NHTSA Complaint #11361400 — 2015 FORD FUSION

IN AUG 2020 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN MY 2015 FORD FUSION AFTER IT STARTED ROUGH. I BROUGHT IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. THEY SAID THE SPARK PLUGS AND COILS SHOULD BE REPLACED (CHECK ENGINE CODE WAS P0303, CYLINDER MISFIRE). A MONTH LATER THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED AGAIN. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE MGR SAID 'OH, THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THE FUSION ECOBOOST ENGINES. COOLANT LEAKS INTO THE CYLINDERS AND DAMAGES THEM. HE SAID THE DESIGN OF THE ENGINE BLOCK HAS SCORE GROOVES BETWEEN THE CYLINDERS EVENTUALLY CAUSING THE LEAK AND CORROSION TO START. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO INFORM ME THAT THE LONG BLOCK AND HEAD GASKET WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AND THE STARTING COST WOULD $5,000+. BUT LIKELY CLOSER TO $7000. FURTHER HE SAID FORD WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT NOT RECALLING OR COVERING THE REPLACEMENT COST. HE SAID HE HAD 8 OTHER VEHICLES ON THE LOT NEEDING THE SAME REPAIR AND EVEN IF THEY HAD THE PARTS IN STOCK, WHICH THEY DON'T AND IT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME TO GET THEM, IF WOULD BE 6 WEEKS TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR. THE REPLACEMENT WOULD BE THE ENTIRE ENGINE WHICH FORD HAS CORRECTED THE ISSUE AND REMOVED THE SCORED GROOVES. I HAVE MAINTAINED MY FUSION WITH THE SAME FORD DEALERSHIP AND HAD ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND CARE DONE THERE. THIS ENGINE ISSUE WAS THERE AT THE TIME IT WAS MANUFACTURED AND WAS A TIME BOMB. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO INCUR THE EXPENSE OR FINANCIAL LOSS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. IF LEFT UNREPAIRED THE ENGINE WILL EVENTUALLY CEASE AND DEPENDING ON WHERE THAT OCCURS COULD BE DANGEROUS TO ME AND SURROUNDING DRIVERS. I HAVE PARKED MY VEHICLE FOR NOW UNTIL THE SERVICE MANAGER LETS ME KNOW WHAT FORD WILL DO, IF ANYTHING. HE SAID THEY MIGHT GIVE ME SOME HELP BUT I WOULD HAVE TO COVER MOST OF THE EXPENSE!!! I