NHTSA Complaint #11398764 — 2013 FORD FUSION

PURCHASED A 2013 FORD FUSION IN 2020 AND KEPT THE CAR FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS. DURING THE 4TH MONTH OF OWNING THE CAR I NOTICED THAT I WOULD FILL UP THE COOLANT RESERVOIR AND A COUPLE DAYS LATER I WOULD HAVE TO FILL IT UP AGAIN. I CHECKED UNDER THE CAR FOR LEAKS AND THERE WEREN'T ANY LEAKS THAT I COULD FIND. I CHECKED FORUMS FOR ANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND I FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS AN INTERNAL ENGINE COOLANT LEAK FOR FORD FUSIONS WITH THE 1.6L ECOBOOST MODELS. THAT'S THE EXACT MODEL I HAVE. I CALLED FORD GAVE THEM MY VIN NUMBER AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WEREN'T ANY RECALLS FOR MY VEHICLE AT THE TIME. SO I HAD A MECHANIC CHECK OUT MY COOLANT LINES AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A HUGE LEAK IN MY COOLANT SYSTEM, ALTHOUGH THEY COULDN'T TELL ME WHERE. I HAD THE VEHICLE PRESSURE TESTED AND THE LEAK WAS INTERNAL. DROVE THE CAR BACK HOME THAT DAY AND ONCE I REACHED MY HOUSE SMOKE STARTED TO COME INSIDE THE CABIN. I IMMEDIATELY PARKED THE VEHICLE AND POPPED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER MY HOOD. CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THEY ARRIVED AFTER ABOUT 3 MINUTES AND BY THAT TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DONE FOR. I COULD'VE LOST MY LIFE THAT DAY. I'M HAPPY THAT I DIDN'T. FORD PREVIOUSLY RECALLED CERTAIN 2013 AND 2014 FORD VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 1.6L ENGINE FOR A SIMILAR ISSUE UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGNS 12V551 AND 17V209. UNFORTUNATELY I'M NOW OUT OF $12,000 AND I NO LONGER HAVE A VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THIS MECHANICAL FAILURE.