NHTSA Complaint #10536654 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

MY WIFE OWNS A 2009 FORD ESCAPE PURCHASED NEW FROM A DEALER AND THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE I QUESTION IF THERE WASN?T SOME TYPE OF FLAW IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OR AT THE VERY LEAST, SOME TYPE FAILURE IN THE QUALITY CONTROL PROCESS. WITHIN WEEKS OF PURCHASING THIS FORD ESCAPE WE HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR AN OIL LEAK AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. AFTER 2 OR 3 TRIPS TO THE DEALER, THE OIL LEAK WAS FIXED BUT THE TRANSMISSION ISSUES (2 OVERHAULS AND THEN REPLACEMENT) CONTINUED FOR YEARS. THANKFULLY, FORD COVERED AND THE DEALER COVERED 2/3 OF THE COST OF THE SECOND TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL AND ALMOST ALL OF THE COST FOR THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. ALL OF THIS WORK WAS COMPLETED AT THE FORD DEALER SHIP IN METER GEORGIA. NICE FOLKS, WE HAVE NO ISSUE WITH THE DEALERSHIP. APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AGO, DUE TO LOW ENGINE POWER AND USING OIL, WE HAD THE VEHICLE WORKED ON AT A LOCAL SHOP. THAT TOTAL COST FOR REPAIR WAS 1600 DOLLARS. LAST WEEK DUE TO A MASSIVE OIL LEAK WE HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED IN A LOCAL SHOP. THE FORD ESCAPE APPEARS TO HAVE A CRACKED TIMING BELT COVER. HAVING NEVER HEARD OF A VEHICLE HAVING A CRACKED TIMING BELT COVER, I DECIDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH; A CURSORY INTERNET SEARCH REVEALS MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS OF 2009 FORD ESCAPES WITH CRACKED TIMING BELT COVERS. FOR OUR VEHICLE THIS WILL MAKE FIVE MAJOR REPAIRS AND NUMEROUS MINOR ISSUES IN A VEHICLE NOT 4 YEARS OLD!! THERE HAS TO BE SOME MANUFACTURING PROCESS WITH THESE VEHICLES. VIN [XXX] 2009 FORD ESCAPE XLS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR