NHTSA Complaint #11073468 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

THE TRANSMISSION BLEW ON THIS CAR AFTER 3 1/2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP, 87,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING (I.E., LOSS OF POWER UPON SHIFTING TO ACCELERATE) AFTER ABOUT 1 YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. I ASKED OUR LOCAL DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR TO CHECK AND THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE. THE SLIPPAGE KEPT HAPPENING PERIODICALLY, BUT NOT OFTEN ENOUGH THAT I COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. IT WAS AFTER THE TRANSMISSION BLEW AND I RESEARCHED "BLOWN TRANSMISSION" ONLINE THAT I REALIZED WHAT HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS IN A NEW CAR. WHEN IT DID BLOW, I WAS DRIVING, RUNNING ERRANDS AROUND TOWN, AND WAS COMING TO A STOP AT A LIGHT. AS I TRIED TO PUT IT BACK INTO GEAR AND DRIVE WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO A GEAR TO MOVE THE CAR. LEFT ME STRANDED. EVERYTHING ELSE WAS RUNNING, INCLUDING THE SYNC OPERATED "ENGINE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM" WHICH RAN AN ASSESSMENT AND SAID EVERYTHING IN THE CARE WAS OPERATING FINE, INCLUDING THE TRANSMISSION! I HAD TO PAY FOR A RENTAL CAR, TOWING FOR THE VEHICLE, AND IT WOULD COST ME $6700 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. IT WAS SO DAMAGED THE SERVICE GUY SAID IT COULD NOT EVEN BE REPAIRED. WE ULTIMATELY DONATED THE CAR BUT GOT NOTHING FOR A CAR THAT WAS 3 1/2 YEARS OLD IN GREAT CONDITION. VERY DISAPPOINTING. AND THE DEALER NEVER OFFERED ME ANYTHING...TO PAY FOR RENTAL CAR OR THE DIAGNOSTIC TO TELL ME THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, OR EVEN FOR PARTS FOR THE CAR. I'LL NEVER BUY A FORD CAR AGAIN.