NHTSA Complaint #10037457 — 2002 FORD ESCAPE

I AM A CONSUMER WHO HAS JUST PURCHASED A USED 2002 FORD ESCAPE FROM A FORD DEALERSHIP IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA. HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING STALLING WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP LESS THAN 2 WEEKS AGO AND SPECIFICALLY ASKED THEM TO CHECK IT DUE TO THE SLUGGISH AND STALLING BEHAVIOR. I INSISTED THAT THEY DO A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, WHICH THEY SAID THEY PERFORMED, BUT NOTHING SHOWED UP. YESTERDAY ON THE WAY TO CHURCH, I HAD PROBLEMS KEEPING IT RUNNING AFTER STARTING IT. I HAD TO MAINTAIN PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL AT ALL TIMES.VERY TIME I GOT TO A LIGHT OR SLOWED FOR A TURN, THE CAR STALLED AND SHUT OFF, CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER.*AK I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TODAY AND GOT VERY LITTLE HELP. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE A SYSTEM TO MAINTAIN RECORD OF THE PROBLEM UNLESS THE VEHICLE HAS POWER AT THE TIME THE PROBLEM OCCURS. THEY NEVER MENTIONED ANYTHING ELSE. THEY DID SAY THEY WOULD BE GLAD TO LOOK AT IT....AGAIN. AFTER THAT COMMENT, I CHOSE TO GO TO YOUR SITE TO LOOK FOR REPORTS ON THE MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR OF MY VEHICLE. (*I RESEARCHED THIS SITE TO CHECK FOR ANY PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE, PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE BUT FOUND NO REPORTS POSTED FOR RECALLS. TODAY WHILE AT THE SITE, I NOTICED AN AREA CALLED DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS. THAT WAS QUITE INFORMATIVE. I NEVER SAW THIS SECTION PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE. I CONSIDER MYSELF A SMART PERSON, BUT I MISSED IT.) THE DEALERSHIP MUST HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THESE TYPE OF PROBLEMS AT THE TIME OF THE SALE, BUT DID NOT BRING THEM TO MY ATTENTION OR FILL ME IN. EVEN TODAY, THE SERVICE MANAGER DID NOT INFORM ME OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH STALLING IN 2002 FORD ESCAPES. I DO NOT LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO EXPOSE MYSELF NOR MY FAMILY TO A SAFETY HAZARD EVERY TIME WE GET INTO OUR VEHICLE.