NHTSA Complaint #11432638 — 2014 FORD FUSION

Coolant level low indicator comes on. Checked level and looked low but I take cap off and level normalized as if there was suction on the reservoir. Replaced the cap. Nothing changed. When I would start the car it would run like it’s misfiring and sometimes stall out completely. Check engine light would come on. Kept checking coolant and it wasn’t low. Sounds like a bad sensor, right? I’ve kept up on my recalls and it had been replaced when that recall came out. I told my mechanic about the issue when I brought it to the shop for oil change and brakes/tires/rotors. He could not replicate the problem because the car kept clearing the code and it never misfired when he started it. (I should mention that at first this was an intermittent issue when it started in July.) I had no choice but to drive the car when I went to visit my mom 5 hours away in early august. I went to start the car in her driveway one morning and within seconds the temp gage went all the way to hot. Obviously the car can’t actually overheat that fast, but regardless, it went into limp mode. This time the coolant level actually was low, however not so low as to merit what was happening. I topped off the coolant level. Started it again. Same thing happened again. Called tow truck to bring to the shop. When we loaded it onto the tow truck it started up and didn’t throw any codes. WTF?! So it goes to the shop and again they can’t replicate the problem. Said a mechanic drove it for over an hour and nothing happened. I pick the car up and drive it back home. Coolant low message comes on a half hour from home. I was away for the better part of august so I couldn’t do anything with the car. Dropped it off at Ford last week. They said I have cracks in cylinder walls and there’s significant amount of coolant in the engine. The mechanic said he’s been seeing this happening with a lot of the 1.6 eco boost engines. I’m just past warranty. I just paid this car off last year. I am infuriated.