NHTSA Complaint #10851337 — 2009 LINCOLN MKZ

THE AWD PTU UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ON MY CAR TWICE IN UNDER 85,000 MILES AND JUST OVER 6 YEARS. THE FIRST TIME WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 51,000 MILES AND THE SECOND TIME WAS JUST AROUND 85,000 MILES. BOTH TIMES, I NOTICED A DARK OIL SPOT ON MY CEMENT DRIVEWAY. THE SECOND TIME, I INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS AN OIL LEAK, SINCE I HAD JUST HAD AN OIL CHANGE AND DIDN'T MAKE AN APPOINTMENT RIGHT AWAY BUT THEN REALIZED IT WAS TOO DARK FOR OIL AND WAS ACTUALLY THE PTU UNIT AGAIN. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I DIDN'T NOTICE THE LEAKING GEAR OIL AND THE UNIT SEIZED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY? I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. WHAT KIND OF SERIOUS DAMAGE WOULD THAT HAVE DONE TO THE CAR? TO ME AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD? IT'S A POTENTIAL ROAD HAZARD. WHAT DAMAGE HAS IT ALREADY DONE TO THE TRANSMISSION THAT I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IN THE FUTURE? IT SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW IN THE CAR. IT IS SPECULATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE REPEATED FAILURES IS DUE TO A TOO SMALL OIL WELL (UNDER A PINT) OR THAT IT'S PLACED TOO CLOSE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER THAT DESTROYS THE SEAL, WHICH THEN REQUIRES THE ENTIRE UNIT BE REPLACED AT A SIGNIFICANT COST. SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN 85,000 MILES, I AM CONCERNED IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. IN ADDITION, FORD HASN'T PROVIDED A FIX TO THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT THEM PROVIDING A FIX OR TO AT LEAST LOOK INTO IT AND THEY'VE TOLD ME THEY HAVEN'T RECEIVED MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT. I FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE BECAUSE IF YOU SEARCH ON-LINE, THE PTU FAILING SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD AND LINCOLN AWD CARS. MANY CARS HAVE NEEDED TO HAVE IT REPLACED MORE THAN ONCE - ONE UP TO 5 TIMES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR REVIEW *TR