NHTSA Complaint #10132929 — 2001 FORD ESCAPE

IN MAY 2005 THE ACCELERATOR CABLE STUCK WIDE OPEN ON MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE (V-6 ENGINE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) THIS HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN I PUNCHED DOWN ON THE PEDAL VERY HARD. THERE IS A PLASTIC COVER ON TOP OF THE ENGINE THAT MUST BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO SEE WHERE THE CABLES HOOK UP TO THE THROTTLE BODY. I REMOVED THIS TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY OR THE CABLE THAT WAS STUCK. AS I WAS TAKING IT OFF THE CABLE BECAME UNSTUCK ON IT'S OWN SO I WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. AT THAT POINT I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO THEY DID NOTHING. ON 8/10/05 MY WIFE PUSHED DOWN HARD ON THE GAS PEDAL WHILE MERGING INTO FREEWAY TRAFFIC. THE ACCELERATOR STUCK WIDE OPEN AGAIN AND SHE FOUND HERSELF GOING ABOUT 100 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY. FINALLY SHE PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, COASTED TO THE BERM AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK. SINCE THE DEALER COULDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM THE FIRST TIME I DECIDED TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN MYSELF. AGAIN I TOOK THE PLASTIC COVER OFF THE TOP OF THE ENGINE AND ONCE AGAIN THE CABLE BECAME UNSTUCK. THIS MADE ME SUSPECT THAT THE PLASTIC COVER MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PROBLEM. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I FOUND THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE HOUSING HAD BROKEN RIGHT BEFORE THE PART THAT CONNECTS TO THE THROTTLE BODY. THIS CREATES A SITUATION THAT CAN CAUSE THE CRUISE CABLE TO PIVOT UP AND WEDGE AGAINST THE PLASTIC ENGINE COVER DURING HARD ACCELERATION INSTEAD OF IT MOVING IN ITS HOUSING LIKE IT SHOULD THUS CAUSING THE THROTTLE TO STICK WIDE OPEN. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN A FEW TIMES SO I AM CONFIDENT THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE PROBLEM. I EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO WORK ON THE CAR FOR OVER A WEEK SO I WENT TO THE PARTS DEPT. ORDERED THE PART (UNDER $30) WENT HOME AND PUT IT ON MYSELF (TAKES LESS THAN 5 MINUTES). THE CAR IS FIXED NOW. *NM