NHTSA Complaint #10456446 — 2005 FORD ESCAPE

OUR 2005 FORD ESCAPE HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED AT THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED. THIS CAN BE VERIFIED BY CHECKING THE SERVICE RECORDS AT DALE JARRETT FORD, INDIAN TRAIL, NC. ON 2/25/12, THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING AN OIL LEAK BETWEEN THE MAIN ENGINE BLOCK AND THE CRANKSHAFT CRADLE. THE SEAL BETWEEN THESE TWO FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURAL PARTS OF THE ENGINE IS A SIMPLE APPLIED BEAD OF SILICONE SEALANT, RATHER THAN A FIXED GASKET. BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE LEAK, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE REPAIR IS TO COMPLETELY REPLACE THE ENGINE, RATHER THAN INCUR THE LABOR CHARGES OF TOTALLY DISASSEMBLING THE ENGINE TO REPAIR THIS SEAL. THE PROJECTED COST FOR THIS REPAIR IS $4,000.00 TO $5,000.00. WE FEEL THIS IS A PREMATURE AND CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF A DESIGN COMPONENT OF THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY, BY DIRECT COMMUNICATION, HAS OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE IN THE REPAIR OF THIS PROBLEM, PER THEIR COMPANY POLICY. OUR CONTENTION IS THAT THIS IS A DEFECT IN DESIGN AND WORKMANSHIP ON THE PART OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND WARRANTS A RECALL FOR VEHICLES FOUND TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR