NHTSA Complaint #11692046 — 2014 LINCOLN MKX

This automobile has a 3.7-liter engine manufactured by Ford Motor Company. We are the second owner of the vehicle. A dealer representative informed us the motor has an inherent defect while inspecting pinch weld failures. This engine, transversely mounted, was created whereby the chain driven water pump is located behind the front casing placing access on the passenger side of the vehicle. Water pumps have planned obsolescence and when these water pumps fail, the antifreeze drains into the engine crankcase mixing with the engine oil causing catastrophic failure of the engine within minutes of the water pump failure. This is a significant safety hazard causing the engine to seize and when at expressway driving could cause a serious accident due to the sudden loss of power and being stranded on the side of the road. There are approximately four (4) million vehicles manufactured by Ford and Mazda with the 3.5 and 3.7 liter transversely mounted engines. As the vehicles age, the water pump failure can occur between 120-150,000 miles rendering the vehicle incapacitated wherever the failure occurs. From my research, there is no prior warning of the failure. The cost to replace the pump is 2-3,000 USD and the engine is approximately 7,000 USD. Contacting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would be our only recourse in a remedy for this defect. The 2014 Lincoln MKX FWD/AWD remains a beautiful and a functional vehicle, the type you would want to retain for many years beyond its initial service interval. We would therefore request the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigate this matter and mandate the manufacturer implement a cost effective retrofit to replace the water pump prior to failure or issue a full recall of the vehicles, compelling the manufacturer to provide a fair market value buy back to the current owners of the vehicles. We have factual data to support this claim and the severity of the encounter when the pump fails.