NHTSA Complaint #11209894 — 2019 FORD ESCAPE

WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 70MPH ON THE INTERSTATE I NOTICED THAT ALL INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING, GAUGES, AND DISPLAY SCREENS WENT OUT. THE GAUGE NEEDLES RETURNED TO THEIR 'HOME' POSITIONS. THERE WAS AN ERROR MESSAGE ON THE MAIN TOUCH SCREEN THAT SAID: NETWORK COMMUNICATION FAILURE. WORRIED, I TOOK THE NEXT AVAILABLE EXIT AND FOUND A PARKING LOT TO INVESTIGATE. I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, FIGURING THAT IF I COMPLETELY SHUT THE CAR DOWN THE SYSTEM WOULD SOMEHOW CORRECT ITSELF AFTER A 'REBOOT' OF THE THE PCM AND BCM. I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT I WAS IN TROUBLE, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A 'SMART KEYLESS START SYSTEM' BUT NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I WOULD TRY PUSHING THE BUTTON. EVEN THOUGH THE CAR OPERATED PROPERLY AFTER THE SYMPTOMS COMMENCED I FIND IT DOUBTFUL THAT ALL OF THE CAR'S SAFETY FEATURES WOULD HAVE OPERATED AS DESIGNED, IF NEEDED. IF I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO IN ACCIDENT AT THE TIME THE CAR WAS EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMS WOULD THE SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM WORK PROPERLY AND DEPLOY THE APPLICABLE AIR BAGS??? WOULD THE 'AUTO FUEL PUMP SHUTDOWN' DO ITS JOB IF NEEDED??? ALSO, WHAT IF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AT THIS TIME AND I COULD NOT SHUT OFF THE CAR??? NOT SAFE!!!