NHTSA Complaint #10409548 — 2005 FORD ESCAPE

LETTER FROM SENATOR CASEY ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE CONCERNS ABOUT HER 2005 FORD ESCAPE *TGW THE CONSUMER BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. WHEN SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HER MECHANIC, HE HOOKED IT UP TO THE COMPUTER AND IT GAVE HIM A READING THAT THE CYLINDER WAS NOT FIRING, BUT HE THOUGHT THERE WAS MORE INVOLVED. AFTER FURTHER EXAMINATION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE PCM WAS DAMAGED. THE PCM WAS SENT TO ANOTHER ESTABLISHMENT FOR REPAIR. THE TECHNICIAN AT THE ESTABLISHMENT INFORMED THE CONSUMERS MECHANIC THAT FORD RECOMMENDED THAT ALL SIX COILS AND SIX SPARK PLUGS BE REPLACED. THE PCM WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMERS MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED AT THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT RIGHT AWAY. THE MECHANIC CALLED THE CONSUMER AND INFORMED HER, THAT INSTEAD OF THE ORIGINAL CIRCUIT B MISFIRING, CIRCUIT C WAS MISFIRING. THE PCM HAD TO BE SENT BACK TO BE REBUILT AGAIN. ALL OF THE COILS AND SPARK PLUGS HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPROGRAMMED AGAIN, CIRCUITS C,D AND E WERE MISFIRING. THE COILS AND SPARK PLUGS HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR A THIRD TIME. THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO FAULTY ENGINEERING. THE PCM WAS PLACED BEHIND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHERE A LOT OF HEAT WAS GENERATED FROM THE ENGINE AND IT INTERFERED WITH THE FREQUENCY OF THE PCM. *JB