NHTSA Complaint #11593534 — 2020 FORD ESCAPE

last year in the summer of 2023 I first experienced my 2020 Ford Escape not being able to shift from park to reverse, neutral, or drive. It was a very hot day and my car had sat idle for 8 hours in the sun while I was working. I got into my vehicle and started the car. I tried to turn the dial type shifter to drive and it was locked. I immediately looked online on my phone to see if this was something like turning the wheel one way and then the other and it would unlock. I found some people said to press on the brake and release because maybe it had not completely disengaged when the vehicle was turned off, but that did not work. I then found something else that said to to engage the parking brake and then disengage, that did not work either. Now while stuck in the parking lot alone since all have left and I could not move, a client of the agency I work at, starts banging on my window and screaming at me. Luckily security was still inside and came out to assist me, but it could have gotten ugly because my car that is now only 4 years old, but was 3 years old then, won't function properly. I called the Ford Dealership I deal with, and they tell me that they have never heard of this problem. All the while I am sitting in the car now with the AC on, because it is so hot, and now my car shifts into gear when I try after 10-20 minutes. I found a forum where many people have had this issue and yet, Ford still tells me they have no idea what this is. Now this summer 2024 I have had this issue multiple days in row when it is hot and my car has sat for hours. I again called my local dealership and they still say that they have never heard of this issue and told me to have my car towed to the service center. And yet here is this [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)