NHTSA Complaint #11378268 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

I WAS DRIVING ON A STATE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN. WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS THE ENGINE REVVED BUT THE CAR HAD NO POWER. THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, AND WHEN I TRIED TO SHIFT TO THE "SPORT" SHIFT IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY. I PUSHED THE CAR (OUT OF THE HIGHWAY) ONTO THE SHOULDER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. I WAITED ABOUT 15 MINUTES, STARTED THE CAR AND DROVE IT 5 MILES HOME. ONCE ON THE WAY HOME I HAD TO TURN IT OFF FOR 15 MINUTES AGAIN. IT WAS SHIFTING ERRATICALLY AND WAS BARELY ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME. WHEN I GOT HOME AND PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE "SERVICE TRANSMISSION" LIGHT CAME ON. THIS WAS THE FIRST INDICATION THAT I WAS GIVEN THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, SINCE THE CAR JUST DIED ON THE HIGHWAY WITH NO WARNING. I AM VERY LUCKY THAT IT WAS NOT A BUSY HIGHWAY AND THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE ROAD QUICKLY. I'M TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT IT IS THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS KILLED BY HAVING THIS HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY. WE SHOULD AT LEAST GET A WARNING *BEFORE* IT HAPPENS.