Luckily I have the car extended warranty but dealing with the service department was a nightmare let a lone not knowing if my warranty wasnt going to pay for the issue.

I had mentioned the coolant bowl being under the minimum line on multiple occasions since May 2025

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I’ve been a loyal Ford customer for over eight years and previously left a 5?star review because of the excellent service from Phil and JJ at Ford Petaluma. They always communicated clearly and made me feel valued. Unfortunately my recent experience has been the complete opposite. This is my third visit for an ongoing coolant leak, and my car was in Ford’s possession on 4/14 with very little communication or urgency. I had to repeatedly follow up just to get basic updates, and when I asked to speak with a manager due to concerns about possible engine damage, I was told by my advisor that they did not appreciate me “challenging their technical expertise,” even though my concern was about the lack of communication and support.

I was later told the parts would not be ordered until the next day and that I needed to pick up my car because Lyft service is not provided outside a 10 mile radius. When I arrived, the check engine light was still on and no repairs had been made. I was told it was fine to drive for now, but in my opinion I should have been placed in a rental car. Between 4/15 and 4/17 I repeatedly asked about courtesy cars or rental options through my extended warranty and was told none were available for two weeks. After confirming with the finance advisor that I had a thirty five dollar per day rental allowance, I sent proof of my coverage and requested a three way call. Only then was I told, after “some research,” that I could use the benefit, with no apology for the misinformation or frustration it caused.

I have since learned that coolant related engine issues are widely reported by other Ford Escape owners, yet many model years still have no official recall. Combined with the inconsistent communication, lack of support, and repeated inconvenience I experienced, this has made me seriously reconsider returning to the Petaluma location after years of loyalty. This entire experience has been extremely disappointing.

In 2020 I bought (2) pre-owned Ford Escapes for our 2 daughters, one now living in Eugene and the other in SF. One was a 2017 City of Seattle motor pool vehicle with just 4,000miles on it that my daughter in Eugene owns. The other was a 2018 lease return with 18,000 miles on it that the daughter in SF owns. Late in 2024, the 2018 began to act up. The check engine light came on and the car began to miss badly. It was repaired by a local SF shop, telling us that one of the spark plugs had failed. It ran fine out of the shop, but 6 weeks later the same thing began to happen again. This time we took it to a Ford dealer and were told that the 2017 and 2018 1.5 L Eco Boost model engines had been manufactured incorrectly, and that coolant leaks through the block into the cylinders. We were told it needed a new motor, but that Ford had issued a recall for this defect and that it would be covered 100% by Ford.

Fast forward 8 months, and the 2017 experiences the exact same issue: misfiring spark plug, coolant leaking into the cylinders-and the engine only had 49,000 miles on it. Again, we were told that it needed a new engine. When Ford issued the recall, they stated that the recall was only good for only 7 years from the date of sale, or 84,000 miles. My daughter's 2017 Escape was now 7.5 years old, with only 49,000 miles on it- AND FORD REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL BECAUSE THEY SAY IT'S PAST THE 7-YEAR MARK. The company acknowledges that the 1.5 L Eco Boost motors that were installed in the 2017 and 2018 Escapes were not manufactured properly, admitted this by issuing a recall and free replacement engine for the faulty engines- but they capped the recall warranty at 84,000 miles, or 7 years from date of sale- blatantly discriminating against drivers like our daughter who only drove her car 6,500 miles a year between 2020 and 2025.

This is blatant discrimination against drivers that drive less than 12,000 miles a year. Anyone with a brain knows that engine failure is a result of the number of miles a car is driven, NOT the number of days since it was sold at the dealership. The dealer has told me that a replacement engine will be $12,000 for parts, tax and labor. This is bullshit. A car with 50,000 miles on it that has a recall issued on its engine for up to 84,000 miles should be covered for replacement up to that 84,000 mile mark, irrespective of the number of days since it was sold at the dealership. Please let me know what we can do to hold Ford accountable for its faulty workmanship. Who agrees with me?