I puchased a new escape in early June. I really like it ! Im over 6 feet tall and can get in and out easly. I got it with the 1.6 eco-boost,which gets great mileage and gets up and moves, and now have the second recall on it. First is with the carpet slides up behind the brake and causes the brake not to go fully forward. The second just came out about a fuel leak ! It has a plastic fuel fitting that cracks and sprays gasoline on the engine causing fires! Two burned at the Ford plant and one made it to the customer in Canada and burned. I called my dealer where I bought it , who is 135 miles away, and they told me they will not come and get it or bring a loaner vehicle. They told me to stop driving it immediately and take it to my nearst dealer but they dont have a very good reputation so I want to stay where I bought it. Not sure how to handle this. Im afraid if I drive it to where I bought it and it burns I will be out of luck other than my own insurance. Not sure how hard to press this.

 

Also I forgot to write that what I have read is Ford dealers are to come and get the Escape and supply a loaner.

 

Indeed they are supposed to deliver you a loaner and pick up your Escape. The dealer called my wife at work Thursday morning and said to bring it in... maybe before the whole story broke. I took it to them and brought back the Taurus we traded for it as the loaner.

Ford (not dealer) call TWICE yesterday to reiterate DON'T drive it; they'll come get it. I'd say they're worried. They've sold few enough units that it's much easier to get the parts to specific dealers that sold them than the whole network. That's probably why they want the original dealer handling it.

The carpet bunching issue is supposed to apply only to vehicles built in a short range of days...

 

Mine happens to be one of the first built. I got the very first Escape in the state. I have not heard from Ford or from the dealer I bought it from. I happen to hear about the fuel issue on the news and I called the dealer about it. I searched for info and everything that came up said that Ford says to stop driving immediately and my dealer will pick up and supply a vehicle. My wife called them again and they said they will only go 30 miles to a customer and Enterprise car rental will supply the loaner for $50! So if I have to drive it to the dealer where I purchased it and it bursts into flames who's responsible and pays for it? Maybe this recall is so new they dont have the right info on it. The dealer treated us really nice when we bought it. Thats why I went back to a Ford vehicle again. I quit driving a Ford because of a couple of area dealers weren't very good. I dont know but Im getting the feeling Ford or the dealer doesnt care once its sold.

 

Are you dealing with Ford Customer Service in Dearborn, Mich ?

 

I'm not a big fan of Ford Customer Care (because I had a horrible experience when my Taurus was new)... but they seem to be watching the various forums and actually helping people now. You should call them right away and rat the dealer out. When Ford tells the dealer to give you a loaner, that means a LOANER, not a rental, unless the dealer or Ford is paying for it. Don't roll over on this!

Edited to say it's entirely possible that Customer Care won't know what the 'rules' are, and maybe someone is just reading from the script for everyday roadside assistance or some other thing. They don't seem to communicate well with other departments, in my experience. Which again, was horrible.

 

The only contact I have had is just with the dealer where I purchased it and I had to make the initial call. Im not sure who to call at Ford company to get this done. Maybe if I give them a couple of days to get more info it will get done. Its just bugs me that Ford HQ is putting out info that the dealer will pickup the escape,my understanding meaning to haul it since it is NOT to be driven because of the fire risk, back to the dealership and give us loaner. Nothing that I have read anywhere has said that you have to rent a car and that the dealer you bought it from isnt responsible for taking care of this. I really appreciate the fact that people on here read the forums and try to help.

 

It does appear that Ford has a problem. Might be best described as , "The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing."
Time for the head to take over !

 

Did you ever get your problem with the dealer straightened out? I saw today that Ford will be paying the dealers $300 for their trouble over this recall. I'd kinda like to see them send part of that along to the customer.