NHTSA Complaint #10248396 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

THIS COMPLAINT APPLIES TO THE 2009 ESCAPE HYBRID MODEL ONLY. WHILE CHANGING OIL IN THE VEHICLE, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE OIL FILLER TUBE IS LOCATED DIRECTLY ABOVE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD (ONE OF THE HOTTEST PARTS OF THE ENGINE BAY). I SPILLED A SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WHILE REFILLING (2 TABLESPOONS) AND NOTICED IT DROPPED ONTO THE MANIFOLD, WHICH HAS SOME CREASES AND FOLDS IN IT THAT CAN CATCH THE OIL AND POOL IT. EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE HAD BEEN OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES, IT WAS STILL HOT ENOUGH TO START SMOKING SLIGHTLY. AFTER WIPING UP WHAT OIL I COULD WITH A RAG, I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND IT BEGAN SMOKING AGAIN WITHIN 20 SECONDS. NO DOUBT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A FIRE IN THE ENGINE BAY WITHIN MINUTES HAD I NOT WIPED UP THE POOLED OIL FROM THE MANIFOLD. *TR