NHTSA Complaint #11122303 — 2008 LINCOLN MKX

OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WHILE DRIVING, ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE STAYS ON, THE VEHICLE SIMPLY LOSES TRANSMISSION POWER AND LEAVE ME STRANDED AND IN DANGER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS HAS PUT BOTH MY WIFE AND IN ME IN PRECARIOUS SITUATIONS WHEN THE CAR HAS ABRUPTLY STALLED IN TRAFFIC AND WE HAVE TO ROLL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENS 2 OR 3 TIMES A YEAR. BOTH IN THE CITY AND ON THE HIGHWAY. AS LONG AS I SLIGHTLY OVER FILL THE TRANSMISSION WITH FLUID, IT WILL DRIVE FINE FOR ANOTHER 3 OR 4 MONTHS WITH NO ISSUES. THE PROBLEM IS THAT I CAN NOT FIND ANY TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKAGE AND HAVE TO OVERFILL THE TRANSMISSION TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. WHEN I CONTACTED LINCOLN ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, I WAS FINALLY TOLD THAT THERE HAD BEEN A VOLUNTARY SAFETY ALERT THAT EXTENDED THE MANUFACTURERS 6 YEAR WARRANTY TO 8 YEARS. BUT, SINCE I NOTIFIED THEM ONE MONTH AFTER THE 8 YEARS HAD EXPIRED, THEY WOULD NOT RESOLVE THE TRANSMISSION SAFETY ISSUE UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN I WROTE A DISPUTE LETTER TO LINCOLN, ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION SAFETY ISSUE AND TOLD THEM THAT THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 60,000 MILES ON IT AND THAT I WAS NOT TIMELY NOTIFIED ABOUT THE VOLUNTARY SAFETY ALERT, THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE MILEAGE DID NOT MATTER. THEY ALSO DID NOT CARE WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL CUSTOMER AND OWNED SEVERAL LINCOLNS (AND MERCURYS) OVER THE YEARS. I AM RETIRED, AND AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR ANY DISTANCE AT ALL. WITH THE TWO YEAR OLD AIR BAG RECALL, WE WERE ADVISED THAT MY WIFE CANNOT EVEN RIDE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. ALTHOUGH TWO MONTHS AGO THEY FINALLY PROVIDED A LOANER CAR, IT IS UNCOMFORTABLE FOR MY WIFE WHO HAS HAD MAJOR BACK SURGERY.