NHTSA Complaint #10453937 — 2005 FORD ESCAPE

DRIVING ALONG AT 50-55MPH ON BUSY ROAD AT RUSH HOUR. 2005 ESCAPE WAS RUNNING SMOOTHLY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A RUMBLING VIBRATION AND THEN IT COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND STOPPED. FORTUNATELY, I WAS DRIVING IN THE RIGHT LANE AND WAS APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT. MANAGED TO TURN RIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION TO GET OUT OF HEAVY FLOW OF TRAFFIC. WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AGAIN BUT THE RUMBLING CONTINUED AND THE CAR HAD NO PICK UP. TOOK VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC. MACHINE INDICATED A AND C COILS WERE BAD. REPLACED A AND C COILS, PROBLEM STILL. MECHANIC SAID IT MIGHT BE THE COMPUTER BUT SAID TAKE CAR TO FORD DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC CHECK TO BE SURE. TOOK CAR TO A FORD SERVICE DEPT. FOR DIAGNOSTIC. WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE A AND C COILS AND PLUGS. WHEN I SAID I ALREADY HAD THOSE REPLACED, HE IMMEDIATELY SAID "THEN THOSE PARTS MUST BE BAD AND/OR THE WIRES ARE BAD AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO TRACE ALL WIRES TO FIND BAD ONES AND REPLACE THEM". THE ESTIMATED COST FOR THE REPAIR $1100. I ASKED IF THE PROBLEM COULD BE THE COMPUTER. SERVICE REP SAID, "OH, NO COMPUTER IS NOT THE PROBLEM". PAID $100 FOR DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. TOOK CAR BACK TO MY MECHANIC, HE TRACED ALL THE WIRES AND DID NOT FIND A SINGLE BAD WIRE. ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC, THE ONLY OTHER THING IT COULD BE, BASED ON THE WAY THE CAR IS ACTING, IS THE COMPUTER. I PRICED A COMPUTER. IT COSTS ABOUT $495. SO THE QUOTE FROM THE DEALERSHIP NOW MAKES MORE SENSE CONSIDERING THAT THE COST OF THE COMPUTER IS ABOUT HALF OF THE $1100 THEY SAID IT WOULD COST TO TRACE WIRES AND REPLACE PLUGS AND COILS. SO BASED ON THE FORD SERVICE DEPT DIAGNOSIS, CONVERSATION AND QUOTE, FORD KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 2005 FORD ESCAPES. MY DAUGHTER AND I COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED BECAUSE THE CAR STOPPED SUDDENLY WHILE WE WERE MOVING AT 50 MPH. THIS IS A MANUFACTURE/ASSEMBLY DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR