NHTSA Complaint #10596625 — 2001 FORD ESCAPE

I PURCHASED A 2001 FORD ESCAPE FROM COMMONWEALTH MOTORS IN RICHMOND, VA. AFTER PURCHASE THE DEALERSHIP WAS TO INSPECT AN ISSUE WITH THE REVERSE LIGHTS AS THEY WOULDN'T GO OUT. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT BACK I NOTICED A PIECE OF RUSTED METAL FELL FROM AROUND THE DOOR PANEL. I LOOKED UNDERNEATH & DISCOVERED MASSIVE CORROSION & RUSTED CROSSBARS, FRAMES, GAS TANK, SHOCKS, ETC. EVERYTHING UNDER THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED. SO, I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE RUNS SO I SHOULD BE HAPPY. WELL, I FELT MY SAFETY WAS IN QUESTION SO I BEGAN SOME RESEARCH. WHAT I LEARNED WAS THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PURCHASED FROM "CARMAX" AS THE OWNER STATED, BUT THAT IT WAS PURCHASED FROM "CARMAX AUCTION". SO I CONTACTED THEM AND LUCKILY GOT A COPY OF THE BILL OF SALE. TO MY DISBELIEF THE BILL OF SALE STATES THIS VEHICLE HAS FRAME DAMAGE. SO I EQUIPPED WITH THIS BILL OF SALE, MET WITH THE OWNER AGAIN. HE SAID THE CAR DOESN'T HAVE A FRAME, THUS THIS WAS AN ERROR. HE WOULD NOT AGREE TO REASON AND TOLD ME I PURCHASED IT "AS IS". AS THE DAYS WENT ON MORE AND MORE BEGAN TO FALL APART. LESS THAN 60 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED BECAUSE THE BRACE WAS RUSTED AWAY CAUSING THE COMPONENTS WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION TO CRACK SO I HAD TO GET IT REPLACED/REBUILT. MECHANIC SAYS THE TRANSMISSION WAS HANGING DOWN & AMAZED IT HADN'T FALLEN OUT. THE CORROSION WAS SO BAD HE HAD TO WELD A NEW BRACE TO HOLD THE NEW TRANSMISSION BUT IT IS WELDED TO THE FRONT BUMPER BAR BECAUSE NOTHING ELSE WILL SUPPORT ITS WEIGHT. THE SUBFRAME CRADLE CRACKED 2 DAYS BEFORE RECALL 14S02. I DON'T HAVE ANOTHER VEHICLE SO I HAD TO GET IT FIXED. IS IT POSSIBLE OTHER PARTS ARE BUILT WITH THE SAME MATERIAL AS THE SUBFRAME? MY CAR IS LIKE A CAVITY THAT WAS LEFT UNTREATED. IT WAS PURCHASED IN OHIO WHERE IT RESIDED FOR YEARS. I FEEL LOST. I HAVE BEFORE AND AFTER PICS. *TR