NHTSA Complaint #11041705 — 2014 LINCOLN MKZ

OUTER BEARING FAILURE IN TRANSMISSION RESULTING IN METAL-TO-METAL BEARING DESTRUCTION AND ACCORDING TO FORD TECHNICIANS ONCE COMPLETE FAILURE OCCURS WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO ABRUPTLY STOP WHEN DRIVING. FORD-LINCOLN ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS ISSUE BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION OR VOLUNTARY RECALL FOR MY SPECIFIC VEHICLE VIN BUT IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE FOR OTHER FORD AND LINCOLNS FOR THIS PROBLEM TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE ONLY RESOLUTION IS A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION AS THE TRANSMISSION CAN NOT BE REPAIRED. THE OLD CORE TRANSMISSION WAS REQUIRED TO BE SENT BACK TO FORD-LINCOLN. THE FACTORY TRANSMISSION IS WARRANTIED FOR 60,000 MILES AND IN MY SPECIFIC CASE THE VEHICLE HAD 110,000 MILES. THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION IS BELIEVED TO HAVE ENGINEERING CHANGES TO PRECLUDE THIS BEARING FAILURE AND HAS A WARRANTY OF 100,000 MILES. THE CHIEF CONCERN IS THAT FORD-LINCOLN IS WELL AWARE OF THE PENDING TRANSMISSION FAILURE SO MUCH THAT THEY ISSUED AN INTERNAL TSB ADDRESSING THE ISSUE, BUT NOT SO CONCERNED TO SEND ANY CORRESPONDENCE TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES CONTAINING THIS TRANSMISSION AND THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES SHOULD IT FAIL, WHICH APPARENTLY COULD BE CATASTROPHIC AND LIFE-THREATENING TO OCCUPANTS AND POTENTIALLY OTHER VEHICLES DRIVING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY. ALSO, IN SPEAKING TO A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ON THEIR NATIONAL CALL LINE FOR CONCERNS, THE AGENT WAS CERTAIN I DID NOT HAVE A TRANSMISSION SUBJECT TO FAILURE, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS THE TSB IN EFFECT WHICH I MENTIONED ABOVE. SHE INDICATED THAT DID NOT RELATE TO MY VEHICLE WHEN I QUESTIONED HER FURTHER. BOTH FORD MECHANIC AND A CERTIFIED MECHANIC NOT ASSOCIATED WITH FORD BOTH INDICATED THE TRANSMISSION IN MY LINCOLN WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TSB FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. PHOTO INFO ON DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION ATTACHED.