NHTSA Complaint #11092834 — 2007 FORD EDGE

2007 FORD EDGE. HISTORY: REGULAR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ALWAYS, GARAGE KEPT, TAKEN WELL CARE OF. MILEAGE AT THIS TIME IS 145K. ***DRIVING ALONG (IN TOWN) WHEN I NOTICED THE EDGE WAS IDLING REALLY LOW (NOTE: 2 WEEKS AFTER SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE, INSPECTION AND NEW BATTERY)-ALL OF A SUDDEN HEARD THIS TERRIBLE CLANKING NOISE. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE WHOLE CAR WAS FALLING APART. I PULLED OVER IN TO A PARKING LOT, SHUT THE CAR OFF. TRIED TO CRANK IT AGAIN AND IT WOULDN'T CRANK-FINALLY DID AFTER SEVERAL TRIES (STILL MAKING THIS TERRIBLE SOUND). **NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO FLUCTUATING IN GAGES---NOTHING. WE HAD THE EDGE TOWED TO OUR FORD DEALERSHIP AND WERE TOLD THE WATER PUMP WENT BAD AND THE ENGINE WAS DESTROYED. OUR OIL WAS FULL OF WATER/COOLANT--IT LOOKED LIKE MUDDY WATER. WHAT? HOW? NO WARNING, NO SIGNS? AFTER MUCH RESEARCH WE ARE FINDING THAT THE WATER PUMP IS INSIDE THE ENGINE, THEREFORE IF THE WATER PUMP "GOES" THERE ARE NO EXTERNAL SIGNS OF LEAKAGE---IT'S KINDLY LEAKING IN TO YOUR ENGINE AND DESTROYING IT. THIS LITERALLY HAPPENED IN A MATTER OF MINUTES. YES, THIS IS SAFETY ISSUE--IT LEFT ME STRANDED AND NOW I'M WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER WEEK OR SO WHILE A NEW ENGINE IS BEING ORDERED AN INSTALLED. I CAN'T BELIEVE FORD HASN'T ADDRESSED THIS "DESIGN" ISSUE WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS I'VE READ THUS FAR. THIS DESERVES A RECALL AND AT THE VERY LEAST IT DESERVES FORD'S ATTENTION TO BE REDESIGNED. RESEARCH ALSO SHOWS THIS IS NOT JUST A FORD EDGE PROBLEM---IT'S OTHER FORD MAKES AS WELL. THIS IS NOW AN $8000 "FIX". PLEASE HAVE THIS LOOKED IN TO ON THE CONSUMER'S BEHALF.