NHTSA Complaint #11098462 — 2011 FORD EDGE

I OWN A 2011 FORD EDGE LIMITED WITH A 3.5L, 6 CYLINDER ENGINE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN FAITHFULLY MAINTAINED SINCE I PURCHASED IT AT ~30,000 MILES. ON 5/25/2018 WHILE DRIVING OUT-OF-STATE AND WITH APPROXIMATELY 120,000 MILES THE VEHICLE BEGAN EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS OF STALLING AT STOPS AND WHILE PARKING; THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS OR INDICATIONS OF TROUBLE. PULLING OFF THE ROAD I INSPECTED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID FIRST, SINCE THAT SEEMED THE MOST-LIKELY CULPRIT. DURING THIS CHECK I OVERHEARD A LOT OF NOISE AS HOT COOLANT WAS BEING EJECTED INTO THE COOLANT OVERFLOW RESERVOIR AND IT WAS WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED THAT THE OVERHEAT INDICATOR FIRST SOUNDED. AFTER SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE I NOTICED WATER ON THE PAVEMENT UNDER THE VEHICLE. I ARRANGED FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE COOLANT PUMP HAD FAILED. THOUGH COMPLETELY WITHOUT SYMPTOMS UNTIL THE FINAL FEW MINUTES, BECAUSE THE PUMP IS DRIVEN BY THE ENGINE'S TIMING CHAIN, ENOUGH DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE THAT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF COOLANT HAD ENTERED THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WOULD START, BUT PRESSURES IN CYLINDERS 2 AND 4 WERE COMPROMISED AND UNKNOWN OTHER DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED. THE FORD SERVICE ADVISED THAT THE PUMP REPLACEMENT WOULD COST ON THE ORDER OF $2,000 AND THAT LIFE-EXPECTANCY FOR THE PART WAS 150,000 MILES - TWO NUMBERS THAT SEEM INCONGRUOUS BY THEMSELVES FOR A MAINTENANCE ITEM. IN ADDITION, THE ABSENCE OF A COOLING SYSTEM WARNING FACILITATED DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHILE CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE WAS CAUSED TO THE ENGINE.