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Towing is one of the more common methods of getting a broken down car to the dealership. However, using a donkey to tow a vehicle to the dealership for repairs is, well, not so common. Still, this angry Ford owner in India did just that in order to deal with recurring Ford Endeavor engine problems. 

the head and shoulders of a donkey like the one that pulled the Ford SUV
A donkey | Emmanuele Contini/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Since the busted Ford Endeavor couldn’t make it to the shop without some help, it fell to one of the earth’s most humble creatures to get the three-row Ford SUV to the mechanic. 

What is a Ford Endeavor? 

a gold Ford Endeavor SUV parked off-road in the mountains
2021 Ford Endeavor | Ford India

The Ford Endeavor is a three-row Ford SUV that’s sold abroad in Ford’s global markets. It seats seven and competes with other global models like the Toyota Fortuner SUV. The Ford Endeavor looks a little like a cross between the Ford Explorer and the Ford Ranger pickup truck. 

Its connection to the Ford Explorer speaks for itself, as these are both midsize three-row Ford SUV models. However, the similarities with the Ford Ranger pickup truck are more cosmetic. The Ford Endeavor front end and grill take some design cues from the new Ford Ranger pickup truck.  

2019 Ford ranger in orange at a press event
The 2019 Ford Ranger | Jewel SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images

This story is about a particular owner dealing with repetitive issues with a Ford Endeavor in India. You can watch the video of the Ford owner pulling their Endeavor down a busy city street with a donkey. Ford Endeavor engine problems lead this owner to a last straw attempt at getting their SUV repaired. 

This owner was apparently fed up. They didn’t want to spend extra money on a tow truck. But, luckily for the owner (not for the donkey), there was another option for towing that costs a lot less than hiring a rig––and also draws a lot more attention. With the help of this amazing donkey, the owner took towing to the dealership into their own hands.

Ford Endeavor engine problems

In a report from CarBlogIndia, continuing Ford Endeavor engine problems and growing struggles within the Indian auto market may mean that “it will become very difficult for the American carmaker to sustain its business in India.” According to the report, this Ford owner bought the Ford Endeavor SUV about a year ago. Since then, it’s had some issues. 

The first time the Ford Endeavor owner took the SUV to the dealership, the service center repaired the Ford Endeavor SUV and the owner took it home. But the problem persisted. The owner was allegedly having trouble with the vehicle slowing to very low speeds while the driver was accelerating. For obvious reasons, this is a bit of a dangerous problem. 

When the Ford Endeavor visited the shop for a second time, the mechanic speculated that the issue was not with the engine, but the gearbox. After the service techs manually repaired the SUV, it went home only to break down again. 

Enough is enough, time to tow the Ford Endeavor with a donkey

The video shows quite a procession. The owner didn’t just tow the Ford Endeavor SUV with engine problems to the shop with a donkey. There are accompanying drummers in what shaped up to be an all-out parade. To watch the video of the event, the procession is found in this YouTube clip.

Due to the recurring issues with the Ford SUV, the owner felt the need to make a statement. The manager of the dealership claimed to be unaware of the problems, according to the report. What happens next is anyone’s guess. We only hope that the donkey got a nice big drink of water, some pets, and a treat after its feat of towing that midsize three-row Ford SUV down the street.

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