NHTSA Complaint #10765305 — 2015 FORD ESCAPE

SYMPTOM: FUSE FOR INTERIOR LIGHTS, INCLUDING GEAR INDICATOR ON SHIFT, CONTROLS IN STEERING WHEEL, FAILS. ISSUE BEGAN 2ND MONTH OF OWNERSHIP 2/2015. 4TH INCIDENT ON 9/17/15 BROUGHT MY ATTENTION TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES PERTAINING TO ALL INSTANCES LEADING TO FAILURE OF THE INTERIOR LIGHTS FUSE. INCIDENT: TRAVELING AT 55 MPH WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF A 5 LANE HIGHWAY, I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR. I STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR WITHIN A FEW SECONDS AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, DASH BOARD, GAUGES, EVERYTHING SHUT THEMSELVES OFF AND THEN EVERY GAUGE AND WARNING LIGHT LIT UP, BUT NO ENGINE. I MOVED THE GEAR SELECTOR INTO NEUTRAL AND TURNED THE KEY TO OFF WITHOUT LOCKING THE STEERING WHEEL, AND TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. IT DID NOT RESTART. I MADE MY ACROSS 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER, STOPPED THE CAR, PUT INTO PARK AND TURNED THE CAR ALL THE WAY OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS NO LONGER WORKED. THE CAR RESTARTED AND I DROVE ON. I REALIZED THAT EVERY TIME THE FUSE FOR THE INTERIOR LIGHTS HAS FAILED, IT WAS AFTER THE CAR HAD SHUT ITSELF OFF, ALL ELECTRICAL LIGHTS AND WARNING LIGHTS HAD GONE OFF AND THEN ALL WARNING LIGHTS AND LIGHTS, EXCEPT INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME BACK ON, REQUIRING TURNING THE KEY TO OFF ENGAGING THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK AND RESTARTING THE CAR. IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP FOR EVALUATION. THE 3 PREVIOUS TIMES, THE FORD DEALERS' (2 DIFFERENT DEALERS) SERVICE DEPARTMENT TECHNICIANS HAVE NOT FOUND A CAUSE FOR THE FUSE FAILURE.