NHTSA Complaint #10824856 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

AT APPROXIMATELY 134,000 MILES WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY CAR SUDDENLY DRASTICALLY SLOWED DOWN QUICKLY, STARTED REVVING REALLY HIGH AND THE 'WRENCH LIGHT' CAME ON. THIS ALMOST RESULTED IN GETTING REAR-ENDED BY THE CAR THAT WAS TRAVELING BEHIND ME ON THE HIGHWAY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR AN ESTIMATE. WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WAS MISSING 2ND AND 4TH GEAR AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT THE COST WOULD BE $4,200 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE BAND FOR 2ND AND 4TH GEAR BROKE, SENDING THE VEHICLE INTO LIMP MODE (ONLY USING 1ST AND 3RD GEAR). I FOUND THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AS THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AS WELL AS A TSB (#TSB-12-4-8). AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH ALL FORD FAMILY VEHICLES THAT HAVE THE CD4E TRANSMISSION. I HAVE OWNED FORD VEHICLES FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE. FORD KNOWS THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE BUT REFUSES TO ASSIST THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS WITH A SOLUTION. WHILE TALKING TO A FORD SERVICE TECHNICIAN ABOUT THIS, I WAS TOLD THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE ISSUE BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, LEAVING THE CUSTOMER TO PAY TO REPLACE SOMETHING THAT FORD KNOWS HAS ISSUES. DOES IT REALLY TAKE SOMEONE TO GET INJURED OR GET KILLED IN ORDER FOR SOMETHING TO BE DONE ABOUT IT? IF FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD PAY TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED OR PROVIDE A SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNT IF THE CUSTOMER MUST PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT.