NHTSA Complaint #10184382 — 2004 FORD ESCAPE

AS I PULLED OFF I88 INTO A GAS STATION IN CHENANGO FORKS, NY, I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE. THE CAR FELT AS IF IT DID NOT WANT TO BRAKE AND WANTED TO SPEED UP. THE CAR "PULLED" ME AND WOULD NOT STOP. THE ENGINE STARTED TO "REV" AS IF SOMEONE HAD THEIR FOOT DOWN ON THE GAS. THE BRAKE GAVE AND I PUT THE CAR IN PARK. I CHECKED TO SEE IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS "STUCK", CREATING THE "REV". IT WAS NOT. I STARTED IT 3 MORE TIMES AND EACH TIME I DID IT WOULD "REV" LOUD . I TURNED THE CAR OFF. I WAS TOWED BY AAA TO COREYS NORTHGATE FORD/MAZDA IN BINGHAMTON , NY. THEY CHECKED IT OUT, DROVE IT, SAID IT WAS FINE. WAS THERE FROM 10:00 AM-12:00 PM. LEFT AT 12:00 PM VIA I-88.10 MINUTES PRIOR TO EXIT 23 (THE EXIT FOR ROUTE 30), I FELT THE CAR ACCELERATING W/O MY FOOT ON THE GAS. THE CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS ON CRUISE, AND CONTINUING TO ACCELERATE. I COULD TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND IT WOULD ACCELERATE. I HAD TO BRAKE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM GOING OVER 80 DOWN A HILL. BRAKING DID NOT FEEL RIGHT. I FELT VERY OUT OF CONTROL. I REACHED EXIT (ROUTE 30), PULLED OFF , TRIED TO BRAKE AND PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER. THE CAR DID NOT WANT TO BRAKE AND WAS ACCELERATING. VERY SCARY. THE BRAKE "GAVE" ,THE CAR SLOWED DOWN. I PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL, PARK, AND TURNED IT OFF. VERY SCARY. I CALLED AAA (AGAIN) THEY TOWED ME TO AERO-FORD MERCURY - COBLESKILL, NY. GOT THERE AT 2:30 PM. WAS TOLD THE THROTTLE BODY WAS RUSTED, WATER WAS LEAKING IN. THIS MADE THE SEPARATOR NOT "SEAL" WELL, WHICH LEFT IT OPEN. WHEN IT IS OPEN, THE CAR ACCELERATES OUT OF CONTROL. THEY FOUND A CHUNK OF ICE WEDGED INTO THE SEPARATOR KEEPING IT OPEN. THEY SAID THIS IS UNUSUAL. ON 3-18-05 I BROUGHT MY CAR IN DUE TO THE RECALL & WAS GIVEN A NEW ACCELERATOR CABLE. WHAT HAPPENED TODAY WAS WHAT THE RECALL DESCRIBED WOULD HAPPEN WITH THE OLD CABLE. SCARY. THE 1ST SERVICE TEAM SHOULD NOT HAVE LET ME GO. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. AFTER THEY FIX IT TOMORROW I WILL STILL BE NERVOUS TO DRIVE. THE FIRST SERVICE TEAM LET ME GO AND SAID THE CAR WAS FINE. *JB