NHTSA Complaint #10617299 — 2011 FORD FLEX

ENGINE HAD MASSIVE TOP ENGINE DETONATION (BACKFIRE) WITH ONLY 7500 MILES ON NEW CAR. EVER SINCE THIS EVENT THE CAR SHUDDERS, STAMMERS, SHAKES AND DOES NOT WANT TO ACCELERATE SMOOTHLY. THE PROBLEM VARIES IN DAILY SEVERITY AND IS ALWAYS WORSE IN WET, HEAVY MOISTURE PERIODS. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO FIVE (5) DIFFERENT FORD DEALERSHIPS AND THEY ALL SAY THERE IS NO PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE ARE NO CODES INDICATING A PROBLEM. ONE OF THE FORD DEALERSHIPS WENT TO GREAT LENGTHS TO FIX THE CAR BUT TO NO AVAIL. THEY REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A FAILURE TO DOWNSHIFT. THEY LATER REPLACED THREE DIFFERENT SENSORS ON THIS ECOBOOST ENGINE (THEY SAID THERE ARE 33 DIFFERENT SENSORS) AND THIS ACTUALLY GAVE TEMPORARY IMPROVEMENTS, BUT THIS WAS ALSO IN THE VERY DRY DALLAS SUMMER. AS SOON AS I DROVE BACK ACROSS ARKANSAS TO TENNESSEE THE CAR WAS AS BAD AS BEFORE. THIS CAR ACTUALLY GETS 14.2 MILES PER GALLON COMBINED DRIVING AND IT WAS RATED AT 18MPG (16CITY AND 21HIGHWAY). THE CAR AVERAGED 18.6MPG FOR THE 7500 MILES PRIOR TO THE PROBLEM. I HAVE PUT UP WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR OVER THREE YEARS BUT I HAVE LEARNED TO NOT DRIVE THE CAR IN THE RAIN. THERE ARE OTHER FAMILY CARS THAT I CAN DRIVE OR I WOULD HAVE PULLED MY HAIR OUT. THIS PROBLEM WAS ELEVATED TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS (4 OR 5 DIFFERENT TIMES) AND THEY NEVER TOOK OWNERSHIP OF THE PROBLEM OR THE PROCESS. THERE APPEARS TO BE A FIREWALL ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE FORD TECHNICAL GROUP AND FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENTS. SEVERAL SERVICE PEOPLE COMPLAINED THAT THEY COULD NOT CONTACT FORD TECHNICAL PEOPLE DIRECTLY AND THAT IT REQUIRED A FAILURE CODE ENTRY INTO THE SERVICE SYSTEM WITHOUT SOLUTION TO FACILITATE CONTACT WITH TECHNICIANS AND ENGINEERS. NO CODE NO PROBLEM! I SURE AM GLAD THEY HAVE A CODE FOR EVERY SITUATION! *JS