I never imagined I’d be here — a single mom of two amazing kids, asking friends and strangers for help just to keep life moving. But Ford’s failure and Legacy Ford’s refusal to take accountability have left me with no choice.
This year has already been one heartbreak after another. I recently sold my home to avoid foreclosure. In February, my stepdad was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, and we lost him just seven weeks later. My mom was already grieving the loss of my grandma and brother, so my kids and I moved in with her after his passing to support each other. I thought it would be a fresh start, but instead it’s been a series of unfortunate events.
My car is the furthest thing from luxury, but it’s our lifeline. I’m a delivery driver, and without my car I can’t work, can’t earn income, and can’t provide for my kids.
So on July 12th, my 2018 Ford Focus broke down in the middle of the road. The engine light came on with the message: “System engine fault, service now.” I had it towed to Legacy Ford, where they admitted it was connected to a recall on the oil pump drive belt and said it would be covered.
From that day forward, it’s been nothing but stress and runaround. They kept my car for over a month. At first, they refused to give me a loaner vehicle, which meant I couldn’t work for 10 days — losing around $1,500 in income and going through emotional distress I didn’t need. Only after constant phone calls did they finally provide me a rental.
On September 9th, after nearly two months without my car, they told me it was “fixed.” I drove it less than an hour before the exact same problem came back. The next morning, my car wouldn’t even make it out of the driveway. To make matters worse, I discovered under the hood that parts hadn’t even been put back together properly.
Legacy Ford towed it back, only to now claim it’s an unrelated PCM issue and expect me to pay $1,600 out of pocket. I’ve since found information showing that this recall can absolutely damage the PCM. I also learned that my car is included in a class action lawsuit, where it’s alleged Ford knowingly sold cars with no permanent fix for this defect.
Right now, I feel defeated. I’ve spoken with customer service, filed a complaint with the NHTSA, and even started gathering documentation in case I need to take legal action. But none of that helps me today — stuck without a safe, working vehicle for my family.
I’m asking for help to raise $3,000 to cover the repair and get my kids and me back on the road. It’s not easy to put my struggle out there, but I have no other option. Ford has let us down, but I’m holding onto hope that kind-hearted people won’t.
If you made it this far, thank you. Every dollar, every share, every gesture of support means more than I can say. From the bottom of my heart — thank you. ❤️
