NHTSA Complaint #11301659 — 2020 FORD ESCAPE

MOST STATES REQUIRE TRAILERS OF 3,000LB GVWR, AND SOME STATES ONLY 1,500LB, TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT BRAKING SYSTEM ON AT LEAST ONE AXLE OF THE TRAILER. FORD SELLS VEHICLES WITH FACTORY TOW PACKAGES RATED AT 3,500LB, BUT DOES NOT SUPPLY EVEN AN OPTIONAL ELECTRIC BRAKE CONTROLLER. FURTHER, THEY DON'T SUPPLY A "PLUG 'N' PLAY" HARNESS FOR AN AFTERMARKET CONTROLLER AS DO MANY MANUFACTURERS. THIS SITUATION HAS PREVAILED FROM AT LEAST 2013 ONWARD. WHEN WE PURCHASED OUR 2020 ESCAPE SEL WITH FACTORY TOWING, WE FULLY EXPECTED THAT THIS SHORTCOMING WOULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED. IT HAS NOT. AND THAT IT HAS EXISTED FOR TWO GENERATIONS OF THE ESCAPE SPANNING EIGHT MODEL YEARS LEADS ME TO CONCLUDE FORD IS WILLFULLY IGNORING THE LAWS OF MANY STATES, AND POTENTIALLY ENDANGERING THE DRIVERS OF THESE CARS AND OTHER DRIVERS SHARING THE ROADWAYS.