NHTSA Complaint #10040992 — 2001 FORD ESCAPE

WE OWN A 2001 FORD ESCAPE WITH LESS THAN 42000 MILES ON IT. WE HAVE GOTTEN ALL OF THE REQUIRED OIL CHANGES AND SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE DONE ON IT. WE WENT THROUGH THE DEALER FOR ALL SERVICE WORK AND ALL BUT ONE OIL CHANGE. RECENTLY IT BEGAN SHAKING EVEN WHEN THE CAR WAS NOT IN MOTION. WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY INFORMED US THAT THE ENGINE WAS BAD AND NEEDED REPLACED (COSTING $4000). THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN HAD ORIGINALLY TOLD US THAT THE ENGINE HAD GONE BAD BECAUSE WE HAD NOT CHANGED THE OIL OR HAD PUT THE WRONG OIL IN IT. THIS IS UNTRUE, WE HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENTS SET OUT BY FORD AND HAD PROOF. THEN, HE SAID THAT WE MUST HAVE GONE THROUGH HIGH WATER IN THE CAR BECAUSE THE AIR FILTER WAS YELLOWED. WE HAVE NEVER TAKEN THE CAR THROUGH HIGH WATER. WE WERE TOLD BY A DIFFERENT FORD MECHANIC THAT DUST AND POLLEN IN THE AIR CAN CAUSE THE YELLOWING. THEN THEY TOLD US THAT THE ENGINE COULD HAVE BECOME RUINED BECAUSE OF HEAVY RAIN. THE DEALER THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH IS: RUSTY ECK FORD 7310 EAST KELLOGG WICHITA KS 67207 PHONE: 316.685.9211 FAX: 316.685.2890 THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THE ENGINE AND WE FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE. WE HAVE OWNED MORE THAN A DOZEN CARS (ONE HAVING OVER 180,000 ON IT) AND HAVE NEVER HAD AN ENGINE GO BAD ON US. WE HAVE OWNED 7 DIFFERENT FORD VEHICLES. WE HAVE DONE OUR PART IN TAKING CARE OF THE FORD ESCAPE, AND WE FEEL THAT IT IS RIDICULOUS TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS KIND OF REPAIR SO EARLY IN ITS LIFE. THE EXCUSES THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN FOR THE ENGINE FAILURE ARE LUDICROUS. CERTAINLY, VEHICLES MUST BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND RAIN SHOWERS.