NHTSA Complaint #11025047 — 2011 FORD ESCAPE

WHEN DRIVING MY 2011 FORD ESCAPE LIMITED, THE OPEN DOOR WARNING LIGHT, THE TPMS LIGHT, AND THE PARKING BRAKE LIGHT WILL COME ON. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS, THE A/C WILL BLOW WARM, THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS WON'T WORK, AND THE LIFT GATE WILL LOCK. IF I HIT THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD, IT ALL RESETS. I TOOK IT TO THE AUTONATION FORD ON THE GULF FREEWAY IN HOUSTON. THEY SAID TO REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AT A COST OF $1000. I HAVE VIEWED MULTIPLE VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE AND READ MANY POSTS ON THIS VERY SAME ISSUE. IN EVERY CASE, THE VEHICLE OWNER SAID THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPLACEMENT FAILED TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. WHAT WAS FOUND TO BE TRUE IN MANY OF THEM WAS THE DISCOVERY OF COLD SOLDER JOINTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CIRCUIT BOARD. ONCE THIS WAS CORRECTED, THE VEHICLE RAN NORMALLY WITH A FULLY FUNCTIONAL INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE CONCLUSION TO BE DRAWN HERE IS THAT IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED BY FORD. AS TO IT BEING A SAFETY ISSUE, SEVERAL OF THE POSTS STATED THAT THE ENTIRE CLUSTER FAILED SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS YET BUT FEAR, IF LEFT UNCORRECTED, THAT IT COULD LEAD TO THAT. THE KEY POINT IS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING ON HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, OF FORD VEHICLES INCLUDING NOT ONLY MY ESCAPE, BUT EXPLORERS, EXPEDITIONS, AND F150S. FORD SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS GLARING DEFECT.