NHTSA Complaint #10404430 — 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR

I THINK THIS IS A COMMON TACTIC BY FORD AND THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD LOOK INTO IT. I LEASED A NEW 2002 NAVIGATOR AND HAD A SIMILAR SITUATION. ON A ROAD TRIP IN 2004 WITH 32000 MILES, THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE DEALER CLAIMED THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE AND FORD WOULD NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY. APPARENTLY, THE LEASE INCLUDED FREE OIL CHANGES AT THE DEALER, WHICH I WAS NOT AWARE OF. I PRODUCED ALL OF THE RECEIPTS TO SHOW THAT I HAD THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES (MORE FREQUENTLY THAN REQUIRED) BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS IRRELEVANT SINCE I DIDN'T HAVE THE DEALER DO THE OIL CHANGES. I WAS TOLD THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT WOULD COST $12,000. THE FORD DEALER WAS SO UPSET BY THIS HE OFFERED TO DO IT FOR COST, ABOUT $4500, BUT I JUST WALKED AWAY, EVEN THOUGH THEY SUED AND PUT A $15,000 BLOT ON MY CREDIT RATING.THIS WAS MY THIRD NAVIGATOR LEASE, INCLUDING A 1998 AND 2000 MODEL BEFORE THIS. I PAID TOP DOLLAR FOR THEIR MOST EXPENSIVE VEHICLE AND THIS IS HOW THEY TREAT GOOD CUSTOMERS. NOT TO MENTION BEING STRANDED IN THE DESERT WITH MY WIFE AND FIVE KIDS. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD AGAIN. ONE LAST POINT - I HAD JUST HAD THE OIL CHANGED BEFORE I LEFT AND HAD LESS THAN 1000 MILES ON THE CAR WHEN IT BROKE DOWN. I CHECKED THE OIL AND IT WAS MORE THAN 1/2 QUART DOWN. CLEARLY THE CAR WAS USING OIL AT JUST 32000 MILES. FUNNY THING IS, I HAVE A 97 EXPLORER WITH ROUGHLY THE SAME ENGINE, AND IT FINALLY THREW A ROD AT 250,000 MILES OF EXCELLENT SERVICE. *TR