NHTSA Complaint #10420929 — 2010 FORD ESCAPE

2010 FORD ESCAPE XLT. STARTING WITH ABOUT 1200 MILES THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN HARD SHIFTS, HESITATION BETWEEN GEARS, JERKING HARD INTO REVERSE WHEN ENGAGING, HIGH SPEED SHIFTS JERK INTO GEAR SOUNDING LIKE THE REAR END IS FALLING OUT. FORD DEALER FIRST STATED IT WAS NORMAL, AFTER SEVERAL MORE COMPLAINTS THEY DECIDED TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION. IT WORKED SMOOTHLY FOR ABOUT 200 MILES THEN STARTED THE SAME THINGS AGAIN, IT GETS MORE FREQUENT AS THE MILES MOUNT UP. MY WIFE IS AFRAID OF THE VEHICLE AND WILL NOT DRIVE OR RIDE IN IT. WHEN ROADS ARE WET THE SHIFTS ARE HARD ENOUGH TO MAKE THE WHEELS SPIN. LAST TIME THE DEALER ADJUSTED THE TRANSMISSION, IT NOW HESITATES WHEN PUTTING INTO GEAR. I WAS TURNING AROUND ON A ROAD THAT I SHOULD HAVE HAD AMPLE TIME BUT WHEN I PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE IT DELAYED SO LONG TO ENGAGE THAT TRAFFIC WAS HEADING TOWARD ME. IF THE CAR SITS 2-3 DAYS, IT GIVES A LONG HESITATION TO GO INTO 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. ALSO, HAVE EXPERIENCED SQUEALING COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT, FORD HAS CHANGE THE BELT SEVERAL TIMES AND THE TENSIONER, IT LASTS FOR A FEW HUNDRED MILES AND STARTS AGAIN. ALL ITEMS I HAVE BEEN TOLD ARE NORMAL. I HAVE OWNED MORE THAN 20 CARS AND DO NOT FIND HARD SHIFTS, HESITATIONS, EXCESSIVE NOISE AND HARD CLUNKS TO BE NORMAL BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION. I PAID $25,000 FOR THIS CAR, I HAVE DRIVEN CARS THAT COST HALF THIS PRICE THAT HANDLED BETTER. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL FORD OWNER OF F150'S, EXPLORERS, EXPEDITIONS AND EVEN A COUPLE OF OLD F100'S. I HAD ALWAYS BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH THEM. THE ESCAPE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO DOWNSIZE FOR OUR 2ND VEHICLE AND HAVE SOMETHING MORE ECONOMICAL, WE LIKED THEM WHEN WE RENTED THEM BUT THIS ONE HAS BEEN A VERY BIG DISAPPOINTMENT AND TIME CONSUMING. *TR