WHILE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH, ON CRUISE CONTROL, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO KNOCK AND THEN THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD TWICE AND BEGAN TO SHAKE PRETTY BAD. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER HOLDING UP THE CELL PHONE TO THE ENGINE, I WAS TOLD TO "TURN THAT ENGINE OFF NOW!". THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I WAS LATER TOLD THERE WAS A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO AN CYLINDER WITHIN THE INTERNAL PISTON THAT BROKE FREE AND PUT A WHOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK, REQUIRING THE ENGINE TO BE REPLACED. THE SERVICE MANAGER GAVE ME THE MANGLED CYLINDER AND STATED HE THOUGHT THE BALL BEARINGS HAD FAILED AND CAUSED THE CYLINDER TO WREAK HAVOC WITH THE ENGINE. AFTER SEEING THE PIECE THAT BROKE OFF. I FEEL THAT WE WERE VERY LUCKY IT DID NOT COME THROUGH INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT; IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS INJURY, IF IT HAD. FORD HAS AGREED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, SAYING THIS TYPE OF FAILURE ONLY HAPPENS "1 IN A MILLION". I DO NOT HAVE ANY CONFIDENCE THAT THE SAME TYPE OF ENGINE FAILURE WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN IF THE BALL BEARINGS AND OR CYLINDER ARE INFERIOR. I HAVE PICTURES AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. *LN
2012
STEERING
FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR. IDIOT LIGHTS CAME ON THE DASH AND THE CARS ENGINE TURNED OFF. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO GET CAR OFF TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. CAR CRANKED RIGHT BACK UP. 5 DAYS LATER WHILE SITTING IN A FAST FOOD LINE, SAME THING HAPPENED AND WAS ABLE TO CRANK CAR. CALLED DEALERSHIP IN TOWN, BROUGHT CAR IN AND THEY SAID, "NOTHING IS WRONG WITH YOUR CAR, COME AND GET IT" PICKED UP CAR. 2 DAYS LATER WHILE DRIVING IT DOWN OUR STREET, I STOPPED TO GET MAIL ABOUT 9PM AND THE CAR TOTALLY DIED. NO POWER AT ALL. WAS STUCK IN PARK HAD TO BE TOWED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE CAR SHUTS DOWN WHILE I AM DRIVING!!! THANK GOD THAT IT HAS NOT HAPPENED WHILE GOING 65 MILES AN HOUR WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR. CAR IS AT DEALERSHIP. HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR SEVERAL MONTHS. NOT A GOOD TRACK RECORD SO FAR! *TR