NHTSA Complaint #10310756 — 2010 FORD ESCAPE

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH MY 2009 FORD ESCAPE 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AFTER 17000 K WITH TOTAL INTERNAL FAILURE. WITH BOTH THE NEW AND OLD TRANSMISSIONS I HAVE HAD EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING SAFETY ISSUE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. FAILURE TO DOWNSHIFT COMING TO A STOP, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN THE CAR LINGERING IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. THIS HAS EITHER RESULTED IN A 3 SECOND PAUSE WHILE THE TRANSMISSION DECIDES TO DOWNSHIFT, OR ON ABOUT 5 OCCASIONS THE CAR HAS RIGHT OUT STALLED. IT IS A VERY SCARY SITUATION SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION WITH CARS BEARING DOWN ON YOU WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE TO SAFETY. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES AND THE TRANSMISSION TECHNICIAN HAS UPDATED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL SOFTWARE (VIA TECHNICAL BULLETIN) 3 TIMES, WHICH HAS NOT HELPED AT ALL. THE TECHNICIAN HAS MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE A STEADY STREAM OF 2009 FORD ESCAPE OWNERS IN THE SHOP WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS, BUT THERE CLEARLY IS NO REAL SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION THAT HAS BEEN RUSHED INTO THE ESCAPE TO IMPROVE FUEL ECONOMY WITHOUT PROPER TESTING. IT IS CLEAR TO ME THAT THE FORD ENGINEERS HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT HOW TO ELECTRONICALLY CONTROL THIS TRANSMISSION. I AM AN ENGINEER MYSELF AND UNDERSTAND THAT COMPONENTS SOMETIMES FAIL OR HAVE WEAKNESSES, BUT TO HAVE FAILURE LIKE THIS IN NORMAL DRIVING CIRCUMSTANCES CONSTITUTES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IN MY OPINION. I JUST HOPE NO ONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT BEFORE FORD FIXES THIS PROPERLY. *TR