NHTSA Complaint #10306981 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HAS 'SPRUNG' A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK CAUSING MY ACCELERATOR TO 'REV' INSTEAD OF DRIVING PROPERLY AND CHANGING GEARS EFFICIENTLY. IF FLUID GETS TOO LOW, THE REAR END MAKES A LOUD THUD NOISE WHEN IT KICKS INTO GEAR. MY SUV ONLY HAS 39,555 MILES ON IT, BUT SINCE IT IS OVER THE 36,000 MILES, I NO LONGER HAVE ANY BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. THIS LEAKING SEAL IS NOT COVERED BY THE 60,000 POWER TRAIN WARRANTY AS THIS IS AN EXTERNAL TRANSMISSION PART, AND NOT AN INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PART. AS TRANSMISSION FLUID IS DESIGNED TO FLOW THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING COOLANT SYSTEM, I NOW HAVE TO PAY $800.00 TO HAVE THIS REPLACED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS IS NOT A GOOD DESIGN. ALSO, AFTER RESEARCHING THIS VEHICLE, I SEE THERE ARE OTHER ESCAPE OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. MY TRANSMISSION FIRST ACTED UP LAST WEEK. I WILL BE HAVING IT FIXED AT MIKE REICHENBACH FORD IN FLORENCE, SC THIS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2010. THIS IS NOT GOOD...NEEDLESS TO SAY, I AM A VERY DISSATISFIED FORD CUSTOMER. WE HAVE OWNED SEVERAL IN THE PAST. MY HUSBAND WAS PLANNING ON PURCHASING A 2010 F150 TRUCK, BUT HAS NOW SAID HE WILL NOT. WE FEEL VERY LET DOWN BY FORD. THIS SUV SHOULD NOT HAVE SPRUNG A LEAK THIS SOON. *CN *TR