NHTSA Complaint #11128380 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

ON 13 AUGUST 2018 MY FIANCE WAS DRIVING TO OUR NEW HOME WE'RE BUYING WHEN SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I TOLD HER TO PULL OVER AND GRAB HER PURSE AND GET AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. BY NOW FLAMES WERE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LUCKILY SHE HAD CRACKED OPEN THE DOOR BEFORE STOPPING BECAUSE BEFORE SHE STOPPED ALL THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED AND COULD NOT BE OPENED. I HAD ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND THE CARS FRONT END HAD VIRTUALLY MELTED WITHIN 5 MINUTES. IF MY FIANCE HAD NOT CRACKED OPENED THE DOOR SHE MOST ASSUREDLY WOULD HAVE BURNED TO DEATH. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING I WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME ESCAPING AS I AM A DISABLED VETERAN WITH SEVERAL MOBILITY PROBLEMS. OUR CAR WAS LESS THAN 4 YEARS OLD WITH ONLY 64000 MILES ON IT. WE NEVER EXPECTED WE MIGHT POSSIBLY BE INJURED OR DIE FROM A NEWER VEHICLE. I REALLY HOPE THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY WASN'T AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AS WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICE OF ANY PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER WITH THIS VEHICLE.