NHTSA Complaint #11382840 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

TORQUE CONVERTER, TRANSMISSION, WARNING LIGHTS ON THURSDAY, 12/3/20, MY DAUGHTER RETURNED HOME AND EXPLAINED THAT SHE NOTICED A WHINING SOUND AS SHE TURNED INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. ABOUT 2 HOURS LATER SHE STARTED THE CAR FOR ME AND I COULD NOT DISTINGUISH ANY SOUNDS TO BE CONCERNED WITH AND TOLD HER SHE WOULD BE FINE TO DRIVE IT TO HER VOLLEYBALL PRACTICE'I SAID''IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE ANYTHING THAT WILL CAUSE IT TO DIE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.' WITHIN 10 MINUTES AFTER LEAVING CALLED TO SAY THE CAR WAS LOSING POWER AND BARELY MOVING ON A BUSY CITY STREET. SHE HAD TO COAST ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITH NO POWER TO GET TO A STREET WHERE SHE COULD WAIT FOR ME. ULTIMATELY WHERE SHE WAS STRANDED WAS A DANGEROUS SPOT TO BE FOR OTHER CARS TURNING ONTO THE STREET BECAUSE OF A WALL BLOCKING THEIR VIEW OF HER VEHICLE UNTIL THEY MADE THE TURN. WHEN I ARRIVED I CONFIRMED THAT THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVEABLE. SHIFTING IN AND OUT OF GEARS BARELY GENERATED ANY MOVEMENT. IT TOOK 20 MINUTES DRIVING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET AT ABOUT 3 MPH TO REACH A PARKING LOT (IT TOOK ONE MINUTE TO GET THE CAR OVER A SLIGHT HUMP TURNING INTO THE PARKING LOT) WHERE I LEFT THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT UNTIL I COULD HAVE IT TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. FORD DIAGNOSED THE FOLLOWING 'SUSPECT TORQUECONVERTER INTERNAL FAILURE SENT METAL THROUGH THEPUMP (WHINE) AND THROUGH OUT THE REST OF THETRANSMISSION.' TWO REPAIR OPTIONS NEW TRANSMISSION FOR $5,809.18 OR OVERHAUL FOR $5,181.57. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AND IS DANGEROUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION. VEHICLES SHOULD NOT GO FROM RUNNING FINE TO COMPLETE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING ON BUSY ROADWAYS. REPLACING A TORQUE CONVERTER IS ONE THING BUT A FAILURE OF A TORQUE CONVERTER CAUSING A $5,000+ REPAIR JOB IS ANOTHER THING. WARNING LIGHT AFTER FAILURE MAY ALSO NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED. THIS VEHICLE HAS A RECORD OF REGULAR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE.