NHTSA Complaint #10399486 — 2005 FORD ESCAPE

WE WERE DRIVING FROM PA TO GA FOR A WEDDING IN MY 2005 FORD ESCAPE. I HAVE 65,000 MILES ON MY ESCAPE. THE ENTIRE CAR LOST ALL POWER...NO POWER STEERING, GAS, ABS, ETC. ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS IN THE CAR CAME ON AND WE LOST EVERYTHING GOING 75 ON A HIGHWAY IN N.C. WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO A SERVICE STATION WHO THEN REPLACED 2 COILS AND 2 SPARK PLUGS. THEN THEY REALIZED THAT THE ENTIRE COMPUTER WAS DEAD, THE "PCM". FORD SAID THEY WERE ON BACKORDER SO IT WOULD BE ABOUT A WEEK, AS THEY "MOVED US TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE". WE HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR A WEEK WHILE WE WAITED FOR THE PART...FINISHING OUR TRIP TO GA FOR THE WEDDING, THEN BACK UP TO PA THE NEXT DAY (OUR HOME). WE HAD TO GO BACK TO N.C. IN THE RENTAL CAR (ANOTHER 114 HOURS ROUND TRIP) TO EXCHANGE CARS BACK WHEN MINE WAS FINALLY FIXED. THE FORD DEALER REPLACED THE PCM BUT AT THE SAME TIME SAID THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER COIL BAD...ANOTHER $350 ON TOP OF THE $750 I ALREADY PAID (PLUS $400 FOR THE RENTAL CAR). AFTER LOOKING ONLINE, I HAVE REALIZED THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE...AND TO EXPECT THE COILS AND COMPUTER TO GO OUT AGAIN, EVEN AFTER REPLACING THEM. APPARENTLY THE 2005 ESCAPE WAS MADE WITH A FAULTY COIL PACK, AND THEY KNOW ABOUT IT. WHEN CALLING FORD, THEY JUST SAY, "SORRY ABOUT THAT, THERE ISN'T ANYTHING WE CAN DO". THERE ARE 6 COILS IN THE ESCAPE...I HAVE NOW HAD 3 REPLACED...WHEN THE OTHERS GO OUT, IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE PCM WILL ALSO GO OUT. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR, AS I DO NOT TRUST IT...I NEVER KNOW WHEN I MAY LOSE POWER. WE WERE "LUCKY" THAT SOMETHING WORSE DID NOT HAPPEN, AS MY SON WAS ALSO IN THE CAR WITH US. *TR