NHTSA Complaint #11267957 — 2012 LINCOLN MKZ

AT 69,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2012 LINCOLN MKZ FAILED DUE TO DEFECTS IN MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP, ACCORDING TO MY LINCOLN/FORD DEALER. WHEN ACCELERATING INTO OVERDRIVE, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHUDDER AND EXPERIENCE SHIFTING PROBLEMS, USUALLY AROUND 40 MPH. THE SHIFTING ISSUE OCCURRED WHETHER DRIVING ON CITY STREETS OR ON THE HIGHWAY. UPON INSPECTION, THE DEALER DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR DUE AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF METAL SHAVINGS LEFT BEHIND IN THE MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLY PROCESSES. THE UNREMOVED SHAVINGS HAD ACTED AS AN ABRASIVE CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR AND TEAR ON TRANSMISSION'S COMPONENTS. THIS CONDITION RESULTED TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE ONLY REMEDY--REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE REPAIR WAS DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP BUT SINCE THE POWERTRAIN WAS OUT OF WARRANTY I HAD TO BEAR THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR. THIS DEFECT IS VERY SERIOUS BECAUSE THE POWERTRAIN COULD MALFUNCTION AT ANY TIME AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY AND/OR DEATH.