B.C. driver wants Ford to buy back defective hybrid SUV as recall issue drags on

If you buy a hybrid vehicle, you would expect your gas bill to go down, but one B.C. driver says he is still paying at the pump for a defective SUV that he wants the dealer to buy back.

Jason Turner bought a new Ford Escape plug-in hybrid from a dealership in Penticton in April of last year.

The Kelowna man says in December, the automaker issued a safety recall for a defective battery.

“The recall notice basically says there is a manufacturer’s defect with my battery. When I’m driving, I could lose motive power, increasing my risk of crash, and there is also the potential of thermal venting which could cause my battery to catch on fire,” Turner told 1130 NewsRadio.

Ford is asking affected drivers to avoid using the plug-in charge feature of their vehicles until the automaker is able to roll out a fix for the issue. Ford anticipates this could happen within the next three months.

Turner says that has effectively disabled the EV mode of his hybrid.

“I’m not able to use it as I bought it for, and my bigger concern is the safety risk. I really don’t understand how there can be — in print — a manufacturer’s defect that can increase my risk of crash or catching on fire, but Ford still says it’s safe to drive.”

Turner says he’s been back and forth between Ford Canada and the dealer, Bannister Ford, but he is not happy with the answers he has been given, or his gas bill.

“We are stuck driving these vehicles that could potentially put us and our families at risk, anybody that’s on the road, if I lose power and cause an accident. It just doesn’t make sense to me. And I was paying nothing for gas and now I’m paying for gas again.”

Turner says he’s lost patience.

“When I first reached out to Ford, I was very courteous and polite in my emails but I’m constantly getting the runaround and I’m not getting any answers. It’s the same thing over and over — reach out to the service department when a remedy is available,” he explained.

“Ford is basically brushing me off. I’m past the point of being nice, I want them to buy back this vehicle, I do not want to drive it. I feel like my safety is worth more than a stupid vehicle.”

In an emailed statement to 1130 NewsRadio, Ford Canada says it is aware of Turner’s complaint.

“Providing high-quality vehicles and service is a top priority. Ford has reviewed the matter and concluded that continuing to drive these vehicles until a remedy is provided is safe. We’ve been in contact with this customer about their concerns. The team is working hard to provide a software remedy by Q2 2025,” said Rose Pao, senior communications manager for Ford Canada.

1130 NewsRadio has reached out to Bannister Ford of Penticton but did not hear back before this story was published.