NHTSA Complaint #11078471 — 2005 FORD ESCAPE

ENGINE OIL LEAK CAN NOT BE TRACED. SERVICED BY FORD SINCE 2004 WHEN I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW. ONLY SERVICED BY A FORD DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I WAS TOLD BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE, 130,047, AND AGE THE ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED. DYE TEST CONDUCTED BY FORD SERVICE AND NO LEAKS WERE FOUND AFTER DRIVING 500 MILES AND RETURNING TO THE FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO CHECK FOR LEAKS AS ADVISED BY FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT. LEAVING THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT, FORD SERVICE MECHANIC INDICATES AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT IT SMOKES EXCESSIVELY ON COLD STARTUP. I HAVE REPLICATED THE COLD STARTUP PROCEDURE EVERYDAY IN COLD WEATHER OBSERVING THE TAIL PIPE EXHAUST AS MY WIFE STARTS THE ENGINE SINCE JANUARY 2018. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A SIGN OF SMOKE OR EXCESSIVE SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE TAIL PIPE EXHAUST.