NHTSA Complaint #10165931 — 2004 FORD ESCAPE

I PURCHASED A 2004 ESCAPE ON MAY 13, 2004 WITH THE STANDARD 3-YEAR/ 36,000 MILES COVERAGE. ON THE JUNE 11, 2006 THE CD PLAYER STARTED GRINDING. IT GAVE ME A NON-DESCRIPT ERROR MESSAGE AND WHEN I TRIED TO EJECT THE CD IT WOULD NOT COMPLY. I WOULD ESTIMATE MY MILEAGE AT ABOUT 42,000 MILES. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO STATED THAT SINCE MY MILEAGE WAS OVER 36,000 MY CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST ME, UNLESS I CHOSE TO PURCHASE A NEW CD PLAYER. IT NO LONGER WORKS. I HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS WITH THE BBB AND MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE TO RESOLVE THE MATTER. SIMILAR PROBLEMS EXIST IN 2005 MODELS AND THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS INDICATES TO REPLACE IT ONLY IF THE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY, TELLING ME FORD HAS A DEFECTIVE PART AND IS HEDGING ITS BET THAT SOME PEOPLE WON'T FIGURE IT OUT BEFORE THE END OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. *NM