2017 Ford Fusion

DEAD BATTERY ISSUE. BRAND NEW CAR SITTING FOR 6 DAYS HAS BATTERY GO BELOW "MINIMUM START" AND WHEN START BUTTON IS PRESSED, ENTIRE CAR GOES DEAD. ISSUE IS NOT ISOLATED TO ONLY MY CAR. MANY OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT IT'S "NOT A PROBLEM". THE FORD FUSION SPORT FORUM HAS TONS OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING (HTTP://WWW.FUSIONSPORTFORUMS.COM/FORUM/257-FUSION-V6-SPORT-AUDIO-ELECTRONICS-LIGHTING/3770-DEAD-BATTERY.HTML). WHEN I CONTACTED FORD CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE ARE NO "RECALLS NOR TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS" ISSUED ON THIS PROBLEM AND TO LODGE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA. THIS ISSUE IS SAFETY RELATED BECAUSE OWNERS CAN BE STRANDED AWAY FROM HOME; AND THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS CONTINUOUSLY. PROBLEM OCCURRENCE: THIS PROBLEM WILL OCCUR IF THE VEHICLE IS PARKED, SHUT OFF, AND NOT USED FOR 3 OR MORE DAYS. SUSPECTED ISSUE: AS AN IT PROFESSIONAL, I SURMISE THE PROBLEM'S ORIGIN IS BASED ON THE CAR HAVING A MODEM THAT NEEDS TO "PING" AND COMMUNICATE WITH THE FORDPASS APP ON A CONTINUAL BASIS (THEIR SELLING POINT IS THAT THE CAR CAN BE LOCATED ANYWHERE IF IT'S STOLEN). AND JUST LIKE A CELL PHONE, IF THE CAR IS PARKED IN AN AREA WITH ONLY ONE BAR OF CELL SERVICE, THE UNIT MUST USE MORE AND MORE POWER TO PING THE CELL TOWER, THUSLY DRAINING THE CAR'S BATTERY AT EXORBITANTLY HIGH RATES. COUPLE THIS WITH THE FACT THAT THE CAR'S BATTERY IS NOT A DEEP CYCLE HIGH CCA MODEL, AND YOUR LEFT WITH UNCERTAINTY THAT YOUR CAR WILL START THE NEXT MORNING. *TR

ISSUE 1: FMVSS CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE. INTERMITTENT TOTAL FAILURE OF CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM, INCLUDING FAILURE OF DEFOGGER CAUSING OBSTRUCTED VISIBILITY IN COLD CLIMATES (VEHICLE IS BASED IN METROPOLITAN DETROIT). THE FAILURE IS BOTH ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL. NEITHER THE TOUCH SCREEN NOR THE PHYSICAL CONSOLE BUTTONS RESPOND TO COMMANDS. AFTER SECOND INTERMITTENT FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT IN AN ATTACHED HOME GARAGE. AFTER IGNITION, DEFOGGER FUNCTIONED, BUT NO OTHER CLIMATE FUNCTIONS WORKED. DEFOGGER EMITTED A BURNING SMELL AKIN TO A CAMPFIRE. FORCED TO DRIVE WITH SUCH CONDITIONS TO WORK TO MAINTAIN VISIBILITY. ISSUE 2: POSSIBLE FMVSS SAFETY ISSUE. INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF THE AUDIO SYSTEM, INCLUDING SNYC COMMANDS. TOUCHSCREEN (BOTH ON THE HOME SCREEN AND ON THE TOOLBAR AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN) AND PHYSICAL BUTTONS DO NOT RESPOND WHEN AUDIO BUTTONS ARE PRESSED. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, SYNC DOES NOT RESPOND. ALTHOUGH BLUETOOTH IS ACTIVE, OCCUPANTS CANNOT HEAR THE DIALED PARTY, AND THE DIALED PARTY CANNOT HEAR THE OCCUPANTS. SINCE SYNC IS TIED INTO 911 SYSTEM FOR CRASHES, THIS WILL PREVENT OCCUPANTS FROM ENGAGING WITH 911 OPERATORS HANDS-FREE IN AN ACCIDENT. IF OCCUPANTS CANNOT REACH/MANIPULATE PHONE IN A CRASH, THEY MAY BE UNABLE TO CALL FOR HELP. ISSUE 3: INTERMITTENT REAR CAMERA FAILURE. AFTER RAINFALL AND FROST EVENTS, THE REAR CAMERA DOES NOT ENGAGE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED IN REVERSE GEAR. THE SCREEN IS BLACK, EXCEPT FOR AN OUTLINE OF THE VEHICLE. THE RADAR SENSORS REMAIN ACTIVE AND BEEPS IF THE VEHICLE IS CLOSE TO BACKING INTO AN OBJECT. AFTER A PERIOD OF DRYNESS, THE CAMERA RE-ENGAGES. I ASSUME THERE IS A MOISTURE INTRUSION PROBLEM, BUT AM UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE ENTRY POINT. ONLINE SEARCHES SUGGEST THAT MOISTURE MAY BE INTRUDING THROUGH THE FACTORY-INSTALLED, ROOF-MOUNTED ANTENNA.

MY CAR, WITH 2K MILES, WOULD NOT START (PUSH BUTTON START, THIS IS THE PLUG-IN HYBRID "ENERGI" MODEL). AFTER BEING TOWED TO A DEALER, THEY HAD TO TEAR THE CAR APART TO FIND A BAD WIRING HARNESS AS PART OF THE HYBRID SYSTEM. THIS PART WAS UNAVAILABLE, AND I AM HAVING TO WAIT OVER 5 DAYS TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION AND INSTEAD TRIED TO GET ME TO BUY AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SUPPORT FROM FORD. THIS IS A SAFETY FIX, AND THE CAR ITSELF JUST WOULDN'T RUN. TO NOT TAKE CARE OF THE CUSTOMER OR HAVE THE ABILITY TO QUICKLY GET A PART IS UNACCEPTABLE. WIRING HARNESSES SHOULD NOT FAIL IN 5 WEEKS AND 2K MILES. THE CAR DROVE ONE MILE, THEN WOULD NOT RESTART. IT ONLY COMPLAINED TO "GET OFF THE ROAD SOON". A FAILURE OF WHAT SHOULD BE A VERY BASIC PART AT 2K MILES IS CONCERNING, NOT TO MENTION THE INABILITY OF FORD TO REPAIR IT IN QUICK FASHION. THIS DOES MAKE ME WONDER IF THE PROBLEM IS MORE WIDESPREAD AND SO PARTS ARE HARD TO COME BY.