NHTSA Complaint #11354543 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

MY 2014 FORD ESCAPE HAS OVERHEATED SOMETIME IN THE FALL OF 2019, DUE TO A LEAK IN THE COOLANT TANK, UNEXPECTEDLY SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING ON A SMALL TOWN ROAD AT 40 MI/HR WITH CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT. I PAID FORD $600 TO REPLACE THE TANK. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2020, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AGAIN, SUDDENLY SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING 55 MI/HR ON A BUSY ROAD. I HAD CHILDREN IN THE CAR, WHEN THE ERROR OCCURRED AGAIN.THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE SHOWED NO SIGN OF OVERHEATING IN EITHER OCCURRENCE. THE ONLY MESSAGE I RECEIVED FROM THE DASH WAS "POWER REDUCED TO COOL ENGINE" ABOUT 3 SECONDS BEFORE THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. SMOKE APPEARED FROM UNDER THE HOOD IN BOTH INSTANCES. THE SECOND TIME AROUND, I ATTEMPTED TO REFILL THE COOLANT, WHICH LEAKED OUT ONTO THE GROUND. HOWEVER, THIS TIME THE LEAK DIDN'T APPEAR TO COME FROM THE COOLANT TANK, BUT RATHER THE ENGINE ITSELF. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND IT TURNS OUT, MANY OF THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL CARS HAVE BEEN CATCHING ON FIRE AND/OR PRODUCING THE SAME ISSUE. THERE IS A RECALL FOR IT, BUT FORD TOLD ME THAT BASED ON MY VIN, MY CAR DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL. THEY ASKED ME PAY $3,000 REPLACE A BLOWN GASKET THAT WAS CAUSED BY THE SYSTEM OVER HEATING. OBVIOUSLY, THESE EXPENSIVE PARTS CONTINUE TO BREAK DUE TO A FAULTY ENGINE. YET, INSTEAD OF FIXING THE ROOT CAUSE, FORD MILKS ITS CUSTOMERS FOR HUNDREDS, EVEN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF REPAIRS, KNOWING THE CAR WILL CONTINUE TO SHUT OFF AND CAUSE FINANCIAL, EVENTUALLY PHYSICAL HARM TO PEOPLE. MY QUESTION'S ARE: -HOW MUCH MORE MONEY DO I HAVE TO SPEND ON A FAULTY ENGINE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO SHUT OFF AND PUT MY AND MY FAMILY'S LIFE IN DANGER? -HOW CAN FORD REFUSE TO FIX A RECALL BASED ON VIN NUMBERS, IF THE ISSUE IS LIFE-THREATENING AND EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE RECALL ISSUE?