Engine hesitates from a stop and bucks and jerks while driving. hard pick-up. rpm's up to max without vehicle acceleration. feels like transmission slips into neutral. first visit, 5/18/2010 (8767 miles-bought new at 15 miles-10/10)/ presently, july, 2011, car with 22,000 is in for 4th return to dealer: 10/2010 car 1 year old, 14,000 miles, local oil repair shop notices both lower ball joints boots split, returned to dealer to resolve. still hesitating and jerking and bucking, particularly during gear shifts. second visit, 11/2010 returned for same driving problems. third visit 6/30/11 service shop notices leak under carriage, returned to dealer. service manager and i check under carriage, still obvious leak, he told me it wasn't a leak, we both had grease/oil/something on our hands. refused to extend rental car coverage as car is "completely fixed", left with car, wrote on ticket, "leak still unresolved". returned for forth visit 7/8/2011 admits leak "somewhere". also, sealant around windshield melts and becomes tacky in hot weather (texas). had dealer reseal last summer. now, area is getting tacky again. will this occur each summer and will seal hold during hard rain?
shortly after purchase of brand new 2010 ford fusion owner noticed a strange "grinding" type sound upon accelerating between 35 mph and 40 mph while engine rpms are approximately 1500. sound only occurs while accelerating or climbing grade at 35-40 mph. during periods when grinding sound occurs, release of accelerator causes noise to stop. vehicle has been brought to dealer at least six times since purchase. they have been unable to positively diagnose and determine reason or cause of noise. attempted remedies have been 1) replacement of catalytic convertor and subsequently 2) replacement of "flex pipe" behind cat. con. neither remedy cured the noise. to date (7/27/2015), noise still occurs and was verified by an employee of the alliance for consumer protection, beaver county, pa.