NHTSA Complaint #11299918 — 2013 FORD ESCAPE

AS OF 1/16/2020, I HAVE HAD MY 2013 FORD ESCAPE FOR 6 MONTHS. A WEEK AFTER I GOT MY CAR, IT OVERHEATED. I WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER AS THE ENGINE STALLED AND SEIZED UP. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER AND HAD THE THERMOSTAT FIXED. AFTER TWO OR THREE MONTHS, THE CAR STARTED OVERHEATING AGAIN. I DECIDED NOT TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AFTER MANY PHONE CALLS AND A VERY UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE. I TOOK IT TO TWO MECHANIC SHOPS AND THEY COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS WRONG. IT CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT, EVEN WITH COOLANT FILLED IN THE RESERVOIR. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN, OVERHEATING IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL. I HAVE CALLED FORD AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR OVERHEATING ASSOCIATED WITH MY VIN NUMBER. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC SHOP FOR A THIRD TIME, AFTER MY CAR STALLED ON A COLD WINTER'S DAY WITH MY CHILD IN THE BACKSEAT. THEY NOTIFIED ME THAT THE COOLANT BYPASS VALVE WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THEY ALSO NOTIFIED ME THAT IT WAS PART OF RECALL 13S12 (NHTSA-13V583). I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE CALL INSPECTED FOR ALL RECALLS. APPARENTLY MY CAR WAS NOT EFFECTED BY THIS RECALL THAT EFFECTED OTHER 2013 FORD ESCAPES THAT CAUSES THE OVERHEATING. I REGRET MAKING THIS PURCHASE. MY 2002 HONDA ACCORD HAS PROVED TO BE WAY MORE RELIABLE THAN THIS FORD. I WOULD NOT PURCHASE A FORD AGAIN AND PLAN ON TRADING IT IN AFTER I GET THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED. I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET WHEN IT IS OBVIOUSLY A MALFUNCTION IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THIS VEHICLE.