NHTSA Complaint #11292283 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET. I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND COULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 33 MPH WITH THE SPEED LIMIT BEING 45 MPH. I IMMEDIATELY BECAME CONCERNED FOR MY SAFTEY AND PULLED OFF ON A SIDE STREET STILL GOING 33 MPH AND NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE ANY FASTER. ONCE STOPPED, I HAD A DASHBOARD MESSAGE APPEAR SAYING "TRANSMISSION FAULT". IT WOULD NOT GO INTO MOTION AT THIS POINT AFTER PULLING OVER TO STOP. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, WHERE I WAS ADVISED BY MY SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THE FLUID WAS BROKEN DOWN PER THEIR TRANSMISSION TECHNICIAN AND THAT THERE ARE METAL SHAVINGS IN THE SYSTEM. HE TOLD ME I SHOULD HAVE CHANGED FLUID EVERY 30K MILES. THE COMPLAINT I HAVE AGAINST FORD IS THAT MY DRIVERS MANUAL STATES TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION FLUID AT 150K MILES. I AM NOW FACED WITH HIGH REPAIR COST THAT DOES NOT LINE UP WITH FORD'S RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE. FOLLOWING THE SERVICE MANUAL GOT ME A HIGH COST REPAIR AND FORD IS NOT STANDING BY THEIR PRODUCT. ADDITIONALLY, THIS COULD HAVE PUT ME IN A MORE DANGEROUS SITUATION IF I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY SINCE I LIVE IN A MAJOR METRO AREA OF THE COUNTRY. IF THERE IS A FAULTY TRANSMISSION GOING BAD BEFORE THEIR SERVICE SCHEDULE, THEY SHOULD RECALL THEM FOR THE CUSTOMER'S SAFETY.