NHTSA Complaint #11343226 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

WHILE TRAVELING ON A TWO LANE STATE ROAD AT APPROX.45 MPH. AT NIGHT. A CLUNKING NOISE BEGAN NEAR THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. SECONDS AFTER HEARING THE CLUNKING NOISE, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE STILL TRAVELING AROUND 35 MPH. WHEN I TRIED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I NOTICE A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. I WAS ABLE TO COAST ON TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE. HAVING ONLY SECONDS TO REMOVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE DARK ROADWAY AND SAFELY STOP WITH OUT STRIKING ANYTHING OR BODY WAS TERRIFYING. THE VEHICLE DID RESTART BUT WHEN SELECTING DRIVE IT WOULD NOT MOVE. IT ALSO WOULD NOT BACK UP WHEN SELECTING REVERSE. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. I WAS TOLD THE NEXT DAY BY THE REPAIR SHOP THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, AND HAD TO BE REBUILT OR REPLACED. I CALLED MFG. CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE THERE WAS A 60000 MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY . HOWEVER THE VEHICLE HAD 64,816 CURRENTLY. THEREFORE I HAD TO PAY $ 2295 FOR THE TRANSMISSION REBUILD.