NHTSA Complaint #11005358 — 2010 FORD FLEX

WHILE MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND BEGAN SHUTTERING/VIBRATING BADLY. THIS LOSS OF POWER NEARLY CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT AS THE SUDDEN SLOW DOWN CAUSED CARS BEHIND US TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED IMMEDIATELY. WE DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP PER INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE SERVICE REP. THE VEHICLE HAS THE 3.5L ECOBOOST ENGINE. THE SERVICE TECH FIRST SAID AN IGNITION COIL WENT BAD AND REPLACED IT, ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY DID A CYLINDER COMPRESSION TEST AND WERE LOOSING COMPRESSION IN ONE CYLINDER. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE DISASSEMBLED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE TECH FOUND THE CYLINDER RINGS HAD FAILED IN ONE CYLINDER AND NOW HAS TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ENGINE AT A COST OF $7,800. THE ENGINE ONLY HAS 55,000 MILES ON IT! THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE, AND IT HAS BEEN ROUTINELY SERVICED. FORD IS UNWILLING TO HELP IN ANY WAY WITH THE REPAIRS AS THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY.