NHTSA Complaint #11252977 — 2017 FORD EDGE

OUR 2017 FORD EDGE EXPERIENCED CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE DRIVING - WITH ABSOLUTELY NO ADVANCE WARNING. THE TORQUE CONVERTER FELL APART AND THE VEHICLE WENT FROM DRIVING AT SPEED TO LOSING ALL MOMENTUM. IF WE HAD BEEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. FORD HAS IDENTIFIED THIS ISSUE WITH 2017 FORD EDGE VEHICLES. THERE WAS A RECALL IN 2017 FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR VEHICLES BUILT DURING THE TIME PERIOD THAT OURS WAS BUILT, BUT ACCORDING TO FORD, OURS WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THAT RECALL (NHSTA ID #18V390000). IN 2018, FORD ADDED A RECALL ON 25 ADDITIONAL VEHICLES BECAUSE THEY FOUND THAT MORE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS HAD BEEN INSTALLED THAN INITIALLY THOUGHT (NHSTA ID#17V427000). OURS WAS ALSO NOT ONE OF THOSE IDENTIFIED. OUR VEHICLE HAD 67,032 MILES WHEN THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED IN EXACTLY THE FASHION DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. FORD REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR AS THE VEHICLE WAS PAST THE WARRANTY MILEAGE AND FORD WANTED CLOSE TO $5,000 TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS TWO YEAR OLD VEHICLE. I AM CERTAIN THAT THIS ISSUE IS THE EXACT ISSUE THAT AFFECTED VEHICLES MANUFACTURED DURING THE SAME TIME FRAME WITH EXACTLY THE SAME TRANSMISSION. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOWED TO AGREED THAT I HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AS WAS IDENTIFIED, BUT TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO ESCALATE THE CONCERNS I HAD. I AM CONVINCED THAT FORD IS DOWNPLAYING THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES AFFECTED AND AM CERTAIN THAT THIS WILL IMPACT MORE 2017 FORD EDGE VEHICLES. I HAVE REPEATEDLY REACHED OUT TO FORD AND THEY REFUSED TO EVEN OPEN A CASE IN TO MY CONCERNS. MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TED BRITT FORD IN CHANTILLY VA (703-673-2300). THEY WERE OF ABSOLUTELY NO HELP IN ADDRESSING ANY OF MY CONCERNS, BUT SHOULD BE CONTACTED TO CONFIRM THAT THE ISSUE WAS JUST AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT CAN HAVE LIFE THREATENING CONSEQUENCES.