NHTSA Complaint #10070559 — 2001 FORD ESCAPE

FORD MAY HAVE ANOTHER SUCH PROBLEM, BUT THEY REFUSE TO CHECK TO SEE IF THEY DO. I OWN A FORD 2001 ESCAPE. SORT OF A SMALL EXPLORER. ITS OEM TIRES ARE GENERAL GRABBER AW. MINE ARE SIZED P225/70/15. ONE JUNE 21, WITH LESS THAN 16000 MILES, FOR NO APPARENT REASON IT BLEW OUT. LUCKILY I WAS ON LOCAL STREETS AT ~20 MPH. HAD I BEEN ON LOOP 610 AT ~55 MPH POSSIBLY THE VEHICLE (AS SUVS ARE WONT TO DO) WOULD HAVE FLIPPED AND INJURED OR KILLED MY WIFE AND I. I DROVE INTO A PARKING LOT TO CHANGE THE TIRE AND DISCOVERED THE FORD SUPPLIED JACK AT ITS MAXIMUM TRAVEL DID NOT RAISE THE CAR HIGH ENOUGH TO CHANGE THE TIRE. LUCKILY I WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO HOME TO GO GET A PUMP JACK THAT ALLOWED ME TO INSTALL THE SPARE TIRE. AS IT WAS PAST NOON ON A SATURDAY I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHICH HAS STONEWALLED ME AND REFUSED TO HELP. THE MOST I HAVE HEARD IS WE'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE JACK, MAYBE YOU'RE NOT USING IT CORRECTLY, HOWEVER A LOCAL MICHELIN DEALER TELLS ME YEAH WE HEAR THAT PROBLEM ALL THE TIME. FORD REFUSES TO ESCALATE AND NOW IGNORES MY EMAIL. AS FOR THE TIRE I'M TOLD: IT MAY BE COVERED UNDER YOUR 36000, 3 YEAR WARRANTY, CHECK WITH GENERAL TIRE. I CHECK WITH GENERAL TIRE, AND FIND OUT A LARGER SIZE OF THAT MODEL TIRE ON FORD EXPEDITIONS IS ALREADY BEING RECALLED, BUT GENERAL DENIES EVER HAVING ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT ESCAPES, AND TELLS ME TO CALL FORD. I CALL CHAMPION FORD (FORMERLY CHARLIE THOMAS FORD) ON THE GULF FREEWAY WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR, AND AGAIN ACCORDING TO THE GENERAL MANAGER I'M THE FIRST ONE WITH SUCH PROBLEM(S). I SHOULD LEAVE A MESSAGE FOR THE SERVICE MANAGER. I DO THAT BUT AM NEVER CALLED BACK. THE DEALER TELLS ME THERE IS NO ONE HIGHER AT FORD TO CALL ANYMORE. SOUNDS LIKE FORD IS ACTIVELY KEEPING ITS HEAD IN THE SAND. VIN NUMBER: [XXX] MILEAGE: 15491 NAME: [XXX] LAST NAME:[XXX] ADDRESS:[XXX] CITY: [XXX] STATE: TX ZIP:[XXX] EMAIL ADDRESS: [XXX]TELEPHONE NUMBER: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR