NHTSA Complaint #10566640 — 2013 FORD EDGE

ARRIVING HOME THE EVENING OF FEBRUARY 15, 2014 MY TWO SONS (BOTH ADULTS) SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING WHEN WE GOT OUT OF THE CAR AT OUR HOUSE. UPON INSPECTION, THEY NOTICED THE RUBBER COVER OVER THE POSITIVE POST ON THE BATTERY HAD MELTED SLIGHTLY. I CALLED THE NEAREST FORD DEALER MONDAY MORNING (2/17/14) TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT OUT. THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE WRONG CIRCUIT BREAKER ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON THE BATTERY. AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THE FUSE WAS BY-PASSED WITH THE USE OF A LARGE PAPER CLIP. TALK ABOUT RIGGING SOMETHING UP!!! THIS PAPER CLIP HAD GOTTEN SO HOT IT EVEN BURNED A HOLE IN THE TOP OF THE BATTERY ABOUT THE SIZE OF A QUARTER. I HAVE A PHOTO. THIS WAS ONLY DISCOVERED WHEN THE NEW CIRCUIT BREAKER ASSEMBLY WAS ABOUT TO BE INSTALLED. IT WAS ALL HIDDEN BY THE RUBBER COVER. WE DID NOT THINK TO INSPECT THIS UPON PURCHASE IN JULY, 2013. IT WAS A BRAND NEW CAR! THIS WAS A TRAGEDY WAITING TO HAPPEN. FORTUNATELY IT DID NOT. BUT SOMEONE AT EITHER THE MANUFACTURER OR THE DEALERSHIP RIGGED THIS INSTEAD OF PUTTING THE PROPER PART ON IT. *TR