NHTSA Complaint #11377730 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO RESPOND WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED. THERE WAS NO WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT AND TEST DRIVEN HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT'S WIFE PLACED THE GEAR SHIFTER IN REVERSE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS BLACK. ADDITIONALLY, METAL FRAGMENTS WERE FOUND WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED BACK TO THE FIRST INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000. Failure occurred twice once when the vehicle stopped trying to exit parking space. Vehicle would not move when in reverse. Second failure was at the traffic light car would not move. Consumer stated problem went away and was taken to a dealer for diagnostics which showed burned black transmission and metal fragments were in the transmission pan.