NHTSA Complaint #10621519 — 2013 FORD ESCAPE

VEHICLE TOWED TO FORD ON 7/3/14 FOR FUEL LEAK. ALSO TOLD FORD THAT FUEL RANGE CONSUMPTION GAUGE WAS NOT WORKING RIGHT. FORD WAS UNABLE TO VERIFY FUEL LEAK CONCERN BUT DID THE 13S12 OVERHEATING AND 14S03 HANDLE RECALLS. ON 7/19/14 LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. CALLED FORD AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS AN AIR POCKET IN THE COOLANT SYSTEM AND TO ADD DISTILLED WATER AND DRIVE IT TO FORD. THE DEALERSHIP DRAINED THE COOLANT, ADDED COOLANT AND PRESSURIZED TO CHECK THE SYSTEM. EXPLAINED TO FORD THAT OUR DAUGHTER WAS TAKING THE CAR ON A 500 MILE ROAD TRIP THAT AFTERNOON. THEY REASSURED US IT WAS FIXED AND THAT SHE WOULD NOT HAVE AN ISSUE, BUT IF SHE DID, SIMPLY ADD DISTILLED WATER AGAIN TO RESOLVE. LATER ON 7/19/14, AFTER DRIVING 150 MILES OF THE TRIP, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE RAPIDLY JUMPED FROM NORMAL TO HOT AND THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. ROADSIDE ASSIST. TOWED TO THE CLOSEST FORD DEALERSHIP. THIS NEW DEALERSHIP SAID THE VEHICLE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM FORD TO COME LOOK AT IT. THE NEW DEALERSHIP FAXED US THE LIST OF WHAT WAS WRONG WITH OUR VEHICLE: LEAKING WATER PUMP, LEAKING TURBO COOLANT TUBE, TURBO COOLANT BANJO BOLT LOOSE, HOSE CLAMP ON TURBO COOLANT TUBE NOT RELEASED, COOLANT STAND PIPE NOT BOLTED, ENGINE HARNESS TAPED BUT NOT SECURED TO ENGINE COVER, COOLANT STAND PIPE HARNESS NOT PROPERLY SECURED, BATTERY CABLE REROUTING NOT PERFORMED, FOAM PROTECTION NOT APPLIED TO COOLANT LEVEL MODULE, ACTIVE GRILL SHUTTERS NOT REMOVED AT ALL, THERMOSTAT HOUSING BOLTS LOOSE, CV BOOT RIPPED, BOLTS ON OIL DEFLECTOR NOT TIGHT TO SPECS. FORD SAYS THEY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE BUT WE TOLD THEM WE COULD NOT RISK OUR LIVES ANY MORE WITH THIS DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. ON 7/29/14 WE EXPLAINED EVERYTHING TO FORD, SENT THEM THE LIST, GOT A CASE NUMBER AND REQUESTED THAT FORD BUY BACK THE VEHICLE. ON 8/8/14 FORD DENIED OUR REQUEST. WE ARE TOO SCARED TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE. *TR