NHTSA Complaint #11372664 — 2013 FORD ESCAPE

WE TOOK THE CAR IN FOR THE MYRIAD OF RECALLS IN 2018 WHEN IT WAS NO LONGER SERVING AS OUR PRIMARY FAMILY VEHICLE AND WE COULD STAND TO BE WITHOUT IT FOR AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME. IN THE LAST TWO YEARS IT HAS SERVED AS A SECONDARY VEHICLE, TAKING SHORT TRIPS TO THE STORE OR PARK. ON 10/23 WE WERE DRIVING IN THE ESCAPE ON A LONGER TRIP (26 MILES TO DROP ME OFF AT THE AIRPORT). HE WAS MANEUVERING FROM THE AIRPORT CAMPUS DRIVING TOWARDS THE ON RAMP WHEN THE DASH CONSOLE INDICATED THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE WAS TOO HIGH AND TO SHUT IT OFF IMMEDIATELY. MY HUSBAND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF ON THE INTERSTATE RAMP AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. IT NEVER CRANKED AGAIN FOR HIM, HE REPLACED THE COMPLETELY EMPTY COOLANT COMPARTMENT AND IT STILL DID NOT START. HE SPENT HOURS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH OUR TODDLER AND FINALLY HAD THE CAR TOWED TO AUTONATION FORD UNION CITY. THEY CALLED ON 10/28 AND INFORMED US THAT THE ISSUE WAS UNDER THE KNOWN FORD RECALL REGARDING A COOLANT LEAK AND THAT THEY WOULD ORDER THE PARTS. WE HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY COOLANT IN OUR DRIVEWAY OR GARAGE TO INDICATE A LEAK TO US. FORD JUST CALLED US BACK TODAY, 11/2 AND TOLD US IT WOULD COST $1,000 TO REPAIR THE COOLANT LEAK BECAUSE OUR LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP (MIKE FITZPATRICK) ADDRESSED THE RECALL IN 2018. I SHUDDER TO THINK OF THE WORST CASE SCENARIO THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED WITH MY KIDS STRAPPED INTO THEIR CARSEATS IF WE HAD BEEN IN INTERSTATE TRAFFIC WHEN THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. THE RECALL REPAIR HAS OBVIOUSLY FAILED AND FORD IS LEAVING US IN THE LURCH AFTER INDICATING TO US ALREADY THAT THE ISSUE WAS CAUSED BY THE KNOWN ISSUES.