NHTSA Complaint #11209952 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

WHILE DRIVING OUR 2014 FORD ESCAPE SE SHORTLY AFTER BEING SERVICED AT OUR LOCAL COGGIN FORD FOR A MAINTENANCE INCLUDING A TRANSMISSION FLUSH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO EXHIBIT PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PLAGUED WITH PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASE FROM A USED DEALER AND EACH TIME IT WAS BROUGHT TO FORD WHO CLAIMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM EVERY TIME. DESPITE THE VEHICLE BEING BROUGHT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP IT CONTINUED TO HAVE MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WHICH SEEMED TO BE MISDIAGNOSED SUCH AS A WASTEGATE AND TURBO THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WHEN THE INTAKE HOSE WAS SIMPLY NOT RECONNECTED AFTER RECALL ISSUES WERE SUPPOSEDLY ADDRESSED. THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SIGNAL THAT THE COOLANT LEVEL WAS LOW. WHILE SITTING AT A STOPLIGHT AFTER NORMAL OPERATION THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ENGAGE THE DRIVESHAFT ONCE THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED. AFTER FAILING TO HEAR THE GEARS ENGAGE THE ACCELERATOR WAS RELEASED FOLLOWED BY A LOUD THUD AND THEN THE VEHICLE JERKED EXTREMELY AS THE GEARS ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE THEN FELT AS IF IT WAS NOT FULLY CATCHING GEARS AS IT BEGAN TO OVER REV WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CONTINUE DRIVING. UPON THIS HAPPENING THE VEHICLE THEN ENGAGED A SAFETY MECHANISM WHERE THE VEHICLE ONLY ALLOWED FOR IT TO MOVE FAR ENOUGH FOR US TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT AND SHUT IT OFF. A TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. THIS WAS AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE BACK FROM FORD WHOM DID A DIAGNOSTIC STATING THAT THE RECALL ISSUES WERE TAKEN CARE OF AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUSH WAS COMPLETED. BEING THAT THE PROBLEMS HAD BEEN SO REPETITIOUS WE HAVE LEFT THE VEHICLE PARKED AND NO LONGER DRIVE IT DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD THE COST OF A REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION. IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WE STILL OWE OVER 12 THOUSAND DOLLARS ON THE VEHICLE. NOW WE ARE STUCK WITH A CAR PAYMENT FOR A CAR WE CAN'T EVEN DRIVE AND THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE IT'S PURCHASE.