2 years ago my 2014 Escape blew a engine at 75k miles. Apparently this is a known issue on those engines. I paid about $7K at this dealership for a new motor. A year later the transmission went. Another $7K. 6 weeks after the transmission went, I started having misfires on cylinder 1. I bring it back and find out its a bad coil. Take it home and 8 weeks later its back in. This time they tell me its a cracked spark plug. Bring it home, next day misfires. Go back now they put all new coils. Go home and 2 months later misfires on cylinder 1. New coil. I ask at this point what would cause this and am told by service that they have no idea. 2 months later, another blown coil.
I was stuck far from the dealership so I ran to Oreilly and threw in a aftermarket coil just to get me home and to the dealer on Monday. When I call Monday I start getting told that it will be a big job to figure this out and the diagnostic rate is 180.00 an hour. I argued this because after doing my research, it seems there is a good chance these coils are blowing from 1 of 2 things. A bad ECU or a bad ground. I explained that Im wondering if there is a bad ground when they did the transmission because 7 weeks earlier my 1 year old battery dies. I put in a brand new battery and 6 days later while sitting parked with the radio on for 20 minutes, the battery died and I needed a jump. It seemed to me that something is causing a parasitic draw. When I explained this to service I was dismissed. They told me that the car is old and I really should just consider the options here. This is after they took over $15K from me in repairs over two years.
Now, let me be fair. Over the last year the car had to go back in due to misfires 4 times after the transmission and I was not charged for those revisits. There was good faith over the last year and I appreciate that. However, I had put 15K keeping this car going because of the enormous sentimental impact the car had to our family. It had a new motor and transmission. All I needed now was for a tech to go through and check the grounds. I was told the ECU (computer) couldnt be tested and if i wanted to replace it im looking at $1000 to do it, but this couldnt gaurantee a repair. So if I wanted to just try replacing random parts, that was their suggestion. Eventually we came to a agreement that I could bring the car in for another lookover. After a day I was told they couldnt find anything. I went and got the car and when I saw the notes it stated they test drove the car 30 miles and couldnt replicate the issue. OF COURSE NOT because I had just replaced the coil and this was something happening almost every 2 months. Rather than actually break out a multimeter or oscilloscope and also check the grounds, it was another quick in and out for them.
From the beginning with a faulty engine under 100K miles with a known issue, to the job they did rebuilding the transmission and my subsiquent 4 coil failures in 1 year, I have no faith in Ford as a company, its products, and the ability of the technicians. Obviously they are not very well trained because when I suggested the computer might be bad 6 months earlier I was blown off and then when I suggest there may be a bad ground causing high resistance, therefore shorting out coil #1 and draining my battery, I was told the car is old. I am now done with this dealership and pursuing resolution through a different avenue, but being a consumer who relies rather heavilly on reviews, I feel its paramount that I place this here. The dealer will dispute this and because its a google review, I cannot reply back after they do, but you can easily locate me online if youd like further details. Highly advise you to stay far away from this business. There are some good people that work there, as in any business, but in the end you will be left disappointed. read more