NHTSA Complaint #10561268 — 2013 FORD ESCAPE

FORD ESCAPE HAD STARTED TO STALL AND QUIT SUDDENLY WHEN SLOWING OR AT A SPEED BELOW 40MPH. THERE HAVE BEEN 10 OCCURRENCES. ABOUT HALF OF THE TIME, THE ENTIRE DASH BECOMES BLACK AND IT IS SOME TIME (LONGEST BEING 4 MINUTES) BEFORE THE DASH IS LIT UP AGAIN. DURING THIS TIME, I AM UNABLE TO GET ANY RESPONSE FROM THE CAR AT ALL. THE OTHER TIMES I AM ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO RESTART AFTER ABOUT 15-30 SECONDS. THE OCCURRENCES HAVE BEEN IN HIGH TRAFFIC SITUATIONS, AFTER DARK AND IN SUB ZERO WEATHER. I AM A SINGLE PARENT AND PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FOR PEACE OF MIND AND SAFETY OF MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR FEAR OF BEING HIT OR REAR-ENDED. OTHERS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO ASSIST ME AND I FEAR THEY ARE ALSO IN GREAT DANGER AS WELL. THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE CAR DOES NOT THROW A CODE. IT SUGGESTS TO ME (I AM NOT AN ENGINEER OR A SPECIALIST TO MAKE THIS EVALUATION) THAT THE COMPUTER MAY HAVE REBOOTED ITSELF. AFTER THE FIRST FEW OCCURRENCES, THE DEALER HAD THIS CAR FOR 5 DAYS AND IT DID NOT STALL FOR THEM. I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO TAKE THE CAR BECAUSE THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. AFTER THE OCCURRENCES THIS PAST WEEKEND, I SPOKE WITH A SERVICE ADVISOR WHO DID SOME CHECKING TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY NEW DATA ON THIS ISSUE. THERE WAS NOT. I AM TOLD THAT UNLESS THEY CAN PULL A CODE AND FIND SOMETHING TO FIX, THAT I AM TO KEEP THE CAR. THEY WILL NOT LET ME OUT OF MY LEASE UNLESS I PAY THE BALANCE OF MY LEASE PAYMENTS. AFTER READING THE MANY ENTRIES HERE, I AM ADDING MINE. *TR