NHTSA Complaint #11092180 — 2012 FORD ESCAPE

PURCHASED CAR USED ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO. HAVE HAD VERY HARD SHIFTS 1-->2, BUT TRANSMISSION WAS CHECKED AT TIME OF PURCHASE AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS OK. AT TIME OF PURCHASE CAR HAD ABOUT 30K MILES ON IT. IT NOW HAS 51K MILES. SHIFT IS NOW EXTREMELY HARD 1->2, 2->1. CAR GOT STUCK AND WOULD ONLY GO IN REVERSE LAST WEEK AND I ENDED UP STUCK ON A RAMP IN A PARKING GARAGE. I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE CAR TO DRIVE FORMWARD AND IT TOOK 5-6 TRIES. CAR WAS THEN STUCK IN FIRST GEAR FOR ABOUT 2 MILES, THEN SUDDENLY SHIFTED AND WAS NORMAL. IT HAS LOST ALL FORWARD MOTION AT TIMES SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING ON THE STREET, CAR UNABLE TO SHIFT. NOW NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION WITH ONLY 51K MILES ON THE CAR. IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND IS DRIVEN VERY LIGHTLY. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO HAVE A CAR COME OUT OF GEAR (?) WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY CITY TRAFFIC.