NHTSA Complaint #11465633 — 2018 FORD ESCAPE

I NOTICED THE BATTERY LIGHT WAS ON AND WOULD NOT GO OFF SO WE TOOK SUV TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THAT INSTEAD OF BATTERY LIGHT THAT WAS ON, IT WAS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND THAT THE RESERVOIR WAS OUT OF COOLANT, SO THEY WANTED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT TO RUN A PRESSURE CHECK ON IT TO SEE IF AND FROM WHERE COOLANT COULD BE LEAKING. THIS SHOCKED BOTH ME AND MY HUSBAND B/C THE TEMPERATURE GUAGE IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALWAYS CHECK AS SOON AS WE START THE CAR, AND EVEN WHILE WE ARE DRIVING, AND AT NO TIME DID THAT GUAGE GO TOWARD THE H TO INDICATE IT WAS RUNNING HOT. THE NEXT DAY, WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE CYLINDER WALL AND AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEALERSHIP. WE ARE CURRENTLY WAITING FOR AN ADJUSTER WITH THE COMPANY IN CHARGE OF OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY TO SEE THE VEHICLE AND MEET WITH THE DEALERSHIP TO DISCUSS COST AND HOW MANY DAYS THIS WILL LEAVE US WITHOUT A VEHICLE. LIKE I STATED BEFORE, AT NO TIME DID THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE EVER GET NEAR THE H TO ALERT US THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD NOT ONLY B/C THE TEMPERATURE GUAGE FAILED TO DO ITS JOB, BUT HAD I NOT NOTICED A WARNING LIGHT, ALBEIT THE WRONG WARNING LIGHT, THE ENGINE COULD'VE SEIZED UP ON US WHILE OUT DRIVING TO WORK OR RUNNING ERRANDS AND WOULD'VE CAUSED A BAD ACCIDENT.