Ford workers speak out on faulty Focus and Fiesta

Seven current and former Ford employees spoke to The Detroit Free Press about what they knew about transmission problems with the Fiesta and Focus that are now at the center of a class-action lawsuit.

"I told one friend if he loved his stepdaughter, he'd get her out of that Fiesta as quick as possible," a Ford mechanical expert told The Free Press. "I wouldn't put my kid in one of those cars."

Ticker	Security	Last	Change	Change %
F	FORD MOTOR CO.	11.40	+0.22	+1.97%

Certain Ford Fiestas and Focuses are getting extended warranties for their troubled automatic transmissions.

The company extended warranties on approximately 560,000 cars in the U.S. and Canada in August after facing a string of lawsuits and complaints about the six-speed automatic transmissions, which can lurch into gear or feel like they are slipping.

"My hands are dirty. I feel horrible," a Ford engineer who played a pivotal role in the cars' development told The Free Press.

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There has been a long string of problems with the Ford transmissions, which have resulted in a lawsuit settlement in the U.S. and a fine in Australia.

Roughly 13,000 individual suits are pending over the transmission.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration looked into the situation at the request of some members of Congress and released a statement about what it found on Wednesday, according to The Free Press.

"NHTSA has reviewed recent complaints and other data associated with those issues," the agency said in a statement. "Based on a review of this information, and other information, including severity and frequency, NHTSA has not found evidence of an unreasonable risk to safety. The agency will continue to monitor complaints and other data, maintain communication with Ford, and take action as necessary."

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FOX Business' Ann Schmidt and The Associated Press contributed to this report.