NHTSA Complaint #10266034 — 2001 FORD ESCAPE

MAR 27 HAD 2001 FORD ESCAPE IN DEALERSHIP FOR OIL LEAK AND ENGINE HESITATION. LEAK NOT FIXED ON 1ST TIME TAKEN TO DEALER. #3 COIL, INTAKE GASKETS REPLACED & TUNEUP DONE FOR HESITATION. MAR 31 VEHICLE TAKEN BACK FOR SAME PROBLEMS, #4 COIL WAS REPLACED AND WAS TOLD NO OIL LEAK, ALSO TOLD ENGINE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE WASHED AND WATER BLEW OUT #4 COIL. ON THE WAY HOME, STILL SMELLED BURNING OIL & ENGINE HESITATION STILL FELT. CALLED DEALERSHIP, WAS TOLD TO LET THE CAR SIT FOR A DAY. CAR SAT FOR 2 DAYS. CAR STILL DROVE THE SAME, OIL LEAK & HESITATION STILL THERE. TOOK VEHICLE STRAIGHT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, ON THE WAY THERE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER AND WOULD NOT GO FASTER THAN 15MPH. THEN THE EGR VALVE BLEW. AND I LIVE 2 MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP HAD THE VEHICLE FROM APR 1 TO APR 15. NOW I WAS TOLD THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ON THE MANIFOLDS ARE PLUGGED UP AND THIS IS CAUSING THE HESITATION AND THE OIL LEAK WAS FROM THE TIMING CHAIN COVER. DEALERSHIP HAD TO REMOVE THE ENGINE TO REPLACE THE GASKET. WAS TOLD THEY DON'T KNOW HOW THEY MISSED THIS LEAK THE OTHER 2 TIMES I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR THIS LEAK. ONLY THING THE WARRANTY COVERED IS THE OIL LEAK. FEDERAL MANDATED EMISSION LAW IS 8YRS OR 80,000 MILES. VEHICLE IS IN THE 8 YEARS AND @ 75,500 MILES. FORD REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE CONVERTERS. TOOK ESCAPE TO LOCAL MECHANIC APR 17. EXHAUST INSPECTION SHOWED ONLY THE REAR CATALYTIC CONVERTER PLUGGED (REPLACED NOW). #4 & #6 COILS NOT FIRING. COILS WORK CONNECTED IN OTHER SPARKPLUG LOCATIONS. WIRING FOR COILS NOT WORKING. THESE COIL LOCATIONS WORKED PRIOR TO GOING BACK TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC SAID I SHOULD SUE THE DEALERSHIP FOR MISDIAGNOSIS AND BREAKING ADDITIONAL ITEMS WHEN ENGINE WAS REMOVED. MECHANIC ALSO RAN DIAGNOSTIC, NO CODES COMING UP, DEALERSHIP RESET PCM TO OLD PROGRAMMING, SO VEHICLE NOW HESITATES & DIES. WIFE STILL WANTS TO KEEP VEHICLE. TOLD HER NO. ALREADY SHOPPING FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN FORD. *TR