NHTSA Complaint #11618995 — 2018 LINCOLN MKC

I purchased the automobile on [XXX] with 44,175 miles. When the engine light came on recently, I took it to the Lincoln dealer here in Las Vegas, paid $205 for the computer to be assessed, and was told the problem was coolant leaking into the engine. They were not able to start any repairs at that time. I was not told what it would cost to repair or the time involved. I assumed it was an air conditioning problem. I drove it a few days and the engine light went off, only to come back on. I then took it to AAA ($177 for the diagnosis), reporting that cylinder 3 had coolant leaking. Tech found TSB 19-2172 TSB. 19-2172 is for current symptoms of misfire at start-up. It was suggested that I take it to the Lincoln dealer. While driving the car home on [XXX], the engine was missing, chugging. I was afraid it would stall. I am thankful it did not stall on the freeway and that I made it home safely. When I called the Lincoln dealer to make an appointment to take the car in for service, I was told it would take three or four weeks to get it repaired, that the engine would have to be replaced for $7,800 - $9,800, and that Lincoln Motor Company will not take any responsibility. He said there were two other vehicles in line with the same problem. Due to being afraid to drive it, I had the car towed by AAA on Monday, October 7, 2024, to the Lincoln dealer and was told the estimate to repair it would be $8,493. This is a coolant intrusion issue due to a faulty design in the engine block where the cooling channels will crack and leak coolant into the piston chambers. As gleaned from the Internet, this appears to have been an ongoing problem with this model. I've observed so far from the Internet that Lincoln Motor Company is not taking responsibility for this faulty design affecting many Lincoln owners. I am [XXX], and living on a fixed income. I had to rent a car and put up a $735 deposit. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)