NHTSA Complaint #11062516 — 2010 FORD FLEX

THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN DURING A LONG-DISTANCE DRIVE RETURNING FROM A VACATION. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. THE TECHS AT THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO A FAULTY (LEAKING) WATER PUMP. THIS WATER PUMP IS INSIDE THE ENGINE BLOCK. THUS, THE LEAK CAUSED CORRUPTION OF OTHER PARTS OF THE ENGINE AND COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. THIS PROBLEM WITH THE INTERNAL WATER PUMP HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL FOR OTHER FORD MODELS, BUT NOT THE FORD FLEX. THE NATIONAL DATABASE OF AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIANS, IDENTIFIX, REPORTS LEAKING INTERNAL WATER PUMPS TO BE THE NUMBER 1 PROBLEM WITH THE FLEX. HERE ARE THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT HAPPENED: WE HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 HOURS. I WAS AT CRUISING SPEED OF 75 MPH. AS I APPROACHED LUBBOCK TX, THE TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE HAD PEGGED ALL THE WAY TO 'HOT'. I REDUCED SPEED AND DROVE TO THE NEXT EXIT (APPROXIMATELY 1-2 MIN AWAY). AS I EXITED THE FREEWAY, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND MOMENTS LATER THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. AT THAT POINT, I LOST POWER STEERING AND THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. WE WERE ABLE TO PUSH THE CAR INTO A PARKING LOT ON THE FRONTAGE ROAD. THIS INCIDENT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CLAIMS THAT HAVE LED TO THE SAFETY RECALL FOR OTHER FORD MODELS:ESCAPE SUVS FROM THE 2014 MODEL YEAR, PLUS THE 2014 AND 2015 COMPACT FIESTA ST, THE 2013 AND 2014 FUSION MIDSIZE CAR AND THE 2013 THROUGH 2015 TRANSIT CONNECT SMALL VAN (OBTAINED FROM USA TODAY, 1/3/2018). MY INSURANCE WILL NOT COVER THE DAMAGE WHICH HAS RESULTED IN THE CAR BEING "TOTALLED". THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR FORD, AND I BELIEVE MY CAR SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED SAFETY RECALL. THIS PROBLEM IN THE FORD FLEX HAS BEEN DISCUSSED FOR YEARS DATING BACK TO AT LEAST 2008 (HTTPS://WWW.FORDFLEX.NET/FORUMS/VIEWTOPIC.PHP?T=17392)