NHTSA Complaint #11123957 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

ON AUGUST 22, 2018, I WAS DRIVING AND THE ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLANK. I DROVE TO WORLD FORD IN PENSACOLA, FL AND WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NEED TO RETURN THE FOLLOWING DAY BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO BUSY TO CHECK OUT MY PROBLEM. I RETURNED THE FOLLOWING DAY AT MY APPOINTMENT TIME, AND AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $1,600.00. I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM. I DISCOVERED THAT FORD HAD ISSUED A RECALL #15V406000 ON JUNE 24, 2015 FOR SOME 2014 FORD ESCAPES. WHEN I CALLED ABOUT THIS, I WAS TOLD THAT MY VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED. FORD KNEW THAT THERE WAS A SOFTWARE INCOMPATIBILITY ISSUE THAT WOULD CAUSE A MALFUNCTION. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD #101, "CONTROL AND DISPLAYS". MY LIFE IS AT RISK BY DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITH AN INOPERATIVE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. WHY IS IT, THAT FORD FIXED THE PROBLEM IN SOME 2014 ESCAPES, BUT NOT ALL. WHY IS IT OKAY THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO PLACE MY LIFE IN DANGER??? I THINK THAT FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPLACE ALL FAULTY INSTRUMENT PANELS, NOT JUST SOME OF THEM. I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND WHY MY LIFE IS LESS IMPORTANT THAN OTHER 2014 ESCAPE OWNERS, AND WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR HELP IN SECURING A REMEDY TO THIS PROBLEM.