NHTSA Complaint #11173397 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

AS I WAS DRIVING UP A HILL ON THE HIGHWAY, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED DOWN HARSHLY. AT THE NEXT EXIT, I GOT TO THE FIRST TRAFFIC LIGHT WHERE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED DOWN, AGAIN EXTREMELY HARSHLY. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, THE CAR WAS ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD INTO THE INTERSECTION BUT FAILED TO SHIFT UP, AND WOULD NOT PUT ANY POWER DOWN IN FIRST GEAR EITHER. THE STOPPED MOVING IN THE INTERSECTION. I TURNED OFF THE CAR, AND TURNED IT BACK ON AGAIN. THERE WAS AN EXTREMELY JARRING MOTION AS IT WENT FROM PARK TO FIRST, AND I WAS ABLE TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD INTO A PARKING LOT. IN THE MORNING, THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT, AND I HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS BURNT AND METAL SHAVINGS HAD COLLECTED IN THE FLUID FROM A FAULT INTERNAL TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE NEW TRANSMISSION WAS $5748.19 FOR A CAR LESS THAN 5 YEARS OLD AND UNDER 100,000 MILES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION FAILING WITH NO WARNING IN TRAFFIC.