I used to have an Escort with only 90K on it. It stopped at an intersection after making a U-turn. I had it towed to a Ford dealer's where the car get well. The dealer could not find anything wrong and discounted the inspection fee. After that I was feared to death in that car each time I was followed by a large truck, thinking "if the engine stops, I will be dead". Finally I cannot stand it and traded it in. After that, I read a lot of car owner's experience and come to suspect the problem might be caused by the transmission, for the accident happened just a week after I had the transmission serviced by a Chinese mechanic.

I also heard a story on a brand new Camery. It stops suddenly on a local road and was towed to a dealer's. As it was still under warranty, the dealer did not tell how much it cost, only saying it was a small problem.