NHTSA Complaint #11277126 — 2011 FORD ESCAPE

THIS VEHICLE HAD A RECALL REGARDING THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE REPAIRED IN MAY 2019 (BY CHAPMAN FORD IN HORSHAM, PA), JUST BEFORE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN JUNE. IN LATE AUGUST 2019, THE CAR WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY STARTING. I BROUGHT IT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP (FULLERTON FORD IN SOMERVILLE, NJ). THEY INSISTED CHAPMAN FORD DID A POOR JOB WITH THE RECALL REPAIR (SPECIFICALLY CONNECTING THE FUEL PUMP) AND FORD CORPORATE AUTHORIZED FULLERTON TO FIX CHAPMAN'S POOR WORK (FREE OF CHARGE FOR ME). A FEW DAYS AGO, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START EVEN WHEN JUMP STARTED. THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIPS (MALOUF FORD IN NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ AND FULLERTON FORD) SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN OPENING TO WORK ON THE CAR FOR 3 WEEKS. I WANTED TO TAKE THIS VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALERSHIP BUT I CAN'T AFFORD TO BE OUT OF A VEHICLE FOR 3 WEEKS SO I TOOK THE CAR TO A PRIVATE SHOP (QUALITY AUTO CENTER IN FRANKLIN PARK, NJ) . THE PRIVATE SHOP DIAGNOSTICALLY PROVED THE FUEL PUMP NO LONGER WORKS. THE PRIVATE SHOP REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND THE VEHICLE NOW WORKS AGAIN. THIS IS INDEED AN OLDER VEHICLE, BUT I THINK THE TIMING IS ESPECIALLY SUSPICIOUS THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILS SHORTLY AFTER IT HAS BEEN HANDLED MULTIPLE TIMES FOR RECALL REPAIR. FURTHERMORE, CHAPMAN FORD WAS DEEMED BY FORD CORPORATE TO DO A SUBPAR RECALL REPAIR. I CALLED FULLERTON FORD AND FORD CORPORATE ABOUT POTENTIAL LIABILITY BUT THEY DIDN'T SEEM INTERESTED TO ENTERTAIN BECAUSE I WASN'T ABLE TO BRING MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION.