NHTSA Complaint #11642800 — 2013 FORD ESCAPE

On February 4, 2019, my 2013 Ford Escape experienced a problem where it would only move in reverse when trying to leave a parking lot after work. I called for roadside assistance and was towed to a service center. The work at the service center revealed a leak of transmission fluid, which was caused by a broken cooler line from the transmission to the radiator. Prior to the repairs, I contacted Ford to see if this issue was covered under warranty, but I was told that I needed to cover the cost of the work. Faulty bushing was likely an issue, which Ford acknowledged and issued a recall for in 2022 to cover this problem (3 years later). However, the damage and repairs had already been done. Unfortunately, the repairs did not fully resolve the problem, and subsequent issues have further deteriorated my car's performance and decreased its value. This has impacted my decision-making when planning to replace the car, as further repairs are not financially feasible. The work performed on my car, as well as cost of repairs, is attached.