NHTSA Complaint #10091048 — 2002 FORD ESCAPE

WE DRIVE A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. IT IS DRIVEN BY BOTH MY HUSBAND (BILL) AND MYSELF. WHILE DRIVING WE STOPPED IN FRONT OF A RESTAURANT TO EAT. WE PULLED INTO PARKING PLACE, FOOT ON BRAKE TO STOP AND CAR SUDDENLY ACCELLERATED AND WE ALMOST WENT INTO THE RESTAURANT WINDOW. MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO HOLD THE CAR BACK BY USING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE. HE THEN REACHED DOWN AND TURNED THE KEY OFF. WE HAVE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE ON 4 SEPARTE OCCASSIONS AND HAD THE CAR IN THE GARAGE ON 6 OCCASSIONS FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS 4 WEEKS AGO. I WAS DRIVING. I PULLED INTO A PARKING PLACE, HAD MY HAND ON THE GEAR SHIFT TO PUT INTO PARK WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELLERATED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT AS MUCH PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE AS MY HUSBAND AND WENT INTO A PLATE GLASS WINDOW OF A RESTAURANT THAT FORTUNATELY WAS NOT OPEN AND BEING REMODELED. I DID $4,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND THE RESTAURANT IS CLAIMING $30,000 DAMAGE TO THEIR BUILDING. AGAIN WE HAD IT IN THE GARAGE. THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN YOUR FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE. WE HAVE HEARD FROM FORD THAT THEY CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT AS SOONER OR LATER, WHEN IT HAPPENS, SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT. WE ARE JUST LOOKING FOR A CAR THAT WORKS PROPERLY. OTHER TIMES WHEN DRIVING ALONG IT WOULD ACCELLERATE ON ITS OWN BUT THEN CUT BACK. MOST OFTEN WHEN YOUR FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE FOR SOME REASON. FORD GARAGE CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG AND FORD CO. CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT IT SO THEY SAY. *AK