUE. WHEN I WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP I INITIALLY ASKED THE FORD SERVICE SALESMAN DANIEL VENTURA IF THIS SOFTWARE CHANGED ANY ASPECT OF MY VEHICLES PERFORMANCE. HE THEN READ THE RECALL LETTER AND SAID IF IT DID IT NORMALLY WOULD SAY IT EITHER IN THE RECALL ITSELF OR THE LETTER FORD SENDS YOU THEY WOULD NORMALLYSAY IT IN IT. IT DID NOT MENTION THAT WHILE DRIVING THRU A CORNER IF YOU LOOSE POWER IN THE CAR DUE TO A BATTERY CONTROL MODULE FAILURE THAT YOU MAY LOOSE TRACTION AND LOOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR MOMENTARILY. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. FURTHERMORE WHEN I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP THE CAR DROVE DIFFERENTLY. IT SEEMED LIKE THE HORSE POWER WAS ABOUT 5-10 HP LESS THEN WHEN PURCHASED. IT FELT A LITTLE WEIRD TO GET USED TO DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD SINCE IT HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE PUSH THEN BEFORE. I MENTION THIS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT AS A CONSUMER I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW THE SOFTWARE THAT IS GOING INTO MY CAR. IF ANY ADVERSE REACTION THAT MAY CAUSE ME A DIFFERENT DRIVING EXPERIENCE OR PUT MY LIFE AT RISK OF CRASHING SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE SAFETY RECALL OR THE LETTER FORD HAD SENT US IN THE RECALL. I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THEY DO NOT WANT TO TELL US THAT THIS VEHICLE IS STILL NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME HAVING THE BATTERY CONTROL MODULE FAILURE DURING CORNERING.