NHTSA Complaint #10502471 — 2007 FORD ESCAPE

FIRST, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED PER THE NORMAL MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. WHILE DRIVING ON 03/09/13, NOTICED THE ABS DASH LIGHT STAYED LIT. THE 4WD DASH LIGHT ALSO STARTED TO BLINK INTERMITTENTLY. ON 03/11/13 I CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE PROBLEMS DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BROKEN TONE RING ALONG WITH MARGINAL BRAKE PADS. REPORTEDLY THE ABS AND 4WD SENSORS ARE INTERCONNECTED. REPORTEDLY, THE FRONT ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO PITTED TO BE TURNED. QUESTIONED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT SERVICE BULLETINS OR RECALLS, NONE WERE LIST ON THE ESCAPE CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE SERVICE MANAGERS, THE PROBLEM WITH THE TONE RING IS NOT A COMMON ISSUE. WHILE WAITING ON HE REPAIRS, I CHECKED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH REPEAT FAILURES OF THE PART. I PRESENTED THIS INFO TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WITHOUT ANY RELIEF OR RECOURSE OTHER THAT I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THIS DONE AGAIN. ANOTHER NOTE, THE REPAIRS HAVE A 12 MONTH, 12,000 MILE WARRANTY. IF THE DEFECTIVE PART HAS TO BE REPLACED, THE WARRANTY GOES BACK TO THE ORIGINAL DATE OF INSTALL. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH POSSIBLE SERIOUS REPERCUSSIONS WHICH IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED BY FORD. *TR