So here it is, nearly October, and I am still without my Focus...
Ford finally responded to the dealer, and approved the TCM replacement (not cheap either, that is setting them back $11 grand since the TCM is actually upside the motor, as such the entire motor has to be replaced). So I was actually, foolishly thinking this ordeal was nearly at its end when the dealer told me the TCM.motor had arrived and that wit would take about a week to get it installed, and put back together...that was 3 weeks ago...
See, Ford tossed in another surprise, the car needed another firmware update, and then Ford sat there unresponsive for 2+ weeks, not communicating back to the dealer, not providing the update, then finally the responded that they will not allow the dealer to install this firmware update themselves, no a Ford engineer is going to have to fly out from Michigan to install it themselves.
So now we are in a holding pattern waiting on the Ford engineer to be dispatched to the dealer, and Ford is naturally being uncommunicative on when this will actually occur. In the mean time I am now on my FIFTH loaner car, and we have reached the end of what Ford is willing to pay for rentals, so now the dealer is providing me with a service loaner instead. The dealer is in a state of pure lament over this car, as they have long since lost any money they made selling it to me just on the shop time alone, not counting on the parts Ford would not cover but demanded they replace before allowing the troubleshooting process to proceed) and now they are losing even more money having to provide me with the service loaner now instead of Ford.
The car has been with them since May 29th this year, and that was my third time bringing it in for the same issue and when Ford finally started agreeing to replace parts rather than try software updates alone. It had been in the shop for a month previous, and I had only had it back 2 days when the problem started again. All told, I have not been able to drive this car this car since March, and we are on track for (3) full calendar seasons to have passed.
..and almost ALL the delay is Ford themselves being unresponsive and obstinate at every step. The service tech at the dealer had correctly determined at the onset of the 3rd visit that the TCM needed to be replaced, but Ford would not even talk about that until the PCM had been replaced, and some wiring harness had been replaced, and a bunch of firmware updates were installed until finally we got to the TCM.
I had realized the other day I needed to go back and get my Winter coat out of the trunk, as that is how long this damn car has been un-driveable!
I also strongly suspect that the delay this time is the Ford engineer is still actually coding the firmware update for my car, and his trip to the dealer is because this is gonna be some custom kludge Ford is writing on the fly and its going to take the engineer who wrote the code to kludge it into the car and we are still waiting on him to finish. (and this is prolly where I will find he has been on sabbatical)
Its gotten to the point where EVERYONE working for the dealer knows about my car. Its no longer just a Focus EV...its THE Focus EV, and is a topic of angst at every service dep. management meeting they have now. My car has become part of this dealer group's folklore.
Any bets on if I get the car back before the first snowfall of Winter?
I know at this stage, I am prepared to scare up a lawyer and take a hard look at lemon law statutes if there is not positive moment very soon. This situation is beyond absurb,
Only reason I have not yet, is I actually like(d) the damn car!