NHTSA Complaint #10303407 — 2007 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID

1.THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE - OUTSIDE COLD TEMPERATURE. 2.THE FAILURE, HOW OFTEN IT OCCURS, ITS CONSEQUENCES - THE KEY IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DISENGAGE FROM THE IGNITION WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT FIDDLING. IT OCCURS EVERY TIME THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE DROPS TO AROUND 40 DEGREES (F) OR LOWER. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE (1) THAT THE VEHICLE MAY SLIP INTO GEAR, ROLL ANYWHERE AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF THE KEY IS LEFT IN THE IGNITION. THERE IS ALSO THE HEIGHTENED POSSIBILITY OF VEHICLE THEFT AND/OR A BROKEN KEY. 3.WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; I.E, PARTS REPAIRED OR REPLACED (AND IF OLD PART IS AVAILABLE) - I CONTACTED FORD VIA E-MAIL AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. I ALSO GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND OUT THAT FORD FUSIONS ARE RIFE WITH THIS PROBLEM - HTTP://WWW.FORD-FORUMS.COM/FORD-FUSION/4432-KEYS-WONT-COME-OUT-IGNITION.HTML. I ASSUME THE SAME KIND OF IGNITION SWITCH IS IN ALL OF THE LATER MODEL FORDS. ONLINE REMEDIES INCLUDE PARTIALLY DISASSEMBLING THE GEAR SHIFTER, WHICH MAY LEAD TO A MORE HAZARDOUS CONDITION THAN A STUCK KEY AND I DON'T WANT TO THAT.THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. *TR