NHTSA Complaint #10706526 — 2011 FORD ESCAPE

I NOTICED A LIGHT GAS SMELL IN MY GARAGE ONE DAY AND FIGURED PERHAPS BECAUSE MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE A GAS LID THAT IS WHY I WAS SMELLING IT. THE NEXT DAY, MY DAUGHTER USED MY CAR TO PICK UP A GAS GRILL FOR A CHRISTMAS GIFT WHICH SHE LEFT IN MY CAR OVERNIGHT. THE FOLLOWING MORNING THE GAS SMELL WAS REALLY STRONG SO I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER WHERE I HAD PURCHASED IT, HUNTINGTON FORD. WHEN THE SERVICE MAN CAME NEAR IT HE SAID TO STEP AWAY FROM THIS CAR AS IT WAS DANGEROUS TO BE NEAR IT AND THAT I HAD TO LEAVE IT. AFTER A DAY OR SO, THEY TOLD ME THAT SOME KIND OF "PEBBLE" MUST HAVE RUBBED A HOLE IN MY FUEL LINE AND THAT IS WOULD BE $634.62 FOR PARTS AND REPAIR. I'M A SENIOR CITIZEN ON A FIXED INCOME AND I AM VERY UPSET ABOUT THIS. HOW CAN SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN AND PUT PEOPLES LIVES IN DANGER? MY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE BEEN IN DANGER WHEN THEY PUT THE HEAVY OBJECT IN IT IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN SMOKING NEARBY. I HAVE SPOKEN TO HUNTINGTON FORD, FORD MOTOR AND WRITTEN 2 SEPARATE LETTERS TO FORD MOTOR AND NO ONE IS WILLING TO HELP ME GET A REFUND FOR PARTS OR LABOR ON THIS. IN MY MIND THEY SHOULD BE WILLING TO WORK WITH ME SINCE I WAS THE ONE WHO WAS PUT INTO HARMS WAY. I DON'T LIVE ON A DIRT ROAD, IN FACT I DON'T KNOW WHEN I EVEN DROVE ON ONE LAST. HOW COULD A "PEBBLE" DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND IF SO, HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE IN DANGER THAT MAY LIVE ON A DIRT ROAD AND NOT BE AS FORTUNATE AS I AM THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT I THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT TO MAKE THE NHTSA AWARE OF. I HAVE ALL OF THE DOCUMENTATION AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE TO YOU INCLUDING MY REPAIR RECEIPT FROM HUNTINGTON FORD AND THE LETTERS THAT I SENT TO FORD MOTOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP AND FOR LISTENING. I FEEL THAT I HAVE BEEN TREATED UNFAIRLY AS A CONSUMER AND I AM REGRETTING MY DECISION FOR PURCHASING A VEHICLE FROM FORD MOTOR BECAUSE OF THIS MATTER. *TR UPDATED 02/25/16.*JB