Colorado couple wondering what to do about recalled car
Coloradans Kevin and Roberta Lambert were really fond of their 2020 Ford Hybrid PHEV.
"It's what we wanted. I'd never had a luxurious car before. So this is kind of my dream car," said Roberta Lambert.
But recently things turned downright dangerous. Ford went to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with a problem. The battery energy control module in the vehicle's trunk could become damaged as a result of excess voltage and current. That could man a loss of power, increasing the risk of crash or fire.
That is a problem for the couple. Roberta lives with a disability and either walks with a cane or rides a scooter top get around. Their vehicle bears handicap plates.
"I did a lot of research," she said about their decision to buy it.
But now they are disappointed. Kevin worries about her getting out of the car if the module or battery in the trunk catch fire. So far there has been no fix, although Ford now says it will have a fix late this year in the form of the replacement of the high voltage battery as well as a re-flashing of the battery energy control module. But that is many months out. Ford told CBS Colorado the car is safe if they do not charge it, which the Lamberts liked to do. Their drives are typically short and they would charge the battery off solar panels on their home. For the first few months they owned it, they hardly put gas in it. But they are still afraid to drive it.
"It would be difficult to get her out of the car quickly if there was an issue. So I'm not going to take that chance," said Kevin.
The couple went to Ford and the company sent them a buyout offer though the company's buy back program. But the numbers did not add up. Still owing $25,088 on their loan, the offer was $21,755. That meant they would have to pay Ford $3,333 to take the car back. The offer, believes Kevin, is the trade-in value of the car.
After being contacted by CBS Colorado, Ford spokeswoman Maria Buczkowski explained there is another offer coming in June. It is called a statutory vehicle refund. It will be set at the vehicle's private party sale price plus 15%. Kelly Blue Book value is between $21,000 and $25,000 and their car has many options and has been well maintained. The amount of the offer should be higher, though still not clear.
"A lot better than taking a $3,000 loss," said Kevin.
They are likely to sell the car back to Ford rather than wait until the end of the year due to the cost of driving without charging and the worry about the potential of a fire. Meantime, they are making payments on it and paying insurance.
"A little better, but it's still going to be a little bit of a worry," said Roberta.
