NHTSA Complaint #10413142 — 2006 FORD MUSTANG

I CURRENTLY OWN A 2006 PREMIUM V6 FORD MUSTANG, AND I REGULARLY GET MY VEHICLE SERVICED. MY MOST RECENT SERVICE VISIT WAS FOR AN OIL CHANGE ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER STANDARD PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE THAT IS PERFORMED WITH THE OIL CHANGE; PERFORMED 05/20/11. UPON COMPLETION, THE SERVICE ADVISER TOLD ME THE MECHANIC FOUND COOLANT RESIDUE ON THE VEHICLE, BUT THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT AND IT WAS PROBABLY NOTHING. ON 06/24 I DECIDED TO DRIVE TO NEVADA FOR THE WEEKEND, AND MY ENGINE OVERHEATED DUE TO THE COOLANT LEAK. I HAD A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE BEING STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT WITH NO CELL PHONE COVERAGE AND LITTLE TO NO TRAFFIC ON THE ROUTE I TOOK. IT TOOK OVER SIX HOURS BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO ATTAIN HELP AND HAVE MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST FORD SERVICE FACILITY - WHICH COSTED OVER $500 TO TOW. I WAS ADVISED THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING CRACKED AND LEAKED, POSSIBLY DUE TO IMPROPER TIGHTENING. MY ENGINE APPARENTLY IS OUT OF WARRANTY NOW, SO I AM FACING A 4000+ DOLLAR SERVICE BILL FOR AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. HAD I BEEN TOLD RESIDUE COULD BE A SIGN OF A POTENTIAL LEAK THAT COULD CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE, I WOULD HAVE PAID WHATEVER WAS NECESSARY TO REPAIR THE DEFECT. I THOUGHT I COULD CONFIDE IN MY FORD DEALERSHIP IN MAINTAINING MY VEHICLE, BUT APPARENTLY I CANNOT. I AM APPALLED WITH THIS EXPERIENCE THAT SERVICED MY VEHICLE. I UNDERSTAND MY ENGINE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE, BECAUSE THIS IS CLEARLY NEGLIGENCE ON FORD'S BEHALF FOR NOT ADVISING ME COOLANT WAS LEAKING AND MY ENGINE COULD POTENTIALLY FAIL. MY ADVISER ONLY TOLD ME THERE WAS RESIDUE FOUND, AND IT WAS PROBABLY NOTHING I HAD TO WORRY ABOUT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT