NHTSA Complaint #11280792 — 2013 FORD C-MAX

THIS VEHICLE'S EV CHARGE CORD HAD AN INCIDENT THAT SEEMED TO HEAT UP / BEND THE CORD NEAR THE PLUG BACK IN 2016. I REPORTED TO FORD AT THE TIME, THEY SAID DO NOT USE THE CORD AND SAID THEY HAD A RESOLUTION UPCOMING. TO KEEP ANYONE FROM USING THE CORD, I CUT IT UP AND SENT OFF THE PARTS FOR RECYCLING (COPPER). NO RECALL NOTICES SENT BY FORD, NO ARTICLES ONLINE, OR EVEN COMMON SENSE SUGGESTED I SHOULD KEEP THIS DANGEROUS CORD IN MY HOUSEHOLD TO POSSIBLY BE USED AGAIN (AND THE LIABILITY WOULD BE ON ME FOR BEING SO STUPID). WHAT THE RECALL AND ARTICLES DID SUGGEST WAS THE CORD REPLACEMENT WOULD BE DONE BY VEHICLE VIN NUMBER (THAT VEHICLE WOULD BE CHECKED TO SEE IF IT HAS RECEIVED A NEW CORD). WHEN I WENT IN FOR SERVICE THIS YEAR TO FINALLY GET THIS RECALL PROCESSED, IT WAS DENIED BECAUSE I NO LONGER HAD THE CORD EVEN THOUGH MY CAR HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN SERVICED WITH THIS CORD IN THE CAR (BEFORE IT HAD AN ISSUE, FORD SAID DO NOT USE, AND I DISPOSED OF ONCE I READ THE RECALL NOTIFICATIONS). I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THE NHTSA GET INVOLVED AND MAKE FORD REPLACE MY EV CORD. THEIR RECORDS CLEARLY SHOW MY VEHICLE NEVER GOT A NEW CORD, BUT THEY ARE MAKING SOME CLAIM THAT WITHOUT THE OLD CORD, THEY HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING IF IT WAS AN EV CORD THAT HAD THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, MY CORD WAS PRODUCED PRE-2013, THEY ALL WERE COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. JUST SEEMS LIKE FORD IS TRYING TO SAVE THEMSELVES MONEY AND DENY ME THIS RECALL. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THEY ARE DOING THIS BECAUSE THEY PREVIOUSLY INDICATED BY PHONE CALL THIS WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE SERVICE REP APPARENTLY CALLED FORD MULTIPLE TIMES TRYING TO GET THIS PROCESSED, BUT FORD SIMPLY DECLINED SAYING I SHOULD NOT HAVE DESTROYED THE CORD EVEN THOUGH NOT LANGUAGE WAS PROVIDED I NEEDED TO KEEP AND EVEN INSINUATED I SHOULD DESTROY TO KEEP FROM BEING USED. SOUNDS LIKE FORD COVERED THEIR LEGAL LIABILITY AND SAVED MONEY.