u/Former-Fan-4763

As a longtime Ford owner, I wanted to share my recent experience dealing with a premature flex plate failure on my 2019 Ford Escape Titanium at approximately 80,000 miles. The vehicle suddenly developed a cracked flex plate requiring extensive drivetrain disassembly and a major repair bill. This is not considered a normal wear-and-tear component, and from everything I have researched, flex plates should last significantly longer than 80k miles under ordinary driving conditions. I also became aware of Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 22N12, which addressed flex plate cracking concerns on certain Ford vehicles with similar 2.0L EcoBoost and 6F35 powertrain configurations, making this premature failure even more concerning. My Escape remained at the dealership for repair from April 22, 2026 through May 19, 2026, leaving my family and me without our vehicle for nearly a month. The repair involved major labor due to the amount of teardown required. Ford did provide under $1,000 in goodwill assistance, which I appreciate, but the total flex plate-related repair costs were substantially higher. What became especially frustrating was the difficulty navigating the escalation process afterward. I initially filed a BBB complaint only to later discover it had been incorrectly routed to Ford Motor Credit despite the fact that I do not even have a Ford credit account. I corrected the issue immediately and filed through the proper Ford Motor Company Consumer Affairs channel, but the corrected complaint was later closed as a “duplicate” even after I provided proof that the original complaint had already been closed due to being improperly routed. What disappointed me further was that once Ford stated their position that the goodwill amount provided was sufficient, the BBB process effectively appeared to end regardless of whether I accepted the outcome or not. Even after I clearly informed the BBB that I did not consider the matter resolved, the complaint was still closed following Ford’s decision to stand by its original position. I also retained photos documenting the cracked flex plate and related repair work. This was not a minor issue. My family and I have been loyal Ford customers for years, which is why this experience has been especially disappointing. I understand vehicles can require repairs over time, but a major drivetrain-related failure at ~80k miles combined with nearly a month without the vehicle has seriously impacted our confidence in the brand moving forward. I am posting this simply to share my experience with other owners and to hopefully encourage Ford to take a closer look at how situations like this are handled for loyal customers.

As a longtime Ford owner, I wanted to share my recent experience dealing with a premature flex plate failure on my 2019 Ford Escape Titanium at approximately 80,000 miles. The vehicle suddenly developed a cracked flex plate requiring extensive drivetrain disassembly and a major repair bill. This is not considered a normal wear-and-tear component, and from everything I have researched, flex plates should last significantly longer than 80k miles under ordinary driving conditions. I also became aware of Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 22N12, which addressed flex plate cracking concerns on certain Ford vehicles with similar 2.0L EcoBoost and 6F35 powertrain configurations, making this premature failure even more concerning. My Escape remained at the dealership for repair from April 22, 2026 through May 19, 2026, leaving my family and me without our vehicle for nearly a month. The repair involved major labor due to the amount of teardown required. Ford did provide under $1,000 in goodwill assistance, which I appreciate, but the total flex plate-related repair costs were substantially higher. What became especially frustrating was the difficulty navigating the escalation process afterward. I initially filed a BBB complaint only to later discover it had been incorrectly routed to Ford Motor Credit despite the fact that I do not even have a Ford credit account. I corrected the issue immediately and filed through the proper Ford Motor Company Consumer Affairs channel, but the corrected complaint was later closed as a “duplicate” even after I provided proof that the original complaint had already been closed due to being improperly routed. What disappointed me further was that once Ford stated their position that the goodwill amount provided was sufficient, the BBB process effectively appeared to end regardless of whether I accepted the outcome or not. Even after I clearly informed the BBB that I did not consider the matter resolved, the complaint was still closed following Ford’s decision to stand by its original position. I also retained photos documenting the cracked flex plate and related repair work. This was not a minor issue. My family and I have been loyal Ford customers for years, which is why this experience has been especially disappointing. I understand vehicles can require repairs over time, but a major drivetrain-related failure at ~80k miles combined with nearly a month without the vehicle has seriously impacted our confidence in the brand moving forward. I am posting this simply to share my experience with other owners and to hopefully encourage Ford to take a closer look at how situations like this are handled for loyal customers.