NHTSA Complaint #11258785 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

BOUGHT MY 2009 FORD ESCAPE XLT 4WD IN 2016.HAD NO PROBLEMS UP UNTIL AROUND MARCH, 2017 WHEN TRYING TO START VEHICLE.TURNED THE KEY TO START AND IT WOULDN'T. THINKING MAYBE THERE WAS A LITTLE MOISTURE ON IGNITION KEY SEEING HOW IT HAD RAINED EARLER AND KEYS WERE EXPOSED BUT NOPE.PULLED KEY OUT AND FLIPPED IT OVER THEN RETRIED. IT DID START AND DIDN'T THINK ANYMORE ABOUT IT. DIDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN TILL ABOUT 4 MOS LATER AND HAS GRADUALLY GOTTEN WORSE OVER TIME. NOW HAVE TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS...UP TO 5-6 TIMES OTHER DAY BEFORE IT STARTED. JUST BY CHANCE I HAD PUSHED THE IGNITION KEY FURTHER IN THE START POSITION AND FELT KEY SLIP INTO IGNITION A "HAIR" MORE. IT STARTED UP IMMEDIATELY. THOUGHT THAT MAYBE ORIGINAL KEY WAS GETTING WORN AND THAT WAS WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS BUT AFTER READING MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT EXACT SAME ISSUE IT SHOWS THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND FORD NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS. I HAVE TO TRAVEL ALONE WHEN OUT OF STATE FOR DR VISITS OR FAMILY MATTERS. WOULD SAY THIS CAN BECOME A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE ESPECIALLY FOR A FAMILY.