NHTSA Complaint #10023105 — 2000 FORD ESCORT

THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2000 FORD ESCORT ZX2 NEEDED TO REBUILT AT APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES AND THREE MONTHS BEYOND THE NORMAL WARRANTY. I SPOKE WITH FORD MOTOR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY THERE IS NO OBLIGATION TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER ANY TYPE OF WARRANTY. HOWEVER, I FEEL SINCE THE VEHICLE HAD THIS MAJOR TYPE OF PROBLEM SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED FORD SHOULD CONSIDER THIS AND REPAIR THE VEHICLE. FORD'S UNWILLINGNESS TO ASSIST ME LEAVES A VERY SOUR TASTE FOR ME. I INVESTIGATED THE HISTORY OF THESE VEHICLES BEFORE PURCHASING THIS UNIT AND FOUND THAT THEY HAD TRANSMISSION TROUBLE EARLY IN THE FIRST YEARS OF PRODUCTION. NOW, I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM FIRST HAND. SECONDLY, THE OTHER U.S. AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS HAVE LONGER POWER TRAIN WARRANTIES. THIS SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT FORD IS UNWILLING TO STAND BEHIND THEIR POWER TRAINS AND WE SHOULD EXPECT THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM AT 40,000 MILES??????? *NLM. *AK