NHTSA Complaint #10110316 — 2001 FORD ESCAPE

I WAS DRIVING HOME AND THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE. I PULLED OVER AT A GAS STATION AND MY HUSBAND CHECKED TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. WE COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS WRONG AND DROVE HOME. AGAIN THE CAR WAS SHAKING THEN IT STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND THEN WE HEARD SOMETHING SNAP AND THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED IT TURNED OUT THAT WE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE VALVE SHEERED FROM THE VALVE STEM AND THE VALVE SHATTERED THE PISTON AND ENDED DENTING THE OIL PAN AND WAS FOUND IN THE OIL PAN. THIS ENDED UP COSTING US $5000. WE CALLED THE DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR IN APRIL OF 2004 AND HE SAID THAT HE WAS WILLING TO HELP US, BUT DECIDED NOT TO STATING IT WOULD BE "BAD BUSINESS" TO REPLACE TO CAR EVEN THOUGH WE HAD PURCHASED IT 8 MONTHS PREVIOUS TO THE INCIDENT. WE THEN HAD IT TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE A NEW ENGINE WAS PLACED IN THE 2001 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE SPEAKING TO A FORD MECHANIC HE STATED THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE TO THE ESCAPE. THE DEALER THAT FINALLY ENDED UP WORKING ON THE ESCAPE CALLED FORD AND TOLD THEM THE PROBLEM BUT FORD STATED THAT THEY HAD HEARD ABOUT THIS BUT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO WARRANT A RECALL BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT. THE CAR WAS OUT OF COMMISSION FOR 10 DAYS DUE TO THE DEALER MAKING PROMISES AND THEN TAKING THEM BACK. *JB