NHTSA Complaint #10501147 — 2010 FORD ESCAPE

DRIVING AT 35MPH, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND SUV WENT INTO "LIMP HOME MODE", SLOWING TO ONLY 10MPH. AFTER RE-STARTING SUV 2-TIMES SAME ERROR APPEAR. TOOK SUV TO LOCAL FORD DEALER TOM HOLZER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS A FAILING THROTTLE BODY SENSOR. INQUIRED IF THERE WAS A KNOWN WARRANTY ISSUE AND DEALER CONFIRMED NO, BUT A SERVICE BULLETIN EXISTED AT CUSTOMER'S EXPENSE - WHICH WAS NOT AGREEABLE. TOM HOLZER SERVICE MANAGER ADVISE TO CONTACT FORD DIRECTLY (WHICH WE DID) AND FORD SAID TO CONTACT SERVICE MANAGER (WHICH WE DID). AFTER NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS AND FORMAL COMPLAINTS WE RECEIVED NO SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION. FORD WAS BLAMING THE LOCAL DEALER, THE LOCAL DEALER BLAMING FORD, AND WE STILL HAD TO PAY $525 TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR. (IRONICALLY OUR GOOD FRIENDS HAVE A 2010 CHEVY EQUINOX WITH 80,000 MILES THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEIR LOCAL CHEVY DEALER REPLACED THEIR THROTTLE BODY SENSOR AND PROVIDED LOANER VEHICLE DURING SERVICE PROCEDURE, BOTH AT NO CHARGE). NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE LOCAL DEALER AND FORD'S HANDLING OF THIS KNOWN PROBLEM, AND THIS WILL BE OUR LAST FORD VEHICLE PURCHASE AFTER 30-YEARS OF DEDICATED FORD VEHICLE PURCHASES. *TR